Safeguarding

Curriculum

Child safety issues and child protection will be addressed through the curriculum where appropriate, especially through PSHE, Computing and E-Safety, Citizenship, Sex and Relations Education (SRE) and British values. We use a variety of resources and approaches to teach the children how to keep themselves safe, build their resilience and manage risks. The curriculum, and in particular the personal, social and health education development strand of the curriculum, includes an emphasis on relationships (relationships and sex education), building confidence and resilience in pupils and in developing preventative strategies to ensure their own protection and that of others. Opportunities are provided for pupils to develop the skills and strategies they need to stay safe from abuse, including age appropriate discussions about healthy relationships, their bodies and being able to say no to requests that they do not want to carry out. Clear advice and guidance is built into the curriculum to ensure that pupils understand that there is a range of contacts they can turn to for advice and support and that they know where and how to report abuse.

 

What is Early Help?

Early help is support given to families when a challenge first develops, or if a new or continuing difficulty doesn’t meet thresholds for specialist support. Early help may be offered in a wide range of situations within a family in which a child’s health or wellbeing could be affected. In the first instance Early Help may be led by school. Early help is always voluntary and it aims to support families to develop strategies and strengths, resolve difficulties and prevent problems escalating to an extent that specialist services are required.

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Young Minds - Guide to Early Help and Intervention Services

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Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse which sees children/young people being manipulated or coerced into sexual activity for receiving ‘something’ such as; gifts, money, food, attention, somewhere to stay etc. Technology is very often used to groom victims.  This may occur through social networking sites and mobile phones with internet access. CSE has gained a large amount of media attention over the last year as lots of services involved with children and young people have noticed a big rise in cases involving CSE. 

 

Charities such as NSPCC and Barnardos have been campaigning to raise the profile of this form of child abuse.

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Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse. Children are negatively impacted by experiencing domestic abuse and without early intervention and support this negative impact can last through a child’s life course. Domestic abuse can impact upon social, psychological, physical, emotional and behavioural outcomes with an often negative impact upon a child’s academic success. Experiencing domestic abuse has been identified as an Adverse Childhood Experience. Operation Encompass aims, by directly connecting police and schools, to secure better outcomes for children , to enable schools to better understand the impact living with domestic abuse has upon children, to help schools to better understand a child’s lived experience and to therefore be able to support and nurture each child , making a child’s day better and giving them a better tomorrow.

 

Information Poster

 

Internet Safety

Children and young people spend lots of time on the internet.  They may go online to research information for homework or to play games, chat with friends and make new ones. The internet holds a massive amount of useful information and can also be a really good way of learning about new things and keeping in contact with friends and family.  It can also be a very dangerous place so it is important that children are protected and monitored when they are online.​

 

CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) has lots of information about how to keep your children safe online and parental controls.  The link to the website is below.​

 

CEOP - Thinkuknow

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Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

In April 2014 every school in England received new safeguarding guidelines and detailed information on identifying and responding to Female Genital Mutilation. FGM is a procedure carried out on young girls between the ages of infancy and 15 years of age.

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Female Genital Mutilation is classified as a form of Child Abuse in the UK.  It therefore makes the procedure of it a serious Child Protection issue. It is illegal for anyone to perform FGM in the UK or to arrange for a child to be transported to another country for the procedure. The maximum sentence for carrying out FGM or helping it to take place is 14 years in prison.

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There is lots of information and support available online for parents/carers concerned about this subject or if you know someone who is at risk:

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• Contact the Police if you think that a girl or young woman is in danger of FGM and is still in the UK.

• Contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (020 7008 1500) if she’s already been taken abroad.

 

 

The NSPCC has detailed advice on how to spot the signs, symptoms and effects of FGM and provides support for people who are concerned about a child or who have been affected themselves. The link to the website is below.

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NSPCC FGM

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Emotional well-being of pupils

At Uplands not only is academic achievement important so too is the emotional well-being of all of its pupils. We have pledged to commit to achieving the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health School Award. This gives our school a framework for whole school mental health development. Uplands will embrace the award to demonstrate our deep commitment to working towards excellent practice by making mental health and well being a part of our core business. School will aim to translate its mission, vision and values into policies, processes and practice in order to have a rich whole school culture where all members thrive.

 

We offer one to one art therapy support for children who are experiencing a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. These difficulties can include struggles with social interaction and communication, particular life experiences such bereavement, changes in the family and illness, abuse, bullying or trauma, learning difficulties or physical disabilities. Children trying to cope with difficult thoughts and feelings can often present as withdrawn, anxious, angry, depressed, moody or lonely. Art therapy can help them explore their difficulties in a safe environment and come to an understanding of them. The overall aim of art therapy is to help children change and grow on a personal level through the use of art materials and talking with a qualified and registered art therapist. Art therapy is not an art class and therefore children do not need to have any skill in art making, it is an opportunity for them to use art materials to express their inner thoughts and feelings in order to make sense of them. It can help raise self esteem and confidence as well as giving a better understanding of personal difficulties.

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If you would like further information of to make contact with the Art therapist then please contact the school office.

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Reporting a Concern of Abuse or Neglect

If you have concerns that a child you know is at risk of serious harm through Abuse or Neglect it is important that you report your worries to the correct agency. 

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• The link below will direct you to the City of Wolverhampton Council's Social Service page, which tells you how to report a concern.

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       Wolverhampton Social Services

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• Below is the link to the Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together. Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together (WST) is a statutory board which has been set up as part of the Every Child Matters government reforms. WST ensures that all organisations that work with children work together to keep children and young people safe from harm. WST undertakes this role through providing training, the development of policies and procedures and awareness raising.

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        Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together

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