Safeguarding

Highfields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of our students. Everyone; staff, governors, trustees and volunteers working in or for our school, shares a fundamental objective to help keep children and young people safe. Each student's welfare is of paramount importance. We will:

• Provide a caring, supportive and positive environment in which children feel safe, can learn and develop

• Equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to keep themselves safe

• Ensure we practise safe recruitment in recruiting staff and volunteers to work with children

• Ensure that all adults working Highfields students model positive behaviour and carry out their safeguarding responsibilities effectively

Our Safeguarding Team

To contact the Safeguarding Team, please email safeguardinghighfields@hswv.co.uk

We encourage all members of staff, parents/carers and students to immediately report:

• Any suspicion that a child may have suffered harm, is injured, marked or bruised

• Any explanation given which appears inconsistent or suspicious

• Any concerns that a child is presenting signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect

• Any significant changes in a child's presentation, including non-attendance.

• Any hint or disclosure of abuse from any person

• Any concerns regarding person(s) who may pose a risk to children (e.g. living in a household with children present)

We never ignore evidence of unusual/suspicious physical injuries observed on students. If you have any Safeguarding concerns, please inform a member of the Safeguarding team immediately.

• Online safety guide for parents and carers - This guide is broken down into the subjects which students feel are important to them, these are Pornography, Sharing nude images, Sexualised bullying, Editing photos and body image and Peer pressure.

• How to keep safe - This booklet will help you think of actions you can take to help you feel safer and happier

• West Midlands Police: Staying safe on the street - Whether you’re socialising, shopping, travelling or simply walking from A to B – here are some top tips to stay street smart

• ParentINFO - Founded in 2005 as a collaboration between the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and Parent Zone, ParentINFO provides information, support and advice for parents

• What to do if your child is self-harming - YoungMinds, The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and The Royal College of Psychiatrists give their advice on how to cope if you discover that your child is self-harming, based on conversations with real parents who have gone through it too

• Helping your child deal with exam stress - Exams can be a major source of stress for many young people so helping them deal with any worries as a parent or carer is very important

• Sexual abuse on webcam: What parents can do - Jonathan Baggaley, from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) explains how abusers operate and what parents/carers can do to protect their childrenMore