Here is a brief overview of when or why we may need to make a referral to other agencies. However, we have put together a comprehensive guide for parents to read here.

In the interest of safeguarding children, there may be occasions when the school has to consult other agencies with or without a parent’s prior knowledge if there is a safeguarding concern.

The school’s first concern is the child’s welfare and all schools, including Dunkirk, have a legal duty to act to protect the child at all times. Under section 11, of the Children Act 2004, organisations and agencies have a duty to ensure they consider the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children when carrying out their functions and must show independent scrutiny. The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2022 identifies the core legal requirements, making it clear what individuals, organisations and agencies must and should do to keep children safe.

As a school we believe:

• Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility
• Listen to, hear and act on the voice of the child
• We will hold the child at the centre of all that we do and ensure their welfare is prioritised

There are different levels of need and risk that may require support and intervention; this can be delivered by a range of partners and agencies. Such consultation may result in a formal referral (Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF) which could prompt visits from social services and/or the police.

We fully understand that this can be a very distressing set of circumstances, but we can only assure you that we have a legal duty and responsibility to follow the procedures laid down by the Nottingham Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), as outlined in our school safeguarding policy. The role of school is not to make any decisions or judgements about our families but to report any safeguarding concerns to the appropriate agency.

There are many services available to support children and families. By making it simple to access the services at Nottingham City Council they can help provide the right support, at the right time, to meet the needs of Nottingham families.