SAFEGUARDING TEAM

Headteacher: Mr V Groak

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr A Chapman

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs L Kelsey / Mrs M Lambert

PURPOSE

Hessle High School and Sixth Form College recognises that protecting and safeguarding children and young people is a shared responsibility and depends upon effective joint working between agencies and professionals that have different roles and expertise. Individual children and young people, especially some of the most vulnerable children and those at greatest risk of social exclusion, will need coordinated help from health, education and children’s social care services. The voluntary sector and other agencies also have an important role in protecting and safeguarding children.

The school has a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of children and young people they come into contact with. The need for guidelines and procedures is important to ensure that this is done with understanding and clarity.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

Children’s Act 1989, section 17 and 47, and the Children’s Act 2004 both state that it is the duty of schools to act “to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in need".

• Protecting children from maltreatment.

• Preventing impairment of children’s health or development.

• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

• Undertaking that role, so as to enable those children to have optimum life chances and to enter adulthood successfully.

Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. 

This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. Areas of harm are defined under the following headings:

• Physical abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Sexual abuse and Neglect

Effective child protection is essential to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. All agencies should aim to proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of children, so that the need for action to protect from harm is reduced.

Where there are concerns about the welfare of any child or young person, all staff/volunteers have a duty to share those concerns with the safeguarding team. As a parent or visitor to the school, any concerns you have should be communicated directly to the safeguarding team. 

Please click here to read Keeping Children Safe in Education.

If you have any Child Protection concerns during the school holiday periods or outside of our usual hours, it is crucial to contact the local authority immediately. For those of you in the East Riding area, you can reach the 'Early Help and Safeguarding Hub' (SaPH) at 01482 395500 during office hours or 01482 241273 after hours. Additionally, you can find more information and report concerns online at http://erscb.org.uk/#report.