Safeguarding
Here at Wellfield Middle School, safeguarding our students is our #1 priority and we take every measure to ensure all students are safe at all times, no matter what they’re doing. Listed below is our Safeguarding and Child protection policy, as well as our Operation encompass and online safety for Parents leaflet.
Safeguarding Policy Document
Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
Operation Encompass
What is Operation Encompass?
The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in a domestic abuse incident. Following an incident at home, children will often arrive at school distressed, upset and unprepared for the day.
North Tyneside Council, the police and nominated Key Adults in school will be working together to make sure that school staff are made aware of an incident early enough to support pupils in school.
Why is Operation Encompass being introduced in North Tyneside?
Operation Encompass was initially launched in Plymouth in February 2011 to address a shortcoming in the early sharing of information with schools. Since then several pilots have been set up across the UK, including Gateshead and South Tyneside, and has proved to very successful in providing appropriate support in a timely manner. Pilots across the UK have reported positive outcomes for many children and young people.
North Tyneside Council, Northumbria Police and all schools in the borough will be taking part in the scheme, to help provide additional new support which will benefit children and young people in North Tyneside and improve multi-agency sharing of information.
How will it work?
Schools across North Tyneside will nominate two members of staff who will be known as Key Adults. All Key Adults will attend specific training to the role in preparation for Operation Encompass.
Each morning a police officer will review all domestic abuse incidents that occur outside of school but which might have had an impact on a child attending school the following day. Where children were present, witnessed or involved in a domestic abuse incident and aged between 4 and 16 years old, the officer will send this information to Children’s Social Care Front Door Service.
Staff from the Front Door Service will send this information in a secure format to the identified Key Adult. The Key Adult will check their emails every day and the staff in contact with those pupils will then be in an informed position to support them in a way that is right for the child.
This information will be shared on school days during school term and, when incidents occur on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or over a holiday period, the police will contact the Front Door the following Monday.
All parents will be sent a letter from their child’s school informing them about Operation Encompass.
When will Operation Encompass be launched in North Tyneside?
Operation Encompass will launch in June 2016.
For more information about Operation Encompass, please contact your school or visit http://www.operationencompass.org/
Parents Letter about Operation Encompass
Operation Endeavour
This is an innovative project in which schools and colleges in North Tyneside are participating, and which is run in partnership with North Tyneside Council and Northumbria Police.
Operation Endeavour aims to support children and young people who go missing from home. Children who go missing from home are at risk of significant harm and they may be vulnerable to sexual exploitation, violent crime, gang exploitation, or to drug and alcohol misuse.
As a result, following any report of a child going missing to the Police, the Police will make contact with Children’s Social Care who will then communicate relevant and necessary information to nominated school staff.
Each school has members of staff (key adults) who have been trained in liaising with the Police and Children’s Social Care when required, and will ensure that the necessary support is made available to the child of young person following their return.
I believe that this project demonstrates our school’s commitment to working in partnership to safeguard and protect children, and to providing the best possible care and support for our pupils.
In the meantime, if you would like to speak further about the project or require further information please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Parents Letter about Operation Endeavour
Online safety for Parents
E-safety is becoming increasingly important as technology is developing very fast. Please find below information and links to help parents in supporting pupils to be safe online.
Information and advice for parents and carers from Northern Grid and Childnet International.
Supporting Young People Online
Responsible internet usage rules for pupils
The school computer system provides Internet access to children and staff. This statement will help protect children and the school by clearly stating what is acceptable and what is not.
- Access must only be made via the user’s authorised account and password, which must not be given to any other person.
- Google email and Drive will be used responsibly following school guidelines and used for school purposes only. Do not link school email up to social media sites (for example Facebook).
- Emails and messages should be written carefully and politely. As messages may be forwarded, email is best regarded as public property.
- You may not access sites which may contain obscene content, or which may be deemed offensive; threatening; or abusive.
- Copyright must be respected.
- You agree to notify a member of staff immediately of any fault or error with our equipment that you are aware of.
- Data storage devices such as memory sticks may not be used. The Google Drive should be used to upload files from home.
- Irresponsible use may result in the loss of Internet access.
Rhian Thomas Nash