Safeguarding

At Blackwood School, we believe that a caring, values-led school promotes the welfare and safety of every child.  Our staff understand and accept that they are accountable for the safeguarding and protection of all children within our care.  Every member of staff takes this role seriously and we are clear on our responsibilities.  Keeping children safe in education is statutory guidance for schools and we must adhere to it when carrying out our duties in order to make sure the welfare of our children is our number one job.

Life can be confusing and troubling at times for children as well as for parents, carers and extended family members.  Challenging times can have a significant effect on how children learn and behave in school.  Sometimes, it can help to have someone you can trust to talk to and to help you to work things out.  At Blackwood School, we endeavour to offer this service to all children and families who need it.  We hope you will find us welcoming and supportive so that if you are worried about your child or a difficult situation, you will feel able to contact us for support. 

What to do if you have a safeguarding concern:

If you have a concern about the welfare and safety of a child at our school during working hours, please contact the school office to arrange to speak to a member of our safeguarding team.  You can contact any of our designated safeguarding leads: 

It is the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that all concerns are recorded accurately and referred to the appropriate agency quickly to ensure that necessary actions are taken to promote children’s welfare.  It is also their responsibility to ensure that all staff and volunteers are trained to an appropriate level and understand how to share concerns they have with the Designated Safeguarding Team.  This training takes place each year. 

If you have a concern about the welfare and safety of a child outside of school hours, please contact one of the following services listed below:

• The Multi Agency Safeguarding HUB (MASH) - 0300 555 2866 (select option 2)  Outside of working hours, please contact the Emergency Response Team on 0300 555 2922 or 0300 555 2836      https://www.mywalsall.org/fis/safeguarding-in-walsall/
• The Children's Advice and Support Service (CASS) - 0121 303 1888  Outside of working hours, please contact the emergency out of hours number: 0121 675 4806 https://www.birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk/info/6/contact_us/38/worried_about_a_child  
• Staffordshire Children's Advice and Support (SCAS) -  0300 111 8007  Outside of working hours, please contact the emergency out of hours number: 0345 604 2886      https://staffsscb.org.uk/contact/  
•  NSPCC  - 0808 800 5000     https://www.nspcc.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/