Safeguarding
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is EVERYONE’s responsibility.
Staff, parents, and adults visiting our school site play an important part to the life of the school and in helping keep the students safe.
The school staff keep the child in focus at all times. We never judge, but we keep an open mind, knowing that ‘it could happen here’. We take our responsibilities regarding welfare concerns seriously and encourage our students to talk openly about any worries they may have.
We ask that should you have ANY question, at ANY time, please see one of the safeguarding team.
The Safeguarding Team:
| Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | Deputed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) | Deputed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) | Deputed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) | Deputed Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) |
| Kate Spencer | Sarah Howard | Miss Brindley | Mrs Milton | Mr Silk |
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The link Governor is Mrs S Barnes
Reporting System:
Should a member of staff have a concern relating to a specific child or incident, the staff will record this on our online portal: MyConcern. This is only visible to the members of the safeguarding team, who will then act to support the child or children involved. This is likely to involve speaking to the child but may also mean that parents receive a call to communicate any concerns or highlight something that has happened. The team recognise that such a call may be a surprise and the news may be a shock, but it is important that we deliver this information.
Staff may also seek advice and guidance from specific agencies such as the Education Safeguarding Advice Service.
School staff may also need to pass on advice or request that parents gain some support from an external agency or a medical professional. Please know that this is never staff passing a judgement but is about what is in the best interests for the children at our school. All such information will be kept confidential.
There are times when school staff will need to escalate situations, by calling the relevant safeguarding children’s board where the child may have experienced harm or be at risk of experiencing harm. It may also be necessary for us to contact the police in certain situations. Staff will let parents/carers know this is happening, unless by doing so could put the child at further risk of harm.
Two Rivers High School is also signed up to receive Operation Encompass notifications. This means that if a domestic incident is reported to the police, the safeguarding team is notified of the date and the time. This means we can support the child if necessary.
Staff Training:
All staff at Two Rivers High School complete a Level 1 course in safeguarding every 3 years, and complete training on Prevent. Alongside this, regular updates are provided to staff to ensure that best practice is adhered to. Staff are required to read specific sections of the statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, which updated annually. Staff knowledge is also audited, with any gaps or misconceptions addressed.
All the safeguarding team are trained to a minimum of Level 3, which is updated every 2 years.
Student ‘Training’:
We deliver a robust safeguarding curriculum that is appropriate to our students and their needs, delivered sensitively. We aim for our students to understand what risk is, when they might be at risk, and what to do to keep themselves safe.
The curriculum at Two Rivers High School is broad, and we look for opportunities in many subjects, so our students learn about safeguarding. Not only do we aim for our students to gain knowledge and understanding of important topics, but we understand these areas benefit the students’ personal development, and welfare to support their personal safeguarding. At all times, our students follow pathways that are appropriate and adapted to our students needs and level of understanding.
We pride ourselves in knowing our students and the needs of both the individuals within our community and the needs of the wider community itself. We recognise that our students may be at a greater risk of:
- Failing to stay safe online,
- Mental health,
- Exploitation,
- Prejudice and discrimination,
- Community issues such as substance misuse or domestic issues, including social-economic concerns.
Whilst the school supports through direct teaching within lessons, including through PSHE, we also look for other opportunities to support our students in other ways. This includes supporting National Days such as Online Safety Day and Mental Health Week; working alongside the Mental Health Support Team; working with the school Nurse team; subscribing to the National Online Safety platform; participating in circle time; delivering assemblies on key areas such as Young Carers and anti-bullying. Each month the Safeguarding Team analyse data and implement interventions targeted at key groups of students or individuals as needed, with some examples of the work completed being circles of trust, appropriate child on child behaviour, keeping safe online. Not all topics are appropriate to be delivered to all our students, given their level of understanding, their previous experiences, and their ability to understanding concepts. This is carefully considered when mapping the curriculum.
What can parents do to support?
Should you believe know there is a safeguarding concern regarding a child who attends Two Rivers High School or a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact the police.
If it is not immediate, please contact the relevant safeguarding children’s board, based upon where the child lives.
Alternatively, you can contact the school and speak to one of the safeguarding team. The team will avoid sharing who has passed on the concern where we can. Sometimes parents/carers may have conversations or overhear concerns that, where passed on, support can be provided. An example could be of a child talking to someone they do not know online, or someone who may have self-harmed. The team can then provide support and advice in the hope of preventing any escalation of the situation. Think of it as a problem shared, being a problem halved!
Online Safety
At Two Rivers High School we strive for all staff and students to work in a safe and secure environment, free from humiliation, harassment, discrimination, victimisation, or any other type of abuse, including when working online.
The school’s staff understand that we need to educate our students to remain safe online and for our students to feel comfortable to speak out should they see anything that is not kind or could upset others. We raise our student’s awareness of online safety through our PSHE programme, and via ICT lessons, and during Form time. We also raise awareness through assemblies, student voice work, responding to issues that may arise, supporting awareness days, and by being members of the National Online Safety programme.
Staff will intervene where online safety is breached at school, using the school’s behaviour and conduct policy, and the Anti-Bullying policy where necessary. Two Rivers High School has an ‘Acceptable User Agreement’. Users are informed that our online network employs monitoring technologies to record access to the internet, keystrokes, and catalogue open windows. Monitoring is via Smoothwall Monitor, and all members of the school community are safe.
