We have a strong and experiencing Safeguarding team at Meadowhead Infants and Nursery School.

James Waddington - Designated Safeguarding Lead
Kerry Crossley - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Sarah Allen - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead 
Jennifer Strahan - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Safeguarding Children is Everyone's Responsibility

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: protecting children from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development; ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding is not just about protecting children from deliberate harm.  It relates to aspects of school life including:

• pupils’ health and safety
• the use of reasonable force
• meeting the needs of pupils with medical conditions
• providing first aid
• educational visits
• intimate care
• internet or e-safety
• appropriate arrangements to ensure school security, taking into account the local context

Are you concerned a child is being abused or neglected? 

If you are concerned about a child and you feel they are being abused, neglected or at risk of abuse/neglect, then you should consider making a safeguarding child referral.

Contact Blackburn with Darwen Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS) for confidential advice and consultation. Monday to Friday 08.45-17.00 please call: 01254 666400.

If you are calling outside these hours please contact our Emergency Duty Team on 01254 587547.

You can contact the Blackburn with Darwen Local Safeguarding Children Board by following this link - Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership

You can also report your concerns online by visiting the NSPCC Website: www.nspcc.org.uk

Or you can also speak to:

• NSPCC on 0800 800 5000
• Childline 0800 1111

All safeguarding documentation is read and understood (signed) by all the teaching staff, non-teaching staff and governors of Meadowhead Infants.

The senior leadership team are responsible for the recording, implementation and tracking of all statutory updates and training requirements. 

The Headteacher and SLT carry out induction meetings with newly appointed staff to ensure key messages, policies and procedures are followed.  James Waddington is  responsible for Induction of new members of staff.

• Safeguarding Policy
• Children in our Care Policy
• Keeping children safe in education 2024
• Guidance for Safer Working Practice
• Working together to safeguard children guidance

Prevent Strategy

As part of School's commitment to safeguarding and child protection we fully support the government's Prevent Strategy.

Miss Allen is the Prevent Lead. 

What is the Prevent strategy? 

The Prevent strategy is a government strategy designed to stop people becoming terrorists, supporting terrorism, fundamentalism or extremist behaviours. It:-

• responds to the ideological challenge we face from terrorism and aspects of extremism, and the threat we face from those who promote these views
• provides practical help to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are given appropriate advice and support
• works with a wide range of sectors (including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health).