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Information on The Women’s Aid Rail to Refuge scheme

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I need help and want to make a journey, what do I do?
Unfortunately, it is not possible for you to book your own ticket. To obtain a ticket, you need to have a confirmed refuge space. The refuge will then book your ticket for you.

If you are experiencing abuse and need support, please use the Women's Aid Live Chat open Monday - Friday, 10am - 2pm. Our expert support workers will be able to help you and signpost to any available refuge spaces.
Why can't I book my own ticket?
To ensure that survivors of domestic abuse are the only beneficiaries of the scheme and that all claims for free tickets are valid, the ticket holder must have a confirmed refuge space in a domestic abuse service known by the participating rail companies.
Will my name be recorded?
No, the refuge will book your ticket so they will provide their details on the booking. You do not need to provide any details apart from your starting station and your arrival station. Only this information will be recorded and it will not be linked to you or your name.
Can my children use this service?
Yes, if they are travelling with you. When speaking with a support worker, please ask for tickets for your children too. Rail travel is free for all children under 5. If your child is under 5, they do not need a ticket.
I have a ticket, what do I need to collect it and use it?
You will need either:

Any debit or credit card. You will need to use this to collect the ticket,ongside a collection code the refuge will share with you It does not have to be the same card which was used to book the ticket and your card will not be charged.

We know that this is not perfect, and we are working on ways where the ticket can be collected without the need for a card or smartphone.

I work for a Women's Aid member service and would like to use the scheme
Please visit the Covid-19 member section of the website for information on how to book free tickets for survivors.
I work with vulnerable people and would like to use the scheme but my organisation is not a Women's Aid member
If you refer a survivor to a Women's Aid member service and a refuge space is confirmed, the refuge can then book tickets for the survivor.
Why can only Women's Aid member services book tickets?
In order to ensure survivors of domestic abuse benefit from the scheme, National Rail Enquires, Great Western Rail and Southeastern will check the domain name of the requester's email against our list of member services.

During the first trial, free rail travel requests were received from non-domestic abuse organisations. To relieve the burden of checking if a claim is valid, the train companies requested that we share our members' domain names with them. We are only able to share the information of our members, not organisations we don't have a relationship with.

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I need help and want to make a journey, what do I do? Unfortunately, it is not possible for you to book your own ticket. To obtain a ticket, you need to have a confirmed refuge space. The refuge will then book your ticket for you.

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Signs that children and vulnerable adults are at risk of exploitation from gangs

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An initiative designed to provide help and guidance to the public in order to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism

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Lets Talk About It - Working Together To Prevent Terrorism

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Let's Talk About It is an initiative designed to provide practical help and guidance to the public in order to prevent terrorism.

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A straightforward guide to protecting your children from online hate, extremism and fake news.

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It can be hard to know how to talk to your child about online safety. There is a lot of information available to parents, we've listed some sites here that you may find useful.

The Government has published information to help families stay safe online during Covid:
Government advice for families for online safety during Covid
The NSPCC website offers lots of useful information, from setting up parental controls to advice on online games and video apps - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Safer Internet offers support to parents who are supporting their children to use the internet safely, responsibility and positively; . https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers

Childnet offer useful advice on the internet generally https://www.childnet.com/ and specifically on keeping under fives safe online - https://www.childnet.com/ufiles/Keeping-Under-Fives-Safe-Online.pdf

Think You Know offers advice for parents and carers; https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/

Bullying UK offers parents advice on cyberbullying; https://www.bullying.co.uk/cyberbullying/?_ga=2.19531583.6027461.1580374647-567485750.1580374647

Swiggle is a new, friendly search engine aimed at children in Key Stage 2. It has been designed and developed by South-west Grid for Learning, a charity dedicated to empowering the safe and secure use of technology; https://swiggle.org.uk/

So many children have access to phones and tablets this poster shows apps that parents should be aware of:

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Georgian Gardens Community Primary School

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It can be hard to know how to talk to your child about online safety. There is a lot of information available to parents, we've listed some sites here that you may find useful.

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We will work closely with you and schools and other services to provide holistic family-centred support in order to prevent issues developing and/or escalating. We want to make sure children and young people achieve positive outcomes in their lives.

