Safeguarding Statement

Children have a right to be cared for and protected. Protecting them is everyone’s responsibility. At Chilton Primary School we have a duty of care to ensure that all pupils are kept safe.

We are committed to providing a secure and supportive environment in which children can develop and grow into mature and responsible people. Safeguarding children is an essential part of our approach to ensure that children are protected from abuse and neglect and that every child reaches their full potential.  The best interests of the children will always be our priority. As such, there are times we will need to record, monitor and share information with other agencies. We will share concerns about our pupils with the child’s parents/carers unless we have reason to believe that such an approach would not be in the child's best interests. 

Designated Safeguarding Lead/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads

Parents and carers play a role in safeguarding children in their community. If you have any concerns, no matter how small, you should report them to Mrs Knight, Miss Vousden, Mrs Holme-Turner or Mrs Davies. 

Mrs Kelly Knight is our school's designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Miss Vousden, Mrs Holme-Turner and Mrs Davies are deputy designated leads (DDSL)

Please refer to our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information.

If a child is in immediate danger call the police on 999..

Immediate concern

The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is the front door to Children’s Social Care for all child protection and immediate safeguarding concerns. If there is an immediate safeguarding concern where a child is deemed at risk or has potentially suffered significant harm, the MASH team should be contacted immediately.

For example:

• Allegations/concerns that the child has been sexually/physically abused.
• Concerns that the child is suffering from severe neglect or other severe health risks.
• Concern that a child is living in or will be returned to a situation that may place him/her at immediate risk.
• The child is frightened to return home.
• The child has been abandoned or parent is absent.

If you have a concern about a child, please call MASH on 0345 050 7666 during office hours (8.30am – 5pm, Monday to Thursday, 8.30am – 4pm, Friday)

Outside office hours call the Emergency Duty Team on 0800 833 408

Local Area Designated Officer (LADO)

The role of the LADO is to ensure that allegations against people working with children are progressed in a timely and appropriate way. The role covers all settings where people work with children (e.g. football clubs, church groups, childminders) not just Oxfordshire County Council employees.

The LADO should be made aware of all cases in which it is alleged that a person 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 or related to a child
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children

If you need to report an allegation, you can do so by contacting the LADO on 01865 810603.

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass aims, by directly connecting police and schools, to secure better outcomes for children, to enable schools to better understand the impact living with domestic abuse has upon children, to help schools to better understand  a child’s lived experience and to therefore be able to support and nurture each child , making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow. 
 

As a school we will support children and their families who have or are experiencing domestic abuse. Please see the poster below and come in to speak to Mrs Knight or Miss Vousden if you need more information.

Online safety

The internet has changed all of our lives, particularly our children’s. New technologies have become integral to the lives of children and young people in today’s society, both within schools and in their lives outside school.  At Chilton Primary School, we follow the guidance as set by the DfE, Oxfordshire LEA, CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) and Think u Know, which is run by CEOP and is a resource for teachers, parents and children.