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Roles, Responsibilities and Expectations

Role Of The Designated Safeguarding Lead

It is the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Pippa Brand-Benee, under the direction of the governing body, to ensure that all safeguarding issues raised in school are effectively responded to, recorded and referred to the appropriate agency. They are also responsible for arranging whole school safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers who work with children and young people in our school. The DSL has a role in ensuring that the whole school safeguarding training takes place at least every three years.

The DSL is required to attend or ensure that a senior member of staff who has the relevant training and access to appropriate supervision, attends where appropriate, all conferences, core groups or meetings where it concerns a child at our school and to contribute to multi-agency discussions to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

The DSL will complete the Annual Safeguarding Audit which is reported to the Governors. This will then be used to inform our Safeguarding Action Plan and the cycle continues.  These documents will be shared with the Education Safeguarding Advisory Service (ESAS) who monitor the provision for safeguarding across Buckinghamshire and who have an auditing role in ensuring the school is meeting its Safeguarding requirements under sec 175/157 of the Education Act 2002 for both maintained and independent schools, including academies. 

 

The Designated Safeguaring Lead must;

  • ensure that the child protection procedures are followed within the school and to make appropriate, timely referrals to the Buckinghamshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) in accordance with the BCSB (Buckinghamshire Children’s Safeguarding board) multi-agency safeguarding procedures.

  • ensure that contact is made with, Police (cases where a crime may have been committed) and to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern

  • ensure that all staff who are employed within the school, including temporary staff and volunteers, are aware of the school’s internal procedures in addition to the government guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education: Information for All School and College Staff; to advise other staff; and to offer support to those requiring this.

  • ensure that the Governing body has ensured that Thomas Hickman School designates an appropriate senior member of staff to take lead responsibility for child protection. This person has the status and authority within the school to carry out the duties of the post including committing resources and, where appropriate, supporting and directing other staff. 

  • act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies

  • share information with appropriate staff in relation to a child’s looked after (CLA) legal status and contact arrangements with birth parents or those with parental responsibility.

  • ensure they have details of the CLA’s social worker and the name of the virtual school Head Teacher in the authority that looks after the child.

  • ensure that either the DSL or deputy are always available to staff during the school hours in term.

The Head Teacher, in conjunction with the Designated Leads for Safeguarding, will provide an annual report for the governing body detailing any changes to the policy and procedures; training undertaken by all staff and governors; and other relevant safeguarding issues. This report is provided to the Education Safeguarding Advisory Board following its presentation to Governors during the Autumn Term for the purposes of providing assurance to Buckinghamshire Children Safeguarding Board

Role Of The Governors

The Governing body of Thomas Hickman School has a legal responsibility to make sure that the school has an effective safeguarding policy and procedures in place and monitors that the school complies with them. The Governing body should also ensure that the policy is made available to parents and carers if requested. It is also the responsibility of the Governing body to ensure that all staff and volunteers are properly checked to make sure they are safe to work with the pupils who attend our school and that the school has procedures for handling allegations of abuse made against members of staff (including the Head Teacher) or volunteers.

It is the role of the governing body and the school leadership team to ensure that the Designated Leads for Safeguarding have received the necessary training, have access to the resources needed to enable them to carry out their responsibilities and have regular professional supervision to support them in this role. They will be given time to effectively fulfill the duties that their role demands.

Our designated safeguarding governor is Rebecca Smith.

DSL Training

The Designated Senior Lead will undergo formal training every year following the proposed training model from the Buckinghamshire Education Safeguarding Advisory Board . The DSL will also undertake Prevent awareness training. In addition to this training, their knowledge and skills will be refreshed (for example via e-bulletins, meeting other DSLs, or taking time to read and digest safeguarding developments) at least annually to:

1. Understand the assessment process for providing early help and intervention, for example through locally agreed common and shared assessment processes such as early help assessments

2. Have a working knowledge of how local authorities conduct a child protection case conference and a child protection review conference and be able to attend and contribute to these effectively when required to do so

3. Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the Thomas Hickman’s safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures, especially new and part time staff.

4. Be alert to the specific needs of children in need, those with special educational needs and young carers

5. Understand and support Thomas Hickman Staff with regards to the requirements of the Prevent duty and are able to provide advice and support to staff on protecting children from the risk of radicalisation

6. Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure records of concerns and referrals

7. Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses

8. Encourage a culture of listening to children and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, in any measures the school or college may put in place to protect them

Staff Training

All members of staff are provided with opportunities to receive training by the designated teacher in order to develop their understanding of the signs and indicators of abuse at least every three years. However at Thomas Hickman School this happens yearly in order for all staff to be up to date with current issues and changes.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is to provide up-to-date guidance and practical support on specific safeguarding issues. For example, information for schools and colleges can be found on the TES, MindEd and the NSPCC websites. School and college staff can access government guidance as required below via GOV.UK and other government websites.

Raising Awareness

The DSL is to ensure;

  • Thomas Hickman School policies are known, understood and used appropriately.

  • the safeguarding and child protection policy is reviewed annually and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with governing bodies or proprietors regarding this.

  • the safeguarding and child protection policy is available publicly and parents are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made and the role Thomas Hickman School in this.

  • links with the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children’s Board to make sure staff are aware of training opportunities and the latest local policies on safeguarding.

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