Policies: Safeguarding

Safeguarding, Wellbeing and Child Protection

All adults who work in schools have safeguarding responsibilities, and regular training is required to support this.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the universal approach required to promote the health, safety and wellbeing of our young people. This includes activities such as tracking and monitoring of attendance, responses to bullying concerns, regularly assessing how we work within our building, and working in partnership with families, partners and the wider community. Safeguarding in Scotland consists of two key strands, as outlined below.

Wellbeing

At Rosehill, we talk about wellbeing and learning as two side of the same coin. Young people who achieve in school tend to report higher levels of wellbeing, and looking after wellbeing tends to lead to more achievement. Our school has both universal and targeted approaches to support wellbeing.

At the universal level, our Homeroom structure includes Wellbeing Wednesday, which is a chance to pause, reflect, and consider what is going well and where changes might be made. Our My World programme looks at wellbeing issues in more depth, including wellbeing check ins where pupils are asked to rate how they are feeling and any concerns or patterns picked up. Conversations about wellbeing across the school are based on the Wellbeing Indicators: safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, respected, responsible and included.

At a targeted level, staff are asked to complete a Wellbeing Concerns form if they are concerned about a child. This is then picked up by our House Teams. Responses may include strategies such as informal check ins, meetings with parents, bespoke timetable arrangements, or referrals to partner agencies. What works for one young person may not work for another, so dialogue is crucial. Where a young person has concern about their wellbeing they are encouraged to speak with any adult with whom they feel comfortable.

Child Protection

Child protection procedures are enacted when a child (now defined as anyone under the age of 18) is at significant risk of harm, such as abuse or neglect. Where a potential significant risk is identified, the school’s role is to both look at how they can support the child in school, and to share their concerns with the appropriate core agency, acting on any advice they give. The core agencies are social work, police and health.

Every school has an allocated Designated Manager for Child Protection. Ours is Neil Valentine, DHT Pupil Support.

We also have two deputy Designated Managers. Gail Preston (HT) for Rosehill and Sarah Fleming (DHT ASN) who leads specifically on Child Protection in The Brae.

All staff (teaching and non-teaching) are trained in child protection procedures, including how to respond to disclosures. This includes asking open questions, listening carefully, and explaining to the young person that the concern needs to be shared so that support can be put in place.  

Any actions around safeguarding, wellbeing and child protection are recorded via our SEEMiS system. This allows us to regularly review our practice.

Procedures for sharing Child Protection concerns outwith school can be found here:

 https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/info/210585/protecting_someone_from_harm/11896/child_protection