What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding refers to the processes adopted by our college community for actively observing, monitoring, reporting and recording ALL matters which may potentially put our students at risk of harm or abuse.
We are ALL part of the college ‘Safeguarding Team’ and work together to keep the students in our care safe and well. Everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
In addition to staff based within the college, we have a growing team of ‘External’ agencies who contribute additional support and services to our students and families, and together we work within the framework of Liverpool School Improvement in relation to Child Protection.
‘Our college is committed to safeguarding children and promoting children’s welfare and expects all staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment and maintain a vigilant and safe environment. Everyone has a responsibility to act, without delay, to protect children by reporting anything that might suggest a child is being abused or neglected. It is our willingness to work safely and challenge inappropriate behaviours that underpins this commitment. The school seeks to work in partnership with families and other agencies to improve the outcomes for children who are vulnerable or in need.’
‘Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.’ (DFE 2018)
Roles and key contacts within the Safeguarding Team
The staff responsible for ensuring that Safeguarding processes and reporting are maintained are:
- Mr Paul Stirling – Headteacher
- Miss E Griffiths – Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead
- Mrs J Brown – Assistant Headteacher, SENDCO, Safeguarding Officer
- Mr C Gillon – AEP/Inclusion Lead, Safeguarding Officer
- Mrs S Noel-Mulhaney – 6th Form Safeguarding Officer
- Liz Bellman – Learning Mentor, Anti-Bullying Co-ordinator and Safeguarding Officer
- Neil Davidson – Learning Mentor, EHAT Co-ordinator, Anti-Drug Co-ordinator and Safeguarding Officer
- Pamela Sutton – Attendance, Family Support and Safeguarding Officer
Email and Governors
My Safeguarding Pledge
To demonstrate my commitment to safeguarding children I pledge to:
- ensure that children are visible, their voices heard and their needs, views and wishes addressed
- recognise that some children may be more vulnerable to harm due to their age, specific needs or home circumstances
- work in partnership with other agencies, always acting in the best interests of children
- act without delay to protect children from harm and abuse
- provide early help before children’s needs escalate further
- apply the local ‘levels of need guidance’ to assess and re-evaluate children’s needs
- share information promptly to support a collective and holistic assessment of children’s needs
- strengthen relationships with families, supporting them to build resilience by adopting a solution focused approach
- attend all multi-agency meetings to ensure collective responsibility for achieving positive outcomes for children in a timely way
- ensure agencies challenge each other so that actions are taken promptly, avoiding professional drift
- follow local multi-agency procedures to escalate concerns until there is an appropriate resolution
- participate in regular and effective supervision with my peers so that there is strong oversight of decisions made and actions taken
- meet all mandatory training requirements, regularly updating my professional knowledge whilst applying any learning to my practice and cascading to others
Safeguarding Hub
Links
Let’s Tackle Child Abuse
You may be aware of information published by the DfE regarding the ‘Tackle Child Abuse’ campaign. It revisits the key message that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. The campaign is regularly being aired on local radio stations.
Child Criminal Exploitation – What you need to know
The following resource booklet and video clips have been produced to help develop understanding of Child Criminal Exploitation.
Child Sexual Exploitation – Parent and Carer Information
Guide for parents and carers including information and advice for keeping children safe online. Covers how to talk to your child about online safety, including suggested talking points. Makes suggestions for things that families can do such as setting boundaries, agreeing ground rules and being positive about the benefits of the internet. Discusses things that parents can do to keep children safe such as using filters and parental controls. Looks at what to do if things go wrong and where to get extra support.
(Author: NSPCC – Organisation: NSPCC)
A Parent’s Guide to Talking about Pornography
We can’t prevent our children seeing images and videos of pornography, but we can work towards preventing pornography harming our children.
A Parent’s Guide to Sexual Exploitation
Pace offers parents compassionate support and advice working in partnership with parents to tackle child exploitation.
What is Child Abuse?
Child abuse is when a child is intentionally harmed by an adult or another child it can be over a period of time but can also be a one-off action. It can be physical, sexual or emotional and it can happen in person or online. It can also be a lack of love, care and attention this is neglect.
Bullying and Cyberbullying
Bullying and cyberbullying can happen to any child. We’ve got advice to help keep children safe from bullying, wherever it happens.
Sex and Relationships
Many parents and carers feel unsure about how to talk to their child about sex, sexuality and relationships. We have advice to help you support your child and keep them safe.
Guide to Social Networks, sites and Apps
Online guide to the social networks, sites and apps children use. Each entry includes: a brief description of the social network; key findings on what children and young people say to look out for and why they like it; and parents’ opinions on the sign-up, privacy settings, reporting and safety advice associated with the social networks.
Home or Out Alone – A Guide to Keeping your Child Safe
A guide to help parents and carers decide whether their child is ready to either stay at home or go out alone.
This guide provides practical tips and advice to help parents and carers decide what is best for their child when it comes to staying home alone or going out alone.
It covers some of the risks parents should consider before making a decision, such as how their child feels about the idea and who they should contact in an emergency.
There is also a checklist for parents and children to work through together to help them prepare for different types of scenarios. This includes questions about what to do if there is an accident at home or they are approached by a stranger outside.
What is sexting or sending nudes?
Sexting or sending nudes is when someone shares a sexual message, naked or semi-naked image, video or text message with another person. It doesn’t have to be a nude image of them and could be an image of someone else.
Young people can send nudes using phones, tablets and laptops and can share them across any app, site or game, including during a livestream. Many young people also share them on social media channels.
We’ve got advice to help if you’re worried your child might have been sending or receiving nude images, or if you want to talk to them about the risks.
Advice to Parent Regarding Extremism
This leaflet sets out information to help parents keep their children safe and explains how they should respond if they have a concern regarding extremism.
This booklet has been produced by the LBTH Parental Engagement Team.
Coping with Self Harm
This guide was developed from talking to parents and carers of young people and is aimed at helping parents, carers, other family members and friends cope when a young person is self-harming. It includes information on the nature and causes of self-harm, how to support a young person when facing this problem and what help is available.
This guide was produced by Oxford University
Operation Encompass
In conjunction with Merseyside Police, Archbishop Beck Catholic College is involved in an initiative called Operation Encompass. The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in, heard or witnessed a domestic abuse incident. Following such an incident, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset, worried and unprepared. Operation Encompass aims to ensure that appropriate school staff (called Key Adults) are made aware early enough to support children and young people in a way that means they feel safe and included.
Helpful websites for Parents and Carers
A guide to help parents and carers decide whether their child is ready to either stay at home or go out alone.
This guide provides practical tips and advice to help parents and carers decide what is best for their child when it comes to staying home alone or going out alone.
It covers some of the risks parents should consider before making a decision, such as how their child feels about the idea and who they should contact in an emergency.
There is also a checklist for parents and children to work through together to help them prepare for different types of scenarios. This includes questions about what to do if there is an accident at home or they are approached by a stranger outside.
Information for keeping your child safe online:
Liverpool Parenting Newsletter
You will find new information to support Parents/ Carers, Families and children in Liverpool. Along with information regarding events and activities on offer running from March to May 2023.
The Newsletter includes information on services that support parents:
- Ante Natal Services
- Children Centres
- Childcare
- Debt Advice
- Domestic Abuse
- Education
- Employment Support
- Foodbanks
- Fostering in Liverpool
- HAF Half Term Activities
- Mental Health
- Money Management
- Parenting Programmes
- SEND
- Parental Mental Health
- Support for Fathers