Safeguarding

at Dame Elizabeth Cadbury

Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School is committed to promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DECS fully recognises its responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection. Our policy and procedures apply to all staff, governors and those visiting the school.

• Ensuring we practice safer recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children.
• Raising awareness of child protection issues and working on the prevention of abuse, through the teaching and pastoral support offered to students.
• Following procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse.
• Supporting students who are at risk or may have been abused.
• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

The designated senior leader for Safeguarding is Miss A Morris.

If there are any concerns that a pupil may be at risk of abuse or neglect, in almost all circumstances we will talk to our parents/carers about our concerns and we will also explain if we need to refer our concerns to outside agencies. We will inform parents/carers if we need to make a referral, but in some circumstances we may need to make the referral without consulting. We will only do this if we genuinely believe that this is the best way to protect a pupil and the fact that we did not have consent from a parent/carer to the referral will be recorded.