Our Safeguarding Team

Emma Beer - Designated Safeguarding Lead/Associate Leader

Mr Allen - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Assistant Vice Principal

Mrs Gibbs - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/

Mrs Harvey - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Post 16 Pastoral Leader

Mrs Sutton - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead Year 10 & 11 Pastoral Leader

Miss Smith - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Year 8 & 9 Pastoral Leader

Mrs Dumbleton - Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead/Year 7 Pastoral Leader 

Contact email - safeguarding@dstc.kent.sch.uk

 

DSTC follows the statutory guidance for safeguarding as published by the DFE. You can find up-to-date documents here: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)

What is Safeguarding? 

At Dartford Science & Technology College, safeguarding is at the centre of everything we do. We are committed to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued, respected and able to thrive.

Safeguarding means protecting children and young people from harm, promoting their welfare, and ensuring they have the support they need to stay safe, healthy and achieve their full potential. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and we work closely with students, families, staff and external agencies to help keep our community safe.

Students also play an important role in safeguarding one another. Through our Individual Character Education (ICE) programme, assemblies and targeted workshops, students learn how to recognise risks, seek support and make positive choices both in school and beyond.

If you are worried about a child or young person, it is important to speak up. Abuse and neglect can take many forms and may affect children of any age, background or circumstance.

Safeguarding covers a wide range of issues, including, but not limited to:

• Bullying and cyberbullying
• Child exploitation (including criminal and sexual exploitation)
• Child-on-child abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Emotional, physical and sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Mental health and emotional wellbeing
• Self-harm
• Substance misuse
• County Lines and criminal exploitation
• Online safety and digital wellbeing
• Radicalisation and extremism (Prevent Duty)
• Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Attendance and children missing education

If you have a safeguarding concern about a student, please contact a member of the Safeguarding Team immediately.

Safeguarding at DSTC

We encourage our students to speak up and in return we will listen and they will be heard and taken seriously. All staff are trained in safeguarding, and students are made aware of the adults they can talk to if they have any concerns.

All staff are trained to look out for signs of abuse or neglect and are required to report these to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Students are also able to report concerns to any member of staff or report concerns online via the student self/peer referral form <<HERE>>

All procedures are in line with Keeping Children Safe In Education, Working together to safeguard children and the schools Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy for the safety of all.

There may be occasions when concern about a child requires us to consult other agencies. Whenever possible, we will discuss concerns with parents and carers before making a referral; unless doing so may place the child at greater risk or be contrary to their welfare.

We actively support the Government’s Prevent Duty and are committed to safeguarding students from radicalisation and extremism.

Online Safety

At Dartford Science and Technology College, we believe online-safety is a critical part of safeguarding. The Internet is a wonderful way to discover, create and connect with people and is, increasingly, an essential tool for young people researching issues and homework topics for themselves. It is important, as part of our safeguarding responsibilities, that we remain extremely vigilant about e-safety and the prevention of cyber bullying, whether via email, text messaging or any social digital media.

Our In-School Mobile Phone Policy

To significantly reduce digital risks and distractions within school, all students (Years 7–11) are required to place their phones in a secure pouch for the duration of the school day. This proactive measure has successfully minimised the threat of in-school cyberbullying and digital distress.

Should you wish to get in contact with us please do not hesitate to do so at safeguarding@dstc.kent.sch.uk or via the school's main office.

It is important to understand the risks of using the Internet and how to mitigate them. There are some excellent online resources to support online safety

The Online Safety Alliance (OSA) and 'The Key'

We are working alongside the OSA to support DSTC students with online safety. The OSA certificate supports our school with helping students understand the risks of going online.

The Key

In addition, all of our staff undertake yearly, relevant safeguarding training provided by 'The Key' as part of our long-term commitment to keep our students safe online. 

Resources

 

CEOP Education – Online safety advice for parents

Childnet International – Excellent free resources for educators and parents/carers

Childline – Get help and advice about a wide range of issues

Kids Scape - Cyberbullying – Reporting cyber bullying

Safer Internet UK – UK Safer Internet Centre

CEOP– Website for the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

 NSPCC⁠ – Advice and support on abuse, neglect, online safety and keeping children safe

YoungMinds Parents Helpline⁠ – Support for parents concerned about their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing

Mind⁠ – Information on mental health, self-harm and accessing support

School Avoidance Alliance⁠ – Information and guidance for families experiencing school avoidance or emotionally based school avoidance

Family Lives⁠ – Parenting advice and support on a wide range of family issues

Refuge⁠ – Support and information relating to domestic abuse

The Mix⁠ – Support for young people on mental health, relationships, safety and wellbeing

Dartford Family Hub - Kent Family Hubs offer support to children, young people and their families. They provide a single place to go for information and make it easier for you to get the services you need throughout your family journey 

Kent & Medway Children & Young People's Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust - Kent CYPMHS provides a range of emotional wellbeing and mental health advice and support for young people and their families across Kent and Medway