Your family will be allocated a key worker and they will work with you and other agencies, if appropriate, to assess the needs and develop a plan with clear goals, timescales and outcomes which will be reviewed regularly with you and other services supporting the your family.

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We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site you agree to our use of cookies.
Find out more

Introduction

Early help, also known as early intervention, is support given to a family when a problem first emerges. It can be provided at any stage in a child or young person's life.

Statutory guidance in each nation of the UK highlights the importance of providing early intervention, rather than waiting until a child or family's situation escalates (Department for Education (DfE), 2018; Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2017; Scottish Government, 2014; Welsh Government, 2018).

Early help services can be delivered to parents, children or whole families, but their main focus is to improve outcomes for children. For example, services may help parents who are living in challenging circumstances provide a safe and loving environment for their child. Or, if a child is displaying risk-taking behaviour, early help practitioners might work with the child and their parents to find out the reasons for the child's behaviour and put strategies in place to help keep them safe.

Providing timely support is vital. Addressing a child or family's needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child's life (Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), 2018).

Protective factors can reduce risk to a child's wellbeing. They include:

developing strong social and emotional skills

having a strong social support network for the family - including support

for good parental mental health

income support, benefits and advice

good community services and facilities

(EIF, 2018; Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

It is more effective to provide early help when problems first arise than to intervene later (DfE, 2018; EIF, 2018).

Early intervention can also prevent further problems from developing - for example, as part of a support plan for a child and their family when a child returns home from care (DfE, 2018).

Types of early help

Early help can take many forms, such as:

(EIF, 2018).

Early help services should be part of a continuum of support which enables practitioners to respond to the different levels of need children and families may experience (DfE, 2018).

It's important that early help services are holistic, looking at the wider needs of the family and how to provide appropriate support.

Why early help is important

Early help can offer children the support needed to reach their full potential (EIF, 2018). It can improve the quality of a child's home and family life, enable them to perform better at school and support their mental health (EIF, 2018).

Research suggests that early help can:

(Haynes et al, 2015).

Early help can also support a child to develop strengths and skills that can prepare them for adult life (EIF, 2018).

Recognising

Identifying a child or young person who may benefit from early help

Signs that a child or young person may benefit from early help include:

displaying disruptive or anti-social behaviour

being bullied or bullying others

having poor attendance at school

being involved in, or at risk of, offending

having poor general health

having anxiety, depression or other mental health issues

misusing drugs or alcohol

having a particularly challenging relationship with parents or appearing to be unusually independent from their parents

experiencing difficulties at home, such as domestic abuse, parental substance abuse or parental mental health problems

(Department for Education (DfE), 2018).

Some groups of children may be more likely to need early help than their peers. These include children who:

have been excluded from school

have special educational needs

are disabled

are in care

are leaving or preparing to leave care

are young carers

are young parents (or about to become young parents)

are experiencing housing issues

(DfE, 2018).
> Find out more about children and families at risk > Find out more about the signs a child may be experiencing abuse and neglect
Recording concerns

It's important to record any concerns you may have about a child, to build up an overview of the child's lived experience so patterns of potentially abusive behaviour can be identified. These records should be shared with your nominated child protection lead who will consider all the available information and decide whether a referral to the local child protection services is necessary.
> Find more information about recognising and responding to abuse

Responding

How to make a referral for early help

If you think a child, young person or a family might benefit from early help services, you should:

keep a written record of your concerns

inform your nominated child protection lead.

You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns and give you expert advice.

Keeping a written record

If you think that a child, young person or a family might benefit from early intervention services write down the reasons why you think this type of support could be helpful. It's important to keep a written record of any concerns you have about a child.

Sharing your concerns

You should share your concerns with your nominated child protection lead. They will look at all the available evidence and decide what to do.

If the nominated child protection lead thinks a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, they will follow your organisation's child protection procedures immediately.

If they think the child and their family may benefit from co-ordinated support from more than one agency, they can request an early help assessment.

An early help assessment is where a lead practitioner (such as a GP, family support worker, school nurse, teacher, health visitor, and/or special educational needs co-ordinator) makes an assessment of the child's needs. It can only happen with the consent of the child (if they are able to give consent) and their parent or carer.

If the nominated child protection lead thinks the family will benefit from more support from your organisation, they will arrange it. They may ask for your help in arranging this.

