Safeguarding

The Safeguarding Team is led By Chris Connor – Deputy Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) C.Connor@meadowparkschool.com

The School has two Senior Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs)– Paul Rule (Child Protection Officer – P.Rule@meadowparkschool.com), as well as the House Leaders who lead on safeguarding across the school Day-to-Day.

The Heads of House, Senior Leadership Team, and Physical and Mental Health Lead for the School have also received enhanced Safeguarding training.

This is to ensure our students have access to staff who have the ability and knowledge to respond effectively and appropriately to any concerns that they may share across the school.

The Safeguarding Leads will:

• Available during term time for staff to discuss safeguarding concerns;
• Manage referrals
  • Where there are suspected cases of abuse and neglect to the Local Authority children’s social care;
  • To the Channel program where there is a radicalisation concern;
  • To the Disclosure and Barring Service where a staff member is dismissed for abusing children;
  • To the police where a crime may have been committed.
• Be a source of support, advice, and expertise to all staff and the Headteacher;
• Ensure safeguarding records are clear and comprehensive and stored securely;
• Raise awareness of contextual safeguarding concerns and updates to safeguarding procedures;
• Understand the views of the children and encourage a culture of listening and understanding of children amongst all staff.
• Work with colleagues within the Finham Park MAT to ensure best practice is shared to improve outcomes for our students.

Safeguarding is proactive and applies to ALL children.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is EVERYONE’S responsibility.

Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play. In order to fulfill this responsibility effectively, all practitioners should make sure their approach is child-centered. This means that they should consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of the child.

Safeguarding covers all aspects of keeping children safe and we promote the welfare of children by:

• Protecting children from maltreatment;
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical 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.

As a school, there are set government guidelines that we have to adhere to regarding the safeguarding of our children. Some of these are listed below:

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCIE 2025)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive (2024)

The school will ensure that concerns and direct disclosures regarding Abuse are taken seriously and are reported to partner agencies as appropriate:

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the Internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. All children are at risk of being abused. However, some children (those with SEN, disabilities and LGBTQ+) are more vulnerable. We must take extra care to ensure those children are safe.

Child Protection is reactive and refers to the procedures and support given to those children and young people who have experienced abuse in their lives.

All staff at Meadow Park School undertake regular safeguarding training, led by the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Chris Connor and (DDSL) Paul Rule.

Lanyards – As part of our safeguarding procedures, all staff are required to wear their staff lanyards at all times.

Visitors with an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check will wear a YELLOW Lanyard at all times.

Visitors without an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check will wear a RED Lanyard at all times and MUST be escorted by a member of staff at all times.

All visitors are required to sign in and out at the main school reception and wear their visitor lanyards at all times.

What to do if you have concerns?

If you have any concerns or are worried about your child’s or anybody else’s safety or well-being you can contact any of the members of staff listed below:

If you have a safeguarding concern about a member of staff, then this must be reported to the Headteacher:  Mrs Bernadette Pettman B.Pettman@meadowparkschool.com

If you have a safeguarding concern about the Headteacher, then this must be reported to the Chair of Governors: David Kershaw D.Kershaw@meadowparkschool.com

Safeguarding Concerns beyond this can be shared with:

Rebecca Diaz, FPMAT Safeguarding & Inclusion Lead: r.diaz@finhamparkmat.co.uk

Pauline Parkes, Trustee for Safeguarding: parkespe@gmail.com

Coventry LADOs (Rebecca Habberley & Nina Farrimond): LADO@Coventry.gov.uk

Operation Encompass is a Police initiative that has been set up to help schools provide support to children who have been present at incidents of domestic abuse.

Meadow Park School takes part in this operation with the West Midlands Police.

One of the principles of Operation Encompass is that all incidents of Domestic abuse are shared with schools, that the DSL/ DDSL will be informed of an incident having taken place to allow for support to be provided for that child(s) by their key adult/ pastoral staff/ house leaders.

