Safeguarding

At Belmont Castle Academy, we take our safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. All our staff and governors have been trained in Safeguarding Procedures. The school’s policy conforms to the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Partnership Joint Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Children. Any information about Safeguarding issues is treated as confidentially as possible, but staff have a legal duty to share any information they receive with the school's Designated Safeguarding Lead. The school has a legal duty to refer cases of alleged or suspected child abuse to Social Care Services.

 

If you would like to contact the Safeguarding Team during school breaks, please email: Angela Rawlings on arawlings@belmontcastleacademy.org.  Alternatively, please follow the guidance below;

 

If you have any concerns about a child you can contact Thurrock MASH at any time on: 01375 652802

IF YOU CONSIDER A CHILD IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER YOU SHOULD DIAL 999 AND ASK FOR THE POLICE.  

 

Extremism and Radicalisation 

In June 2014, the Prime Minister emphasised the important role that British values can play in education. Further, how well a school promotes such values is an aspect of Ofsted’s inspection process. British values are promoted in much of what we do, during school assemblies, Religious Education, Philosophy and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) sessions.

As well as actively promoting British values, the opposite also applies: we would actively challenge pupils, staff or parents expressing opinions contrary to fundamental British values, including ‘extremist’ views.

The British values we espouse are not unique to Britain. We acknowledge that they differ in no way from the values of the many countries and the cultural backgrounds represented by families at Belmont Castle Academy.

We have a clear strategy to tackling extremism and acting early to address any issues of radicalisation. We are aware that some pupils and families may be vulnerable to radicalisation and follow the government's channel guidance (Attached as a key document to this page) as well as having a consistent approach to the teaching of values, which we term British Values, through our taught and extra-curricular curriculum offer. This is detailed in the British Values Policy which can also be found as an attached document on this page.

We work closely to ensure our Prevent approach identifies any pupils that may be in danger of radicalisation and to make referrals to the Thurrock MASH service as with any other safeguarding concerns.

Operation Encompass

At Belmont Castle Academy we are working in partnership with Essex Police to identify and provide appropriate support to pupils who have experienced domestic violence in their household, this scheme is called Operation Encompass.

The purpose of Operation Encompass is to safeguarding and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse incident.  Domestic abuse impacts on children in a number of ways.  Children are at increased risk of physical injury during an incident, either by accident or because they attempt to intervene.  Even when not directly injured, children are greatly distressed by witnessing the physical and emotional suffering of a parent.

Encompass has been created to highlight this situation.  It is the implementation of key partnership working between the Police and Schools.  The aim of sharing information with local schools is to allow “Key Adults” (normally the Designated Safeguarding Lead), the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment.

In order to achieve this, Essex Police will share information of domestic incidents where one of our pupils has been present, with the Key Adult.  On receipt of any information, the Key Adult will decide on the appropriate support the child requires.  All information sharing and resulting actions will be undertaken in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).  We will record this information and store this in accordance with the record keeping procedures outlined in these regulations.

The purpose and procedures in Operation Encompass have been shared with all parents and governors.  Further information can be found by click on the following link www.operationencompass.org

Useful Information for Parents and Carers

Within our Safeguarding site you will find a range of documents, the purpose of which being to help provide you with useful information to help keep your child safe.

Safeguarding Policy

BCA and the Prevent Duty (useful information)

Child Protection Procedures leaflet (for parents and visitors)

County Lines information leaflet for parent

FGM information leaflet

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Safeguarding newsletter

NSPCC Whistleblowing poster

Self-harm information leaflet

Online safety presentation

Safer Schools app