Safeguarding
At Southmead Primary School, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is our highest priority. We are committed to creating and maintaining a safe, caring and stimulating environment where every child can learn, develop and thrive. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.
Every child at Southmead Primary School deserves to feel safe, valued and respected. We maintain an attitude of “it could happen here” and are vigilant in identifying and responding to any safeguarding concerns. We will always act in the best interests of the child.
Keeping Children Safe at Southmead Primary school
If you are concerned about a child please email safeguarding@southmead.wandsworth.sch.uk for the attention of Ms Collier or out of school hours contact:
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
Telephone: 020 8871 7899
Telephone outside of normal office hours (after 5pm weekdays or on weekends): 020 8871 6000
Email: mash@wandsworth.gov.uk
In an emergency contact the Police by calling 999.
You could also call the NSPCC Freephone Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Safeguarding Team
Miss Collier- Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Stagg- Headteacher and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Furnell- Deputy Head and Designated Member of Staff
Miss Macarty – ELSA and Designated Member of Staff
Miss Atkin – SENDCo and Designated Member of Staff
Staff Training
At Southmead Primary School, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We ensure that all adults who work with or who come into contact with our children receive appropriate safeguarding training. All staff, agency staff and governors undergo safeguarding and child protection training at induction. This is updated regularly and at least annually.
Our safeguarding training is delivered through:
- Induction days for new staff joining the school
- INSET days for whole-school training and annual updates
- Regular updates throughout the year via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings.
For volunteers, we take a proportionate risk-based approach to determining what level of safeguarding information and training to provide on and after induction, based on their role and level of contact with children.
All staff are clear about the steps within our Safeguarding and Child protection policy which they must take if they have any concerns regarding a child at Southmead primary school.
The school follows national guidelines:
Keeping Children Safe In Education
Working Together To Safeguard Children
The school operates safer recruitment procedures, which ensures:
- There is always one member on the interview panel has undertaken safer recruitment training.
- We carry out all appropriate checks on new staff, volunteers and parents who work with children.
- All new staff, governors, volunteers and visitors receive a clear and comprehensive induction
Organisations we work with:
Wandsworth Safeguarding Partnership
Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCP) is jointly led by the Police, Integrated Care Board and the Council. We are responsible for protecting children and young people in Wandsworth from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and promoting their welfare.
Local Authority Designated Officer
Statutory guidance places a clear responsibility on organisations to contact the LADO within one working day where it is alleged that a member of staff or volunteer who works with children has:
- Behaved in a way that has harmed a child or, may have harmed a child.
- Possibly committed a criminal offence against a child or related to a child.
- Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates that they may pose a risk of harm to children.
- Behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children
The Police
Under the Children Act 1989, the police service, working with other agencies such as local authority children’s social care services, health services and education services, is responsible for making enquiries to safeguard and secure the welfare of any child within their area who is suffering (or is likely to suffer) significant harm.
The police are duty-bound to refer to the local authority those children in need whom they find in the course of their work.
Their role includes:
- The identification of children who might be at risk from abuse and neglect;
- The investigation of alleged offences against children;
- Their work with other agencies, particularly the requirement to share information that is relevant to child protection issues; and
- The exercise of emergency powers to protect children
Social Care
Wandsworth Young Carers
Southmead work with Wandsworth young carers who support Young Carer’s with their emotional wellbeing, mental health and help them with any academic support or other issues such as isolation. The sessions aim to identify any support needs and work with Young Carers to put support in place. They also support Young Carers in the community through activities events and trips. They also facilitate peer support groups, one-to-one sessions and workshops focussing on wellbeing and practical skills.
Early Help and Family Support
- Parenting support
- Financial difficulties
- Housing issues
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Domestic abuse support
- Family member arrested
- Death in the family
- Bereavement
- Poor attendance and punctuality
- Parents separated/divorced/left
- And others
Useful links for Parents/Carers
- NSPCC Home Page
- Child Sexual Exploitation
- NSPCC Online Safety
- ChildNet: Supporting Young people online (advice for parents, available in other languages)
- Citizens Advice Wandsworth
- Welcare – Wandsworth Family Service
- Young Minds
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
To read our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, please click here