Safeguarding
School Safeguarding Information
At The Castle School we have an important role to play in identifying concerns our students may have and helping to promote their health and wellbeing in and out of school.
All staff at The Castle School are in a good position to do this early and each has a responsibility and a duty of care for keeping student’s safe and protecting them from harm.
At The Castle School all staff play an important part in the wider safeguarding of children. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility.
At The Castle School we do this by:
1: Having a designated member of staff for Safeguarding:
Jodie Palmer– Assistant Head
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who takes responsibility for Child Protection and Safeguarding issues and whose role is:
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Giving advice and support to other staff,
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Staff training so all staff can identify the four main categories of abuse and are aware of our responsibilities in regard to; FGM, forced marriage, the Prevent Agenda and Promoting British Values
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Linking with children’s services
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Working with other organisations
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Taking lead for our Children in Care.
2: Having a Core Safeguarding Team
Hannah Scott-Mullen Catherine Cheese Ally Budd
SENCO (Assistant Head) Head of 6th Form (Assistant Head) Student Centre Manager
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Having a Core Pastoral Structure with Dedicated Year Teams
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11
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Having a Student Support Centre with Dedicated Student Support Workers
Kay Clode Jane Willson Tonya Hickling Catherine Thomas Tracey England
4: Having an Attendance Officer .
Joanne Rygol
5: Having a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Team (SEND).
We aim to provide strong and consistent pastoral care that supports students to be aspirational and ambitious in regards to their future.
The range of support offered in order to remove barriers to learning illustrates our deliberate focus on each student being able to benefit from excellent teaching and achieve their potential.
Staff are on hand throughout the school day to educate, support, guide and keep students safe.
If you are worried about your child or another young person
If you have a safeguarding or child protection concern in regard to a student it can be referred to the Child Protection Lead (Jodie Palmer) or deputies (Cat Cheese, Ally Budd).
If you feel that a child is in immediate danger then you must call the police on 999.
Alternatively you can refer straight to;
Access and Response Team – 01454 86 6000 (during working hours)
Emergency duty team – 01454 615165 (out of hours)
First Response (for students and families living in Bristol); 0117 9036444
Police – 101 for non-urgent issues & 999 if urgent and an immediate response is needed
Domestic Abuse Concerns - Next Link South Glos domestic abuse telephone help lines are open 8:30am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday and
9:30am – 1:00pm on Saturday 0800 4700 280
Mental health support - CAMHS (if young person is currently under CAMHS) – 01454 862431 or if you are concerned that you are not able to keep your child safe or they are not able to keep themselves safe then take them to the Accident & Emergency department at Bristol Children’s hospital or call for an ambulance.
Food banks links for families living in South Glos
https://oneyou.southglos.gov.uk/eat-well/food-poverty-support/
Food banks links for families living in Bristol
https://www.trusselltrust.org/
https://eastbristol.foodbank.org.uk/get-help/how-to-get-help/
Parents worried about exploitation - https://paceuk.info/ or for confidential help and advice, call Pace on 0113 240 5226
CHILDLINE – 0800 1111 or visit their website www.childline.org.uk
Samaritans – 116 123
Mental health apps approved by NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/category/mental-health/
NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN (NSPCC) -
0808 800 5000 https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
CHILD EXPLOITATION AND ONLINE PROTECTION (CEOP) https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
Government guidance bringing together sources of information about the main risks children may be particularly vulnerable to during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and signposts you to help and support available.
Published 25 June 2020 - https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/coronavirus- covid-19-keeping-children- safe-from-abuse-and-harm/ advice-to-parents-and-carers- on-keeping-children-safe-from- abuse-and-harm
Young Minds Helpline for parents and young people
If there are concerns about a young person's mental health during this difficult time, you can contact the Young Minds Helplines.
Parents Helpline: If you are a parent who needs advice about your child’s mental health you can contact the Parents Helpline directly on 0808 802 between 9:30am-4pm
YoungMinds Crisis Messenger: If you are a young person experiencing a mental health crisis you can text YM to 85258 for free 24/7 support.
The Young Minds website is here: https://youngminds.org.uk/
https://www.giveusashout.org/ text ‘shout’ to 852588for 24/7 crisis text support
Kooth is a British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited digital mental health support service. It gives children and young people easy access to an online community of peers and a team of experienced counsellors. Access is free of the typical barriers to support.
Kooth can be accessed by young people here: https://www.kooth.com/
Coronavirus Covid-19 information and support (Children's Society)
The Children's Society has a range of support materials for young people, parents and schools in their mental and emotional health resource 'vault' .
The resources can be found here: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/coronavirus-information-and-support
The NSPCC website has a range of information about child mental health.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/