Safeguarding
At Turncroft Nursery School safeguarding is a priority that underpins EVERYTHING we do.
We see safeguarding as everyone’s responsibility
Here are a few things you can do to help us in school…
- Always supervise your child when you drop off and collect them from nursery.
- If your child is going to be off Nursery for any reason, please phone and leave a message on the answer phone or tell a member of staff.
- Let us know if someone different is picking up your child –we will never let your child go home with someone we don’t know.
- If you see something that causes you any concern please come and tell us.
- Please let us know if any of your contact details change (phone number, email, address etc.) or if your family circumstances change.
- Please tell us about any allergies or medical needs your child might have and if these change in any way.
- We recognise that parking is difficult, especially when you are in a hurry to drop children off and get on with your busy day, but please do not use our school car park as it would mean walking through the driveway which is used by staff and visitor vehicles.
- Please tell us if you see something that is damaged or broken.
- If you need to pick up your child early, please make sure that you inform us in advance.
Thank you for your help in keeping your child and other children safe. 
All of our staff have completed 'Safeguarding Children levels 1 and 2' training, 'Sexual Abuse and an Introduction to Child Sexual Exploitation' (CSE) and PREVENT training.
On an annual basis we refresh our safeguarding training, including completing on-line training. We also have four members of staff who have completed Designated Safeguarding Leads training; this training is renewed every 2 years. These staff have completed additional training to the 'core' training such as in Emotional and Domestic Abuse.
- The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding and Child Protection (DSL) is Mrs Gayle Berry (Headteacher).
- The Deputy Designated Senior Lead is Miss Jenny Murphy (EYFS Teacher).
- Mrs Sarah Roberts and Mrs Marion Fort have also completed DSL training.
- The Designated Governor responsible for Safeguarding and Child Protection is Mr Damian Collins (Chair).
Staff all know that children sometimes say things which may give us cause for concern. We have a duty to ensure children are safe and we may need to share these concerns with you.
Please do not be alarmed or embarrassed if we ask you about something we have seen or your child has told us about.
*Please see our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy in the 'Policies' section of this website.
Children’s advice and duty service (CADS)
Are you worried about a child?
The Children's advice and duty service (CADS) provides a single point of contact for professionals and members of the public who want to seek support or raise concerns about a child.
If you have any concerns about a child at risk of harm, abuse or neglect or if you need support, advice or guidance in relation to a child in your care, please contact the CADS team where you will be able to speak to an experienced social worker. They will listen, assess your concerns, provide advice, support and guidance, and take appropriate action if a child is at risk.
If you are unsure that it is a concern worth reporting, you can call the team and talk it through.
The team is made up of experienced social workers, who will provide advice and support to other professionals and ask key questions about the risks and strengths within families.
They will be able to advise if it is a child protection concern, or whether other help should be provided for the child and family. If a family is struggling, they can offer advice and guidance regarding early help and support for the children and parents, before any problems become advanced and harder to solve.
Contact details
- Monday to Friday: 08:45 to 17:00 telephone: 01254 666400
- Emergency out-of-hours (evenings and weekends) telephone: 01254 587547
If you believe that a child is at immediate risk and in need of protection then you should call the police on 999 immediately.
Online Safety
If you would like to know more about how to keep your children safe online, please click on the links below. These do not require log-in and provide important support to parents and families.
Children should always be supervised when using the Internet.
https://thinkuknow.co.uk/parents
PREVENT
What is the Prevent Duty?
Prevent is one part of the government's counter-terrorism guidance. It can be found described in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.
The Prevent Duty is the duty of those in authorities to keep people and communities safe from the threat of terrorism. It focuses on preventing people from being drawn into terrorist organisations or ideals.
All school staff have received Prevent training. This has taught us what the Prevent Duty is along with how to apply it in our school. We have been taught how to spot the signs that a child or young person may be at risk of radicalisation, whether religious or political. We have been trained in clear guidance about what to do if we suspect that someone is going through this to help keep them safe and supported.
In an attempt to combat radicalisation, British values are taught to children in UK schools. This is in response to the definition of terrorism as stated within the Prevent Duty Strategy. Terrorism is defined as:
“Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.”
This statement clarifies the four British values as:
- Democracy
- The rule of law
- Individual liberty
- Mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs
Prevent Duty in the EYFS is woven in throughout the Early Years Framework aims of several areas of learning and development. Primarily, Personal, Social & Educational Development (PSED) and Understanding the World (UW). The hope of using Prevent duty in early years is to begin teaching children early about the virtues of moral or immoral and acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. This aims to provide them with a better viewpoint by which to view the world before they can begin to be unduly affected by outside impetus.
It is important to note that Prevent Duty in EYFS is not in place because the government is predicting a wave of radicalised Early Years children. Instead, Prevent duty in early years comes from examining the roots of such radicalisation and how to prevent it at an early age or stage instead of having to combat it later.
Prevent duty in early years focusses on helping children build their understanding and appreciation of others as early as possible. This means showing children about all kinds of different lifestyles and cultures, helping them see that there are lots of different ways of living that all deserve respect. The attitudes and ideas that children pick up on at this young age can influence them throughout their lives, and can be hard to shake as they grow up.
Along with talking about these ideas and values, a key part of the Prevent duty from early years throughout school is safeguarding and observing. Children who are vulnerable to radicalisation or going through something may show a variety of signs in school or at home which parents, practitioners, teachers and key adults may have the chance to spot. This leaves time and room for intervention, to offer children the support and care they need.
What are some signs to look for in children?
While they are not necessarily signs of radicalisation, there are many signs that are worth bearing in mind as indications of all kinds of potential issues. Some signs to look out for that might indicate a child is in need of help, include:
- Behavioural changes.
- Suddenly being part of an entirely new friendship group.
- Isolating themselves from friends and family.
- Speech appearing somewhat scripted.
- Being hesitant to or unable to discuss views and opinion.
- An increase in disrespect towards others.
- An increase in anger.
- An increase in secretiveness, particularly as concerns to online activity.
- Accessing online extremist material.
- Using of extreme or violent language.
- Creating written or artwork that has violent or extremist imagery.
Here is the link to The Prevent Duty:
Operation Encompass
Our school participates in 'Operation Encompass'.
Operation Encompass is a unique Police and Education early intervention safeguarding partnership which ensures that a child's school is informed, prior to the start of the next school day, that there has been an incident of Domestic Abuse to which the child or young person has been exposed, and which might then have an impact on them in school the following day.
A nominated member of staff, known as a Key Adult, has been trained to liaise with the police.
In our school, our Key Adult is Mrs Gayle Berry Headteacher.
Mrs Berry will be able to use information that has been shared with her, in confidence, to ensure that our school makes provision for possible difficulties experienced by children or their families. The Key Adult will keep this information confidential, and will only share it on a need to know basis, for instance, to other appropriate teaching staff for the child or young person. It will not be shared with other children or students on placement.
This initiative has been implemented across the whole of the Lancashire Police area. If you would like some more information about it, you can view it online at www.operationencompass.org.