Safeguarding

Safeguarding

We are committed to a positive policy of equality & diversity and make every effort to support our students. Through our duty of care to students and staff, we strive to ensure their health, safety and wellbeing at all times by:

• Making sure all our staff are fully trained and receive regular updates on Safeguarding procedures
• Increasing knowledge of welfare issues through teaching and learning
• Creating a culture of being open, honest and responsible
• Ensuring a safe college community through the use of staff, student and visitor ID badges, employing on-site security staff, reserving the right to search for prohibited items and having CCTV throughout the premises
• Promoting the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) button on every computer
• Having a dedicated team of expertly trained Safeguarding Officers if you have a concern about someone or something and want to talk

Student Mental Health Strategy

This strategy has been written in consultation with students and staff and through a review of national guidance The aims of the strategy are to:

• Support students with mental health disabilities and with complex or more challenging needs
• Raise awareness of what mental health is and its related conditions
• Create an inclusive environment which seeks to promote resilience, social connection and growth mindset
• Further develop the range of services, facilities and activities available to students which aid positive mental health

• Develop confidence, knowledge and skills in all staff to assist them in dealing with student mental health difficulties and crises, providing specialist training for key frontline staff
• Engage stakeholders and build strategic partnerships with mental health organisations, campaigns and specialist services
• Gather and use data effectively to measure need and to monitor and manage the impact of the strategy on student mental health
• Ensure relevant policies and procedures reflect best practice with regard to mental health

Prevent Strategy

Since July 2015 specified authorities, including education establishments, are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism” This duty is known as the Prevent Strategy. The Prevent Strategy covers all types of terrorism and extremism, including the extreme right wing and violent Islamist groups. As a college we:

• Challenge ideologies that support terrorism and violent extremism and those who promote it through regular training for staff, facilitating open discussions with student that support British Values, organising targeted events and guest speakers from professional support organisations and by identifying those who are at risk of radicalisation as early as possible.
• Protect vulnerable individuals who may be susceptible to radicalisation by working in partnership with local and national support agencies, including referring into the Channel programme in order to mitigate the risks of further radicalisation taking place.

If you have a concern that you, your son/daughter or another student is at risk in any way, please contact one of our Safeguarding Officers on 01704 392821 or email: safeguarding@southport.ac.uk