SAFEGUARDING AT CAWTHORNE

At Cawthorne, safeguarding is of the highest importance and our policy and procedures are designed to ensure every child who is a registered pupil is safe and protected from harm. 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.

Children and adults in our school (including governors, volunteers, supply teachers and agency staff, visitors and parents) are given clear direction about expected behaviour and our legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children at Cawthorne.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and we operate with a mantra that 'it could happen here' even if there are no recorded incidents. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively at Cawthorne, our approach is child-centred. This means that we consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

To ensure that children are effectively safeguarded from the potential risk of harm at Cawthorne CE VC Primary School and that the safety and wellbeing of the children is of the highest priority in all aspects of the school’s work so that we:

• protect children from abuse, neglect or maltreatment
• prevent the impairment of their health or development, including mental health, physical health and wellbeing
• ensure that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective and nurturing care
• undertake that role so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances, enter adulthood successfully and have the best outcomes
• establish a safe environment in which children can learn and develop
• ensure we practice safer recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children and create a culture of vigilance
• raise awareness of and responding appropriately to safeguarding and Child Protection issues
• equip children with the skills needed to keep them safe, including how to recognise when they are at risk and how to get help when they need it
• have clear procedures for identifying additional needs and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse and allegations against teachers and other members of staff
• support children who have a Child Protection Plan