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Safeguarding

We take safeguarding very seriously at St. Mary's and all staff undertake annual updated safeguarding training to ensure our adults are fully aware of any recent developments in safeguarding and ensure that our pupils remain safe.  In addition, all staff have undertaken the PREVENT training that addresses concerns over radicalisation of children from groups or parents with extreme radical views.

We work closely with other agencies in this area, meeting regularly and reviewing our practice. There is a team of designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) in the school, who meet on a weekly basis to discuss concerns and undertake any actions.

 

 

We have five designated members of staff trained to level 3:

  • Mrs Batorska
  • Mrs Samuel
  • Miss Wiscombe
  • Mrs Gerrard
  • Mr Ivan Leadley

If you are concerned about the mental health and wellbeing, welfare or safety of a child in or out of school please make contact via the school office.

We also have a designated email address to support families. This is checked daily by a safeguarding lead and will be passed on to relevant teachers or staff where necessary. The email address is: Familysupport@stmarybridport.dorset.sch.uk

  • You can also contact the Children’s Advice and Duty Service (CHAD) directly: 01305 228866
  • For advice on supporting children worried about terrorism please visit the NSPCC website

Other useful safeguarding videos can be found on the NSPCC website including, ‘I saw your willy’ and ‘Susan and the boy’ etc.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that can have negative, lasting effects on health and behaviour.

For further information visit www.aces.me.uk

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Anti-Bullying

Wellbeing Ambassadors
Wellbeing Ambassadors

Anti-Bullying Gold

Please click the button below to be taken to our Wellbeing and Behaviour Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy

Internet Safety

  • Internetmatters.org Working with online safety experts, Internet Matters are there to guide you through the many issues children can experience when using the internet.

  • National Online Safety Equipping school staff, parents and pupils with the knowledge needed to understand online dangers.

  • ThinkUknow Thinkuknow is the education programme from CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline. Explore one of the six Thinkuknow websites for advice about staying safe when you are on a phone, tablet or computer.

  • Childnet Learn about the internet and being a SMART surfer. Resources and advice available on the website.

For more advice about staying safe online, please view the documents at the bottom of the page.

Take a look at the National Online Safety centres online safety posters. They cover a range of games and online safety topics

Online Safety

GTA

Teams

SnapChat

Instagram

Online Safety

TikTok

Group Chats

Roblox

 

Domestic Violence & Operation Encompass

From April 2021 the school will be part of 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 directly connects the police with schools to secure better outcomes for children who are subject or witness to police-attended incidents of domestic abuse. Rapid provision of support within the school environment means children are better safeguarded against the short-, medium- and long-term effects of domestic abuse.

Operation Encompass Safeguarding Statement

For more information about Domestic Violence and support please visit:

Dorset - Domestic Abuse Dorset County Council

What is Domestic Violence?

The government definition of domestic violence and abuse is:

Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.  This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:

  • psychological
  • Physical
  • Sexual
  • financial
  • emotional

This definition, which is not a legal definition, includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.

Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape, and regulating their everyday behaviour.

Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.

Dorset Police Domestic Abuse Awareness Campaign

Please click here for further information.

Domestic Abuse Poster

What is Claire’s Law?

Claire's Law is a way of checking if your partner has a history of domestic violence. For more information about how to make a request for information, visit here.

National Domestic Violence Helpline:

24-hour helpline, 0808 2000 247

www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk

PREVENT

Prevent is part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy that aims to stop people becoming terrorists.  It is a multi-agency approach to safeguard people at risk of radicalisation.

Terrorism can occur anywhere in the world with atrocities carried out in support of various ideologies.  There is no single definition of terrorism, but it commonly refers to criminal acts intended to provoke a state of terror in the public. Terrorism can be motivated by a range of ideologies or other factors, including religion, politics and race.  In the UK the extreme right wing groups and single issue groups such as animal rights campaigners can post a significant threat.

How does Prevent work?

It looks at building a deeper understanding of how individuals become radicalised.  This helps to identify ways of preventing people from becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism.

Typically, a radicalisation process includes exposure of an individual to extremist viewpoints that may eventually influence the person to carry out an act of violent extremism or terrorism.  This could take weeks, months or even years.  It is possible to intervene during this process and stop someone becoming a terrorist or supporting violent extremist activity.

There is a lot of information about Prevent available on the Home Office website:

Preventing Children from Radicalisation: the Prevent Duty

If you believe someone is at risk of radicalisation you can help them obtain support and prevent them becoming involved by raising your concerns and making a referral, either to the schools Designated Safeguarding Lead, or contact the Safeguarding Referral Unit: sru@dorset.pnn.police.uk

The Dorset Police website contains further information about Prevent

Prevent – information for parents can be found on the Government Educate Against Hate website.

Telephone Contacts:

  • Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321
  • Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

Private Fostering

Private Fostering 1

Private Fostering 2

Please see the attachments below for advice and guidance for staying safe online.