Safeguarding
Our School Safeguarding Team
At Withycombe Raleigh Primary School we take our safeguarding duties very seriously. If you have any concerns about a child please let us know. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is the Deputy Headteacher Mr Mike Smith. If you're worried about your own or about someone else’s safety please contact the MASH Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk.
If you feel there is an emergency please call 999.
Safeguarding posters showing who to speak to are also displayed in all our school buildings. If you are planning to visit our school, you will be asked to read our Safeguarding for Visitors leaflet
Useful Links and Resources
Devon Children and Families Partnership (DCPT)
The Devon Children and Families Partnership is designed to safeguard by making sure that children and families can get the right support, in the right place at the right time.
This partnership offer incredibly useful advice about:
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Health and wellbeing – for mental and physical health
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Where to find ‘Early Help’ - You may be worrying about someone’s physical or mental health, a disability or special need, being a carer, domestic abuse, alcohol or drug misuse, harmful behaviour or involvement in crime.
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Keeping Children Safe, including child abuse and exploitation
The Devon Children and Families Partnership website has some great resources to make sure that children and families get the right support, in the right place at the right time: https://www.dcfp.org.uk/
NSPCC
The NSPCC provides support and tips to help you keep children safe. From advice on children’s mental health to staying safe online, support for parents and what to do if you’re worried about a child: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/
Devon Family Advice Line
Exeter Community Initiatives have a new phone advice line for parents and carers across Devon. ECI will offer advice on specific issues around your children, and/or family relationships, including any communication issues or conflict you might be having with partners or co-parents of your children. While this isn’t a replacement for more targeted support, ECI can offer a place to be heard, discuss a few tips on how to deal with a particular situation, or signpost you to an organisation which may be able to give you more help.
Call 01392 949059, lines open 10am – 2pm weekdays.
Online Safety
National Online Safety provide an excellent series of resources which help make the internet a safer place for children. These provide parents, children and school staff with the knowledge they need to understand online dangers and how best to react should an incident arise.
https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides
The NSPCC also provide advice about the risks to children from online activities - from setting up parental controls to advice on issues such as ‘sexting’, online games and video apps
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
Keep it Real offer some advice videos to help you keep your children safe online, see below.
Forms of Abuse
Types of Abuse - Signs and Symptoms
Child abuse is when a child is intentionally harmed by an adult or another child – it can be over a period of time but can also be a one-off action. It can be physical, sexual or emotional and it can happen in person or online. It can also be a lack of love, care and attention – this is neglect. Please find information on this informative NSPCC link: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/
Peer-on-peer abuse
This can take various forms including serious bullying, relationship abuse and exploitation:
https://safeguarding.network/safeguarding-resources/peer-peer-abuse/
Domestic Abuse
During Covid-19 some people may be feeling unsafe because they are having to spend more time at home with a partner or family member who is harming them in some way: ttps://www.victimcaredevonandcornwall.org.uk/
Sexual Abuse
At Withycombe School, we use the NSPCC’s ‘Talking PANTS’ which helps children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell someone they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/pants-underwear-rule/
Splitz offers a support service that will remain with you as you navigate your way through the many specialist services you may need to access and provide you with a single point of contact. They offer support in regaining or finding the strength to move on in a healthy and independent way: https://www.splitz.org/contact-us.html
County Lines
County lines refers to the practice of urban gangs supplying and moving drugs (of drug money) to suburban areas including coastal towns such as Exmouth. If you are concerned, please feel free to seek advice from the school’s designated safeguarding lead (Mr Smith) or other members of the safeguarding team at school. We will then seek advice from the MASH / Devon’s Social Care Services.
If you think that a young person is in immediate danger call 999
If you have non-urgent information to share with the police, you should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Further information about County Lines can be obtained via these informative websites
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines
https://www.safe4me.co.uk/portfolio/child-criminal-exploitation-county-lines/
Radicalisation
Grooming happens when someone takes advantage of another person
by persuading them to think and do things that they would not otherwise
do. This can include encouraging someone to develop support for
extremist ideas, these may be political, religious or other causes.
The person being groomed may be encouraged to feel anger and
intolerance towards other people, groups or communities. People
exposed to these forms of grooming can become radicalised.
Information including help and support around this issue is included
in this short and useful video.
School Policies Relating to Safeguarding
If the topic you are looking for is not on this list, please refer to our Policies page and our Parents page
Deputy Safeguarding Leads
Miss Lee
Mrs Jones
Mrs Wheeler
Designated Safeguarding Lead
Mr Smith
Safeguarding Governors
Sue Humphries
Jane Speake
