Safeguarding children and child protection
All organisations that work with or come into contact with children should have safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that every child, regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation, has a right to equal protection from harm.
Following good safeguarding policies and procedures means children are safe from adults and other children who might pose a risk. Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. Safeguarding means:
- protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
- taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.
Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.
Sexual Harassment and Violence
In order to address sexual harassment and violence in schools, even if there are not specific reports of it happening, the assumption is always that sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are happening in school and therefore have put in place a whole-school approach to address them. This includes:
- a carefully sequenced RSHE curriculum, based on the Department for Education’s (DfE's) statutory guidance, that specifically includes sexual harassment and sexual violence, including online. This includes time for open discussion of topics that children and young people tell us they find particularly difficult, such as consent and the sending of ‘nudes’
- high-quality training for teachers delivering RSHE
- routine record-keeping and analysis of sexual harassment and sexual violence, including online, to identify patterns and intervene early to prevent abuse
- a behavioural approach, including sanctions when appropriate, to reinforce a culture where sexual harassment and online sexual abuse are not tolerated
- working closely with professionals in the area so we can access the range of support available to children and young people who are victims or who perpetrate harmful sexual behaviour
- support for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs)
- training to ensure that all staff (and governors, where relevant) are able to:
- better understand the definitions of sexual harassment and sexual violence, including online sexual abuse
- identify early signs of peer-on-peer sexual abuse
- consistently uphold standards in their responses to sexual harassment and online sexual abuse
Please also find below a link to resources around self-isolation, tips for parents, schedules for students to help with routine, social stories and other inclusive anxiety/emotional support for children and young people:
https://chatterpack.net/blogs/blog/resources-list-for-home-learning
For older students:
https://carolgraysocialstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Pandemics-and-the-Coronavirus.pdf
Helplines
Talking things through usually helps! These lines are available if you need to talk to someone or if you feel at risk in any way.
Apps
These free apps mean you can access support wherever you are!
Report a concern regarding sexual harassment
If you would like to report an issue regarding sexual harassment, please use the email address below:
dsl@finhampark.co.uk
Someone from the safeguarding team will get in touch with you to discuss your concerns in more detail.
Or if you want to report abuse anonymously so we can be made aware of areas you feel uncomfortable around school, please scan this QR code below.

Health for Teens
Coventry School Nursing confidential health advice and support:
Texts to 07507331949
https://www.healthforteens.co.uk/
Twitter @healthforteens1

Youtube
Youtube can be used to access thousands of free videos which can help us improve our wellbeing. Some suggested search terms might be:
Progressive muscle relaxation
Guided mindfulness
Stress relief
Guided sleep exercise
Guided meditation
Guided relaxation
Letting go of anger
Websites
National self-harm network
Info on self-harm/abuse
Support around sexuality