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. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in safeguarding children.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mr Chris Greenhall
The Deputy Designated Lead for safeguarding is Mr Ben Dawe
The Senior Leadership Team have completed training in safer recruitment and implement rigorous recruitment processes for all posts connected to the college.
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
Making a request for support – parents, carers, and the general public
If you are concerned about a child or young person in Devon and want to speak to someone, you can make a request for support from the Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership on 0345 155 1071. Calls are confidential and you can choose to remain anonymous. Lines are open Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-4pm.
Further details can be found here: Making a request for support – parents, carers, and the general public - Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership
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.
The Devon Safeguarding Children Partnership (Devon SCP)
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/online-abuse/ NSPCC Online abuse
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