"The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make suitable checks to ensure that adults are safe to work with children. They provide training for staff. Staff identify potential signs of abuse and understand that everybody is responsible for keeping pupils safe. Leaders speak knowledgeably about managing allegations. They ensure that pupils and families receive the help they need. Staff work in partnership with other professionals to provide appropriate support. Pupils understand how to keep safe, including online." - Ofsted, 2022
Safeguarding at Willowbrook School
Willowbrook 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 (DCFP). Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in safeguarding children.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mrs Molly Marlow
The Deputy Designated Lead for safeguarding is Mr Ben Dawe
The SEN Governor is: Mrs Maria Alford
The Governor for safeguarding is: Mrs Jane Lake
The Senior Leadership Team and Chair of Governors have completed training in safer recruitment and implement rigorous recruitment processes for all posts connected to the college. A member of SLT, our Business Manager, Mrs Alison Horn, maintains a thorough and up to date single record of CRB checks.
Willowbrook 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 two deputies.
- 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
MASH - The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is a partnership between Devon County Council (DCC) 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. A factsheet is can be downloaded from the links and downloads section of this page. We have a duty of care to the children in our setting to report concerns in a timely manner and seek appropriate advice to ensure the safety of children and their families.
Remember - if you are concerned about a child or young person in Devon and want to speak to someone, contact the MASH on 0345 155 1071 and give as much information as you can.
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.
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/
http://www.devonsafeguardingchildren.org/ - Devon Children and Family Partnership The local Safeguarding board
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/online-abuse/ NSPCC Online abuse
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550511/Keeping_children_safe_in_education.pdf - Keeping children Safe in Education documentation
https://youtu.be/-lL07JOGU5o Pantosaurus
https://youtu.be/sch_WMjd6go I Saw your willy
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5ad842_b23caa8460a04b099bb2e5df2b711087.pdf - FGM factsheet
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5ad842_e28c1c6ebe1342c1b905cf98a71057e9.pdf - CSE Factsheet
http://media.wix.com/ugd/5ad842_2039cc9232dc47dabeb0c43fa31c7fde.pdf - Prevent Factsheet