Safeguarding Information - Winterstoke Hundred Academy

Meet the team

I am a child and I don’t feel safe

At the Academy:

Tell a trusted adult. This could be your Tutor, Head of Year or a teacher.
Ask to speak to a member of the Safeguarding Team

At home or in the community:

Call and speak to an adult at the Academy on 01934 313290.
Email a trusted member of staff at school
Phone Childline on 0800 11 11 any time day or night. They are happy to speak to you about any worries. The call is free.

If you feel you or another child is in immediate danger, please call 999.

I am an adult and am concerned about a child

If you are concerned about a child, you can do one of these things:

Report it to the Academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (Mrs Campbell) by phoning the school on 01934 313290 or emailing [email protected]
Email the Head of House: Middle Hope Meerkats Mrs Robinson [email protected]; Birnbeck Bears Mr Papworth [email protected]; Steep Holm Stingrays Ms Dolling [email protected]; Clarence Cobras Mrs Metcalf [email protected]
Contact North Somerset’s Social Services Access and Response Team:

01275 888801 – Monday to Friday 9am ‐ 5pm

01454 615165 ‐ Out of hours and at weekends

In an emergency, please ring 999

For further information, please go to North Somerset’s website: https://n-somerset.gov.uk/

Concerns about the behaviour of a member of staff

Should you have any concerns in terms of safeguarding relating to the behaviour of a member of staff, you should immediately contact Mr Tony Searle, Principal.

Policy

The Governors and Academy staff are committed to keeping our children safe and we regularly review our school policies and procedures to ensure that everything is being done to fulfil our duty of care. The Councillor responsible for safeguarding is Kathryn Volk.

Safeguarding Policy

Employment Requirements

We are an equal opportunities employer. A member of every interview panel has had Safer Recruitment training. All offers of employment are subject to a disclosure and barring check (DBS), medical clearance and satisfactory references.

On-line Safety

At Winterstoke Hundred Academy we aim to equip our students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to use information and communication technology creatively but safely by helping them to understand the risks involved with navigating the online world.

Resources

National Online Safety Guides

Making sure your home doesn’t have an open door to sexual abusers – A guide for parents & carers

Setting up a device safely for kids

Thinkuknow

thinkuknow Secondary Parents Helpsheet

Advice on Screen and Social Media Use

Internet Matters

National Online Safety

Safety Net Kids

Online Child Sexual Abuse Parent Guide

Bullying

All children and young people have the right to go about their daily lives without the fear of being threatened, assaulted or harassed. Bullying can cause high levels of distress, affecting young people’s well-being, behaviour, academic and social development right through into adulthood. At Winterstoke Hundred Academy we are committed to creating a safe, purposeful, calm and reflective learning environment in which all students flourish in both phases and reach their full potential equipped with skills for life, and so, bullying of any kind is unacceptable. Bullying is an anti-social behaviour and affects everyone. All types of bullying are unacceptable at our academy and will not be tolerated. All pupils should feel able to tell and know that when bullying behaviour is brought to our attention, prompt and effective action will be taken. Anyone who is aware of any type of bullying that is taking place is expected to tell a member of staff immediately.

Please contact the Year Team/Safeguarding Team if you have any concerns.

Anti-Bullying Policy

Child-on-Child Abuse

Child-on-child abuse is most likely to include, but may not be limited to:

bullying (including cyberbullying, prejudice-based and discriminatory bullying)
abuse in intimate personal relationships between children (sometimes known as ‘teenage relationship abuse’)
physical abuse
sexual violence
sexual harassment
consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos
upskirting, which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission
initiation/hazing type violence and rituals (this could include harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group

Please contact the Year Team/Safeguarding Team if you have any concerns.

Prevent

Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is one of the four elements of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.

Incidents of extremism and radicalisation are rare and as such when they do occur, make the news. As with all safeguarding issues, it is important to be vigilant, and not complacent, but also not to panic.

What is extremism and radicalisation?

“Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces.’

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.