Working with the child and their family

Your nominated child protection lead will make arrangements to discuss things with the child and their family. They may ask you to be involved.

When talking to families that may benefit from early help, it's important to:

be patient and calm. Listen carefully to the child and parent or carer and let them describe the challenges they are facing. Don't try to investigate or quiz the child or parent or carer, but make sure you understand what they're saying

find out what the child and their family would like to happen. Ask what they would like to improve about the situation

use non-judgmental language

reassure the child/family that they can get support to move forward with their life

agree on next steps with the child/young person and family.

The nominated child protection lead must guide all conversations with the child and the child's family.

Having a collaborative approach is key to making sure children and families receive the right help at the right time. Make sure you work proactively with other organisations to identify children and families in need of support and help them access the services they need.
> Find out more about our designated and lead officer training courses

Legislation

Legislation

Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in the education, community and care sectors to safeguard children from all forms of abuse and neglect.

Key guidance

In England, chapter 1 of Working together to safeguard children (PDF) highlights the importance of early help, including information on:

(Department for Education (DfE), 2018).

In Northern Ireland, section 4 of Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland focuses on prevention and early intervention, including information on:

(Department of Health, 2017).

In Scotland, sections 77-86 of part 1 of the National guidance for child protection in Scotland (PDF) highlight the importance of early help, including information on:

(Scottish Government, 2014).

The Wellbeing section of Scotland's Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) national approach emphasises the importance of children getting the help they need when it's needed. It includes eight indicators to consider when identifying what help a child or young person needs:

(Scottish Government, 2018).

The approach also includes a section on information sharing that highlights the importance of agencies working together to keep children safe and promote their wellbeing (Scottish Government, 2018).

In Wales, the Code of practice (Part 2) highlights the importance of preventative services, including information on:

(Welsh Government, 2018).

References and resources

References and resources

Cleaver, H., Unell, I. and Aldgate, J. (2011) Children's needs: parenting capacity: child abuse: parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse, and domestic violence. 2nd ed. (PDF). London: The Stationery Office.

Department for Education (DfE) (2018) Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2017) Co-operating to safeguard children and young people in Northern Ireland. Belfast: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).

Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) (2018) About early intervention: why it matters. [Accessed 09/11/2018]

Haynes, A., et al (2015) Thriving communities: a framework for preventing and intervening early in child neglect. London: NSPCC.

Scottish Government (2014) National guidance for child protection in Scotland (PDF). Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.

Scottish Government (2018) Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC). [Accessed 09/11/2018].

Welsh Government (2018) Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 2 code of practice (general functions) (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online. You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Elearning

Our elearning courses can help develop your understanding of how to protect children from abuse:

Further reading

For further reading about early help, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keyword "early intervention".

If you need more specific information, please contact our Information Service.

Introduction

Early help, also known as early intervention, is support given to a family when a problem first emerges. It can be provided at any stage in a child or young person's life.

Statutory guidance in each nation of the UK highlights the importance of providing early intervention, rather than waiting until a child or family's situation escalates (Department for Education (DfE), 2018; Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2017; Scottish Government, 2014; Welsh Government, 2018).

Early help services can be delivered to parents, children or whole families, but their main focus is to improve outcomes for children. For example, services may help parents who are living in challenging circumstances provide a safe and loving environment for their child. Or, if a child is displaying risk-taking behaviour, early help practitioners might work with the child and their parents to find out the reasons for the child's behaviour and put strategies in place to help keep them safe.

Providing timely support is vital. Addressing a child or family's needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child's life (Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), 2018).

Protective factors can reduce risk to a child's wellbeing. They include:

developing strong social and emotional skills

having a strong social support network for the family - including support

for good parental mental health

income support, benefits and advice

good community services and facilities

(EIF, 2018; Cleaver, Unell and Aldgate, 2011).

It is more effective to provide early help when problems first arise than to intervene later (DfE, 2018; EIF, 2018).

Early intervention can also prevent further problems from developing - for example, as part of a support plan for a child and their family when a child returns home from care (DfE, 2018).

Types of early help

Early help can take many forms, such as:

(EIF, 2018).

Early help services should be part of a continuum of support which enables practitioners to respond to the different levels of need children and families may experience (DfE, 2018).

It's important that early help services are holistic, looking at the wider needs of the family and how to provide appropriate support.

