Safeguarding Students
Every member of our community is known, valued and supported to achieve in all areas at the highest level to become successful, confident and responsible for the pursuit of lifelong learning.
Safeguarding and Child Protection Statement
Under section 175 of the Education Act 2002 we are required to have arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
We will endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued.
The college will therefore be alert to signs of abuse and neglect and will follow the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Safeguarding Children Partnership Board’s procedures to ensure that children receive appropriate and effective support and protection.
Parents/carers should know that the law requires all college staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Parents/carers should know that records of safeguarding concerns may be kept about their child. They should be informed that college staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with them including referrals to other agencies.
Local procedures state that “Consent should always be sought from an adult with parental responsibility for the child/young person before passing information about them to Children’s Social Care, unless seeking consent would place the child at risk of significant harm or may lead to the loss of evidence for example destroying evidence of a crime or influencing a child about a disclosure made.” This includes allowing them to share information without consent, if it is not possible to gain consent, if it cannot be reasonably expected that a professional gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.
Where there is a need to share special category personal data, the Data Protection Act 2018 contains ‘safeguarding of children and individuals at risk’ as a processing condition that allows professionals to share information.
In accordance with legislation and local information-sharing protocols, we will ensure that information is shared securely and sensitively. Information will only be shared with other services where it is deemed necessary and proportionate to ensure that children and young people are safe and receive the right service. In all circumstances, the safety of the child will be the paramount concern.
We will contact Children’s Social Care when we have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later shown to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the member of staff in the college with responsibility for child protection (known as the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) was carrying out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acting in the best interests of all children.
Under Section 3 (5) of the Children Act 1989, any person who has care of a child “may….do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding promoting the child’s welfare”. This means that on rare occasions, we may need to “hold” a child in college whilst Social Care and the Police investigate any concerns further.
The safety of our students is paramount and through our house and tutoring systems, we ensure children in our care are known, valued and supported. We have support systems in place to enable us to act quickly on concerns.
Visitors are given a copy of our safeguarding leaflet and visitors who have a concern about a student should contact the main reception in the first instance as soon as possible. We have a designated team of safeguarding officers who will follow up promptly (pictured).
Please email worried@elycollege.co.uk if you have any safeguarding concerns that yo u would like to raise with our safeguarding team. |
Top row left to right: Rachael Mustill (AP & Lead Officer), Lynn Riches & KJ Norton-Berry.
Lower row: Jamil Wallance Williams, Debbie Knott, Claire Lucas, Stuart Patman & Anita Lightfoot.
Our practice is informed by national government guidance outlined in these documents:
Meridian Trust Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy found here.
Keeping Children Safe in Education found here.
PREVENT Guidance and Procedures found here
PREVENT Action Plan found here
We also work hard to ensure that students are safe in and outside of school when using the internet and social media. You can find more details here about our work on E-Safety and Mental Health.
Through our values, curriculum, house and PLEDGES systems we promote understanding and integrity, British values and kindness; addressing the dangers of extremism and promoting wellbeing and mental health.
When reporting bullying, we encourage students to talk to their tutor or House SSA, but if you would like to discuss your concerns directly, please contact jcoe@elycollege.co.uk
You can find more details here regarding our pastoral care and mental well-being support links.
Operation Encompass
We are working in partnership with Cambridgeshire Police and Cambridgeshire County Council to identify and provide appropriate support to pupils who have experienced domestic abuse in their home; this scheme is called Operation Encompass.
In order to achieve this, Cambridgeshire’s Education Safeguarding Team will share police information of all domestic incidents, where one of our pupils has been present, with the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) (DSL)/Domestic Abuse (DA)Lead. On receipt of any information, the DSL/DA Lead will decide on the appropriate support the child may require.
The Operation Encompass information is stored in line with all other confidential safeguarding and child protection information. All information sharing and resulting actions will be undertaken in accordance with the ‘Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Joint Agency Protocol for Domestic Abuse – Notifications to Schools, Colleges and Early Years settings’.
Government Definition of Domestic Abuse and Violence:
Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:
- psychological
- physical
- sexual
- financial
- emotional
Controlling behaviour
Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour
Coercive behaviour is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.
1 in 5 children have been exposed to domestic abuse and it is present in 60% of all serious case reviews. It is estimated that children are present in 80% of incidents.