Safeguarding
What is safeguarding?
The Swanage School is committed to the highest standards in all safeguarding issues and we take seriously our duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children in our care.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and is defined in government guidance "Working Together to Safeguard Children" as:
- protecting children from maltreatment
- preventing impairment of children's health or development
- ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
What we do
In our commitment to safeguarding the children in our care, we ensure we follow best advice, guidance and best practice. In doing so we:
- value and respect all children in our care
- follow government guidance and the advice of safeguarding partners such as the Local Area Designated Officer (LADO)
- are quick to act if we believe or suspect a chid in our care is suffering any type of abuse, maltreatment or neglect
- network and share information with other schools and external agencies, sharing information where appropriate, including with children's social care
- involve children and their parents / carers appropriately
In relation to staff, volunteers and governors, we:
- recruit them safely, ensuring all checks are done
- adopt a code of conduct
- ensure they are appropriately trained
- ensure they understand their responsibilities in safeguarding and know who to report concerns to
- provide information about whistle-blowing
- deal appropriately with allegations or concerns raised about a member of staff, volunteer or governor
What to do if you have a safeguarding concern about a student
Everyone has a responsibility to safeguard children. If you have any concerns, no matter how seemingly small, about the welfare of a student at The Swanage School please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy DSLs immediately.
Dorset Council - Information and Advice
You can also find advice, if you are worried about about the safety or wellbeing of any child or young person who lives in Dorset, on the Dorset Council website. This includes information on:
Their single point of contact for safeguarding concerns is:
Children's Advice and Duty Service (ChAD):
Telephone: 01305 228866