Safeguarding

At IFtL, keeping children safe is our highest priority. All schools within the Trust follow the IFtL Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy(opens in new tab), alongside their own school-specific safeguarding policy which reflects the needs of their local community and safeguarding context.

All staff, governors, trustees and volunteers receive regular safeguarding training and understand their responsibility to identify, respond to and report concerns about children’s safety and wellbeing.

Our safeguarding practice follows national guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE),(opens in new tab) and we work closely with families and external agencies to ensure children receive the right support when they need it.

You can find our Trust safeguarding policy on our policies page(opens in new tab). School-specific safeguarding policies can be found on individual school websites.

Safeguarding Children in IFtL

Safeguarding Adults in IFtL

Whistleblowing

At IFtL, we believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We are committed to creating a culture where children feel safe, listened to and supported.

Our safeguarding approach is based on the following principles:

• It could happen here – we remain alert to all safeguarding concerns and never assume that something cannot happen within our schools.
• Children’s wellbeing comes first – we always act in the best interests of the child.
• We listen and respond – concerns are taken seriously, responded to appropriately and shared with the right people when needed.
• We work together – safeguarding is a partnership between children, families, schools and external agencies.
• We challenge and escalate concerns – everyone has a responsibility to speak up if something does not feel right.

We encourage parents and carers to talk to us if they have any worries about a child’s safety or wellbeing.

Types and Signs of Abuse

All children and young people have the right to grow up safe from harm. Sometimes children may experience abuse, neglect or exploitation, and it is important that concerns are recognised and shared.

There are four main categories of child abuse:

Physical abuse
Physical abuse involves deliberately causing physical harm to a child. This may include hitting, shaking, burning, poisoning or causing other injuries.

Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse involves the persistent emotional mistreatment of a child which affects their emotional wellbeing and development. This may include making a child feel worthless, unloved, frightened or unsafe.

Neglect
Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child’s basic physical or emotional needs. This may include failing to provide appropriate care, supervision, medical support, food, clothing or a safe environment.

Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or encouraging a child to take part in sexual activities. This can involve physical contact or non-contact activities, including abuse that takes place online.

Children may show different signs when they are experiencing difficulties. Changes in behaviour, mood, relationships, appearance, attendance, health or emotional wellbeing can sometimes indicate that a child needs support.

If you are worried about a child, please speak to your child’s school safeguarding team.

Local Safeguarding Priorities

Safeguarding priorities can change as new risks and concerns emerge within our communities.

For the most up-to-date information about local safeguarding priorities, guidance and support, please visit:

Milton Keynes
Home | mk-together(opens in new tab)

Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership(opens in new tab)

Children and young people can experience a range of safeguarding concerns, both online and offline.

These may include:

• Domestic abuse
• Child exploitation, including county lines
• Online safety concerns
• Child sexual exploitation
• Honour-based abuse and forced marriage
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Missing education
• Neglect and abuse
• Peer-on-peer abuse
• Radicalisation and extremism

If you are concerned about a child, please speak to your child’s school safeguarding team. We will listen, take concerns seriously and work with the appropriate agencies to ensure children receive the right support.

For further information and advice for families, please see Useful contacts and support links below.

• emotional wellbeing and mental health;
• family relationships and parenting;
• attendance and education;
• behaviour and additional needs;
• housing, finances or other practical challenges;
• family circumstances that may be affecting a child's wellbeing.

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Children and young people spend an increasing amount of time online through social media, gaming, messaging and other digital platforms. Technology provides many opportunities for learning, creativity and communication, but it also brings risks that children and families need to understand.

As a Trust that provides children with access to digital devices, including iPads, we take online safety extremely seriously. We recognise our responsibility to ensure that children are supported to use technology safely, responsibly and positively.

At IFtL, we work with children, families and colleagues to develop children’s digital awareness and resilience, helping them to understand online risks and make safe choices.

Online risks can include:

• cyberbullying;
• contact from people who may wish to harm or exploit children;
• online grooming;
• sharing inappropriate content or images;
• harmful or upsetting content;
• scams and online manipulation;
• unsafe use of apps, games and social media.

We encourage parents and carers to talk regularly with children about their online lives, including what they are doing online, who they are communicating with and how they respond when something makes them feel worried or uncomfortable.

If you have concerns about something your child has experienced online, please speak to your child’s school safeguarding team.

Useful online safety advice and resources:

• Thinkuknow(opens in new tab) – online safety education for children, young people, families and professionals
• Internet Matters(opens in new tab) – practical advice for parents about online safety
• NSPCC(opens in new tab) – guidance on keeping children safe online
• Childline(opens in new tab) – support for children and young people

Safeguarding children is a shared responsibility. IFtL works closely with local safeguarding partnerships and external agencies to ensure children and families receive the right support.

If you are worried about a child, please contact your child’s school in the first instance and ask to speak to a member of the safeguarding team.

You can also find further information and advice from your local safeguarding partnership:

Milton Keynes
MK Together Safeguarding Children Partnership(opens in new tab)

North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership(opens in new tab)
If a child is at immediate risk of harm, please contact emergency services on 999.

Useful Contacts and Support

If you are worried about a child’s safety or wellbeing, please contact your child’s school safeguarding team in the first instance.

If you need urgent help:

Emergency

• Police, ambulance or fire service: 999

Police non-emergency

• 101

For local safeguarding support:

Milton Keynes
MK Together Safeguarding Children Partnership(opens in new tab)

Milton Keynes Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)(opens in new tab)

Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership(opens in new tab)
Northamptonshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)(opens in new tab)

National support:

• NSPCC(opens in new tab) – safeguarding and child protection advice
• The Children’s Society(opens in new tab) - The Children’s Society is a charity that works to protect and support children and young people, including those at risk of exploitation, helping them to be safe, heard and supported
• Childline(opens in new tab) – support for children and young people