Safeguarding

St Michael and St John's RC Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy which can be viewed below.

Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies when there are concerns about a child's welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with his/her parents/carers first unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child's welfare.

We actively support the Government's Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism. 

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Zoe Mabbott (Headteacher).

Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads is Sam Cross  (Acting Deputy Headteacher and Y5 Teacher).

Governor responsible for Child Protection is Claire Juriansz

A referral can be made by anyone, including members of the public if they have concerns regarding the safety of a child. Within the school, a referral will be made by one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads. If you have any concerns regarding the wellbeing of a child, please call Lancashire Children's Social Care  - you can do this anonymously if you wish. Please see details below. 

Concerned about a Child?

Call  0300 123 6720 or out of hours 0300 123 6722.

If you think a child is in immediate danger – don't delay call the police on 999.

Operation Encompass

The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse incident. Domestic abuse impacts on children a numbers of ways. Children are at increased risk of physical injury during an incident, either by accident or because they attempt to intervene. Even when not directly injured, children are greatly distressed by witnessing the physical and emotional suffering of a parent.

Encompass has been created to address this situation. It is the implementation of key partnership working between the police and schools. The aim of sharing information with local schools is to allow ‘Key Adults’ the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment.

Following the report of an incident of domestic abuse, by the next school day the school’s Key Adult will be informed that the child or young person has been involved in a domestic incident. This knowledge, given to schools through Operation Encompass, allows the provision of immediate early intervention through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child.

The purpose and procedures in Operation Encompass have been shared with all parents and Governors, is detailed as part of the school’s Safeguarding Policy and published on our school website.

The Encompass Leads at SSMJ are Mrs Zoe Mabbott (DSL), Mrs Olga Jackson (Deputy DSL) and Miss Helen Critchley (DDSL)

Click here to go to the Operation Encompass website where further information can be found.

The letter sent out to parents is also attached below.

Radicalisation

As part of our wider safeguarding duties, we recognise that it is essential that we are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. All relevant staff undertake online CPD provided by the Home Office on identification of children vulnerable to radicalisation and the PREVENT strategy every three years. Updates are provided in meetings, sharing relevant government updates and case studies.

Staff are aware of potential indicators that children are vulnerable to radicalisation regardless of age, gender, ethnicity etc. As a result, they are alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. Children at risk of radicalisation may display different signs or seek to hide their views. School staff use their professional judgement in identifying children who might be at risk of radicalisation and act proportionately. School staff report any concerns and, through discussion with the safeguarding team, understand when it is appropriate to make a referral to the Channel programme.

Early Help 

Working Well with Children and Families in Lancashire

Across Lancashire, we all believe that every child should have the opportunity to reach their full potential and that children are best supported to grow and achieve within their own families. The work of people who are alongside families when they experience challenge should be geared toward building strong foundations and developing assets and resilience so that children thrive. Equally, there will be times when, despite everyone’s best efforts to support families, children need our protection to stop them from being harmed. When this is the case, local authority children’s services will work with partners to provide this protection.

Working Well with Children and Families in Lancashire sets out the principles by which practitioners in Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Lancashire will work with children and families. Parts 1 and 2 include the levels of need, example indicators of need for each level and set out the expected response to children and families who need additional help. A separate Part 3 is available for each local authority area and includes details of local services and how these can be contacted.

Levels of Need

The Levels of Need are summarised in the image below.  This is a quick guide and should be read in conjunction with the Working Well with Children and Families guidance below.

Early Help Offer at SSMJ

At St Michael & St John's RC Primary School we recognise how challenging day to day family life can be. It is perfectly normal for all families to need a little extra help or advice from time to time. If you, as a family, are struggling or if you have any worries or concerns about your child, SSMJ’s Early Help offer can provide much needed support and advice. This may include concerns about behaviour, mental health or general wellbeing. Please come and talk to us.

Key personnel:

• Mrs Zoe Mabbott – Head teacher/ Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Mr Sam Cross – Deputy DSL/Acting Deputy Head/Inclusion Lead
• Mrs Kirsty Flynn - SENCo 

Contact the school office: 01200 422560 head@ssmj.lancs.sch.uk or speak to us on the gates. Please also feel free to speak to your child's class teacher for any support you may need. 

The Role of Schools

Day to Day Support

Most families, most of the time, can get on with their lives quite happily with little or no outside help. If they need help it is usually provided by universal services, such as schools.

Focused Pastoral Support

All families can have times, however, when difficulties arise and they either may not recognise it or may not know how to start putting things right. Schools play a role in supporting families to address these difficulties through more focused pastoral support, which might include bringing in support via an external agency.

