What is Safeguarding?

What is safeguarding?

It is the act of protecting children from harm and developing their welfare. 

Safeguarding can mean several different things: protecting children from abuse and maltreatment from anyone, even their peers. 

It can also mean preventing harm to children's health or development. It ensures that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. 

Safeguarding is taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. If you see, hear or even feel something is not right, you have a duty to report that concern to your designated safeguarding lead.

In addition to reporting it to the school, there may be times when as a parent/carer/member of the community, you would need to make a referral yourself, for example at a weekend or if it was about a pupil who does not attend Aiskew, Leeming Bar CE Primary School.  The advice below is taken from the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership:  

Where there are significant immediate concerns about the safety of a child, you should contact the police on 999.

Everyone has a responsibility to refer a child when it is believed or suspected that a child:

• Has suffered significant harm and /or;
• Is likely to suffer significant harm and/or;
• Has developmental and welfare needs which are likely only to be met through provision of family support services (with agreement of the child’s parent).

If you believe the situation is urgent but does not require the police, please call 01609 780780 to make a telephone contact.

Should your call be outside of business hours (Monday – Friday / 9am-5pm) please still call 01609 780780 to speak to the Emergency Duty Team.

A written referral using the universal referral form must be completed and submitted within 24 hours of your telephone call.

You do not need to make a telephone contact prior to submitting a written referral should the situation not be urgent.

To make a written referral, a universal referral form must be completed. You must ensure that all relevant information, including parental consent or clear reasons why this has not been obtained, is provided to ensure that the referral can be progressed as effectively as possible. You will receive acknowledgement of your contact being received. Should you not receive this please follow up to ensure your information has been received.

North Yorkshire Universal Referral Form