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Graveney School

Safeguarding and Wellbeing

SAFEGUARDING

All staff at Graveney School recognise their duty to promote the welfare of all our students and to protect them from the risk of harm.  This school is a place where students are encouraged to talk and are listened to and provides a safe environment that promotes the social, physical and moral development of each young person. You can find our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy in the Policies section of our website.

If you are concerned about a young person and would like to let us know please email safeguarding@graveney.wandsworth. sch.uk 

 Reporting anonymously: We also understand that there may be occasions where you have information that you would like to share with us, perhaps arising from discussions with your child about their experiences at school, but that you feel uncomfortable passing on. We have, therefore, set up the form  https://www.graveney.org/Reporting-Concerns/  which is an anonymous reporting facility where you can share information that you think may be useful to us, but where you would prefer not to be identified.

We are committed to ensuring that all children with additional needs are identified early, referred to appropriate services and monitored through effective information sharing between agencies and professionals.

Or if the child does not live in Wandsworth, please see below the links to our neighbouring local authorities:

 STUDENTS REPORTING CONCERNS

We actively encourage our pupils/students to talk to us if they are worried about themselves or someone else or want to report an incident.

We have created the ‘Talk to Us’ flowchart  that makes it clear how to report and what the process may then be. We promote this in Form Time and assemblies and it is displayed in every classroom as well as in the school planner.

WELLBEING (General)

At Graveney School we recognise that positive wellbeing, good health and staying safe is vital for our students’ happiness and achievement. We are proud of the excellent support structures we have in place to raise awareness of mental health, wellbeing and staying safe and to respond to issues as they arise. Students have guided support in Tutor Time and in assemblies; the curriculum content in PSHE; from trained staff in our Wellbeing Centre and Pupil Support Centre and we also engage with outside agencies and charities.

The aim of this area of the website is to provide links to good quality information and guidance on health (mental and physical) and staying safe. We would also encourage students and parents who have any concerns, or who are experiencing difficulties to get in touch with us. We will do everything we can to help.

Please contact your child’s Form Tutor in the first instance if you are worried about your child.

Resources

You may find some of the resources from EduSafe helpful. They provide a bank of online resources with more information related to a wide range of wellbeing and safeguarding issues, supported with links to websites and contact numbers for additional information.

Parent/Carer Self Care

This link is particularly useful as it reminds us of the importance of not putting too much pressure on ourselves as parents/carers and a reminder to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of others

 

A Local Guide to Childrens' Mental Health

A local guide to children' mental health

Sleep

Young People’s Bereavement

Helplines

 

MENTAL HEALTH

Sometimes children suffer from a mental health crisis that requires an urgent response and/or more specialist intervention. We always advise that if you are worried about your child’s mental health to seek support from your GP in the first instance but please also let us know what your concerns are too. Your GP may refer your child to CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) or signpost to other organisations.

In respect to urgent mental health support, every mental health trust in London has now put in place a 24/7 crisis line for people of all ages - children, young people and adults. The lines which are free to call can provide advice to those in a crisis. These crisis lines are supported by trained mental health advisors 365 days a year and you can find all the information you need here:

Urgent mental health support for children, young people and familiesYoung People's Mental Health Issues: App

ONLINE SAFETY

We highly recommend that parents/carers take a look at www.internetmatters.org  This website has good quality information, guidance and advice for keeping children safe online. You can search by issue, (e.g. cyber-bullying; screen time; online grooming...) and by age and has a section on setting controls.

We are also working with an organisation called Online Behaviours www.onlinebehaviours.co.uk who have delivered online safety training for staff; a talk to Year 7 parents as well as working with our Online Safety Working Group to look at aspects of our curriculum, policy and support for pupils. They have provided a very simple safety advice guide for parents and carers: 

Online Behaviours - Online safety advice for parents & carers

Please remember there are some simple, basic steps you can take to supporting your children online at home:

  • Recognise, and accept - most of us spend a considerable amount of time online, and certainly did so during the height of the pandemic. That’s the same for children and young people as well as parents and carers.
  • Don’t worry so much about screen time - what are your children and young people actually doing when they are online? There should be a good balance of different activities. Try to check in on this by looking at your child’s screen regularly and checking their search history if you are concerned.
  • Follow some of the basic guidance from healthcare professionals - specifically have tech-free mealtimes and don’t have technology in the bedroom overnight
  • Talk to your children - take time to understand what they are doing online – don’t always assume that they are up to no good. The most important thing is that if something does go wrong children and young people feel that they are able to come and speak to someone. The way we react when our children tell us about a problem is absolutely crucial – overreacting can be counterproductive and may deter your children from continuing to be open with you about these things.
  • Be a good role model - be mindful of your own online habits and try to model healthy practices (e.g. tech-free mealtimes and technology in the bedroom overnight!)

ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE

If you are worried that a child is being abused online they, or you can report it to CEOP  (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command)  which is a law enforcement agency designed to keep children and young people safe from sexual exploitation and abuse.

https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

There is also a reporting button for CEOP in the footer of this website.