Early Help Assessment

For those children and families whose needs and circumstances make them more vulnerable, or where schools need the support of other agencies to meet the needs of the family, a coordinated multi-agency approach is usually best. In Lancashire this is achieved through undertaking an Early Help Assessment and assigning a Lead Practitioner to work closely with the family to ensure they receive the support they require. Schools should be a key partner in any multi-agency work to support families

The following five commitments are the core elements to St Michael & St John’s Early Help Offer.  By implementing these commitments SSMJ aims to ensure:

• Pupils, parent/carers and staff are clear on the Early Help support available through the school
• Clarity for partners, supporting improved multi-agency working
• Delivery approaches of Early Help support for more vulnerable families are up to date with local offers
• Commitment to the personal development and well-being of our families
• All pastoral support is done to support the whole child, with faith and the school values: at the heart of all that we do to help others.

How can we help?

We can offer:

• A listening ear.
• Advice and strategies to support your family with challenging behaviour or attendance concerns.
• Access to counselling from professional therapeutic services in school.
• Signposting for clubs to help support mental and physical well-being.
• Support in accessing free school meals.
• Second-hand uniform.
• Support with adult literacy needs.
• Access to local food banks and charities who can support with other household needs such as furniture.
• Advice regarding any SEND concerns that you may have.
• An Early Help Assessment (see below) to identify areas where you may benefit from support.
• Referrals for parenting support such as Triple P.
• Work with other agencies who can provide specialist help – the school nursing team, Children's Champion. 
• Contact details of organisations who can support with housing, financial or mental health concerns.

To ensure your family will access the correct level of support at the right time, we use the principles set out in Working Well with Children and Families document.

What is Early Help?

Early Help means providing help for children, young people and families as soon as problems start to emerge or where it is likely that issues will impact negatively on children’s outcomes.

Early Help…

• is for children of all ages and not just the very young,
• can be very effective in supporting a child, young person and/or their family to step down from statutory services as well as preventing the escalation of issues.
• is important because there is clear evidence that it results in better outcomes for children.

Lancashire County Council recognises that Early Help is a term that describes much of the everyday work of schools.

https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/practitioners/supporting-children-and-families/

Early Help in Lancashire:

The vision of all partner organisations working with children and families in Lancashire is to improve children’s lives by working in partnership to raise aspirations, build achievement and protect the most vulnerable.

This is based on the belief that:

• Children, young people and families develop resilience if there are protective factors in place such as: a positive relationship with an adult; good literacy and communication skills; good school attendance; and, parents in or actively seeking/ready for work
• Children’s needs are best met when help is offered in a universal setting within a socially mixed group and early on when problems start to emerge
• Children and young people’s needs are best met when addressed in the context of the whole family, meaning that parents/carers/siblings’ needs are addressed with consent as part of a holistic and integrated Early Help response

Early Help services should support and strengthen families so that they can thrive.

We follow the Working Well with Children and Families Guidance

https://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/media/19299/wwwcf-part-1-and-2-final.pdf

Lancashire CSAP (Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership) website:

https://www.safeguardingpartnership.org.uk/ 

The CSAP website is full of useful safeguarding and CP information.

Your Family’s Early Help Assessment and family RADAR has replaced the CAF document.

Early Help Assessment – Section E – family radar

The Early Help Assessment and Plan features a family radar. The family radar is linked to the cycle of change and will help you to identify which areas of support the family need the most. By completing a family radar, we are trying to get the families you work with to understand at what point of the cycle of change they are at.

Early Help Assessment

The Early Help Assessment is an intervention with a family to gather, explore and analyse with them information about all aspects of the child or young person (and their family’s) life and then to identify areas where change will address support needs and positively impact on their lived experiences.

This is recorded on an Early Help Assessment form which includes the family’s Early Help Plan.

Your Family’s Early Help Assessment is available to all practitioners and professionals working with children, young people, and their families across Lancashire.

Working alongside families from a holistic, strength-based approach when areas of support are first identified will stop escalation towards crisis and the need for more intensive and specialist intervention.

Through the Early Help Assessment, Plan, and reviews via Team Around the Family meetings the wider partnership of services can provide families with the right support at the right time.

The Early Help Assessment and Plan features a family radar. The family radar is linked to the cycle of change and will help you to identify which areas of support the family need the most. By completing a family radar, we are trying to get the families you work with to understand at what point of the cycle of change they are at.

Keeping Safe Online

Always be careful when you are using the internet. It can help you to keep in touch with your friends and help your education – but it can also cause harm – to you and to others.

Remember help is always available at school if you are having any problems online.

Don’t be afraid to talk to your teacher or another adult at school.

Below is a quiz for children to answer regarding online safety:

Online Safety Questionnaire