At Knotty Ash, we make the safety of children our utmost priority.  We have a stringent Safeguarding policy and all staff and volunteers are trained to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding.  Our school guidance is available for you to view here.  More detailed policies and procedures are available on request.  We also have guidance for children on how to seek support for themselves or for others.  You can access this in the 'Children' area of our website.

If you have any concerns yourself about a child in our school or in our community, please feel free to pop in for advice.

‘The school ensures children learn in a safe, caring and enriching environment. Children are taught how to keep themselves safe, to develop positive and healthy relationships, how to avoid situations where they might be at risk including by being exploited.

The school also has a statutory responsibility to share any concerns it might have about a child in need of protection with other agencies and in particular police, health and children’s services. Schools are not able to investigate child protection concerns but have a legal duty to refer them. In most instances the school will be able to inform the parents/carer of its need to make a referral. However, sometimes the school is advised by children’s services or police that the parent/carer cannot be informed whilst they investigate the matter. We understand the anxiety parents/carers understandably feel when they are not told about any concerns from the outset. The school follows legislation that aims to act in the interests of the child.

The school will always seek to work in partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child and family’

The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a guide for parents and carers to have discussions with their children about online sexual harassment. The guide, which is in part built upon the experiences and voices of young people, provides adults with practical advice on how to navigate discussions with their own children.

The guidance can be found at:

https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/talking-to-your-child-about-online-sexual-harassment-a-guide-for-parents/