Safeguarding our students

Shenley Academy has a duty of care and is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all of its students.

Quick Links to Support

Key Contacts West Midlands Police Online Safety Sexual Violence & Harassment Exploitation Radicalisation Mental Health Child on Child abuse Domestic Abuse SAFEGUARDING NEWSLETTERS Ripple Suicide Prevention Parents Protect

Key Documents

Key Information

Safeguarding is about ensuring that everyone is safe from harm – safe from bullying, safe from people who could abuse, safe from discrimination or harassment – and that we all feel safe in our environment.

We have an open door policy so students can access support and guidance at all times.

We work in partnership with external agencies and professionals for specialised support where needed.

If you have any concerns about the welfare of yours or another child please talk to any teacher at the academy or you can speak directly to a member of:

The Academy’s Safeguarding Team

Anonymous concerns can also be raised using the Sharp System.

Key Contacts

Should you need safeguarding support for yourself or someone you know, then we have included in the attachment a list of services, for a range of different reasons, that can help support you.

Should you feel that is a safeguarding risk for any child, then please never hesitate to call 999 if you feel they’re in immediate danger, or report your concern to Birmingham Children’s Services team on 0121 303 1888.

If you have a low level concern for welfare, or there is something you would like us to look into, then please do not hesitate to use our Report a Concern form at shenleysafeguardingleads@e-act.org.uk or for students, the Sharp System at https://shenley.thesharpsystem.com/ . Please note that these Academy links are not monitored at all times, therefore there may be a delay in response to your concern or query, and we would encourage you to use the links attached or Children’s Services if there is harm being caused to a child in the community or home.

You are able to contact Birmingham Children Services Directly for support

https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk/contact

Parents/Carers	Students
On Shenley Academy website, click on Pupil Concerns at the top. Choose to either complete a form or send an email.	On Shenley Academy website, click on Pupil Concerns at the top. Choose to either complete a form or send an email.
Speak to any member of Shenley Academy staff	Speak to your Tutor or any member of Shenley Academy Staff.
Speak to the Safeguarding Team.	Speak to the Safeguarding Team.
Telephone your concerns through the reception team on 0121 464 5191	Complete a SHARP Alert

Collaborative working

West Midlands Police

Shenley Academy is an active member of the Edgbaston Police and the School’s Sharing Panels, working closely and collaboratively to support students and their families in the local community. We strongly value the importance of working alongside other schools and organisations in the area to benefit the community. As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we maintain open lines of communication with West Midlands Police. This ensures that we are active in both supporting community policing initiatives and also in making sure our students and carers are informed of issues pertaining to safety in the community.

Shenley Academy is committed to keeping our students safe, both in school and in the wider community. As part of our safeguarding arrangements, we have a two-way information sharing agreement in place with West Midlands Police, and we are also active members of our local constituency Police & Schools Panel.

The agreement is compliant with Crime & Disorder Act 1998, Data Protection Act 2018 – 2021 Update and United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR); and focuses on preventing young people from becoming involved, or further involved, in crime and anti-social behaviour (as either a victim or offender) or those who have been reported as missing that may be vulnerable as a result.

This joint approach helps us to intervene early; provide additional support, and share up-to-date safety messages with students and their families/carers. If you have any queries about this partnership work please contact Mr A Ward alexander.ward@she.e-act.org.uk

We are also very fortunate to have a School-Police Liaison officer who can support our students if they themselves, or wider families, are concerned they’re at risk of, or have been involved in, criminal activity.

Online safety

Think U Know is a set of resources developed by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre at website: www.thinkuknow.co.uk.

Know IT All is a set of resources developed by Childnet International at website: http://www.childnet-int.org/kia

West Midlands Police – Shenley Academy is an active member of the Edgbaston Police and Schools Panel and works closely and collaboratively to support students and their families in the local community. We strongly value the importance of working alongside other schools and organisations in the area to benefit the community. As part of our commitment to safeguarding we maintain open lines of communication with West Midlands Police. This ensures that we are active in both supporting community policing initiatives and also in making sure our students and carers are informed of issues pertaining to safety in the community.

We are also really fortunate to have a School-Police Liaison officer who can support our students if they themselves, or wider families, are concerned they’re at risk of, or have been involved in, criminal activity. PC Ledwith works for West Midlands Police but is specifically designated to working with and building bridges between young people, the police and school.

PC Ledwith can speak with our students on a 1:1 basis to help support and guide them about the realities of criminal behaviours, and how to avoid becoming involved at all, as well as providing Assemblies or resources for children and parents.

If you have any queries or require further information about the partnership, please contact us via: shenley.enquiry@e-act.org.uk

The NSPCC Share Aware campaign has useful facts and advice for Parents/carers: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/

The NSPCC provide excellent parent and student support about protecting yourselves online. Especially during lockdown periods, or school holidays, it is really important to ensure you KNOW the signs of e-safety risks, like grooming, exploitation or cyberbullying, you actively LOOK for things like changes in behaviour, or secretive screen time, and then ACT to ensure you protect and potentially save your child or yourself from Online Harm. For more information about to protect individual devices, from parent locks and controls, to understanding the risks and dangers around online devices and the internet, please see https://www.internetmatters.org/ where you can pick your child’s device and it will give you a step by step guide to support.

