Safeguarding
Working together to keep our students safe
Ruskin Mill Trust recognises its responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of all students and staff. There are robust safeguarding arrangements in place which are regularly reviewed to keep all students safe. Ruskin Mill Trust is committed to the promotion of an inclusive community which does not allow any individual or group of individuals to be marginalised or stigmatised.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility at Ruskin Mill Trust and when a safeguarding concern is raised, it is dealt with swiftly, effectively, and in ways proportionate to the issues. The right of the individual to be heard throughout this process is a critical element in the drive towards personalised care and support.
All staff, Trustees, Governors or volunteers have a key role in preventing harm or abuse and in taking action where concerns arise. Our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures can be found on our individual site webpages and are underpinned by Local Authorities, the Department of Education’s Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance, and the Care Act 2016. This guidance outlines clearly how agencies and individuals should work together to protect children or adults at risk. Safeguarding is a duty and a shared responsibility.
Ruskin Mill Trust has a team of Designated Safeguarding Leads and Deputy Leads based at each provision who can be contacted directly for advice should you have any concerns regarding a safeguarding matter. The details of each safeguarding team can be found on the following pages:
Schools
- Ashdown Garden School
- Brantwood Garden School
- Clervaux Garden School
- Grace Garden School
- Sunfield Garden School
Colleges:
Alternatively you can contact the Trust’s Head of Safeguarding:
Paul Sutcliffe
Trust Head of Safeguarding
Paul.Sutcliffe@rmt.org
07812 234349
or the Trust’s Deputy Head of Safeguarding:
Ewan Keefe
Deputy Trust Head of Safeguarding
Ewan.Keefe@rmt.org
07805 304218
Safeguarding procedures
Staff information on raising a safeguarding concern both in and out of hours.
1) How to report a safeguarding concern
Prevent
As part of our wider safeguarding duties, Ruskin Mill Trust is working with partner agencies to protect our students from the risk of radicalisation. The aim of Prevent is to ensure that each provision is able to monitor, manage and deal effectively with the threat posed by any individual or group of individuals engaging in violent extremism in the name of ideology or belief.
Early intervention is at the heart of Prevent in diverting people away from being drawn into terrorist activity as Prevent happens before any criminal activity takes place. It is about recognising, supporting and protecting individuals who might be susceptible to radicalisation.
If you have concerns for a young person or need further information and details of where to get help please contact a member of our safeguarding team or contact your local police force.
Operation Encompass
Ruskin Mill trust schools and colleges work within Operation Encompass. Operation Encompass is a safeguarding partnership that ensures police notify the relevant school or college, if any children (under 18) are connected to a household, when the police attend for a domestic abuse incident, regardless of whether the child was physically present during the event. The officer would then contact the relevant safeguarding team from the school or college, informing them of the domestic abuse incident.