For more information on Operation Encompass please click here

What is ‘The Children and Family Initial Response Service’? (Formerly MASH)

The Children and Family Initial Response Service brings together the former Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and the Early Help Front Door to act as a single coordinated access point where ‘Requests for Support’ for children in Coventry are received and actioned.​

​The Children and Family Initial Response Service brings key professionals together to facilitate early, quality information sharing, analysis and decision-making, to safeguard children and young people effectively. Practitioners from across health, children’s services, police, education and probation are based together within the city centre.

What does The Children & Family Initial Response Service do?

Following receipt of a ‘Request for Support’, practitioners have conversations with families to gain an understanding of what life is like for them. Practitioners work alongside partner agencies to collate relevant and proportionate information which enhances their understanding of the families’ circumstances and subsequently informs decisions on the level of support which may be required.

The information and recommendations gathered from different agencies builds a greater understanding of the circumstances of the family and any potential associated risks and/or impact on the child/young person. This informs decisions around the level of support and as a result agencies are able to act quickly in a co-ordinated and consistent way, ensuring that where it is necessary children are kept safe and ensures targeted support is available for families who need it most.

Where appropriate the Children and Family Initial Response Service will provide advice and guidance to partner agencies on how best to support families and for them to take appropriate actions based upon the Request for Support.

Feedback is given to professionals who have submitted a Request for Support.

How do I contact someone if I am concerned about a child or young person?

If you wish to report a matter to the police, call 101 and state your concerns.
If you wish to report an emergency matter always dial 999.
Social worker (out of office hours): 024 7683 2222.

If there is no immediate danger or you need advice or information, you can contact the Children and Family Initial Response Service in Coventry regarding a child’s safety or welfare, call 024 7678 8555 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM).

If your inquiry relates to the Mental Health Initial Response Service for urgent mental health support in the region, please call 0800 013 0708 or dial 111 and select the mental health option.

Children & Families Referrals

• Emergency Contact: If a child is in immediate danger, dial 999 straight away.
• Office Hours Phone: Call 024 7678 8555 for non-immediate safeguarding or welfare concerns.
• Out of Hours: Call the Emergency Duty Team at 024 7683 2222 (after 5:00 PM, weekends, and bank holidays).
• Online Portal: Professional and public referrals can be processed using the Early Help Request for Support. https://www.childrensresponsiveservices.co.uk/

Mental Health Initial Response

• 2026 Crisis Line / Initial Response: 0800 013 0708 (Available 24/7).
• NHS 111: Dial 111 and choose the mental health option if out of hours or unsure.
• Safe Haven (Coventry & Nuneaton): Call 024 7601 7200 (open evenings 6:00 PM–11:00 PM) for immediate out-of-hours emotional support and drop-ins.

Advice and information

If you want to discuss your concerns or need advice e.g. if you are not sure whether your      concerns are justified, you would like more information about issues like confidentiality or    you would like to know what happens next (after you have reported your concerns), do one of the following:

• Call Childline on 0800 1111
• Call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000
• Children and Family Initial Response Service – 024 7678 8555 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)

Getting Support from School

Referrals into the Children and Family Initial Response Service will direct where Early Help can provide support for families. Meadow Park aims to support this wherever possible and will act as the key agency in some instances.

If you feel that you would like to discuss how school can support you and your family, please reach out to your child’s House Leader – they are here to help!

• Fulmen – L.Webster@Meadowparkschool.com
• Orbis – K.McDougall@Meadowparkschool.com
• Lunar – L.Grundsakmene@Meadowparkschool.com
• Sol – K.Burbidge@Meadowparkschool.com

COVENTRY FAMILY HUBS – Are there to HELP!

