Menu

Safeguarding Bulletin

June 2024

Dover District Council has received funding from Kent County Council to support households who would otherwise struggle to buy food, pay essential utility bills or meet other essential living costs through the Household Support Fund. 

New applications can be made by contacting providers from the 1st June 2024

Eligible support could include: 

- Food Ddc
- Energy and water (including sewage)
- Essentials linked to energy and water 
- Wider essentials subject to discussion 
- Housing costs in exceptional cases of genuine emergency

If you feel you are eligible to access this fund please click on the link below and contact one of the organisations to discuss this further

Household Support Fund 

REMINDER FOR ALL STAFF: 

A quick reminder for all staff on our school whistle blowing policy and what to do if you're worried about a child. 

Whistleblowing & what to do if you're worried about a child poster

May 2024 

Exam supportIt can be easy to get overwhelmed by revision when studying for exams so staying organised by planning your time and creating a revision timetable is a good idea. Everyone's revision timetable will be different but please see the Summer 2024 Exam Timetable below to help you plan your revision: 

Summer 2024 Exam Timetable 

The website below also has some really useful advice and some great examples to have a look at to help you plan and structure your revision to help you keep on top of your workload in the run up to exam season. 

How to revise: Planning and Timetables

Students can feel under a lot of pressure and may feel stressed. If you're struggling to cope you're not alone, please see the website below for information for young people on understanding exam stress and where to go for support.

Understanding Exam Stress- for students and young people 

As parents and carers it can be hard to know how best to support your young person with exam stress, please see the guide below for some useful ways of supporting your child during exam weeks. 

Supporting a Young Person with Exam Stress - for parents and carers 

April 2024

Staying Safe Online Phone

While the internet has created fantastic new opportunities for children and young people to learn, play and connect, we know it has created some big risks as well. A 2021 Office for National Statistics (ONS) report found that nearly a third of children had accepted a friend request from someone they did not know and around 1 in 10 children (11%) aged 13 to 15 years reported receiving a sexual message, while 1 in 100 reported sending a sexual message.
Source: Barnardos: Is my child safe online? Parents' questions answered.   

Please click the links below for more information for young people, parents and carers around some key themes regarding online safety

Advice about parental controls and monitoring 

App safety for parents and carers 

Is someone asking you for a nude picture? 

Stay safe online: Share with care 

Thrive Spring Wellbeing Calendar of Activities: 

This spring, Thrive have introduced a Wellbeing Calendar to help everyone enjoy all that nature has to offer for health and wellbeing. Join the four week calendar of activities to boost your physical and mental health through time in nature with a variety of activities designed to make you feel good whatever your age, health or abilities. 

Please click here to be taken to their website for further information 

Please click here to download the Wellbeing Calendar

Thrive spring

March 2024

Hoping all our young people and families have a positive Easter holiday break! 

With exams fast approaching in May, please take a look at the graphic below with lots of useful tips and advice for managing exam stress. Mental health charity YoungMinds estimate that a staggering 87% of pupils suffer from exam stress with their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing impacted.

Please see below for some top tips for supporting young people with exam stress: 

Exam stress 2

 

February 2024 

Events and Avtivities 

Wishing all our young peope and families a happy half term. If you're stuck for ideas to keep everyone entertained East Kent Mind are offering an array of live activities, courses, groups,workshops and online activities. Mind activities

East Kent Mind Activities Programme January- March 2024 

 

Money Worries?

As part of the Household Support Fund Scheme, Kent County Council is working with Citizens Advice to support residents on low incomes who are taking positive steps to address their debts. Subject to meeting eligibility criteria, Kent residents who have recently engaged with, or are engaging with, debt advice through the Kent Money Advice Hub could receive support towards their household energy costs - this could be up to £500

Contact Kent Money Advice Hub for Free, confidential, independant, and impartial advice via phone, video call or visit one of the video kiosks across Kent. 

Kent Money Advice Hub

Wellbeing Matters Event 
Charities and support organisations are holding a FREE mental health and wellbeing information fair. Its a chance for young adults, parents, carers and professionals to learn more about support that is available. 

Porchlight wellbeing poster

January 2024 

Happy New Year! 

Below is a link to the Kelsi update on the gender questioning children consultation, the localities consultation parent meetings and the Spring term headteacher briefings. 

