Safeguarding

We are dedicated to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse and harm. Any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to. We comply with local and national child protection procedures and ensure that all staff are fully trained.

For more information about safeguarding at Smiles of Quorn, please see our Safeguarding Policy.

For more information on how keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility, please see this leaflet.

You can contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) by emailing safeguarding@smilesofquorn.co.uk or by phone.

Children's Wellbeing

At Smiles of Quorn, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our children and staff. We want your child to feel safe and supported within a caring environment where they can voice their concerns and reach out for help or support where needed.

Wellbeing is the experience of health and happiness. It includes mental and physical health, physical and emotional safety, and a feeling of belonging, sense of purpose, achievement and success. We recognise the important part that wellbeing plays in promoting healthy child development. It helps children build positive social, emotional, behaviour, thinking and communication skills. It also lays the foundation for better mental health and wellbeing later in life.

We have a team of designated ‘Wellbeing Champions’ who all hold additional training focused on supporting children and young people's wellbeing and mental health. Our Wellbeing Champions are easy to spot as they will be wearing a red heart badge clearly visible on their lanyard.

We want children to know that should they have any issues, worries or concerns (such as friendship troubles, stress at school or feeling overwhelmed) they can always talk to a member of the wellbeing team - or any Smiles staff member of course. The extra training and experience our wellbeing team holds means they are well positioned to support you or your child whatever they may need. As well as being a friendly face to talk to, our wellbeing champions will also support children to build independence and resilience to better cope with challenges, promote inclusion and positive interaction through play, lead on planning activities and themed weeks to support and promote children’s wellbeing and actively promote the 5 ways to wellbeing approach - as well as much more.

You’ll see mentioned above the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing” . This approach is widely recognised and used, supported by research from the New Economics Foundation. Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

Connect - Talk with someone in your family or group of friends and really listen to what he or she has to say. Perhaps ask about something that happened at school or work, at a club or perhaps how he or she is feeling today and why that is.

Be Active - Do something active with your family or friends like going for a walk or playing a game that gets you moving.

Take Notice - Take a bit of me to notice things around you, perhaps have a mindful moment, notice what you can see, hear, smell, feel. Perhaps notice what the people around you are up to, how they are feeling or acting.

Keep Learning - We’re learning new things all of the time. See if you can find out about something new, or an interesting fact, perhaps learn a new skill.

Give - Think of an opportunity to show kindness to someone else. Being kind to others actually makes you feel good so it’s a kindness for you as much as the person on the receiving end!

If you have a concern

It is very important that you take action straight away if you think a child you know is being abused.

Speak to our designated safeguarding lead, or any member of staff, if you have any concerns. If we are not available, or you would like to speak to someone else, please visit Leicestershire County Council's website here for the contact details.

Online Safety

10 Tips to Keep Your Children Safe Online

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Instagram

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Tik-Tok

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about YouTube

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Snapchat

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Facebook

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Age-Inappropriate Content

Safeguarding: Further information and support

Should you require any advice or support with safeguarding out of hours, please refer to the following contacts:

Leicestershire County Council First Response - If you have significant concerns about a child’s safety

Phone: 0116 305 0005 (24 hour phone line) | Website: www.leicestershire.gov.uk/report-abuse-or-neglect-of-a-child

Police - If a crime is being committed or if a child is in immediate danger.

Phone: In an emergency dial 999. For non-emergency enquiries call 101.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) - If you have child protection concerns about someone in a position of trust

Phone: 0116 305 4141 (allegations Line:) | Email: CFS-LADO@leics.gov.uk

Leicestershire & Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership (LRSCP)

Website: https://lrsb.org.uk/

Childline - Childline offers free, confidential advice and support, whenever you need help for under 18s.

Phone: 0800 1111 | Website: www.childline.org.uk

NSPCC - If you're worried about a child you can speak to a professional counsellors for help, advice and support.

Phone: 0808 800 5000 | Website: www.nspcc.org.uk | Email: help@nspcc.org.uk

Rachel Marshall

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Completed Designated Safeguarding Lead Training on 27/01/22.

Phone: 07410 155993

Harvey Marshall

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL)

Completed Designated Safeguarding Lead Training on 14/09/22.

Phone: 07421 825796

Safe Award Winners

We are very proud to share that after a comprehensive expert review of all our safeguarding arrangements and successful submission of the detailed SAFE risk assessment, we have officially achieved the 'Child and Adult Safe Award'. This award recognises excellence in Safeguarding. SAFEcic is not for profit and defined as an "eligible body" delivering educational services and specialist child and adult safeguarding solutions both in the UK and Internationally. The expert SAFE team has offered safeguarding audits and pre-inspection audit services for a wide range of organisations such as those in leisure, health and education since 1999. In the feedback the advisor wrote that "It was a pleasure" to review our arrangements and it was "an excellent submission so congratulations and well done."

Designated Safeguarding Lead

There is a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) available at all times while the club is in session.

The designated safeguarding lead coordinates child protection issues and liaises with external agencies (e.g. Social Care, LRSCP and Ofsted).