Parents/carers can play a significant part of ensuring that their child is safe online whilst away from the school, by using either home or mobile devices. Online safety is required 24/7. Parents/carers also need to be aware that allowing their child to access social media sites and apps before the required age, means an incorrect date of birth needs to be given. This can cause significant issues later, when your child becomes ‘18’, and leaves them vulnerable.
At Two Rivers High School we use a managed service to monitor online behaviour – so issues are identified using captures based on what is typed or searched for - but a human will also review any concerns too.
How does it work?
- The digital monitoring service protects pupils by monitoring, capturing, and alerting the safeguarding team to potentially harmful content or behaviour.
- Each week the safeguarding team receives summary reports and email alerts driven by any significant incidents that have taken place within school.
- The monitoring covers all devices which access our internet at any time and our IT machines – and includes anything searched for online, brought in via a data pen, or typed, even if deleted.
- If the concern is deemed more significant, for example a student types something relating to mental health, an email is likely to be sent to the safeguarding team. If the concern is more significant, a call will be received.
An app that is useful, to support parents/carers, can be found at http://ourpact.com/ This allows a parent/carer to block the use of the internet, remotely. It can also be used to limit the time spent on the internet.
Useful internet sites include:
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
https://www.internetmatters.org/
More information can be found on Online Safety Support - Two Rivers School
Should additional support be required for any safeguarding related concern:
If you click on the following link, it will open to an interactive page, specific for South Staffordshire, with lots of advice and support services added: https://search3.openobjects.com/mediamanager/staffordshire/hub/files/0children_s_mental_health_support_south_staffs_latest.pdf
Speak Up Space – FREE 121 online mental health support for young people
Speak Up Space offers online mental health support for young people up to the age of 18.
A 45 minute 121 online support session can be booked via the instant messaging service via: https://www.speakupspace.org.uk/instant-messaging-service-during-school-hours/
The sessions can be booked by young people, or trusted adults like teachers or a family member.
For more information, visit the website at www.speakupspace.org.uk
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
This is an online health platform that has a wealth of self-help information for children, young people, parents / carers and professionals about mental health and the services offered.
It also allows for access to routine online self-referrals for children and young people, without the requirement for students to go through their GP. This supports children and young people being able to access increased support and services whilst reducing waiting time for referral.
The link to the page is: https://combinedwellbeing.org.uk/home/young-people/
Accessing CAMHs directly:
Young people under 18 years of age can self-refer to CAMHS with the consent of their parents / carers, using the online form on our website
For those in need of urgent support regarding their mental health, you can contact our dedicated mental health access line, available 24-hours, on 0808 196 3002 where you will have the opportunity to access mental health support.
ChatHealth is an award-winning messaging service for young people and parents to get advice and support about health-related issues.
Messages will be responded to by Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's Health Visitors or School Nurses, dependent on the age of your child, as part of Staffordshire’s new Families Health and Wellbeing Service.
The Service can support on health and wellbeing issues including weaning, behaviour, health, developmental concerns and concerns regarding your child’s weight or emotional wellbeing.
The service is available Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5pm.
Student access via texting: 07520 615 721
Parental access via texting: 07520 615 722
Other useful websites/helplines:
NSPCC (for adults) 0808 800 5000
Childline 0800 111
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) This website allows anyone to report online abuse directly to the online-safety branch of the police.
Report harmful online content this website has been set up by the Safer Internet Centre. The site allows you to get specific advice and guidance regarding online safety issues and to report issues directly, including images that may have been shared without consent.
Safety Centre This website provides information has advice regarding how to block and report issues based upon your device and app being used.
Stonewall Access for advice relating to LGBT+ queries
Youngminds Access for mental health queries, including self-harm, anger, eating problems, identity, abuse.
More safeguarding support within our website:
Mental Health and Wellbeing - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net)
Online Safety Support - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net)
Parent Carer - Support in the Community - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net)
LGBTQ+ - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net)
Bullying Support - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net)
Pupil Zone - Two Rivers Federation (tworiversschool.net) Pupil support including wellbeing, online safety, reporting functions
What is the PREVENT Strategy?
Prevent is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorist or extremist causes
The Prevent Strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme far-right wing and extreme Islamist groups.
How does the Prevent strategy apply to schools and parents?
From July 2015 all schools have a duty to safeguard children from radicalisation and extremism.
This means we have a responsibility to protect children from extremist and violent views the same way we protect them from drugs or gang violence.
The Prevent strategy is not just about discussing extremism itself, which may not be appropriate for some children. However, it is about teaching children values such as tolerance and mutual respect.
Educate Against the Hate Website
Importantly, we can provide a safe place for pupils to discuss any issues so they better understand how to protect themselves.
Children are spending more time than ever on social media and gaming platforms so it is no surprise that online grooming by extremists is on the rise. Young people are especially being targeted by groups and individuals promoting violence and hatred.
Helping your child be digitally savvy and knowing the signs of radicalisation will help keep them safe and protect them from potential risks.
Netmums have partnered with Counter Terrorism Policing to highlight their safeguarding website, ACT Early, which is for parents, friends and families who are concerned about loved ones at risk of radicalisation. https://www.netmums.com/act-early
You want your child to be happy and healthy and that means you already know the places you can get help and advice if they’re not well or are struggling at school. Support is also there if you’re worried your child is being radicalised or exploited by extremists. https://actearly.uk/
Newsletters
Please click below to read our monthly safeguarding newsletters.
Policies
Below you will see the Low Level Concern Policy, Whistle Blowing Safeguarding Policy and the Safeguarding Policy.
