Safeguarding

Ganton School has a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults who attend or have contact with the school. The need for guidelines and procedures is important to ensure that this is done with understanding and clarity. Children and adults with disabilities and special needs are especially vulnerable to all types of abuse and it is particularly important that all staff and volunteers working with them are fully informed and trained about how to work safely in Ganton School in order to protect the young people, themselves and their colleagues.

Safeguarding Team:

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (also referred to as the Child Protection Coordinator) within Ganton School is: Mr. Tom Radge, he is supported by the Community Safeguarding Co-ordinator, Mrs. Katrina McLane (Deputy DSL).

Mr. Alec Young, as Headteacher, has ultimate responsibility for Child Protection.

If you have concerns for a pupil and wish to speak with someone please contact the school on 01482 755528 or email admin@ganton.het.academy.

If you have immediate concerns for the safety or wellbeing of a child you should contact the police or appropriate emergency service.

The leads for Safeguarding and Child Protection, and Assistant Head Teachers, Helen Robinson, Jordan Pullen and Tom Radge, have all completed additional safeguarding training to fulfil their roles. Full records of all staff training in relation to Safeguarding and the training plan are maintained by the Designated Leads, the Head Teacher, and the Assistant Head Teacher responsible for continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Everyone takes personal responsibility on a daily basis to ensure children are kept safe.

We do this by:

• Meeting Health and Safety standards
• DBS checking all staff, students, governors and volunteers
• Keeping essential training up to date (paediatric first aid, food safety, safeguarding etc)
• Securing our site, including data protection
• Liaising with outside agencies – Health Visitors, Social Care, SEN Services
• Meeting our Prevent Duty requirements

Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information sharing partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support for children and young people experiencing domestic abuse. Information is shared by the police with a school’s trained Key Adult (DSL) prior to the start of the next school day after officers have attended a domestic abuse incident thus enabling appropriate support to be given, dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

Children experiencing domestic abuse are negatively impacted by this exposure; domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience and can lead to emotional, physical and psychological harm. Operation Encompass aims to mitigate this harm by enabling immediate support, making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.

Operation Encompass believes that children are victims of domestic abuse in their own right and should be acknowledged as such.