Why early help is important

Early help can offer children the support needed to reach their full potential (EIF, 2018). It can improve the quality of a child's home and family life, enable them to perform better at school and support their mental health (EIF, 2018).

Research suggests that early help can:

(Haynes et al, 2015).

Early help can also support a child to develop strengths and skills that can prepare them for adult life (EIF, 2018).

Recognising

Identifying a child or young person who may benefit from early help

Signs that a child or young person may benefit from early help include:

displaying disruptive or anti-social behaviour

being bullied or bullying others

having poor attendance at school

being involved in, or at risk of, offending

having poor general health

having anxiety, depression or other mental health issues

misusing drugs or alcohol

having a particularly challenging relationship with parents or appearing to be unusually independent from their parents

experiencing difficulties at home, such as domestic abuse, parental substance abuse or parental mental health problems

(Department for Education (DfE), 2018).

Some groups of children may be more likely to need early help than their peers. These include children who:

have been excluded from school

have special educational needs

are disabled

are in care

are leaving or preparing to leave care

are young carers

are young parents (or about to become young parents)

are experiencing housing issues

(DfE, 2018).
> Find out more about children and families at risk > Find out more about the signs a child may be experiencing abuse and neglect
Recording concerns

It's important to record any concerns you may have about a child, to build up an overview of the child's lived experience so patterns of potentially abusive behaviour can be identified. These records should be shared with your nominated child protection lead who will consider all the available information and decide whether a referral to the local child protection services is necessary.
> Find more information about recognising and responding to abuse

Responding

How to make a referral for early help

If you think a child, young person or a family might benefit from early help services, you should:

keep a written record of your concerns

inform your nominated child protection lead.

You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns and give you expert advice.

Keeping a written record

If you think that a child, young person or a family might benefit from early intervention services write down the reasons why you think this type of support could be helpful. It's important to keep a written record of any concerns you have about a child.

Sharing your concerns

You should share your concerns with your nominated child protection lead. They will look at all the available evidence and decide what to do.

If the nominated child protection lead thinks a child may be at risk of abuse or neglect, they will follow your organisation's child protection procedures immediately.

If they think the child and their family may benefit from co-ordinated support from more than one agency, they can request an early help assessment.

An early help assessment is where a lead practitioner (such as a GP, family support worker, school nurse, teacher, health visitor, and/or special educational needs co-ordinator) makes an assessment of the child's needs. It can only happen with the consent of the child (if they are able to give consent) and their parent or carer.

If the nominated child protection lead thinks the family will benefit from more support from your organisation, they will arrange it. They may ask for your help in arranging this.

Working with the child and their family

Your nominated child protection lead will make arrangements to discuss things with the child and their family. They may ask you to be involved.

When talking to families that may benefit from early help, it's important to:

be patient and calm. Listen carefully to the child and parent or carer and let them describe the challenges they are facing. Don't try to investigate or quiz the child or parent or carer, but make sure you understand what they're saying

find out what the child and their family would like to happen. Ask what they would like to improve about the situation

use non-judgmental language

reassure the child/family that they can get support to move forward with their life

agree on next steps with the child/young person and family.

The nominated child protection lead must guide all conversations with the child and the child's family.

Having a collaborative approach is key to making sure children and families receive the right help at the right time. Make sure you work proactively with other organisations to identify children and families in need of support and help them access the services they need.
> Find out more about our designated and lead officer training courses

Legislation

Legislation

Statutory guidance across the UK highlights the responsibility of those in the education, community and care sectors to safeguard children from all forms of abuse and neglect.

Key guidance

In England, chapter 1 of Working together to safeguard children (PDF) highlights the importance of early help, including information on:

(Department for Education (DfE), 2018).

In Northern Ireland, section 4 of Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland focuses on prevention and early intervention, including information on:

(Department of Health, 2017).

In Scotland, sections 77-86 of part 1 of the National guidance for child protection in Scotland (PDF) highlight the importance of early help, including information on:

(Scottish Government, 2014).

The Wellbeing section of Scotland's Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) national approach emphasises the importance of children getting the help they need when it's needed. It includes eight indicators to consider when identifying what help a child or young person needs:

(Scottish Government, 2018).

