Safeguarding and Child Protection: What to do

Guiding principles of Safeguarding

OSC-Pamoja firmly believes that the welfare of the students is paramount, of which safeguarding is a core aspect. All students, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity, have the right to protection from abuse. OSC-Pamoja promises to respond to all suspicions and allegations of abuse and that they will all be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. 

What to do if you encounter a suspected safeguarding case

If you encounter a scenario or communications which lead you to believe that there could be a safeguarding issue, then it is important that you respond as quickly as possible and pass the information on to one of the Designated Safeguarding Leads.

You can either approach the Designated Safeguarding Leads in person or pass the information on via a designated email address or designated phone number. (Find the contact details below)

It is important that you do not discuss the details with anyone outside the Safeguarding Team. This is because if the safeguarding case were to go to court then it could jeopardise the validity of the evidence and therefore the success of the case.

How to report a safeguarding case

It is important that if a student directly approaches you to talk about an issue, you must make it very clear that you CANNOT keep a secret and that you may need to discuss it with someone, but only those that NEED to know.

During a disclosure, you should let the student talk and do not show an emotional reaction as this may cause the student to stop talking. Remind the student, if you need to, that it’s not their fault and they’re doing the right thing by talking to you. Whilst they are talking to you, ONLY ask open questions (what, when, who). Do not ask questions that could be considered leading, e.g. ‘Did Jon hit you?’. Ask the student to provide details such as date and time of the incident as well as the location.

In some cases, you may come across a case without the student directly disclosing to you. For example, you may come across a chain of emails or overhear something. In either situation it is very important that you make notes on the situation using the student’s words. Do NOT change the language as if the case were to be taken to court, the evidence could be dismissed.

You must also write down the date and time that the student is disclosing this information to you, or the time at which you came across it. Make sure that you sign the document and then pass it on to one of your Safeguarding Team.

It is vital that you date, time and sign the document as it is a legal record and could be used in a court of law.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

Bethan Eveleigh

Perry Perrott

Jack Wylie

Isabelle Turner

Contact details

Email address: safeguarding@pamojaeducation.com

Phone number: (+44) 07543095818