We live in a wonderfully diverse world, with both differences and similarities to celebrate. Exploring religious and different social beliefs, in a peaceful and non-violent way, is part of growing up and should not be confused with something more sinister. The best way to PREVENT extremism and radicalisation is by open discussion and increased understanding of each other.

As a parent…

You know your child better than anybody else. Having open, honest conversations on a regular basis will allow your child to explore new ideas in a safe environment.
Talk to your child about their online viewing. Social media such as YouTube and Facebook can be used to groom children towards a certain point of view.
Discuss different points of view concerning topics in the news, modelling that there is always more than one point of view.
Encourage your child to take an active part in their local community. This could be part of a sports club, social group, volunteering. Getting out, meeting and talking to people around you helps to understand and become part of a community.

As a school…

All staff have had Prevent training and complete refresher training annually.
Our safeguarding procedures reflect statutory requirements in the Government’s Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
Students are encouraged to discuss and explore issues during PSHE lessons

If you have any concerns that someone you know may be at risk of radicalisation, please contact the local police on 101.

If your concern is of an URGENT nature please dial 999 or the Anti-Terrorist Hotline 0800 789 321

Act Early

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Honour Based Abuse (HBA)

Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation is the mutilation of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is often referred to as female circumcision, ‘cutting’ or ‘sunna’.

Government Statement opposing FGM

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is child abuse and an extremely harmful practice with devastating health consequences for girls and women. Some girls die from blood loss or infection as a direct result of the procedure. Some women who have undergone FGM are also likely to find it difficult to give birth and many also suffer from long-term psychological trauma.

UK Law

Female genital Mutilation is a crime in the United Kingdom. Even if a girl is taken abroad to undergo FGM, it is still a crime in the UK if the mutilation is done by a UK national or a UK resident.

It is also a crime if a UK national or resident assists or gets a non-UK national or resident to carry out FGM overseas on a UK national or resident.

If FGM is committed against a girl under the age of 16, each person who is responsible for the girl at the relevant time is guilty of an offence.

Criminal Penalties

Anyone found guilty of an FGM offence – or of helping somebody commit one – faces up to 14 years in prison, a fine, or both. Anyone found guilty of failing to protect a girl from risk of FGM faces up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.

Support

If you are worried that this might happen to you or someone you know, you can speak to a member of the safeguarding team in school.

Alternatively, you can report this abuse by contacting one of the following:

If there’s immediate danger or if you or someone you know is in immediate danger of FGM, contact the police.

Call 999 to report emergencies or 101 for non-emergencies.

You should also contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if you know a British national who’s already been taken abroad.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: 020 7008 1500

If you or someone you know is at risk you can contact the NSPCC anonymously

NSPCC FGM Helpline

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 0800 028 3550

Female Genital Mutilation Leaflet

Honour Based Abuse

So-called ‘honour-based’ abuse (HBA) encompasses incidents or crimes which have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or the community, including female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage, and practices such as breast ironing. Abuse committed in the context of preserving “honour” often involves a wider network of family or community pressure and can include multiple perpetrators. It is important to be aware of this dynamic and additional risk factors when deciding what form of safeguarding action to take. All forms of HBA are abuse (regardless of the motivation) and should be handled and escalated as such. Professionals in all agencies, and individuals and groups in relevant communities, need to be alert to the possibility of a child being at risk of HBA, or already having suffered HBA.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

What is Child Sexual Exploitation?

Like all forms of child sex abuse, child sexual exploitation:

can affect any child or young person (male or female) under the age of 18 years, including 16 and 17 year olds who can legally consent to have sex;
can still be abuse even if the sexual activity appears consensual;
can include both contact (penetrative and non-penetrative acts) and non–contact sexual activity;
can take place in person, via technology, or a combination of both;
can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and may, or may not, be accompanied by violence or threats of violence;

may occur without the child or young person’s immediate knowledge (e.g. through others copying videos or images they have created and posted on social media);
can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and children or adults. The abuse can be a one-off occurrence or a series of incidents over time, and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse;
is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the abuse. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, sexual identity, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.

