Safeguarding
Wellsprings Primary School recognises that the safety and welfare of children is paramount and that we have a responsibility to protect children in all of our school’s activities. We take all reasonable steps to ensure, through appropriate procedures and training.
We seek to create a safe and welcoming environment where children can develop their skills and confidence. The school recognises that safeguarding children is the responsibility of everyone, not just those who work with children. The school is committed to equal opportunities and safer recruitment practice. Pre employment checks are undertaken before any post is confirmed any role is subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We treat all children with respect regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity.
Documentation
We have a number of policies and procedures in place that contribute to our safeguarding commitment, including our Safeguarding Policy (Child Protection Policy) which can be viewed in the policies section on our website. (Policies)
Sometimes we may need to share information and work in partnership with other agencies, when there are concerns about a child’s welfare. We will ensure that our concerns about our pupils are discussed with parents/carers first, unless we have reason to believe that such a move would be contrary to the child’s welfare.
We actively support the Government’s Prevent Agenda to counter radicalism and extremism.
Our key roles in our school are:
Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Mark Lunn
Governor Safeguarding Lead: Jasmine Wark
safeguarding@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
Inclusion Lead and DDSL: Jane Holcombe
inlcusion@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
EYFS Lead and DDSL: Catherine Lang
eyfs@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
Mental Health Lead and DDSL: Nicky Hatton
Mental Health Governor: Trisha Budd
Tips for Parents- In Game Chat
10 Top Tips for parents- Using & Reviewing Parental Controls
Tips for creating Family Rules for using devices
What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Lego Fortnite
What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Sharing Intimate Images
If your child has a large online presence, you might find this guide informative:
https://parentinfo.org/article/the-6-apps-and-services-that-every-parent-should-know-about
The 6 apps and services that every parent should know about | Parent Info
Parents' Guide for Safe YouTube and Internet Streaming for Kids
www.safetydetectives.com/blog/parents-guide-for-safe-youtube-and-internet-streaming-for-kids/
YouTube Parental Controls
Parental controls exist on YouTube. They are far from perfect and some bad content will still sneak through, but you can minimize the risk that your children will see something disturbing. Here’s what you can do through YouTube’s parental controls:
Block specific content types and creators. If there’s a specific channel you are aware of or a genre of content, you can block it.
Allow approved content only. Parents can also limit what their children watch by approving specific content. Children will only be able to watch this content and nothing else.
Turn the search off. The search function on YouTube can be turned off. This is a great option for parents of children who are able to read and write.
Limit use to YouTube Kids. This is a popular option for parents who want a kid-friendly version of YouTube. While it doesn’t block everything, it does remove a lot of the adult content.
TikTok What is Tiktok? TikTok is the fastest-growing social media app in the world right now, with young people in particular seemingly bewitched by its music-led short-form videos.. Creativity is the keyword here, with its 800 million daily users finding ingenious ways to turn its 15-second time limit into a tool for expression rather than a restriction.
parentinfo.org
Please read the advice for keeping your child safe online
ONLINE GAMING- INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/CARERS
LETS TALK ABOUT LIFE ONLINE
Information For Parents- Technology use and the mental health of children and young people
KEEPING UNDER 5 SAFE ONLINE
Supporting Young People online
Twitch
Have you heard of Twitch? Chances are your children have - particularly if they play video games.
Twitch is a live streaming video site owned by Amazon, mostly used to watch other people playing popular games. It can be exciting and fast-moving, but some concerns have been raised about children viewing or hearing inappropriate content, and the commercial promotions on the site,
A guide to the app, with useful comments from children and parents, can be found at:
https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/twitch (https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/twitch/)
Details of parent controls settings are provided by Internet Matters (https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/entertainment-search-engines/twitch-tv/) .
https://digital-leaders.childnet.com/
Minimum Age to Use WhatsApp
Parents advice on screen time
September is a demanding time of year for families as children get used to being back at school; making new friends, and experiencing the challenges of a new year group. As a child's world expands, so does their 'digital social circle' (relationships they make with others online and in the real world).
To support families, Internet Matters are promoting their back-to-school guides for parents. For more information, visit their website: https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/back-to-school-online-safety-guides