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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. All who work, volunteer or supply services to the school have an equal responsibility to understand the school's safeguarding policies. 

This page provides details of our Safeguarding policies and procedures, and how Safeguarding practices are upheld throughout our school site.

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Safeguarding at The White House School
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The White House School fully recognises and is committed to the safeguarding and wellbeing of all of our pupils and staff. Safeguarding is embedded within the culture of our school.

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What does 'Safeguarding' mean?
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Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

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What is the difference between Safeguarding and Child Protection?
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Safeguarding means:

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  • Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment

  • Preventing harm to children's health or development

  • Ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care

  • Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

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Child protection is a part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures, which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.

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Who are we? - our Safeguarding Team
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At The White House School, Marci Osborn is our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), with support from Elle Vinall and Annemarie Lithgow as Deputy DSLs.

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Marci Osborn

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Anti-Bullying Lead

Prevent Lead

Designated LAC Teacher

 

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Elle Vinall

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

 

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Annemarie Lithgow

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

 

All members of the senior leadership team regularly complete Level 3 Safeguarding training.

Students who are feeling worried about something or someone can come and talk to members of the safeguarding team in school.

Please do not hesitate to contact one of the team if you have any questions or information.

 

What are our Safeguarding Principles?

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PREVENTION

  • Positive, supportive, safe culture, curriculum and pastoral opportunities for children, robust safer recruitment procedures

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PROTECTION

  • Following the agreed procedures, ensuring all staff are trained and supported to recognise and respond appropriately and sensitively to safeguarding concerns

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SUPPORT

  • For all pupils, parents, carers, guardians and staff, and where appropriate specific interventions are required for those who may be at risk of harm

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Who do we work with?
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To ensure timely, appropriate communications and actions are undertaken when safeguarding concerns arise, we work closely with:

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  • Parents and Carers

  • Social Workers

  • Police

  • Other schools

  • Local Authorities

  • All other agencies

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How do we ensure equality?
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EQUALITY STATEMENT

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Some children have an increased risk of abuse, both online and offline, and additional barriers can exist for some children with respect to recognising or disclosing it. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice and recognise children's diverse circumstances. We ensure that all children have the same protection, regardless of any barriers they may face.

 

We give special consideration to children who:

  • Have special educational needs (SEN) or disabilities or health conditions

  • Are young carers

  • May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification or sexuality

  • Have English as an additional language

  • Are known to be living in difficult situations - for example, temporary accommodation or where there are issues such as substance abuse or domestic violence

  • Are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation

  • Are asylum seekers

  • Are at risk due to either their own or a family member's mental health needs

  • Are looked after or previously looked after

  • Are missing or absent from education for prolonged periods and/or repeat occasions

  • Whose parent/carer/guardian has expressed an intention to remove them from school to be home educated

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How can we find out more?
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Useful links and contacts:

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- Keeping children safe from harm

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- Preventing sexual abuse

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- Child criminal exploitation/child sexual exploitation

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- PREVENT

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- Local Support

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- Domestic Abuse

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- Online Safety

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- Mental Health & Wellbeing

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Operation Encompass
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Our school is part of Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass is a police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership which supports children and young people who experience Domestic Violence and Abuse.

Children were recognised as victims of domestic abuse in their own right in the 2021 Domestic Abuse Bill. Operation Encompass means that the police will share information with our school about all police attended Domestic Abuse incidents which involve any of our children PRIOR to the start of the next school day.

All Key Adults (Designated Safeguarding Leads/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads) have attended an Operation Encompass local briefing as well as national online training. Our key adults are Marci Osborn and Elle Vinall.

Our parents are fully aware that we are an Operation Encompass school. The Operation Encompass information is stored in line with all other confidential safeguarding and child protection information. The Key Adult has also led training for all school staff about Operation Encompass, the prevalence of Domestic Abuse and the impact of this abuse on children.

We have also discussed how we can support our children who are experiencing Domestic Violence and Abuse on a day to day basis and particularly following the Operation Encompass notification. We are aware that we must do nothing that puts the child/ren or the non-abusing adult at risk.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will report on Operation Encompass in the half-termly report to Governors. All information is anonymised for these reports.

The Key Adult has used the Operation Encompass Toolkit to ensure that all appropriate actions have been taken by the school.

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Click here to view our Operation Encompass Safeguarding Statement

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The Children's Service First Response Hub
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The Children's Service First Response Hub provides the public and professionals with advice, information and support for children who are vulnerable and at risk.

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Children's First Response Hub can help if you:

  • Are worried about a child or young person who is at risk of (or is being) hurt or abused

  • Know of a child or young person who may be vulnerable without additional help and support

  • Want to know more about services to support children, young people and their families

  • Need support to agree an Early Help offer

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Contact

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The First Response Hub is open: 8.30am-5.15pm (Mon-Thurs) and 8.30am-4.45pm (Fri)

The 'Out of Hours' Service offer emergency support for any child who is in crisis, needs urgent help or is at serious risk of significant harm. Their phone number is: 01202 738 256

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In an emergency, or if you believe a child is at immediate danger or risk of harm, call the police on 999

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