Key Staff and Contacts

 

At Danesholme Infant Academy we believe that all children have a right to grow up and learn in a safe and secure environment.  If we have any concerns about a child's safety we will speak to you as parents in the first instance. Often through us talking things through the concerns that have been raised are explained or further support is arranged and we move forward from there. Very occasionally we have concerns are raised that we may feel, that by talking directly with you, may put the child more at risk.  In some instances these cases are then referred to Social Services.  This procedure enables us to protect children at risk and we make no apology for taking the attitude that where there are grounds for suspicion it is better to be safe than sorry.  Unfortunately this means that we risk upsetting some parents by reporting a case, which upon investigation proves unfounded.

Sexual Abuse within Schools – Child on Child Abuse, Sexual Violence and Harassment and Harmful Sexual Behaviour:

Our position as a trust and within all our academies is clear: sexual violence and sexual harassment are never acceptable, will never be tolerated and are not an inevitable part of growing up. Such behaviour will never go unchallenged or become accepted and we remain committed to working openly and transparently with to promote mutual respect.

Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy has guidance within it around the indicators of peer on peer abuse and harmful sexual behaviour along with our response procedures. All relevant Safeguarding Policies are available on individual academy websites. 

All students are taught the Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) curriculum.

The appropriate means for disclosing an allegation of abuse relating to another student is always to inform a member of the specific academy’s safeguarding team directly or a member of the Trust Safeguarding Directorate. In the event that an allegation is made against a member of staff, this must be sent to the Academy Principal or directly to the Trust Safeguarding Directorate. We will always act on concerns raised.

 

Supporting parents and carers

Source: CSA Centre

The Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre) has published a guide to help professionals provide a confident, supportive response to parents and carers when concerns about the sexual abuse of their child have been raised or abuse has been identified. The guide explains: the impact that sexual abuse has on the whole family; the importance of the role of the main care givers and wider family in supporting a child who has been abused; and the importance of the role of professionals to support parents and carers to support their child. The guide outlines how professionals can support parents effectively and includes advice on supporting parents and carers for professionals in particular roles and contexts.

Supporting Parents and Carers with Sexual Abuse.

For Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board – please click on link below:

http://northamptonshirescb.proceduresonline.com/index.html