Our school Child Protection policy is currently under its annual review. – September 2018.
During this time our Child Protection policy will be followed in conjunction with statutory guidance in ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of our learners.

In relation to children and young people, safeguarding and promoting their welfare is defined in ‘Working together to safeguard children’ as:

• protecting children from maltreatment
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development
• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Safeguarding action may be needed to protect learners from:

• neglect
• physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• bullying, including online bullying and prejudice-based bullying
• racist, disability, homophobic or transphobic abuse
• gender-based violence, or violence against women and girls
• radicalisation or extremist behaviour
• child sexual exploitation and trafficking
• the impact of new technologies on sexual behaviour, for example ‘sexting’ and accessing pornography
• teenage relationship abuse
• substance misuse
• issues that may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity and youth violence
• domestic violence
• female genital mutilation
• forced marriage
• fabricated or induced illness
• poor parenting, particularly in relation to babies and young children
• any other issues that pose a risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults

At The Link School we are very clear, the welfare of our learners is paramount and we will offer early and additional help to prevent escalation.

Parents/Carers should be aware that The Link School will take any reasonable action to ensure the safety of our learners.

Where we are concerned a learner may be at risk of significant harm, ill-treatment, neglect of other forms of abuse, we have no alternative but to follow Sunderland Safeguarding Children’s Board Procedures which can be found here.

A copy of our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy can be found here:

  Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy.pdf 

The following staff have responsibility for Safeguarding:

Mrs Donna Walker –Head Teacher

Mr Dave Bromby – Head of School

Mr Rob Giles – Designated Safeguarding Lead – Head of School

Ms Wendy Ellison – Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mrs Andrea Howey – Assistant Head Teacher KS1

Ms Vicki Mitchell – EYFS/KS1 Teacher

Ms Leanne Clark – SENDCo

Our Governor with responsibility for is Safeguarding – Mrs Viv Ingleton

If you would like to speak to someone regarding Safeguarding please call the main school switchboard on (0191) 562 3126 and ask for a Designated Safeguarding Lead.

If you are a member of staff and you have concerns, please log into CPOMS (Child Protection Online Management System)

Updates

We regularly provide updates to staff regarding specific safeguarding issues. Here’s some of the recent updates:

• Safeguarding Induction – For all staff and visitors working with children
• Child Sexual Exploitation
• Prevent Duty
• Abuse in Teenage Relationships
• E Safety Update
• Legal Highs
• Sexting
• LGBTQ
• Pokemon Go
• Snapchat

The Sunderland Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP) website