Safeguarding
Millbrook Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- 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
Child protection is 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.
Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
Safeguarding Policies:
To view our safeguarding polices and other policies relevant to safeguarding see the policy section of our website.
Safeguarding Governor:
Sarah Martin
If you have any safeguarding concerns please contact our safeguarding team immediately.
The safeguarding team can be contacted via email officemb@millbrook.vale-academy.org OR by calling the main reception on 01235 764822 and asking to speak to a member of the safeguarding team.
Mrs Stella Stockwell
Assistant Head & Inclusion lead
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Safeguarding lead
Mrs Faye Charlton
Head of School
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Mr Rich Baish
Assistant Headteacher
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Lyndsey Champ
Home-School Link Worker
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Mrs Diana Steptoe
Kids Club Manager
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
All staff are provided with comprehensive safeguarding policies and are trained to ensure Millbrook School is a safe environment. Both teaching and non-teaching staff are aware of their responsibilities to our pupils, and the procedures involved in protecting and nurturing individuals. All safeguarding policies are regularly reviewed and staff receive regular training refreshers to ensure the best practices and procedures are in place.
FIRST RESPONSE
- Have you got a serious concern about the safety of a child or young person up to the age of 18?
- Do you think a child or young person is being harmed or is at risk of being harmed?
- Are you worried that a child is living in circumstances where they are treated badly and not cared for properly?
If you are concerned that a child or young person is being harmed through abuse or neglect you should you should call the MASH immediately
Tel: 0345 050 7666 (or the Police on 999 in emergency situation).
(This number will take you through to Customer Services who will ask a series of questions and triage into MASH where safeguarding concerns are raised)
If you would like further information about keeping your child safe, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to children (NSPCC) has lots of advice and guidance: www.nspcc.co.uk
We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding and child protection commitment.
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with parents/carer first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.
Photographs and videos
Whilst lots of parents and carers really enjoy seeing photos and videos of their children’s school life we are very mindful of our duty of care towards all our pupils.
We take the issue of safeguarding very seriously and this includes the use of photographic and video images.
Any photographs or videos taken by parents, carers and relatives at school productions, sports days or other events are for the enjoyment of individual families. They must not be used in any way that could potentially place a child at risk. This would include publishing images in any form of print or on the internet including social media networks sites. This is emphasised before concerts, shows and productions.
We understand that in exceptional circumstances a parent or carer may not wish their child to be photographed or videoed in this way. If this is the care then please contact the school to discuss how this can be best achieved.
Occasionally, the local press will be invited to take photographs of school events and special achievements. We like to use photographs of our children on our website, in school documents, for parent information meetings, newsletters and on our display screens around the school. If you do not wish photographs of your child to be used for these purposes, then please inform the school if you haven’t already done so.