Safeguarding
The School's first responsibility is to keep all children safe and we can only do this with your full support and cooperation.
If you have any concerns about the wellbeing or safety of any child in our case, please contact the school' Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of their deputies. Contact details are listed below.
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School Email |
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School Telephone Number |
01234 768224 |
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Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Mr C Eldridge |
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Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Ms J Warren |
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Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Mrs S Smith and Mr J Heath |
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Designated Person for Looked after Children |
Mrs C Bellwood |
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Headteacher |
Mr J Heath |
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Safeguarding Governor |
Mr J Bryce |
Operation Encompass
Our school is part of an operation that will run jointly with Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire’s Children’s Social Care. This system will allow a formal exchange of information and intelligence between Bedfordshire Police, Bedford Borough Council/Central Bedfordshire Council, and Marston Vale Middle School. This will:
- Raise awareness of the circumstances under which a child or young person may be attending school and how subsequently they may present in terms of their behavioural and emotional responses throughout the school day, following a domestic incident.
- Raise awareness of the circumstances under which a child or young person may be attending school and how subsequently they may present in terms of their behavioural and emotional responses throughout the school day, following a missing incident.
- Where appropriate provide an early help source of support through the educational setting for families/ children impacted by domestic abuse.
- Make referrals where threshold has been met for child protection purposes to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), or where parental consent is given; and where it is appropriate to do so, complete an Early Help Assessment for additional support.
Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools of any domestic abuse incidents that occur in which a child was present, ordinarily resides at the incident location or with an involved party. We know that children can be significantly affected through witnessing or being exposed to domestic abuse and this operation will allow us to better support our pupils and their families.
A nominated member of staff, known as a Single Point of Contact (SPOC), will be identified to receive the information. At Marston Vale Middle School our SPOC is our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mr Chris Eldridge. He will be able to use information that has been shared with him, in confidence, to ensure that the right support is available should it be required by a child.
We are keen to offer the best support available to our pupils and we believe this is going to be extremely beneficial for all those involved.
If you would like to find out more about Operation Encompass the following website will be able to give you more information:
https://www.operationencompass.org/
If you have any concerns or questions then please contact Mr Eldridge who will be happy to help through calling Marston Vale Middle School.
Safeguarding Links and Information
In this section, parents will find useful links and websites to help them support their child in every aspect of their education and emotional well-being.
Childline
NSPCC
Kooth online counselling service
Young Carers
Family Lives
Online advice and information on all aspects of family life with support groups/workshops. Free 24-hour confidential helpline (08088) 002222 or visit:
Relate for parents and families
Useful information and advice for parents, or anyone in a family to help with the most important relationships - the ones you have with your family.
Netmums
A social networking site connecting parents with each other with help from experts on specific issues through private on-line messages or conversations.
Families United Network/Family Voice
Offers support to Bedfordshire families who have a child with a disability, special need or additional needs.
www.familiesunitednetwork.co.uk
Really Flexible Care
The National Autistic Society
Bedford Open Door
CHUMS
Hear2Listen
Counselling Directory
www.counselling-directory.org.uk
Mencap
Young Minds
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP)
Internet Watch Foundation
Thinkuknow
Bedford and District Cerebal Palsy Society
Bedford Institute of Learning Disabilities
Change
Disabled Living Foundations
Mencap
National People First
Single Parents Gingerbread
E-Safety
E-safety is a vital area of modern life.
As such we feel it is important to cover with pupils in every year group through age appropriate activities.
We cover aspects such as using personal information online, passwords, social media, identity theft and data protection laws. However, despite our best efforts there will always be new risks and threats which occur. As such we would encourage you to cover this area in your own sessions with you child.
Please find up to date information on the following website:
https://nationalonlinesafety.com/
Below are suggested sites and organisations that provide support to parents and carers and children
- Safer Internet.org
- The Anti-Bullying Alliance
- CEOP
- Childline
- Childnet
- The Diana Award
- Internetmatters
- Kidscape
- Get connected
- NSPCC
- The Parent Zone
- Thinkuknow
- Young Minds
Prevent
WRAP – Anti-Radicalisation Training
As part of our commitment to safeguarding pupils and all stakeholders of our school, every adult working in school must undergo a Prevent Duty Training course to raise awareness, to support people vulnerable to radicalisation and know how to refer/report.
Prevent is part of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy designed to tackle the problem of terrorism at its roots.