Safeguarding Bulletin
April 2024
Hoping all our young people and familis have had 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:
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. 
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.
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.
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.
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?
Playstation Safety for Parents
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
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: 
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.
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.
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
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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.
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.
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:
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.
