Safeguarding
The purpose of the Academy’s Child Protection and Safeguarding policy and procedures is to provide a framework to ensure every child who is a registered pupil at our school is safe and protected from harm. Our policies and procedures aim to give clear direction to staff, volunteers, visitors and parents about the expected behaviour and our legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils at our school.
Safeguarding is defined as:
Protecting children and young people at our school from maltreatment;
Preventing impairment of our children’s and young people’s health or development;
Ensuring that children and young people at our school grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care;
Undertaking Safeguarding roles and responsibilities so as to enable children and young people at our school to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully.
All staff and visitors have an important role to play in safeguarding children and protecting them from harmful actions and influences.
It is the responsibility of every member of the Academy community to:
be familiar with the Academy’s Child Protection and Safeguarding policy and procedures;
ensure they follow these requirements at all times and work in a way that will safeguard and promote the welfare of all of Academy pupils;
be alert to signs and indicators of possible abuse.
To view our Safeguarding policies please refer to POLICIES page on the website
We take the safety of our children very seriously. Please take some time to read the information below:
Operation Encompass
At Dover Christ Church Academy, we are working in partnership with Kent Police and Children’s Services to identify and provide appropriate support to pupils who have experienced domestic violence in their household; this scheme is called 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 in a number 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 highlight 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.
To achieve this, the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub will share police information of all domestic incidents where one of our pupils has been present, with the Designated Safeguarding Lead(s) (DSL). On receipt of any information, the DSL will decide on the appropriate support the child requires, this should be covert dependent on the needs and wishes of the child. All information sharing and resulting actions will be undertaken in accordance with Kent Police and MASH Encompass Protocol Data Sharing Agreement. We will record this information and store this information in accordance with the record keeping procedures outlined in this policy.
The purpose and procedures in Operation Encompass have been shared with all parents and governors. Further information can be found by clicking on the following link: https://www.operationencompass.org
At DCCA, our Key Adult is David Hunt (Vice Principal & DSL)
Agencies that could help support you and your child:
Police – 999 direct.
NSPCC 24 Hour free phone service – 0800 800 500
Samaritans – 08457909090.
Child line - information and advice on bullying, health and mental and emotional health, sex and relationships, family issues etc https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/
Child Berevement UK – advice on bereavement and also dealing with children who may be frightened following national, traumatic events such as terror attacks https://www.childbereavementuk.org/.
Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline – 0161 636 7525
Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline – 0808 801 0327.
Child Sexual Abuse:
Stop It Now – Anyone with a concern about child sexual abuse and its prevention can anonymously call the Stop It Now! https://www.stopitnow.org.uk/helpline/.
Helpline - 0808 1000 900.
Road Safety:
Teaching your children about Road Safety.
Online Safety:
NSPCC - Online Safety
CEOP – information on on-line safety for parents and students https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/Parents/
Gangs:
NSPCC Gangs - NSPCC Gangs
Drugs:
Talk to Frank - Drugs
Bullying:
Family Lives - Bullying