Kelsi January 2024 update 

Please take a look at the poster below shared from Kent Police highlighting some of the behaviours that won't be tolerated. Behaviours that make people feel uncomfortable or threatened are not okay

Tackling Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG)

December 2023 

With Christmas fast approaching please take a look at the information below relating to popular Christmas presents for children and young people. 

eScooters: are you breaking the law? 

Parents Guide to Nintendo

Playstation Safety for Parents 

Xbox: Family & Online Safety 

November 2023

Please see information below with some helpful information for parents and carers about keeping younr people safe online: 

Golden Rules: Online safety information for parents and carers 

Parent guide to SnapChat 

Parent guide to TikTok

Parent guide to Watsapp

July 2023

With the summer upon us, many young people will be spending more time online. Please take a moment to have a look at some of these helpful websites that offer information, advice and guidance around online safety and particuarly how to ensure that appropriate parental controls and privacy settings are in place on young people's devices. 

NSPCC: Deciding what's appropriate for children to see online 

Step by step parental controls guide

E-safety checklist to keep children safe online  

E-safety support and advice for parents/carers of young people with SEND 

Parental controls are a helpful tool but there are still some limitations and they should not be seen as the whole solution. Parental controls are just part of the way that you can help keep your child safe online. The NSPCC suggests the following tips: 

- Talk to your child and explain why you are setting parental controls; to keep them safe. But also let them know that they can talk to you to discuss why certain settings are in place. 

- Set good, strong passwords. On some parental controls you can set a password which prevents settings and features being changed. 

- Age is a significant factor, as chlidren get older, restrictions and controls you use will change, but only at a pace that is appropriate for your child, not because of pressure from your child because "everyone else is allowed". 

- Content filters are never 100% effective, it is likely that at some point your child will see some inappropriate or upsetting content and it is important that you are able to talk to them about this. 

For more information please take a look at this guide from the NSPCC about talking to your children about online safety: 

Talking to your child abou tonline safety 

 

Lego have also launched a series of activities to help you talk with your children about digital safety and wellbeing over some Lego building: Buildtalk

Launch Lego Build & Talk 

        

 

 

June 2023

Please see links below to updated 2023 statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment. The 2022 version of the guidance is still currently in force however please ensure you are familliar with the 2023 version which will come into force on the 1 September 2023. 

Keeping children safe in education 2023: Statutory guidance for schools and colleges 

Keeping children safe in education 2023: Statutory guidance for schools and colleges Part one: Information for all school and college staff 
Regulated activity in relation to chlidren: scope 

A reminder that the 2022 version of the guidance, which is still currently in force, can be accesshed by clicking the link below: 

Statutory guidance from the Department for Education, including KCSIE documents 

Information Sharing - 7 Golden Rules

May 2023 

Please see May 2023 emotional wellbeing bulletin below which provides up to date information, resources, services and training opportunities which support children, young people, parents, carers and practitioners emotional wellbeing.

Emotional wellbeing bulletin

Support for Exam Stress

With exams looming (and some having already begun), stress and worries can start to feel overwhelming.

Whether you're a young person feeling stressed and worried or supporting a young person, please have a look through some of these links to helpful websites and resources for coping with stress and worry, particuarly around exam time. 

NHS: Help your child beat exam stress

YoungMinds: A guide for young poeple, Exam Stress

Childline: Worrying about exams

Mind: Exam stress for 11 - 18 year olds

Gov.uk: What can schools do about examination and test anxiety 

Unicef: Four things you can do to support your teen's mental health 

Here is a link to a collection of different apps that are designed to support youg people, adults and families with their mental health and well-being. 

Useful Apps 

A message from Kent Police Community Safety Unit Officer for Dover District

With the end of exam season fast approaching, and for some of our students the end of your time at school, please take a look at the letter below from the Dover Community Safety Unit raising awareness around the potential risks associated with alcohol: 

Community Safety Unit Letter to Students 

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Dover Counselling Centre Invite you to their Grand Opening of the Gateway Garden! 

In partnership with Future Skills, Town and Country and Dover District Council, the Gateway Garden team have been working tirelessly to get the Wellbeing Garden up and running to suppport the local and wider community. 

