Safeguarding

No parent or carer wants to think about the possibility of their child becoming a victim of abuse and most children are never abused. Even so, it is important for parents and carers to be aware of the possibility and to know that help is available if the unthinkable does happen.

Most children know their abusers. They may be family members or friends of the family, someone who works with the child or someone who lives in the community.

There are many signs, or indicators, that a child might be suffering abuse. There may be injuries, but it is more likely that you will notice some change in your child’s behaviour. If you notice anything that concerns you, talk to your child to see if you can find out what is happening. Remember that if your child is being harmed, she or he may be too frightened to tell you. If your child becomes distressed or you are not happy with the explanations, you could talk to an adult you trust or call a helpline or children’s social care services.

Some signs to look for are:

• bruises or other injuries
• a change in behaviour – from quiet to loud, or from happy-go-lucky to withdrawn
  pain or discomfort
• fear of a particular person, or a reluctance to be alone with them
• secrecy around a relationship with a particular person
• reluctance to discuss where they go, or who they are with
• sexual talk or knowledge beyond their years
• being watchful, or always on edge
• losing interest in their appearance, hobbies or family life
• alcohol or drug taking
• having money and refusing to say where it has come from
• wetting the bed
• becoming clingy

What we will do if we have a concern about your child:

If we are concerned that your child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, we must follow the agreed safeguarding procedures. They comply with our statutory responsibilities and are designed to support students, families and staff. The procedures are based on the principle that the welfare of the child is the most important consideration.

In almost all circumstances, we will talk to you about our concerns and we will also tell you if we feel we must refer our concerns to children’s social care or other agencies. If we think that talking to you first might in some way increase the risk to your child, we will report our concerns to children’s social care and take advice from them.

All safeguarding records are kept separate from your child’s general school file. The only members of staff who have access to the records are those who need to know about the concerns in order to protect and support your child.

Safeguarding and child protection are very sensitive issues and raise many questions and a range of strong emotions. We will do everything we can do to support our students and you can be assured that any action we take will be in the best interests of your child.

If you have concerns, you could contact one of the agencies listed below:

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub 01709 336080
Rotherham Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnership 01709 822690
Sheffield Safeguarding Hub 0114 2734855

If a child or young person is in immediate danger requiring urgent response

Please call the police on 999