School Policy

Mersey Drive Community Primary School's safeguarding policy provides clear direction to all school stakeholders about expected practice in dealing with safeguarding issues. It makes explicit the school’s commitment to the development of good practice and effective procedures, ensuring that safeguarding concerns and referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in a way that supports and protects the needs of the child.

Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.

At Mersey Drive Community Primary School our pupils’ welfare is our paramount concern. We will ensure that we will safeguard and promote the welfare of our pupils and work together with other agencies to ensure that our school has arrangements to identify, assess and support those children who are suffering or likely to suffer harm.

Our school is a community and all those directly connected staff members, governors, parents, families and pupils, have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure.

Our Ethos

• We believe that our school should provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of the individual child.
• We adopt a whole school approach to safeguarding and it underpins everything we do.
• We recognise the importance of providing an environment within our school that will help children feel safe and respected. We recognise the importance of enabling children to talk openly and to feel confident that they will be listened to.
• We recognise that all adults within the school, including permanent and temporary staff, volunteers and governors, have a full and active part to play in protecting our pupils from harm.
• We will work with parents to build an understanding of the school’s responsibilities to ensure the welfare of all children, including the need for referrals to other agencies in some situations.

According to the DfE, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment;
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development;
• ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility at Mersey Drive Community Primary School.

Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding children. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals should make sure their approach is childcentred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

This policy applies to all who come into contact with children at Mersey Drive Community Primary School including:

• Teachers
• Teaching assistants
• Administrative assistants
• Supply teachers
• Students
• Midday supervisors
• Visitors/volunteers
• Adult helpers
• Governors
• Trustees

If in doubt, anyone with concerns should seek advice from the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Miss. A. Ridley or contact Children's Social Care 01612535454.

Safeguarding Policies