You can receive further support and guidance out of school hours and assistance with things like Debt Management, Referrals for Foodbanks, Charity Grant Applications, and More at your Local Family Hub: Find your nearest one by visiting: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/family-hubs or calling 0800 887 0545,

RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES:

• Food Bank Information
• List of Coventry Social Supermarkets
• Cost of Living Advice
• List of Contacts for Support Services
• Coventry Family Hubs List

The Prevent Duty relates to concerns surrounding individuals that may be vulnerable or susceptible to radicalisation into violent extremism. Meadow Park School is committed to ensuring any concerns for an individual are shared to enable appropriate safety planning and acquisition of support made for further information on the guidance please see our school’s Safeguarding Policy or  visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

For Support around Radicalisation – information can be found here:

• Educate Against Hate: https://www.educateagainsthate.com/
• Act Early: https://actearly.uk/
• NSPCC: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/radicalisation
• West Midlands Police: https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/t/prevent/prevent/

Help and Resources

For Help and Support in an Emergency – Please contact the Police on 999 or non-immediate concerns can be shared with them via 101 or via the website.

Support for Students:

• Free counselling support: https://Kooth.com
• NHS Mental Health Crisis service: call 0300 200 0011 free 24/7 service
• Young Minds: 24/7 Crisis Support: Free Text 85258 or https://youngminds.org.uk
• RISE: Crisis support for children and young people: Call 08081 966798 (select option 2)
• Papyrus: Confidential support and advice for young people struggling with thoughts of suicide: Call 0800 068 4141 or text 07860 039967
• Childline: Free telephone counselling support for young people for any issue: Call free on 0800 1111or visit https://www.childline.org.uk/
• Samaritans: 24-hour confidential emotional support and guidance: Call free on 116 123
• Coventry Young Persons service: free and confidential young person’s early intervention and substance misuse service for young people, their families, carers and affected others.

https://cid.coventry.gov.uk/kb5/coventry/directory/service.page?id=z1vrsmpNRsU

• Drug and Alcohol Advice: https://www.talktofrank.com/
• Coventry Boys and Girls Club: providing a safe and supportive environment for the youth in Coventry. https://www.covboysandgirlsclub.co.uk/

For Parents & Carers:

• • Change Grow Live: Advice and support for Drugs/ Alcohol, Children’s Rights, housing, Mental Health, and Domestic Abuse: https://www.changegrowlive.org/
  • Coventry Haven: Women’s Aid for domestic Abuse https://www.coventryhaven.co.uk/

• • Safe to Talk: https://www.safetotalk.org.uk/

• • Citizen’s Advice: https://www.coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk/

• • Housing: https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homefinder

• • https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/

Online Safety Advice & Resources:

• https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents/
• https://saferinternet.org.uk/
• org.uk
• https://www.childnet.com/
• https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/online-safety
• CSCP Online Safety Resources QR Poster

Reporting a concern: if you would like to report an issue regarding sexual harassment, harmful sexual behaviour, Sexual exploitation or Criminal Exploitation please use the email MP-Safeguarding@meadowparkschool.com

Someone within the safeguarding team will get in touch with you to discuss your concerns in more detail.

We want our students to understand the importance of CONSENT and respecting a person’s body:

Disrespect Nobody
There’s a person attached to everybody, respect both.
Healthy relationships are all about respecting each other. You should feel loved, safe, and free to be yourself. Relationships can be confusing, and it can be difficult to understand what is and isn’t normal behaviour.

However disrespectful and unacceptable behaviour can come in many forms. It isn’t limited to just physical behaviour; it can also go way beyond that. For example, it’s not OK for someone to try and pressure you into sending a nude pic, or to expect the same things to happen that they’ve seen in a porn film. If someone makes you do something you don’t want to, makes you feel scared, or intimidated, or tries controlling you, it’s not acceptable and is never OK.

Please visit the website https://www.disrespectnobody.co.uk for more information, speak to someone in school or alternatively contact one of the following agencies for support and advice – Obviously if you are in immediate danger you should call 999.

Respect phone line
Phone: 0808 802 4040 (Freephone)
Opening Times: 09:00 – 17:00 Monday – Friday
Online: www.respectphoneline.org.uk (webchat available), or email info@respectphoneline.org.uk