At Broadstones School, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and is something that all members of staff and volunteers understand to be paramount in all that we do. Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families and carers has a role to play in safeguarding. In order to fulfil this responsibility effectively, all professionals make sure their approach is child-centred. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.
The words ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘Child Protection’ are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct meanings. Safeguarding is what we are doing for all our children; Child Protection refers to the policy and procedures we have for referring and supporting children at risk of serious harm, or who have been seriously harmed. The definition of Safeguarding is given in ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’:
‘Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:
- Protecting children from maltreatment.
- Preventing impairment of children’s health or development.
- Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.’
These values underpin our day-to-day practice and are evident in everything we do. We all work hard to ensure all children reach their full potential and be safe in everything they do.
When concerned about the welfare of a child, staff members act in the best interests of the child