The approach also includes a section on information sharing that highlights the importance of agencies working together to keep children safe and promote their wellbeing (Scottish Government, 2018).

In Wales, the Code of practice (Part 2) highlights the importance of preventative services, including information on:

(Welsh Government, 2018).

References and resources

References and resources

Cleaver, H., Unell, I. and Aldgate, J. (2011) Children's needs: parenting capacity: child abuse: parental mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse, and domestic violence. 2nd ed. (PDF). London: The Stationery Office.

Department for Education (DfE) (2018) Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (PDF). London: Department for Education (DfE).

Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (2017) Co-operating to safeguard children and young people in Northern Ireland. Belfast: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS).

Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) (2018) About early intervention: why it matters. [Accessed 09/11/2018]

Haynes, A., et al (2015) Thriving communities: a framework for preventing and intervening early in child neglect. London: NSPCC.

Scottish Government (2014) National guidance for child protection in Scotland (PDF). Edinburgh: The Scottish Government.

Scottish Government (2018) Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC). [Accessed 09/11/2018].

Welsh Government (2018) Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014: Part 2 code of practice (general functions) (PDF). Cardiff: Welsh Government.

Childline

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online. You can also download or order Childline posters and wallet cards.

Elearning

Our elearning courses can help develop your understanding of how to protect children from abuse:

Further reading

For further reading about early help, search the NSPCC Library catalogue using the keyword "early intervention".

If you need more specific information, please contact our Information Service.

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Early help (or early intervention) | NSPCC Learning

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We use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our site. By continuing to use the site you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more Introduction Early help, also known as early intervention, is support given to a family when a problem first emerges.

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One of Miss Lewry’s roles in school is supporting families through the use of an Early Help Plan.
This is a voluntary plan that enables you to work closely with Miss Lewry and other support networks such as School Nurse, Family Support Worker, etc, to talk about what is going well in your family, what your worries are, and what needs to happen to improve the situation. All of the information goes into an Early Help Plan which tracks the progress made and ensures any support a family receives is targeted and effective. For more information about Early Help Plans, have a chat with Miss Lewry as she would love to tell you all about them!

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West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership

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West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership

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Our vision for the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership is to develop “an assured Safeguarding Partnership, which collectively engages with children and their families, enabling them to thrive.”

Working in the local community we have the opportunity to shape our multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to continue to improve our services to children, young people and their families. It is clear from recent local developments that a strong and purposeful multi-agency approach to child protection is essential to drive swift and sustainable improvements to practice in key areas of child abuse, such as neglect.

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Your Mind Matters is a county council led campaign which aims to ensure young people, parents and professionals across West Sussex know where to get help with their emotional wellbeing and mental health, both in general and in times of crisis.

The campaign brings together partners including local authorities, NHS providers, charitable sector, community groups and police. It is a collaboration with Foundations For Our Future, which is part way through a two year programme to bring about significant improvement.

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Home - West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership -

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Your Mind Matters is a county council led campaign which aims to ensure young people, parents and professionals across West Sussex know where to get help with their emotional wellbeing and mental health, both in general and in times of crisis. The campaign brings together partners including local authorities, NHS providers, charitable sector, community groups and police.

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Seethe link above to access departmental advice for schools on the Prevent Duty (DFE).   Alternatively you can also refer to (Keeping Children Safe in Education) above for further information.

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From 31 October 2015 it became mandatory for teachers, health and social workers to report to the police if they find, or are told, someone under 18 has undergone FGM.

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Georgian Gardens is part of an operation that runs jointly with Sussex Police.

Operation Encompass has been designed to provide early reporting to schools / colleges of any domestic abuse incidents that occur in which a child was present, ordinarily resides at the incident location or with an involved party. We know that children can be significantly affected through witnessing or being exposed to domestic abuse and this operation will allow us to better support our pupils and their families.

Nominated members of staff, are trained to liaise with the police. At Georgian Gardens our Key Adults are Mrs Lewis, Miss Lewry and Miss Bowers. We will be able to use information that has been shared with us, in confidence, to ensure that the right support is available should it be required by your child and / or your family.

We are keen to offer the best support available to our pupils and we believe this is going to be extremely beneficial for all those involved.

If you have any concerns or questions then please contact Mrs Lewis, Miss Lewry or Miss Bowers and we will be happy to discuss this further.

