Safeguarding

Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust recognises our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils.  We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment in all of our schools where children are respected and valued.  We will be alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection, and justice.

The procedures contained in this policy apply to all of our Trust staff, supply staff, volunteers, governors and Trustees and are consistent with those within the Leicester and the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnerships.

Everyone who works at Inspiring Primaries Academy Trust understands that they are an important part of the wider safeguarding system for children and accepts safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility and everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play.  To fulfil this responsibility effectively, all our staff will ensure their approach is child-centred and will be supported to consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

We recognise that no single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances. If children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information, and taking prompt action.

• Protecting children from maltreatment.
• Preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development.
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

• We understand the importance every member of our staff has through their contact with children in and outside of our school environments and the particular importance of the roles and relationships they have which places them in a position to identify concerns early, provide help for children and promote children’s welfare and prevent concerns from escalating.
• As a Trust we have a responsibility to provide safe environments in which children can learn.
• We will make every effort to identify children who may benefit from early help and put in place support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life.
• Any staff member who has any concerns about a child’s welfare should follow the processes set out in each of our schools’ child protection policies and raise concerns with the designated safeguarding lead or deputy without delay.
• All our staff should expect to support social workers and other agencies following any referral, especially if they were involved in being alert to or receiving a disclosure of risk, harm or abuse or harassment from a child.
• Our senior designated safeguarding leads will provide support to staff to carry out their safeguarding duties and who will liaise closely with other services such as children’s social care, police, early help, and health were required, as the designated safeguarding leads (and any deputies) are most likely to have a complete safeguarding picture and be the most appropriate person to advise on the response to safeguarding concerns.

• Pupils’ health and safety and emotional well-being, and their mental and physical health or development.
• Meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Meeting the legal duties upon the school under the Equality act: will not unlawfully discriminate against pupils or students based on protected characteristics; we will carefully consider how we support pupils/students regarding particular protected characteristics; we will take positive action to deal with particular disadvantages affecting pupils or students.
• Where a child receives elective home education and has an EHCP, the LA should review the plan working with parents and carers.
• The use of reasonable force.
• Meeting the needs of children with medical conditions.
• Providing first aid.
• Educational visits and off- site education.
• Intimate care and emotional wellbeing.
• Online safety and associated issues including filtering and monitoring in accordance with DfE monitoring standards.
• Appropriate arrangements to ensure school security, considering the local context.
• Keeping children safe from risks, harm, exploitation and sexual violence and sexual harassment between children.