Safeguarding

In This Section…

The Safeguarding Team

Safeguarding is overseen by Mrs C Bhundia (Vice Principal and Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead) and two Safeguarding Officers, pictured below. If you are concerned about a child’s welfare please contact a member of the team and provide a detailed record of your concern. Please do not investigate the concern yourself.

Derby Moor’s Lead Safeguarding Officer (LSO) is:

Derby Moor’s Deputy Safeguarding Officer (DSO) is:

  • Mr J. Scott (JSC) – Assistant Principal
  • Telephone: 01332 772 706 (Extension number 234)

Derby Moor’s Deputy Safeguarding Officer (DSO) is:

  • Mr A. Brown – Assistant Principal
  • Telephone: 01332 772 706 (Extension number 261)

Derby Moor Spencer Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, which includes –

  • 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
  • Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

 

All concerns are dealt with by staff trained to the same level as that of the ‘Designated Child Protection Lead Officer.’ The designated lead officer is Cathy Bhundia, Vice Principal. All other staff receive annual basic awareness training.

Should you have any concerns about your child or a child who attends Derby Moor Spencer Academy please do not hesitate to contact the Lead Child Protection Officer.

 

Cause for Concern

All staff are asked to report any causes for concern to the staff trained to deal with such instances.   Concerns will be shared with parents/carers as early as possible as there are often reasonable explanations for the concern.

 

Attendance

Absence and lateness is recorded by the attendance team. Reasons are sought for all absences. Concerns around attendance may be referred to the Lead Child Protection Officer. Parents/carers will be notified of attendance concerns at the earliest possible point.

 

Support for Families/Multi Agency Working

Derby Moor Spencer Academy works collaboratively with external agencies to ensure that children are safeguarded and welfare is promoted. We actively work with families to secure positive outcomes for both children and families.

 

Current Key Themes

Whilst any cause for concern is dealt with appropriately, current key themes that staff are trained to deal with include –

  • Female Genital Mutilation
  • Child Sexual Exploitation
  • Prevent – Protecting students from the risk of radicalisation which is now seen as part of schools’ wider safeguarding duties.

 

  • Please click here to go to our school policies page to read our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
  • Please click here to view our safeguarding policy addendum April 2020.

 

Contact During the School Holidays

If you have a safeguarding concern about a student during school holidays please e-mail: dsl@derbymoorspencer.com

This account is monitored daily on weekdays during school holidays only. To report safeguarding concerns during term time please contact your child’s house manager on 01332 772706 or Mrs Bhundia via school reception.

If you have a concern about a child’s immediate safety, please contact police on 999 if it is an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies.  Safeguarding concerns can also be reported anonymously to the NSPCC whistleblowing line on 0800 028 0285.

 

Domestic Abuse

Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.

 

Stopping Domestic Abuse Together (SDAT)

From 1 November 2018 Derby Moor Spencer Academy has been receiving Domestic Abuse notifications from Derbyshire Constabulary within 24 hours of an incident.

  • Click here to find out more.

 

Parents and Carers Guide to Safeguarding

Please find below a link to our Parents Guide to Safeguarding that may be useful for parents and carers in helping them understand more about the subjects and outlining what we do as a school.

  • Click here to download our parents guide to safeguarding.
  • Additional advice on self harm from the NSPCC can be found here.

 

Talking to children about sexual abuse

The BBC features advice for parents on how to talk to their children about sexual abuse. Advice for talking to young children includes: have simple conversations with them, teaching them that their body belongs to them and that they can say no if anybody tries to touch them; tell them the difference between a “good” and a “bad” secret; use the NSPCC’s PANTS acronym. Advice for talking to older children includes: keep talking about sex abuse right through to university age; talk about the dangers posed by smartphones and internet use but do not “shame” a child’s behaviour if they do something wrong online.

 

Additional Resources for Derby

  • Kooth – Free, Safe and Anonymous support for Children and Young People aged 11-25- No referral needed – www.kooth.com
  •  Qwell- Free online counselling offer for Parents and Carers of Children and Young People under the age of 18 in Derby and Derbyshire- No referral needed – www.qwell.io

 

Both provide:

 in and out of hours online counselling functionality with an accredited counsellor (Mon-Fri 12pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 6pm-10pm)

  • Option for peer support via online forums
  • Articles detailing coping strategies, case studies etc.
  • Long Term Plan Link: Digitally-enabled care will go mainstream across the NHS