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Our aim is to ensure that schools have timely information about all police attended incidents of domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Our aim is to enable staff in every school to understand how to support children who are experiencing domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Our aim is to ensure all children experiencing domestic abuse receive timely support in their school, no matter where in the world the child lives.

Have you received an Operation Encompass call about a child in your school, or are you concerned about a child or children in your school who are experiencing domestic abuse?

For FREE advice from an Education Psychologist about how best to support them, call the OE Teachers' National Helpline on 0204 513 9990. Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm
More

Read the latest on Operation Encompass and COVID-19

More

Online Key Adult Training

Whilst we will still deliver face to face Key Adult briefings, we are thrilled to have developed an online training package in partnership with Virtual College. This free training is available to all schools and education settings - even if your school is not yet part of Operation Encompass. The training updates staff members' knowledge of child victims of domestic abuse.
More

To update Key Adult details in Devon and Cornwall please email us.

Have you received an Operation Encompass call about a child in your school, or are you concerned about a child or children in your school who are experiencing domestic abuse?

For FREE advice from an Education Psychologist about how best to support them, call the OE Teachers' National Helpline on 0204 513 9990.

Monday to Friday, 8am-1pm
More

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Our aim is to ensure that schools have timely information about all police attended incidents of domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives. Our aim is to enable staff in every school to understand how to support children who are experiencing domestic abuse, no matter where in the world the child lives.

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Child Protection is part of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

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If you think a child or young person is at IMMEDIATE risk, you should treat this as an emergency and call 999 to report your concerns to the Police.

If you think a child is being abused, neglected or have another concern, please contact the Integrated Front Door (MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) and Early Help). You can contact the IFD during office hours on the details below:

Tel: 01403 229 900

Email:
WSChildrenservices@westsussex.gov.uk

The out of office hours (5pm – 8am weekdays) and 24-hour emergency number on weekends and bank holidays is 0330 222 6664 or email
WSChildrenservices@westsussex.gov.uk ensuring that you put in the subject box: ALERT FOR EDT

When you contact the IFD please give as much information as possible about the child you are concerned about. This will help the IFD decide the best way to respond to your concern. The information you give will be kept confidential. You can remain anonymous but it is helpful if you can give your name and details.

NSPCC whistle-blowing helpline - 0800 028 0285

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Who do I contact if I have a Safeguarding concern about a child at Georgian Gardens?

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Who do I contact if I have a Safeguarding concern about a child at Georgian Gardens?

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Designated Member of Staff for Safeguarding: Mrs Claire Lewis, Assistant Headteacher Inclusion/SENCO

Deputy Designated Member of Staff for Safeguarding: Miss Amie Bowers, Headteacher

Georgian Gardens also has a Safeguarding Team who can respond to concerns and give advice:

Ms Claire Lewry, Family Support Manager

Mrs Paula Trahern, Assistant Headteacher, Teaching, Learning and Assessment

Ms Gina Watts, Learning and Behaviour Mentor and designated emotional well-being lead

Mr Ben Alcorn, Class Teacher and Online Safety Lead

Ms Heather Ward, Safeguarding Governor

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Bullying UK offers parents advice on cyberbullying.

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Think You Know offers advice for parents and carers.

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Access information and resources for parents and carers on keeping your child safer online including conversation starters and video guides.

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Childnet offer useful advice on the internet generally

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Safer Internet offers support to parents who are supporting their children to use the internet safely, responsibility and positively.

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Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online

As a parent or carer you play a key role in helping your child to stay safe online.

You don't need to be an expert on the internet to help keep your child stay safe online. Our advice and resources are here to support you as you support your child to use the internet safely, responsibility and positively.

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As a parent or carer you play a key role in helping your child to stay safe online. You don't need to be an expert on the internet to help keep your child stay safe online. Our advice and resources are here to support you as you support your child to use the internet safely, responsibility and positively.

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The Government has published information to help families stay safe online during Covid

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While there are huge benefits to being online to stay connected to family and friends during this period, the government recognises many parents feel concerned about the activities and content their children are accessing. This guidance outlines resources to help keep children safe from different risks online and where to go to get support and advice.

Keep your child safe online

It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.

Talk to your child about the importance of creating a safe online environment, including keeping any log-in details and passwords safe.

