Keeping our children safe is our number one priority!

Child Protection Statement

‘Our school is committed to safeguarding children and promoting children’s welfare and expects all staff, governors, volunteers and visitors to share this commitment and maintain a vigilant and safe environment. Everyone has a responsibility to act, without delay, to protect children by reporting anything that might suggest a child is being abused or neglected. It is our willingness to work safely and challenge inappropriate behaviours that underpins this commitment. The school seeks to work in partnership with families and other agencies to improve the outcomes for children who are vulnerable or in need.’

At Knotty Ash Primary School we strongly believe that:

‘Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. 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 child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.’ (Keeping Children Safe in Education – DfE, 2019)

Knotty Ash Primary Safeguarding Charter

At Knotty Ash we:

• Work in partnership with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in keeping with the LSCB’s ‘Levels of Need Guidance’ to secure improved outcomes for young people
• Ensure that safer recruitment practices and safeguarding policies and procedures set out a culture of vigilance and challenge
• Provide induction and regular training that enable all adults to recognise signs of abuse and neglect; act in the interests of the child and maintain an attitude ‘it could happen here’.
• Work collaboratively with other agencies to promote early help for young people and families before their needs escalate to a point where intervention would be needed via a statutory assessment.
• Challenge ourselves and others to ensure actions are completed in a timely way and press for reconsideration if the situation does not improve.
• Quality assure all safeguarding practices including maintaining support and oversight of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Team, their actions and decisions and record keeping.
• Ensure all adults working with young people follow an agreed code of conduct that promotes safe working practices and makes responsibilities and expectations clear, including the understanding that anyone can make a referral.
• Complete any actions arising from the Local Authority’s 175 Safeguarding Audit in order to ensure policies and procedures follow LSCB, Local Authority and statutory guidance.
• Implement any learning arising from serious case reviews, for example the need to listen and respond to the views of children, especially when assessing their needs.
• Provide students with a curriculum which promotes their safeguarding and enables them to maintain healthy relationships.

Our Designated Safeguarding Team

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is:

Ms Clements-Bedson (Headteacher)                            0151 228 4222   r.clements-bedson@knottyashprimary.co.uk

Deputy Safeguarding Leads are:

Mr England (Deputy Headteacher and SENDCo)       0151 228 4222   c.england@knottyashprimary.co.uk

Ms Sweeney (Head of Deaf Resource Base)               0151 228 4222   k.sweeney@knottyashprimary.co.uk

Ms Carson (School Business Manager)                        0151 228 4222   r.carson@knottyashprimary.co.uk

Our team is supported by a dedicated team of staff, who will be more than happy to help with any concerns you may have.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are suitably trained to lead in each other’s absence. 

The link Safeguarding Governor is Revd. Julia Jesson.

Play your part to protect children

Child protection is the process of protecting individual children identified as either suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. It involves measures and structures designed to prevent and respond to abuse and neglect.

If you are worried about a child or family then you can always ring, anonymously, Liverpool Careline to share your concerns. You may be the voice a child needs to help protect them.

Liverpool Careline (0151) 233 3700

http://liverpool.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/children/children-at-risk/

For more information on child abuse please refer to 

https://tacklechildabuse.campaign.gov.uk/

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Statutory guidance for schools and colleges

September 2021

The Prevent Duty

Departmental advice for schools and childcare providers

June 2015

Working Together to Safeguard Children

A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children

July 2018

Child Sexual Exploitation

Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children form child sexual exploitation

February 2017

Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation

April 2016

Safeguarding disabled children

Practice guidance

July 2009

DfE and ACPO drug advice for schools

Advice for local authorities, headteachers, school staff and governing bodies

September 2012

Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges

Advice for governing bodies, proprietors, headteachers, principles, senior leadership teams and designated safeguarding leads

May 2018

What to do if you're worried a child is being abused

Advice for practitioners

March 2015