Safeguarding and Child Protection

Riverside Primary School takes Safeguarding very seriously and has an extensive range of strategies for keeping children safe. These strategies extend to all who work in or with the School.

CHILD PROTECTION STATEMENT

We recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our internal procedures to ensure that children receive effective support and protection.

Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures apply to all staff, volunteers and governors and any adult visiting the school site and are consistent with those of the local safeguarding children board (PCSB). Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in safeguarding children.

The Senior Designated Lead for safeguarding is Mrs Clare Willcocks.
The Deputy Designated Leads for safeguarding is Mrs Ann Warren.

The Designated Governor Lead is Ms Ruth Sayers.

The school implements rigorous recruitment processes for all appointments within the school and at least one member of the panel has completed safer recruitment training. The school maintains a thorough Single Central Record of DBS checks.

For a copy of the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy click here

Riverside Primary School has an ongoing and continuing commitment to safeguarding which includes

• A written safeguarding policy and up to date child protection procedures which have been agreed with the governing body.
• An identified senior designated officer together with a deputy.
• A nominated governor to champion child protection issues.
• Training at the appropriate level for all staff and volunteers, this takes place annually for the whole staff group.
• Robust staff recruitment and selection processes which safeguards children.
• Distribution and understanding of the guidelines set out in Keeping Children Safe

The importance of the Prevent strategy

Schools can help to protect children from extremist and violent views in the same ways that they help to safeguard children from drugs, gang violence or alcohol.
The purpose must be to protect children from harm and to ensure that they are taught in a way that is consistent with the law and our values. Awareness of PREVENT and the risks it is intended to address are both vital. Staff can help to identify, and to refer to the relevant agencies, children whose behaviour suggests that they are being drawn into terrorism or extremism.
Schools of all kinds can play a role in enabling young people to explore issues like terrorism and the wider use of violence in a considered and informed way. Our Curriculum can facilitate understanding of wider issues within the context of learning about the values on which our society is founded and our system of democratic government. These are important for reasons which go far beyond Prevent but they connect to the Prevent agenda.

The Gateway and Multi - Agency hub

The Gateway and Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub is a partnership between PCC, children's social care, education and youth services, Devon NHS health services, Devon and Cornwall Police and the Probation Service working together to safeguard children and young people.

Remember - if you are concerned about a child or young person in Plymouth and want to speak to someone, contact the Gateway on 307160 and give as much information as you can.

External links
https://educateagainsthate.com/parents/ an Q&A resource to share with your children and help protect them from radicalisation and extremism.

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (or CSE as it is sometimes referred to) is a term that explains what happens when abusers encourage children and young people under 18 into sexually exploitative situations, contexts and relationships. These often involve the young person being given things such as food, accommodation, drugs, affection, gifts of money in return for performing sexual activities. Victims will often be groomed for a period of time before physical or sexual abuse takes place.

• Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of child abuse, it is not a specific criminal offence but the term encompasses a range of different forms of serious criminal conduct and a number of individual offences. The sexual exploitation of a child or young person will almost certainly involve the commission of a crime, or have the potential for a crime to be committed.
• CSE can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition, for example the persuasion to post or send sexual images of themselves with no immediate payment or gain. In all cases those exploiting the child or young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and resources available to them.
• Violence, coercion and intimidation are common in child sexual exploitation cases as many perpetrators target vulnerable young people. The vulnerability is often due to economic or physical circumstances that leave the young people with few choices, however, it is important to remember any child may be targeted so it is important to help them keep safe
• PACE (Parents against Child Sexual Abuse) have created a free online learning module about the signs and symptoms as well as the impact of CSE. It also gives advice on what to do when you think a child might be at risk of CSE http://paceuk.info/training/keep-them-safe/

External links
Keeping Children Safe in Education