Please come along to the launch event to meet the team and learn about all the positive plans fo rthe future while enjoying some cake and a hot drink! Patron, Christopher Biggins will be cutting the ribbon at midday and planting a tree in the beautiful setting on the 31st May 2023 from 11am-3pm. Please click below for further information: 

Gateway Garden Launch Invitation 

 

April 2023

A reminder for all staff: 

As per our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy, if any member of staff has a concern about a pupil's welfare, or a pupil has reported a safeguarding concern in relation to themselves or a peer, this must be immediately communicated to the DSL or deputy DSL and recorded on MyConcern. 

A list of the Astor School DSL and Deputy DSL's can be found on the Safeguarding section of the website. 

Please see below for links to the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and the Safeguarding section of the website: 

Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 

Astor School Safeguarding Page

March 2023

Please take some time to remind yourself of the key changes to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022. Remember that these changes and updates are applicable to ALL STAFF. 

Here is a link to a summary of the updates and changes: 

KCSIE 2022: Changes and updates to the guidance

The full guidance is available here: 

Keeping children safe in education 2022

February 2023

Please take a look at the newsletter below regarding toxic masculinity. Not only does it offer some helpful advice on how to approach and discuss this matter with young people but it also signposts to some great resources and apps to support teens and young people's mental health. 

Toxic Masculinity

January 2023

Here is a link to January's edition of the Emotional Wellbeing Bulletin

Emotional Wellbeing Bulletin - January 2023

December 2022

Please see the documents below detailing activities that will be delivered in Dover, Ashford and the Folkestone and Hythe areas as part of the Holiday Activity and Food Programme during the winter holiday period. 

Dover 

Folkestone and Hythe 

Ashford 

November 2022

Stakeholder Engagement Early Years: Have your say and help shape the future of Early Years in Kent. Please come and share your expertise, ideas, and views about what is working well and what you think should be considered, to ensure that children under five across Kent receive the bery best start in life. 

KCC Stakeholder Engagement Early Years 
Please click the link below for a list of emotional wellbeing support services for young people. The table includes a mix of nationwide and Kent based services. 

Emotional Wellbeing Support Services for Young People

Please get in touch with a member of our safeguarding team to discuss referrals/support. If you are in crisis or require out of hours support, please call Kent Children and Young People's Mental Health Service Single Point of Access (SPA), available 24 hours a day on, 0800 011 3474.

Alternatively, you can contact Mental Health Direct on 0800 995 1000 in case of crisis, for out of hours support, as well as general support and advice. 

Call 999 and/or go to your nearest A&E if you feel unable to keep yourself safe. 

October 2022

Please take a look at the latest Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership Newsletter: 

Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership Newsletter Oct 2022
Kent have introduced an Emotional Wellbeing Bulletin to keep you up to date with information, resources, services and training opportunities which support children, young people, parents, carers and practitioners' emotional wellbeing. Here is a link to their first edition! 

Kent Emotional Wellbeing Bulletin
Here is a guide that Tes research have produced that highlights the key changes to KCSIE 2022 and further explains how these changes will impact schools. 

Keeping children safe in education 2022: How will it affect you and how we can help

According to the Tes research, 78% of school staff believe there has been an increase in safeguarding concerns since the pandemic, with 58% of school staff claiming that the majority of incidents are taking place online, or on social media, outside of school hours. Please take a look at the E-safety guides below, produced by National Online Safety, which go into detail with tips for parents and carers to help keep young people safe online. 

National Online Safety: E-safety Guides 


September 2022

KCSIE, Annual Staff Update, 1st September 2022

Thank you to all staff for attending the annual safeguarding update.

Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) (DfE, 2022)

The Department for Education (DfE) has published an updated version of the statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance for schools in England, Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) (DfE, 2022).

This guidance will replace KCSIE 2021 when it comes into force on 1 September 2022.   

The guidance sets out what schools and colleges in England must do to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18.

All staff will be given a copy of part 1 of this document and will asked to complete a certificate to say that they have recieved the training.

You can access the documentation on the gov.uk website:

KCSIE on gov.uk

Please click the link below for a recap of our expectations and requirements as staff in school around safeguarding as well as some further information regarding whats new in Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022. 

Safeguarding Update September 2022 

The Early Help Approach in Kent