Child Protection and Welfare Concerns
Any child protection and welfare concerns must be reported immediately to one of the following, in order of priority:
- Ms P. McIlroy (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
- Mrs E.Tuffin and Mrs C.Cawley (Deputy Safeguarding Lead)
- Social Services: 0151-443-2600
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 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.
Speak out Stay safe: Virtual Assembly with Ant and Dec
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/working-with-schools/
Mental health and well-being resources to share with parents and carers
Child Criminal Exploitation
Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership have developed a campaign to raise awareness about the impact of Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE). Young people continue to remain vulnerable to CCE during the UK lockdown period.
The attached resource booklet has been produced to help develop young people’s understanding of CCE. Young people, families and professionals should be signposted to the attached resource and the following links:
There is a very informative video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=0UjeUfg-zoo&feature=emb_logo
The campaign has already been promoted locally:
https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/mum-who-worked-40-hours-17963413
Once schools reopen the campaign will be revisited.
Fearless is also an excellent resource for young people, families and professionals:
Policies, Links and Further Information
Safer Recruitment
It is the legal duty of schools and other establishments to ensure they recruit and assess the appropriateness of any person who may work with children or vulnerable adults. Our commitment to safer recruitment is unmovable and at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we will do everything we can to ensure to prevent appointing people who may pose a risk to children. All people working with children must be assessed to ensure they are considered a safe and trustworthy adult. This assessment process includes ensuring that all staff and volunteers are vetted throughout the recruitment procedure, are medically fit, have appropriate and reliable references and have an appropriate CRB/DBS disclosure record. At St Joseph’s, we adhere to the principle that recruitment and the checks that are undertaken as part of the safer recruitment process are our school’s first chance to make robust efforts to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children.
‘Tackle Child Abuse’ campaign
Anything you notice can help a child at risk.
We all have a role to play in protecting children and young people from child abuse and neglect.
Visit https://tacklechildabuse.campaign.gov.uk/ for more information and guidance.
The Shield Team
The Shield Team is a multi-agency team for children at risk of sexual and criminal exploitation, trafficking, and missing from home or care placed in and out of the borough. The function of the Shield Team is:
- Provide a central point for all professionals to receive expertise with reference to child exploitation.
- Provide a coordinated and proactive response to dealing with child exploitation: prevention, safeguarding and prosecution.
- Reduce and prevent children from being exploited and reduce the number of episodes of children going missing.
- Promote the development of positive relationships with children and their families affected by exploitation
- Improve evidence gathering and information sharing to inform problem profiling and prosecutions.