Useful information

Online Grooming

Online grooming is where someone befriends a child online and builds up their trust with the intention of exploiting them and causing them harm. Harm caused by grooming can be sexual abuse, both in person and online, and exploitation to obtain sexually explicit images and videos of the child.

WATCH ONLINE SAFETY ADVICE FOR PARENTS

ONLINE GROOMING GUIDE – WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW

SKIPS – parents’ guide to help keep children safe online

Sexual Violence and Harassment

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is any kind of unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that makes you feel humiliated or intimidated, or that creates a hostile environment.

When someone calls you insulting sexual names, talks about you in a sexual way that makes you feel uncomfortable (like commenting on your body), or spreads sexual rumours about you, that’s sexual harassment. It can happen in person, over the phone, or online.

Sexual harassment can make you feel anxious, depressed and lead to other problems, such as difficulties sleeping.

‘Everyone’s Invited’ – Support

Many of you will have seen media coverage of a website called ‘Everyone’s Invited‘

At Shenley Academy, we continue to proudly promote a culture that fosters respect and healthy relationships, and challenges abuse of all kinds. We are encouraged by the fact that Ofsted will be reviewing safeguarding practices in schools across the country as a result of ‘Everyone’s Invited’.

As an academy we will always:

Enable all children to report concerns freely and in the knowledge that they will be taken seriously
Challenge any form of derogatory language or behaviour
Ensure our curriculum helps to educate pupils about appropriate behaviour
Work with external agencies where appropriate to ensure the right support is in place for all
Work with external agencies where appropriate to ensure the right support isin place for all

We would also like to highlight some of the support available to you. In addition to contacting us here at the academy at any time, the NSPCC has recently created a helpline (0800 136 663) for parents/carers and young people, and they can also be contacted via help@nspcc.org.uk.

The following websites also provide additional information and support:

Child Criminal Exploitation

Criminal exploitation is also known as ‘county lines’ and is when gangs and organised crime networks groom and exploit children to sell drugs. Often these children are made to travel across counties, and they use dedicated mobile phone ‘lines’ to supply drugs.

You can find more information about Child Criminal Exploitation, including signs and where to get help from:

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. When a child or young person is exploited they’re given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection, in exchange for performing sexual activities. Children and young people are often tricked into believing they’re in a loving any consensual relationship. This is called grooming. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they’re being abused.

You can find more information about CSE, including signs of CSE and where to get help from:

Modern Slavery

Modern slavery is a serious crime. It encompasses slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking.

Help for adult victims of modern slavery (english version).

Leaflets in other languages can be found here.

Further materials

Radicalisation

Radicalisation is the process through which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. It can result in a person becoming drawn into terrorism and is in itself a form of harm. Extremism is 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.

You can find more information about Radicalisation, including signs and where to get help from:

Mental Health

Everyone has mental health – some people call mental health ‘emotional health’ or ‘well-being’ and it’s just as important as good physical health. Everyone’s mental health is different. We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass, but sometimes they develop into a more serious problem. This can happen to anyone.

You can get more information about mental health, including signs of poor mental health, and where to get more help from:

Please find further information here to raise awareness of Birmingham Children’s Trust support for Children/Young people’s Mental Health

Child on Child Abuse

Child on child abuse occurs when a young person (under 18 years old) is exploited, bullied and/or harmed by their peers, who are the same or similar age. Child on child abuse can include physical and sexual abuse, sexual harassment and violence, emotional harm, bullying (including cyberbullying) and teenage relationship abuse.

You can get more information about Child on Child Abuse from:

https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying/

https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/bullying/

Domestic Abuse

Domestic Abuse isn’t just being hit or threatened, but it is controlling behaviour, as well as put downs and emotional abuse. It can make you feel like you’re not capable of escape, or that you’re worried for your children or other family if you leave.

There is support out there: Women’s Aid https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ and The National Domestic Abuse Hotline https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/ 0808 2000 247 are great sources of support and information, as well as where to get help from. They’re safe, secure and open 24 hours a day. The telephones numbers are also Freephone so don’t worry if you don’t have credit.

It is proven that children who witness domestic abuse in their life time, especially from their parents, have a higher risk of mental health and wellbeing worries, being a victim of domestic abuse themselves and behavioural worries.

Further Support and links:

Relate – 0300 003 0396 – You can talk to Relate about your relationship, including issues around domestic abuse
Men’s Advice Line – 0808 801 0327 – Advice and support for men experiencing domestic violence and abuse
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline – 0800 999 5428 Emotional and practical support for LGBT+ people experiencing domestic abuse
The Hideout – https://thehideout.org.uk/ Specific support for children suffering through Domestic Abuse and Violence