To view our safeguarding and child protection policy, please visit the CET Policies page and look for the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy under Pupil Wellbeing and Safeguarding.

Our designated safeguarding leads are:

• Miss Helen Fuller (Designated Safeguard Lead)
• Mrs Karen Brooks (Alternate Designated Safeguard Lead)
• Miss Kathryn Day (Alternate Designated Safeguard Lead)
• Our school safeguarding governor is Mrs Tracy Page

Are you concerned about a child?

Please speak to one of our safeguarding team (above) if you have any concerns regarding a child's safety or their family's safety. See our CONTACTS page for details. For more information please see Suffolk Safeguarding Partnership website.

If you would like to report something out of school hours or during a school holiday, please call Customer First on 0808 800 4005, who will be able to assist you. In an emergency call 999.

If it is essential that you contact school staff during holidays, you can contact Suffolk County Council and if they feel it is appropriate, they will contact the headteacher on your behalf. However, for safeguarding issues, it would be appropriate to Customer First (please see above) in the first instance.

Our Online Safety Lead is Miss Kathryn Day.

The Prevent Lead at Combs Ford Primary School is Miss Helen Fuller.

Early Help

Early Help provides support to our families and children as soon as a problem emerges. We understand how complicated family life can be and that every family is unique. Being a parent is hard work and sometimes challenging. There may be situations where you or your children need some extra help or support. If this sounds like your situation, please come and talk to us.

Successful Early Help can ensure that:

Children:

• are physically and emotionally healthy
• are resilient and able to learn
• are supported by their families, community and, when necessary, professionals in order to thrive
• to live in safe environments

Parents and carers:

• support one another in the community
• know where to get help if needed
• have trusted relationships with school, community, other parents
• are well informed about how best to help their child develop

Who should I contact if I need help or have any concerns?

The first step is to make contact with your class teacher who will know who is best placed to help you. It may be that they can solve your problem straight away or work with their year group colleagues to make the difference.

If they cannot help, they can get one of our designated members of staff to contact you.

Miss Helen Fuller - our SENDCo, will contact you if you are concerned that a special education need may be affected your child's progress.

Mrs Karen Brooks - our Pastoral Lead will contact you if you are having problems at home. They are able to support you and put you in contact with other agencies who may be able to help.

What sort of concern might parents share with our team?

Any concerns which you are worried about and that might be having a negative impact on your family.

What might we offer in response to your concerns?

• A friendly ear to listen
• Breakfast Club
• Lunchtime club
• Induction/transition support
• Learning interventions
• ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) support
• Speech and Language support
• Parent information sessions - academic and pastoral
• Parent Coffee afternoons
• Attendance meetings and Education Welfare Officer support
• Pre-Loved uniform
• Support to make referrals to other agencies

Who might the school refer to?

• Early Help Team (based at the Mix. A team of Family Support Practitioners who can help in the home and work 1:1 with children for short periods of time).
• Children and Young People's services (where there is a safeguarding concern this will be referred to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub. Click on this link to find out more about this process).
• Emotional Wellbeing Hub
• Neurodevelopmental Pathway (for further assessment of neurodiverse conditions)
• School Nurse
• Occupational Therapist
• Specialist Education Services
• Speech and Language Team
• Psychology and Therapeutic Team 
• Young Carers
• SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information, Advice and Support Services)
• Educational Welfare Officer - Nigel Shaddick

How will safeguarding procedures be effective in supporting families?

Combs Ford Primary School has three Designated Safeguarding Lead/deputies. However all staff are trained to identify and report safeguarding concerns. Where there are concerns raised, school will follow procedures as outlined in the Safeguarding Policy. 

The Team will work with families and all relevant agencies through Early Help, Child In Need or Child Protection teams to reduce or remove identified risks to children. Support will be given to families by Family Support Practitioners, Social Workers and other relevant agencies, including school.

How will our pupils learn to keep themselves safe?

Curriculum provision, especially through PSHE lessons and some other agencies e.g. police support our children in learning to keep themselves safe in various situations and conditions. 

Children are also made aware of the role of the Pastoral Team, including ELSA practitioners, in supporting them within school. 

Childline posters are displayed around the school.

Page reviewed on 18/08/24 by KJD.