Safeguarding

The Ladder School Safeguarding Team
Mr C Bury	Designated Safeguarding Lead	c.bury@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Miss K Blackwood	Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead	k.blackwood@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Miss Abbie Cartwright	Learning Coach	a.cartwright@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Miss Priscilla Clarke	Learning Coach	p.clarke@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Mr Luca New	Learning Coach	l.new@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Mr Matthew Taylor	Learning Coach	m.taylor@tls.merciantrust.org.uk
Mr Adam Virgo	Learning Coach	a.virgo@tls.merciantrust.org.uk

The Ladder School has vital role to play in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and ensuring that the school is a safe, well ordered and caring environment for learning. We are committed to safeguarding children and young people and expect everyone in our school to share this commitment.

Our Safeguarding Policy applies to all adults, including volunteers working in or on behalf of the school and follows the child protection procedures as defined by Walsall Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB http://www.wlscb.org.uk) and multi-agency threshold guidance. We work with partners to ensure the best outcomes for children and young people.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility if you are concerned about a child you MUST contact a member of the Safeguarding Team. You can also contact the contact the Walsall Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

Walsall Multi agency Safeguarding Hub
Name	Role	Contact Details
MASH		0300 555 2866 option 2
Emergency Response Team		0300 555 2922 or 0300 555 2836
Seona Baker	Safeguarding Coordinator (Education)	07951819648 seona.baker@walsall.gov.uk
Michelle Pinnock-Ouma	Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) (Allegations against Staff)	01922 654040 / 07432 422205 Michelle.Pinnock-Ouma@walsall.gov.uk

Principles

Safeguarding arrangements in the school are underpinned by the 2 key principles:

Everyone who comes in to contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children. All Governors, staff, trainees and volunteers have a responsibility and role to identify concerns, share information appropriately and take prompt action. Staff members will maintain an attitude of “it could happen here” where safeguarding is concerned

When concerned about the welfare of a child, staff will always act in the best interests of the child. The school operates a child centred approach taking into account children’s views and voices. The child’s wishes and feelings will be taken into account when determining what action to take and services to provide to protect individual children through ensuring there are systems in place for children to express their views and give feedback

Everyone working in, or for our school, takes all welfare concerns seriously and encourages children and young people to talk to us about anything that worries them. We share an objective to help keep children and young people safe by contributing to;

Providing a safe environment for children and young people to learn in education schools;
Creating a culture of vigilance where we always act in the best interests of the child;
Identifying children who may be at risk of radicalisation, in need of extra help, or are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, and taking the appropriate action, working with other services as needed.