Signs of possible CSE include:

going missing for periods of time or regularly returning home late;
skipping school or being disruptive in class;
appearing with unexplained gifts or possessions that can’t be accounted for;
experiencing health problems that may indicate a sexually transmitted disease;
having mood swings and changes in temperament;

using drugs and/or alcohol;
displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour, such as over-familiarity with strangers, dressing in a sexualised manner or sending sexualised images by mobile phone (“sexting”);
showing signs of unexplained physical harm, such as bruising and cigarette burns

Report Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

What is Child Criminal Exploitation?

CCE is where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child into any criminal activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. CCE does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

Children and young people may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their day-to-day lives. These threats can take a variety of different forms, including: sexual, physical and emotional abuse; neglect; exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups; trafficking; online abuse; sexual exploitation and the influences of extremism leading to radicalisation.

CCE can include children being forced to work in cannabis factories, being coerced into moving drugs or money across the country (county lines), forced to shoplift or pickpocket, or to threaten other young people.

Signs of possible CCE include:

persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out of area;
unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones;
excessive receipt of texts / phone calls;
relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups;
leaving home / care without explanation;
suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries;
carrying weapons;
significant decline in school results / performance;
gang association or isolation from peers or social networks;
self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being

Speak to a member of the academy safeguarding team for further information and advice.

Local Services

Concerned about a child/Young person

North Somerset Social Services – https://nsscp.co.uk/

01934 888801 Monday to Friday 9-5
01454 615165 out of hours and at weekends

If a child or young person is in immediate danger then please dial 999 and ask for police assistance

NSPCC 24 hour Helpline

0800 800 5000 (free from a landline)

NSPCC Text helpline

88858 (service is free and anonymous)

NHS 111

NHS: NHS 111 can help if you have an urgent medical problem

Police

101 non-emergency calls or 999 in an emergency

Young people’s mental health

Off The Record

Free, self-referral counselling service for young people age 11-15, who are experiencing low mood, depression, anxiety, phobias, self-harm, eating problems and/or anger. Young people can call, email or text, and services operate in Patchway, Kingswood and Yate. Also offer parent support groups and sessions. Can also see Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information and up to date groups and activities.

Tel: 0808 808 9120.

Text: 07896 880011.

Website

Email: [email protected]

Kooth

Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people 11-18. Monday – Friday 12pm – 10pm, Saturday – Sunday 6pm – 10pm. On Kooth you can: Chat to our friendly counsellors; Read articles written by young people; Get support from the Kooth community; Write in a daily journal.

Website

Childline

Free counselling via online webchat, and free support/advice available 24/7 via confidential helpline, and emails via the website.

Tel: 0800 11 11.

Website

HELP Counselling

Low-cost counselling for children and young people age 9-25 years old.

Website

Young Minds

Young Minds national charity offers confidential online and telephone information and support for anyone worried about the emotional, behaviour, or mental health of a child/young person up to 25 years of age, including ADHD, Autism and Aspergers.

Parents Helpline: 0808 802 5544

Website

Young Minds Crisis Messenger Service

Free 24/7 support across the UK of you are experiencing a mental health crisis. Text YM to 85258.

NHS website

Advice for parents on a range of parenting issues, including talking to teenagers, fussy eating and teenage aggression.

Website

Parent Buddies

Parent Buddies is a confidential, universal, one-to-one listening service offering short-term support depending on family need. Volunteers are trained to provide parents/carers with listening, and signposting to specialist services.

Website

CCP – Caring for Communities and People

Offer outreach support for families at an early help level. Families can self-refer.

Website

Support for families who have children with additional needs

Supportive Parents

Local SEN and disability information service (SENDIAS) Information and support around Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, for children, young people and families.

Tel: 0117 9897725 Mon-Fri 9.30 – 4.30 (answerphone at other times),

Email: [email protected]

Child Sexual Exploitation

Report Child Sexual Exploitation

FGM

NSPCC FGM Helpline 0800 028 3550 – Email: [email protected]