Safeguarding and Promoting the Well-Being of Children

Safeguarding and Promoting the Well-being of Children

Bacup & Rawtenstall Grammar School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all students regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background.  The school provides a caring, positive safe and stimulating environment that promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  

Our school offers a warm and welcoming experience and we work tirelessly to ensure students are safe, happy and supported in achieving their potential.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are:

  • Mrs P Baker - Lead 
  • Mr J Johnstone - Deputy DSL 
  • Ms R Johnson - Deputy DSL
  • Mrs S Baines - DSL
  • Miss E Gauntlett - DSL

Should you have a concern regarding the safety or well-being of any child, please click here.

Safeguarding Policies

Documents available for download:

Keeping Children Safe in Education

Guidance for Safer Working Practices

Support at BRGS

Other Useful Websites and Information

Anti-bullying 

Child Safety 

  • Family life today: where's the risk?
  • New dedicated NSPCC helpline 0800 136 663  This new helpline has been created to provide both children and adults who are potential victims of sexual abuse in schools with the appropriate support and advice.  This includes how to contact the police and report crimes if they wish.  The helpline will also provide support. 

Child Sexual Exploitation

Domestic Violence

Drugs and alcohol

E-Safety 

Female Genital Mutilation 

Forced Marriage

International Child Abduction 

LGBTQ+

Local Authority Safeguarding Information 

Mental Health 

Kooth provides early intervention mental health support to children and young people and works with schools and professionals across over 90% of the UK.  Kooth is free to access via any internet-connected tablet, computer or smartphone.  There are no waiting lists or thresholds to meet and a referral from a medical professionals is not needed.  Your child can join Kooth anonymously simply by visiting www.kooth.com

Kooth offers young people a range and choice of support options under one digital roof.  It has services that are accessible 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  This includes one to one text based sessions with experienced counsellors and wellbeing practitioners run from midday to 10 pm on weekdays and from 6 - 10 pm at the weekend.  Appointments can be booked in advance or accessed via a drop-in text-based chat.  Kooth also provides a fully safeguarded and pre-moderated community with a library of peer and professional created articles.  All content is pre-moderated and age-appropriate.

Kooth covers many topics on the website including relationships, LGBT+, exam stress, anxiety, eating difficulties, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, body image, social media, bullying and family worries.  All of these subjects affecting young peoples' mental health are presenting issues that Kooth and other mental health providers see from all age groups.  Kooth is commissioned by the NHS and clinically approved for children from the age of 10, and is the only digital mental health provider to hold a BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) accreditation across the UK.

If you would like to know more about Kooth you can watch a 5 minute overview here or a more in-depth 15 minute recording here.  Please follow this link for FAQs and further written information about Kooth:  Parents/Carers resources. 

Kooth

Self-Harm

Victim of a Crime 

  • When to call 101
  • NEST Victim Support

Advice for parents

The school participates in pan-Lancashire Operation Encompass to safeguard and support children and young people who have been involved in or witness to a domestic abuse, vulnerable child or missing incident.  

Operation Encompass has been created to address such situations that create a safeguarding risk to young people.  It is the implementation of key partnership working between the police and schools/colleges. The aim of sharing information with local schools/colleges is to allow 'Key Adults' the opportunity of engaging with the child and to provide access to support that allows them to remain in a safe but secure familiar environment. 

Following the report of a domestic abuse, vulnerable child or missing incident, by 9 am on the next school or college day the school's Key Adult will be informed of the child or young person's involvement.  This knowledge, given to educational establishment through Operation Encompass, allows the provision of immediate early intervention through silent or overt support dependent upon the needs and wishes of the child/young person. 

The purpose and procedures in Operation Encompass have been shared with all parents and governors and is detailed as part o the school's Safeguarding Policy.  Information shared with parents is available here. 

 

 

 

 

Parents & Students

UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Anti-Bullying Alliance