Safeguarding is an umbrella term and covers many more aspects than just child protection.

Child Protection is protecting children from identified risks – originally focused on abuse at home now a wider concept to include bullying, abuse through new technologies etc

Safeguarding extends child protection to include preventing harm and promoting the well being of children.

Safeguarding is:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of a child’s health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provisions of safe and effective care
• Create opportunities to enable children to have optimum life chances in adulthood.

Wolston St Margaret's Primary School recognises the responsibility it has under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 and the requirements of the 'Safeguarding Children in Education' to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and has a clear Policy in place for all staff and volunteers to follow:

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Through their day-to-day contact with pupils and direct work with families, staff at the school have a crucial role to play in noticing indicators of possible abuse or neglect and referring them to the appropriate agency, normally the appropriate Children’s Team (Social Care). 

‘Under the Education Act 2002 (Section 175 for maintained schools), schools must make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.  Parents/carers should know that the law (Children Act 1989) requires all school staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse.  Staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer and discuss the need to make a referral to Children’s Social Care if that is considered necessary.  This will only be done where such discussion will not place the child at increased risk of significant harm or cause undue delay.  The school will seek advice from Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.  Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later found to be unfounded.  Parents/carers will appreciate that the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead carries out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acts in the best interests of all children.’

 Our Policy sets out how the school’s Governing Body discharges its statutory responsibilities relating to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school. 

There are four main elements to our Policy: 

• Prevention through the teaching and pastoral support offered to pupils and the creation and maintenance of a whole school protective ethos.
• Procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
• Support to pupils who may have been abused.
• Preventing unsuitable people working with children through safer recruitment practices

If you have a safeguarding concern about a child or young person and want to speak to someone, contact the Warwickshire Integrated Front Door on 01926 414144 and give as much information as you can.

The Front Door operating times are: 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm on a Friday. Outside of office hours for an immediate concern about a child in danger dial 999 and contact the Emergency Duty Team on telephone number 01926 886922.

Child protection is everybody's business. This means if YOU see something that concerns you, YOU MUST REPORT IT to the school child protection staff or to children's services (social services).

Here is the link to the Warwickshire Safeguarding page for parents:

https://www.safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk/safeguarding-children/i-am-a-parent-carer