Safeguarding

Ashperton Primary Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

If you have any concerns in relation to the welfare or safety of any children or young people, please contact the members of staff below. There will always be someone to speak to you.

Mrs Caroline Bullock - Designated Safeguarding Lead

Miss Sam Taylor -Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Miss Helena Wise - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mr Jon Nicklin - Safeguarding Governor

If we have significant concerns about a child, we have a duty to communicate these concerns to Social Care. It is then a matter for Social Care to decide on the steps to be taken.

If we make the decision to speak to Social Care about your child, we will always undertake to share our intention to do so with you unless we deem that doing so could put the child at greater risk of harm, or impede a criminal investigation.

We fully appreciate that this can be very distressing but we have to follow the procedures required by the Herefordshire Safer Children and Young Person Partnership.

Other helpful phone numbers are:

Hereford MASH 01432 260800

NSPCC 0808 800 5000

For Safeguarding policies and documents, please refer to the main 'Policies' section of the website.

Mrs Bullock - Designated Safeguarding Lead

Miss Taylor - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Miss Wise - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

Mr Nicklin - Safeguarding Governor

Supporting Families at Ashperton Primary Academy

General concerns and worries should be raised initially with your child’s class teacher. This is always the best place to go first.

However, you may feel that someone else might be better to deal with a particular concern:

Mrs Bullock – Acting Headteacher/DSL/ SENDCO

cbullock@ashperton.hereford.sch.uk

Miss Taylor – Mental Health Lead/ PSHE Manager/ DDSL

staylor@ashperton.hereford.sch.uk

Miss Wise - DDSL

hwise@ashperton.hereford.sch.uk

We would like to help, or signpost, families if you are in need of a bit of help at any time.

Providing early help is a way of getting extra support when you or your family needs it, but getting it as soon as the difficulties start, rather than waiting until things get worse. It is for children and young people from early years through to teenage years.

Early help can support children and their families who may be struggling with such things as:

Routines and family rules
Families who may not be eating healthy food
Keeping to a healthy lifestyle
Children who are caring for a family member
Children who are struggling to attend school
Disability within the family including children being a young carer
Children in the family who have a special educational need (SEND)
Children who may become involved in anti-social or criminal behaviour
Children who go missing from home
Children or parents/carers misusing drugs and alcohol
Children at risk of being tricked, forced or made to work in the criminal world
Children who may need support because they live in a home where they see drug or alcohol abuse or adult mental health problems
Children who have parents who argue a lot (and sometimes may hurt each other)

How we might be able to help and support:

Below are some ways that we can offer support in school

Class teachers: Teachers know their class really well and often pick up concerns quickly.

Mental Health Lead: Miss Taylor may be able to offer suggestions to support the family. Small group sessions can sometimes help a pupil, depending on the concern.

Outdoor learning experiences: We use our gardening area and meadow as a chance to engage with the outdoors. We also have a nearby Forest School. The children can also lend a hand feeding the wild birds.

Supporting Families at Ashperton Primary Academy - Early Help

Herefordshire Directory of Early Help Services

Please follow the link below to access the Herefordshire Directory of Early Help services.

Herefordshire Directory of Early Help Services

Early Help Family Support Service

The Early Help Team work with children, young people and their parents and carers, to support families to deal with problems as soon as they start to emerge and to help prevent situations from escalating. For more information, please visit:

Being a parent – Herefordshire Council

SEND (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities)

If you are looking for information or advice, the following links will help you:

Local offer special educational needs and disabilities – Herefordshire Council

SEND Information, Advice, Support Service

Mental Health and Wellbeing at Ashperton

At Ashperton, we support our pupils’ mental health and wellbeing through our PSHE curriculum. All year groups have the opportunity to explore feelings, emotions and the importance of mental and physical health.

Our children are taught that they can talk to any adult within school that they feel most comfortable with. They know that they can talk about any worries, concerns or even if they just want to talk to someone they feel comfortable with.

Each class has a ‘chatter box’ situated outside of their rooms so that children across the school, can write a signed (or anonymous) note.

If you have concerns about your child, please contact your class teacher, Mrs Bullock (cbullock@ashperton.hereford.sch.uk) or our Mental Health Lead , Miss Sam Taylor (staylor@ashperton.hereford.sch.uk) .

If you are child and need help, remember-

CHILDLINE 0800 1111

www.childline.org.uk