The Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) are Mrs Dewhurst (Deputy Headteacher), Mrs Parkinson (Year Leader), Mrs Khan (Pastoral Intervention Manager) and Mrs Power (Pastoral Intervention Manager).  Mrs Mashiter (Associate Assistant Headteacher is a DSL but also the lead for mental health and well-being). The link governor for safeguarding is Mrs Nestor.  The DSLs attend training every two years to ensure their knowledge and understanding is up-to-date.

As part of our duty to keep children safe from harm we must identify any child that may be at risk from neglect or physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse.  All these forms of harm can affect a child’s development and stop them from doing well in later life.  In order to fulfil this duty all staff are given regular safeguarding training.

In the rare event that the staff have any concerns about a child they will share this with the DSL using CPOMs.  The DSL will then contact parents to discuss the concerns unless doing so may put the child at greater risk. The DSL will contact Children’s Social Care for advice from a social worker if they feel the child is a risk of harm and they then act upon the advice given.

The vast majority of children who are referred to Children’s Social Care will remain at home with their parents.  Very rarely, if Children’s Social Care are really worried about a child being at risk at home, they may have to take further action to protect them.  This could mean removing them from home.

Whatever the outcome, once referred to Children’s Social Care, as a school we continue to support the child and family (where possible) and try to make sure that the child is as happy as possible in school.

As a school we are also part of a national scheme called Operation Encompass. This means that we are given daily alerts from the Police via Children’s Social Care whenever an incident of domestic violence has been reported. That way we can immediately ensure that the pupil can be fully supported in school.

As part of safeguarding in school, we also share useful information via social media about how you can keep your child safe online and regularly remind pupils about the possible dangers when online.

The Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership provides a variety of information, advice and guidance to support the safeguarding of young people across the Pan-Lancashire region. It is aimed at Blackpool, Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen region and contains useful links and details of agencies that can help families with a variety of issues.

The Early Help Assessment is an intervention with a family to gather, explore and analyse with them information about all aspects of the child or young person (and their family’s) life and then to identify areas where change will address support needs and positively impact on their lived experiences.