Safeguarding and Child Protection is an integral part of life at Edgebury.  This is everyone's responsibility and there are key people and organisations that can help if you have a concern about a child whether in school or in the wider world.

What is Safeguarding?

• 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; 
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

What is Child Protection?

• Child Protection is part of safeguarding
• It is activity undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or at risk of suffering significant harm
• Where a child is suffering significant harm, or is likely to do so, action should be taken to protect that child
• Action should also be taken to promote the welfare of a child in need of additional support, even if they are not suffering harm or are at immediate risk

At Edgebury Primary the designated staff for Safeguarding and Child Protection are:

Ms Vanessa Mincher: Children, Family and Staff Wellbeing Manager -  Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mr Matthew Billson: Head Teacher - Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Ms Hazell D'Arcy: Deputy Head - Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Mrs Claire Pester: Assistant Head - Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Miss Nicola Johnson: Assistant Head - Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Mr Martin Winter -  Designated Governor for Safeguarding

Do's and Don’ts when visiting our School

• Do make sure you sign in at reception
• Do make sure we have seen your DBS
• Don’t use your mobile phone on school premises
• Don’t give a child your personal details
• Do only use school equipment for photographs and videos
• Do read the Safeguarding guidance notes

The school recognises its responsibilities and duties to report Child Protection concerns to the social work service within Children’s Specialist Services and to assist Children’s Specialist Services in Child Protection enquiries and in supporting Children in Need. This policy is in line with the London Child Protection Procedures: updated March 2022, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 and Keeping Children Safe In Education: updated September 2022.

The school will raise Child Protection concerns with parents/carers at the earliest appropriate opportunity, and work in partnership with them and other agencies to improve outcomes. The school will ensure that all staff are provided with the appropriate training in Child Protection issues, as recommended in the guidance. In particular designated members of staff will be released to attend the necessary enhanced training courses to enable them to carry out their role effectively.

If you have concerns about a child you can:

Talk to the school's Safeguarding Team: 020 8467 4199

Contact Childline (0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk) 24 hour service

Contact the NSPCC (0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk)

Call Bromley Children's Services: 020 8461 7373 / 7379 / 7026 (Mon-Fri: 8:30am-5pm) / 0300 303 8671 (out of hours)

Email the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): mash@bromley.gov.uk

If you are seriously concerned about a child's immediate safety, call 999 and ask for the police.

Here is a website for parents that gives advice and support on keeping children safe both online and off:

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents

Another useful website to report any concerns is

www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre

National Online Safety - Guides for Parents