These resources will support you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices:

What harms might my child experience online?

You may have concerns about specific harms which children can experience online. There are more resources to help you understand and protect your child from these, including:

Child sexual abuse

If you are concerned call 999 or report it to the NCA-CEOP.

If your child has been a victim of child sexual abuse - online or offline - and you believe they are in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. The police will continue to respond to emergency calls.

If you are concerned that your child has been a victim of online sexual abuse or you are worried about the way someone has been communicating with your child online, you can report it to .

These resources provide information and support for parents and carers on what to do if you're worried about child sexual abuse:

you can contact the NSPCC helpline (0808 800 5000) for support and advice if you have concerns about your own or another child's safety. The Together, we can tackle child abuse campaign also provides information on the signs of child abuse and neglect

Thinkuknow by NCA-CEOP has developed activities to support your child's safe use of the internet

the Lucy Faithfull Foundation's Parents Protect website has advice on how to help protect children from child sexual abuse including a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Prevention Toolkit

if you see sexual images or videos of someone under 18 online, report it anonymously to the Internet Watch Foundation who can work to remove them from the web and help to identify victims and survivors

you can contact Stop It Now! for information and advice if you have concerns about someone's behaviour, including children who may be displaying concerning sexual behaviour

you can contact The Marie Collins Foundation help@mariecollinsfoundation.org.uk for support, including advice and individual counselling, for your child if they have been subjected to online sexual abuse - support is also offered to parents and carers

Criminal exploitation and county lines, violence and gangs

Our page of advice to parents and carers on keeping children safe from abuse and harm has information on this.

Radicalising content

If you are concerned that any family member, friend or loved one is being radicalised, you can call the police or 101 to get advice or make a Prevent referral, so that they can get safeguarding support.

Support is tailored to the individual and works in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse, and physical and sexual exploitation.

Receiving support through Prevent is voluntary, confidential and not a form of criminal sanction.

If you need more help, you can also contact your local authority safeguarding team.

'Sexting' (youth-produced sexual imagery)

If you are worried about your child sending nude images or videos (sometimes referred to as 'youth-produced sexual imagery' or sexting), provides advice to help you understand the risks and support your child.

If your child has shared nude images, Thinkuknow by NCA-CEOP provides advice on talking to your child and where to get help.

So You Got Naked Online created by South West Grid for Learning, has advice for young people and parents affected by sexting, also available in a SEND (Special Educational Need and Disability) version.

Cyberbullying

If you are concerned about cyberbullying, you can find government advice and information about how you can protect your child and tackle it if it happens.

Age-inappropriate content and parental controls

If you have downloaded new apps or bought new technology to help stay connected at this time, remember to review and adjust privacy and safety settings if you or your child is signing up to a new online service.

Internet Matters has step-by-step guides on how to set up parental controls so that you can control what content your child can access online

the UK Safer Internet Centre has guidance on how to switch on family-friendly filters to prevent age-inappropriate content being accessed on devices in your home

the has more information for parents or carers with concerns about their child seeking inappropriate or explicit content online

Apps to help children stay safe online

The BBC has a website and app called Own It. The website helps children navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most. It can be downloaded for free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

SafeToNet is an app for parents to help them protect their children from online risks like cyberbullying and sexting, while respecting their child's rights to privacy. The SafeToNet Foundation is providing UK families with free-for-life access to SafeToNet during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Mental health

If you are worried about your child's mental health, the government has published guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak.

If you are worried that someone you know is suicidal, including your child, Samaritans provides advice on how you can support others.

Support for children

If your child is worried or needs support, they can get advice and support from Childline (0800 1111) or download the 'For Me' app.

If you need help to support your child's mental wellbeing, this list of online education resources for home education includes mental wellbeing resources on how to support the wellbeing of children and young people.

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Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online

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While there are huge benefits to being online to stay connected to family and friends during this period, the government recognises many parents feel concerned about the activities and content their children are accessing. This guidance outlines resources to help keep children safe from different risks online and where to go to get support and advice.

