Child protection and E-Safety
Safeguarding and Child Protection
At Heathcoat Primary School we recognise our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all pupils. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Demelza Higginson and our Deputy Safeguarding Leads are Angela Sullivan, Becky Budden, Hannah Gleeson and Mike Payne and are available to discuss any safeguarding concerns you may have. The Child Protection Governor is Helen Hyland.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead can be contacted on DSL@heathcoat.devon.sch.uk
All child protection concerns need to be acted on immediately. If you are concerned that a child may be at risk or actually suffering abuse please contact Demelza Higginson, Becky Budden, Hannah Gleeson, Angela Sullivan or Mike Payne on 01884 252445 or alternatively contact MASH (Devon County Council multi agency safeguarding hub) who are available to discuss your concerns 0345 155 1071.
Please follow this link for further information on safeguarding: http://www.devonsafeguardingchildren.org
This PDF offers young people guidance around sex and relationships: SARC Key messages for young people poster DRAFT 2 (002).
Download our Child Protection Policy here. HPS Safeguarding and child protection policy 2022
COVID school closure arrangements for Safeguarding and Child Protection
Internet Safety
How safe are the sites, apps and games your child uses? To children, online life is real life. The NSPCC has joined forces with O2 to help parents explore and understand online life as kids know it. Run in partnership with O2, Net Aware offers parents useful information about each social network, including the age guidance for users. For more information visit: www.net-aware.org.uk or www.nspcc.org.uk.
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online? Help and support can be found on the CEOP website: https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre
For additional internet safety information visit: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk or https://www.childnet.com or https://saferinternet.org.uk
Download online safety guide
Apps to help children stay safe online
The BBC have a website and app called Own It. The website has a lot of content for children to help them navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most. It can be downloaded for free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
SafeToNet is an app for parents to help them safeguard their children from online risks like cyberbullying and sexting, whilst respecting their child’s rights to privacy. The SafeToNet Foundation is providing UK families with free access to 1 million licences during coronavirus.
Zero Tolerance To Hate Crime
The school has pledged its support for this campaign. To read more visit the Devon and Cornwall Police website here.
Operation Encompass
The school has been given the opportunity to take part in a project that will run jointly between schools and Devon and Cornwall Police.
Operation Encompass is the reporting to schools, prior to the start of the next school day, when a child or young person has been exposed to, or involved in, any domestic incident.
Operation Encompass will ensure that a member of the school staff, known as a Key Adult, is trained to allow them to liaise with the police and to use the information that has been shared, in confidence, while ensuring that the school is able to make provision for possible difficulties experienced by children, or their families, who have been involved in, or exposed to, a domestic abuse incident. The Key Adults in school are Miss Higginson, Mrs Budden, Mrs Gleeson and Mr Payne.
We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for all those involved.
Kinship Carers
Kinship Carers are trying to reach as many kinship carers and colleagues in other family support services as possible.
Health for Teens and Health for Kids Websites
DCC Public Health Nursing has launched two new websites to provide school age children and their parents/carers with health and wellbeing advice. The websites, developed with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, include evidenced based national content which has been co-designed with parents, carers, children and young people as well as locally written content and information about Devon services.
- Health for Kids provides information for primary school aged children and includes games, videos and quizzes. The site consists of four different worlds: Staying Healthy, Illness, Feelings and Getting Help. Each world is populated with different areas for children to learn about their health.
There is a separate area for grown-ups for in-depth guidance and localised information (www.healthforkids.co.uk/devon)
- Health for Teens provides information and advice for young people, including videos, listicles, quizzes, health information, truths and rumours. There are several different sections ranging from feelings, health, lifestyle, relationships and growing up. There is also a ‘your area’ section which includes information on Devon services and advice from local practitioners (www.healthforteens.co.uk/devon). These services pull through below any related content a young person accesses to facilitate improved awareness and access.
