Safeguarding and Child Protection 

Purpose

At Heathwood Lower School we recognise:

• Our statutory duty under Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 to ensure that arrangements are in place for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children (Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022)
• Our duty under the Children Act 2004 to work together with other organisations and partners in order to achieve this (Working Together to Safeguard Children DfE 2018)
• Our Common Law duty to protect and keep children safe whilst in our care.
• Our statutory duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

We fully acknowledge our responsibilities for child protection and recognise that through our day to day contact with children, school staff are well placed to identify signs of risk and harm which might arise outside of time spent in school. We recognise that for children high self-esteem, confidence, risk awareness and good lines of communication help to reduce risks. We recognise that for some children school may be the only stable, secure and consistent environment in their lives.

Roles and Responsibilities

Local Multi Agency Safeguarding Arrangement

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 (the Act) replaces Local Safeguarding Children Boards with new local safeguarding arrangements led by three safeguarding partners (local authorities, chief officers of police, and clinical commissioning groups).  The Act places a duty on those partners to make arrangements for themselves and relevant agencies they deem appropriate, to work together for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their area.  Education is one of the relevant agencies.  In Central Bedfordshire, the arrangements continue to be referred to as the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).

We recognise that all staff, regardless of their role, have a duty to safeguard children and promote their welfare. Our policy applies to the whole school community: all teaching and non-teaching staff, governors, students/pupils and volunteers and visitors working in the school.

Designated Safeguarding Officer: Mrs J Wright (Headteacher)

Deputy Designated Safeguarding: Mr P Dicker & Miss T Romaine

Designated Safeguarding Governor: Mrs P Bangs (Chair of Governors)

Early Help Offer 

Central Bedfordshire's Early Help Offer identifies the need for help for children and families as soon as problems start to emerge, or when there is a strong likelihood that problems will emerge in the future.

The Early Help Offer is not just for very young children as problems may also emerge at any point throughout childhood and adolescence. The Early Help Offer includes universal and targeted services designed to reduce or prevent specific problems from escalating or becoming entrenched.

Download a copy of the Early Help Offer (PDF 568.4KB)  (PDF 568KB)

Child protection and Safeguarding policy
External Safeguarding Support 

 Local Safeguarding Board Link . Please click here