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Swiggle is a new, friendly search engine aimed at children in Key Stage 2. It has been designed and developed by South-west Grid for Learning, a charity dedicated to empowering the safe and secure use of technology;

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Campaigning for change

We fight to change laws to make society safer for children. Our Wild West Web campaign has pushed for new regulations through the Online Safety Bill to make sure websites, apps and games are safe for children to use. But the draft Bill doesn't go far enough to protect children.
Help us end the Wild West Web

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Understanding online safety is tricky for all ages - we have advice and guides to help you learn about staying safe online as a family.

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We have created this form so online safety concerns can be reported to us.  Before making a report, please do check out our online safety advice page as there are lots of useful links and tips to help you support the online safety of your children, such as the NSPCC's website here...

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

At School we specifically encourage all pupils using social media to:

Be nice;

Only post positive comments and not respond to negative comments;

Block and report bullying or abusive communication;

Avoid sharing or commenting on anything they see online if it upsets them, even if they want to say they disagree;

Talk to a trusted adult if there is anything that they are unsure about, upsets them or that they feel worried about.

If you feel there is something that is a persistent issue, which you have not been able to help your child resolve, then please let us know so that we can try to help.

Additionally, if you have any wider concerns about new negative online trends and inappropriate content that children may be accessing, you can report it here to help inform our online & safeguarding education at school.

Please note that if images of an inappropriate nature are involved, this should be reported straight to the police.

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Education 4 Safeguarding (E4S) is organised into four areas:  Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), Digital and Media Literacy (DML), Physical Health and Wellbeing (PHWB) and Emotional Health and Wellbeing (EHWB).

Within each of these areas, we cover several topics which we build on as the children move through the school.  This document will give you an overview of how the curriculum progresses through the school and the areas each year group cover.  Our E4S curriculum meets all the statutory requirements set out by the government; however, it has been designed to be bespoke to our school and the needs of our school community.  If you would like further detail or to discuss anything within the curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

protecting children from abuse and maltreatment

preventing harm to children’s health or development

ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care

taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

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West Sussex Young Carers Family Service supports young carers under 18 with information, support, advice and signposting.

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Young carers - West Sussex County Council

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Young carers are children and young people under 18 years old, who look after a member of the family who is sick, disabled, has mental health problems or is misusing drugs or alcohol. Lots of children and young people want to help out and feel proud that they are lending a hand.

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Keeping children safe in education is statutory guidance that schools and colleges in England must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

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Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 

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Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 

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When one person in your family has a problem it often affects everyone else too.

You may be worrying about someone’s physical or mental health, a disability or special need, being a carer, domestic abuse, alcohol or drug misuse, harmful behaviour or  involvement in crime.

It could be your child, a young person or another adult, but if the whole family is supported as soon as possible to help cope with their difficulties it’s more likely that things will improve and everyone will be happier.

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Early Help is the extra support your family can get if you need it. It may be that you want to prevent a problem, or change things for your family before the problem becomes more serious.

It is not a specific service or team, it’s an approach that brings together people from a range of services and teams who will

work together with your whole family to help improve the situation for everyone.

It can offer support to families from pre-birth to adolescents with all sorts of issues from parenting, employment and school attendance to emotional wellbeing or anti-social behaviour.

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Huge thanks to our corporate partner, Furniture Village, who has helped us to launch a brand new National Sleep Helpline to ensure that everyone has access to high quality, evidence-based advice regardless of age, ethnicity, background or income.
"We've always believed that sleep is equally as important as diet and exercise yet we know the UK is really struggling to sleep, particularly with the ongoing effects of the pandemic" says Charlie Harrison, Furniture Village Commercial Director. "From my work as a doctor, I know how great the need for a National Sleep Helpline is. It will make a huge difference to so many people." Dr Ranj, Furniture Village Sleep and Wellness Advisor
Working together to improve the nation's sleep.

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National Sleep Helpline - The Sleep Charity

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Who do I talk to if I can't sleep? The National Sleep Helpline can help with your sleep problems, 7pm-9pm, Sunday to Thursday, 03303 530 541.

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We believe that by enabling our children and young people to develop their own skills, knowledge and understanding of how to be who they are, understand the world they are growing up in and how to keep themselves safe in all areas of their world, we believe that we are giving each and every one of them the best chance for their lives ahead.

WSCC Education for Safeguarding is a whole school approach designed for all schools in West Sussex to develop the RSHE curriculum as their Safeguarding curriculum. It is a whole school approach to the universal curriculum that places the needs of every school as its core.