Elm Academy

Additional Safeguarding Information & Guidelines

Domestic Violence

What is Domestic Violence?

The new cross-Government definition of domestic violence and abuse from March 2013 is:

Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.  This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse:

  • psychological
  • physical
  • sexual
  • financial
  • emotional

This definition, which is not a legal definition, includes so called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.

Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape, and regulating their everyday behaviour.

Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.

Operation Encompass

Elm Academy will receive ‘alerts’ from the police via the Local Authority Children Services, about any domestic abuse incidents linked to a student that attends our school.

Elm Academy are pleased to be part of Operation Encompass.

Operation Encompass is a police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership enabling support for children and young people who are experiencing domestic abuse. For further detail please use the following link:About us: Operation Encompass

Operation Encompass - 10 Key Principles

National Domestic Violence Helpline:

24-hour helpline: 0808 2000 247

www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk

Prevent

Preventing Terrorism and Radicalisation within our Communities

Terrorism can occur anywhere in the world with atrocities carried out in support of various ideologies.  There is no single definition of terrorism but it commonly refers to criminal acts intended to provoke a state of terror in the general public.

The most serious threat we face in the UK is from international terrorism linked to or influenced by Al-Qaeda; who wrongly use religion to justify their actions.  However, terrorism can be motivated by a range of ideologies or other factors, including religion, politics and race.  In the UK the extreme right wing groups and single issue groups such as animal rights campaigners can post a significant threat.

What is Prevent?

Prevent is part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy that aims to stop people becoming terrorists.  It is a multi-agency approach to safeguard people at risk of radicalisation.

How does Prevent work?

It looks at building a deeper understanding of how individuals become radicalised.  This helps to identify ways of preventing people from becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism.

Typically, a radicalisation process includes exposure of an individual to extremist viewpoints that may eventually influence the person to carry out an act of violent extremism or terrorism.  This could take week, months or even years.  It is possible to intervene during this process and stop someone becoming a terrorist or supporting violent extremist activity.

Useful Contacts and Information

There is a lot of information about Prevent available on the Home Office website:

Preventing Children from Radicalisation: the Prevent Duty

Act Early

Educate Against the Hate

If you believe someone is at risk of radicalisation you can help them obtain support and prevent them becoming involved by raising your concerns and making a referral, either to the Academy Safeguarding Lead, or contact the Safeguarding Referral Unit:

sru@dorset.pnn.police.uk

Telephone Contacts

Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

 

FGM

Female genital mutilation (sometimes referred to as female circumcision) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is illegal in the UK.

An estimated 137,000 women in the UK are affected by female genital mutilation (FGM). However, the true extent is unknown, due to the “hidden” nature of the crime.

The girls may be taken to their countries of origin so that FGM can be carried out during the summer holidays, allowing them time to “heal” before they return to school. There are also worries that some girls may have FGM performed in the UK.

FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts. The procedure is traditionally carried out by a woman with no medical training.

There are no health benefits to FGM. Removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue interferes with the natural functions of girls’ and women’s bodies.

Organisations Working on Issues Around FGM

Books about FGM

  • Comfort Momoh, Female Genital Mutilation (ISBN 9781857756937)
  • Waris Dirie, Desert Flower (ISBN 9780688158231)
  • Susannah Carlton, Biting the Stick (ISBN 9781497363489)

 

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation – the more you know, the more you see

Child Sexual Exploitation is Child Abuse.  Any young person could become a victim, regardless of their social or ethnic background.

Victims are often coerced into sexual relationships which they confuse with love and attention.  They risk damage to their physical, emotional and psychological health.

  • Sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse in which a young person is manipulated or forced into taking part in a sexual act often in return for attention, affection, money, drugs, alcohol or accommodation.
  • The child might think that their abuser is their frind or boyfriend but the abuser might physically or verbally threaten them and be violent towards them.  They will control and manipulate them and try to isolate them from friends and family.
  • In organised sexual exploitation young people are passed through networks where they are forced into sexual activity with a number of men.  This often takes place at ‘sex parties’ and the young people may be used to recruit others into the network.

There is no stereotypical victim of exploitation, but the below warning signs are an indication that a child may be exploited:

  • Regularly missing from home or school and staying out all night
  • Change in behaviour – becoming aggressive and disruptive or quiet and withdrawn
  • Unexplained gifts or new possessions such as clothes, jewellery, mobile phones or money that can’t be accounted for
  • Increase in mobile phone use or secretive use
  • A significantly older ‘boyfriend’ or ‘friend’ or lots of new friends
  • Spending excessive amounts of time online or on their mobile and becoming increasingly secretive about this activity
  • Sudden involvement in criminal behaviour or increased offending
  • Sexual health problems
  • Change in physical appearance

If you have concerns that a child you know may be a victim of Child Sexual Exploitation report it to your local police on 101

Alternatively you can report it to Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111 or visitwww.crimestoppers-uk.org/cse

In an emergency, or if a crime is ongoing, always dial 999.

Helplines:

  • Local Authority Children’s Social Care – Bournemouth 01202 458102,  Poole 01202 735046,  Christchurch 01202 414106, Out of Hours 01202 657279
  • Home Office website:

We PROTECT: fighting online child sexual exploitation