Safeguarding
Mill Ford School is fully committed to keeping our pupils safe. Safeguarding means keeping everyone safe from harm such as abuse, bullying, discrimination, hate crimes or harassment, including child on child sexual harassment and abuse. Safeguarding also includes keeping children and young people safe from on line abuse, bullying and risks to their health and safety.
We acknowledge that in a complex special school environment where many students require regular adult support and interventions to stay safe that this can be particularly challenging. Therefore, we have a robust and varied team of trained staff to support as Designated Senior Leaders (DSLs) for Safeguarding. Our Head Teacher Claire Wills is also our Designated Safeguarding Lead and Simon Payne, Deputy Head Teacher, Robyn Becker Assistant Head, Celina Assistant Head and Kate Ullman (based at Morrice Square) are our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. Karen Dark is our Governor Safeguarding Lead.
We also support our pupils to understand how to keep themselves safe and therefore safeguarding is at the heart of our curriculum design. We support our pupils to be as independent as they can be, in a safe manner. Our curriculum includes things like person care and road safety, among many other life skills. Our relationships and sex education also teaches pupils about consent and boundaries, as well as healthy and respectful relationships. through So Safe. When pupils are at the age and stage to learn about the following, this becomes part of their curriculum, among many other things:
Stereotyping, prejudice and equality.
Body confidence and self esteem.
How to recognise an abusive relationship, including coercive and controlling behaviour.
What is sexual harassment and sexual violence and why these are unacceptable.
What rape, grooming, domestic violence, honour based violence (including Forced marriage and FGM) are and how to recognise them.
On line abuse and to recognise this.
Celebrating difference and similarities, including LGBT+ relationships.
For more information please see the link to our curriculum above.
We follow all statutory guidance and policies in order to do this. Please see the links below for further information and resources.
Please see our policies page for the School's most up to date Safeguarding Policy https://www.millfordschool.co.uk/important-documents/polices
If you have any non-urgent safeguarding concerns about a child who attends Mill Ford School please contact Claire Wills on 01752 300270.
If you believe a child is at risk of significant harm please contact the Police on 111 or Plymouth Gateway on 01752 668000.
Please see below for some useful links:
Bereavement: http://thelauracentre.org.uk/
Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/ or 0800 1111
Drugs and Alcohol concerns: http://www.talktofrank.com/
Extremism & Radicalisation – Free training for all to help spot the signs:https://www.elearning.prevent.homeoffice.gov.uk/channel_awareness/01-welcome.html
E-Safety: E-Safety Procedure and http://www.childnet.com/
Gangs and Youth Violence Awareness: http://www.freeva.org.uk/
Government guidance for schools on sexting: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/551575/6.2439_KG_NCA_Sexting_in_Schools_WEB__1_.PDF
Sexting & Nude selfies - Guides for parents: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5LA2nKHVZ0
Keeping Children Safe In Education: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/811513/DRAFT_Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2019.pdf
Plymouth City Safeguarding Children board, LSCB: http://www.plymouthscb.co.uk/
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender support: https://leicesterlgbtcentre.org/home
NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
Guide for parents on protecting the privacy of their child online: http://comparitech.net/child-privacy
Prevent
In order for schools to fulfil the governments Prevent duty, it is essential that staff are able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation, and know what to do when they are identified. Mill Ford School builds up pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views by exploring this appropriately as part of the curriculum. It is important to emphasise that the Prevent duty is not intended to stop pupils debating controversial issues.
https://educateagainsthate.com/parents/
Operation Encompass
Mill Ford School has been given the opportunity to take part in a project that will run jointly between schools and Devon and Cornwall Police.
Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has been exposed to, or involved in, any domestic incident.
Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of the School staff, knows as a Key Adult, is trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, while ensuring that the School is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic incident.
At Mill Ford, we are keen to offer the best support possible to all of our pupils and young people and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved.
The Key Adults at Mill Ford School are:
Claire Wills Simon Payne Robyn Becker Celina Cox. Kate Ullman
For further information please come and see us.
For more information please click the click to Operation Encompass website: https://www.operationencompass.org/