Safeguarding
BackSafeguarding and Family Support Team
- Mrs M Still (Designated Safeguarding Lead)
- Mrs G Young (Head Teacher/Deputy Safeguarding Lead)
- Miss H Bates (Family Support Worker/Deputy Safeguarding Lead/Young Carer Lead)
- Miss L Goss (SENDCO/Deputy Safeguarding Lead)
Staff are available in school to help and support parents, carers and families.
Contact number is:
01793 723833If you are worried about a child....
You can call Families and Children Contact Swindon on 01793 464646 or the Emergency Duty team on 436699 and discuss your concerns. If necessary you can do this without giving your name.
You can also report concerns online at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/report-abuse
NSPCC helpline: Parents and carers can contact the NSPCC helpline whenever they’re worried about a child by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@nspcc.org.uk, texting 88858* or contacting us online at nspcc.org.uk/ helpline. The helpline is free, available 24/7 and calls can be made anonymously. Alternatively the email contact is, Contactchildrenandfamilies@swindon.gov.uk.
What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.
Safeguarding means:
- Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
- Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
- Preventing the impairment of children's mental and physical health or development
- Ensuring children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provistion of safe and effective care
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
- Safeguarding children and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all children up to the age of 18.
Staff Understanding of Safeguarding and Child Protection
All staff must read and sign Part 1 of Keeping children Safe in Education 2025 and all staff receive a minimum of one safeguarding and child protection training session annually.
Additionally there is a rolling programme of professional development for child facing staff to address safeguarding themes throughout the academic year.
We have a Child friendly Safeguarding Policy in each classroom.
Early Help for Families
We understand that being a parent or carer is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be hard work. At times, children and families just need a little extra support, and we want you to know that it is absolutely OK to ask for help.
Why might you need help?
There are many reasons a family might want to reach out. We can support you with, or help you find advice for, a wide range of worries, including:
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Emotional & Mental Wellbeing: Anxiety, school refusal, or friendship concerns.
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Home & Family Life: Managing behavior, accessing parenting support classes, or establishing routines.
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Digital Life: Online safety or worries about the overuse of the internet and screens.
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Practical Matters: Housing concerns, medical advice, or finding and accessing external community services.
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Specific Needs: Support with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
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Keeping Safe: Safeguarding concerns, or worries about drugs, alcohol, or gang involvement.
How to get help
Have a conversation with us The best first step is to reach out to a member of our pastoral team, or any member of school staff that you know and trust. You can discuss what is going well and any difficulties your family may be experiencing. We can help you find the right support. Sometimes, just having a conversation can really help lift the weight off your shoulders.
The "Early Help Conversation" Depending on what you need, we might suggest that sharing your situation with other local agencies could be beneficial. This involves starting what is known as an Early Help Conversation.
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This is a supportive approach to help you find the right help at the right time.
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It is completely voluntary and is done with you, not to you.
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Your consent is key: We will ensure that any personal information you give is only ever shared with your permission.
Other Community Support As well as getting help from the school, you can also reach out to your wider family and support networks, or professionals in the community that you may already know—such as health visitors, midwives, doctors, or local charities and voluntary groups.
Young Carers
Could your child be a Young Carer?
A Young Carer is a child over 5 years - under the age of 18 who provides regular practical or emotional support to a family member or friend with a long-term illness, disability, mental health need, or drug or alcohol misuse.
Their responsibilities can range from helping with daily tasks like dressing and cooking to managing money, giving medication, or providing emotional support.
The Young Carer may do extra jobs in and around the home, such as cooking, cleaning or helping someone get dressed and move around.
The Young Carer may also give a lot of physical help to a parent, brother or sister who's disabled or ill.
If you feel your child maybe a Young Carer please do reach out via Class Dojo to our Young Carer Lead - Miss Holly
There is also additional support within Swindon Carers Together that we can potentially help to access for you and for them.
https://www.swindoncarerstogether.org.uk/who-we-can-help/young-carers
This extra support could include access to activities for the child in school holidays and access to their fun/youth Young Carers group here in swindon .
If you would like to know more about Swindon Carers Together -please come in for chat with Miss Holly
At Seven Fields, we know that some of our pupils play a big part in helping look after their families. We believe every Young Carer deserves the same chance to shine at school, and we are here to make sure that happens.
Our Promise to You:
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A Listening Ear: Our Pastoral Team has an "open door" policy. Whether you need a private chat or just a quiet space, we are always here.
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Privacy & Respect: We will never talk about your home life in front of your friends. We understand you’ll share what you want to, only when you feel ready.
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Flexibility When It Matters: We know life at home can be busy. To help out, we offer:
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Check-ins with home during the school day via phone or ClassDojo.
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Homework support so you can get your work done before you head home.
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Supporting the Whole Family: We offer accessible communication for parents who may find it hard to get into school or have specific sensory needs.
Safeguarding tips for parents:
Top Tips for keeping your child safe when using the internetThe Underwear rule - Talk pants and keep your child safe
NSPCC Preventing abuse - helping you keep children safe
Thinkuknow - Protecting your children from abuse online
Safer Internet Use - There is guidance here for keeping your family safe when using the internet
Keeping Children Safe in Education
Online Safety - 'Think you know' Protecting your child from abuse online
Additional Information
Swindon Womens Aid:
Our 24hour helpline is always answered by a trained advisor, day and night, every day of the year. 01793 610 610
OR
National Domestic Abuse Helpline. 0808 2000 247. Call for free and in confidence, 24 hours a day
Call 116 123, any time day or night to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.orgfor a reply within 24 hours
Swindon Food Collective is open during term time and across school holidays. If you are struggling please ask us for a referral to one of their food banks. You can request a referral from contacting many agencies including the CAB, your local church, your midwife, health visiting team, Children's services and school.
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Safeguarding
