Keeping Young People Safe

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and young people.

Staff and volunteers have a duty to report concerns about a child, either because the child may be in need of additional support or if it is thought that a child may have been abused or is at risk of abuse. It is our job, working together, which will help us to protect our young people from such occurrences.

Enabling young people to explore the issue of diversity in a safe and secure environment is extremely important and is something which we are very proud to provide.

We have well established safeguarding policies and procedures in place and we actively promote the welfare of our staff, students and visitors on-site and in the wider community.

If you have concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a young person, please contact Staffordshire County Council on the numbers below:

Staffordshire Children's Advice and Support Service
0300 111 8007
Emergency Duty Service
Out of Hours Telephone Number:
0345 604 2886

If there is an imminent threat of harm to others call 999.

If you would like to discuss a matter with Landau Forte Academy Amington. Please contact the following members of staff.

Designated Safeguarding Lead
Nikki Howley
[email protected] | 01827 301800
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead
Karen Buttery
[email protected] | 01827 301800

Safeguarding information out of hours and during the Academy holidays

To pass on safeguarding information out of hours and during the Academy holidays, please use the form on our Contact page choose the safeguarding ‘reason for contact’.

In urgent cases please take the following action:

If a young person is in immediate risk of harm or there is an imminent threat of harm to others, please call 999.
You can engage with the Tamworth & Staffordshire Police and Prevent Tragedies teams via Twitter. Their accounts are:
- Tamworth Police – @TamworthPolice
- Staffordshire Police – @StaffsPolice
- Prevent Tragedies – @PreventUK

Below you can find more information on how we safeguard young people in some key areas. Should you require any additional information about our safeguarding policies or procedures please contact us.

Online Safety

Educate Against Hate

Landau Forte Charitable Trust and its academies fully encourages the use and access of the following website for parents, staff and school leaders, http://www.educateagainsthate.com/

This important site brings together the best advice, support and resources available for parents, teachers and school leaders who want to learn how to protect young people from extremism and radicalisation. This site provides helpful guidance and support to the information on this academy’s website about how tackle radicalisation and extremism and how to tackle signs of both. What is so important about this resource is that it does not just offer information for teachers and schools - but parents as well. While schools may be able to spot the signs of radicalisation, the truth is much of it takes place beyond the school gates, in families or friendship groups, in communities and increasingly online. That means parents must be equipped to help protect their children from extremism. They need to understand the threat that extremist organisations pose, how radicalisation happens, what the warning signs look like and who to turn to for support if they are ever worried. The information and advice available on Educate Against Hate will be an invaluable resource in helping them to do that and all are encouraged parents to visit the site and familiarise themselves with the information it provides.

Our academies also play a key role in spotting the signs of radicalisation - just as they do when young people experience other threats or difficulties, such as CSE [child sexual exploitation], eating disorders, mental health problems or drugs. Our academies can pick up those behavioural changes which may signal that a student is being radicalised before their peers or even their parents have spotted them. That is why it is so important that academies see protecting children from radicalisation as part of their safeguarding duties. The vast majority of staff in schools do this already and want to play their part. This website, Educate Against Hate is set to become a tool that helps schools do that.

This website provides up-to-date, practical advice that will help heads and governors understand the procedures their school should have in place to robustly tackle the threat, and will help teachers facing these issues in the classroom to understand radicalisation, its warning signs, and crucially where they can get further support.

Radicalisation and extremism

Promoting British Values

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Forced Marriage

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

What is it?

Child criminal exploitation is a form of abuse where a child is coerced, manipulated or deceived into criminal activity. It’s often linked with serious violence, such as knife or gun crime. The exploitation could be:

In exchange for something the child needs or wants (like money)
For the financial gain of the perpetrator(s)
Through violence or the threat of violence, to children or their families

Criminal exploitation often also involves physical and sexual abuse, and victims can be sexually exploited too. While the activity might seem consensual, it’s important to remember these children are still victims.

Some forms of child criminal exploitation include:

Transporting drugs through ‘county lines’
Working in cannabis factories
Shoplifting or pickpocketing
Vehicle crime, such as theft of – or from – vehicles
Committing serious violence or threatening it towards others
Money laundering

Who’s more at risk?

Although all children are vulnerable, some pupils are more likely to be at risk of getting involved in serious violence, which is often linked to criminal exploitation. These are pupils who:

Are male
Have been frequently absent or permanently excluded from school
Have experienced child maltreatment
Have been involved in offending

Children with learning difficulties can also be more vulnerable to exploitation.

Children in primary school aren’t safe from exploitation either – gangs could use older siblings to begin targeting them. Gangs will sometimes target younger children for exploitation, as they’re less likely to be suspected by the police and other adults.

How might I spot it?

Missing school, including single lessons
Changes in friendships, or spending time with older individuals or groups
Doing less well at school
Signs of self-harm or a significant change in wellbeing
Signs of assault or unexplained injuries, and refusing to get medical help
Unexplained gifts or new possessions
Using new slang words
Associating with other children involved in exploitation
Misusing drugs or alcohol
Going missing or regularly coming home late
Being isolated or withdrawn
Becoming aggressive, angry or violent

The indicators might be different for girls who are criminally exploited, and they might have different experiences to boys. But remember – girls can be victims too, so if something doesn’t seem right with any pupil, act on it.

Children may not feel ready, or know how to tell you that they’re being exploited – or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. This shouldn’t stop you from raising concerns.

Where do I get help?

Talk to us – report your worries to the DSL (Nikki Howley)/ DDSL (Karen Buttery) or your child’s Head of Year or Pastoral Lead – we are here to help you
If you think a young person is in immediate danger, always ring 999 and contact Staffordshire Childrens Advice Service 0300 111 8007

Where can I read more?

What is county lines? The Childrens Society

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

What is child sexual exploitation (CSE)?

A form of child sexual abuse
An individual or group taking advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual activity

The sexual activity may be:

In exchange for something the child needs or wants, and/or
For the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator, and/or
Through violence or the threat of violence

It can affect any child (male or female) under 18
The child may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Children who are 16 or 17, and can legally consent to have sex, can be victims too
It doesn’t always involve physical contact – it can include non-contact sexual activity and can happen through technology e.g. involving children in the production of sexual images or grooming a child via the internet
It may happen without the child’s immediate knowledge e.g. through others sharing videos or images of them on social media
It can be a one-off event, or a series of events over time, and can be opportunistic, or organised
It can be carried out by individuals or groups, men or women, and children or adults

How might I spot it?

A child may:

Be frightened of some people, places or situations
Be secretive
Show changes in mood, character, behaviour or emotional wellbeing
Have money or items that they can’t or won’t explain
Change their friendship group
Have an older boyfriend or girlfriend
Stay out late or overnight
Regularly miss school/college or arrive late
Show physical signs of abuse, such as bruising or bleeding in their genital or anal area
Misuse drugs or alcohol
Receive an excessive amount of texts or phone calls
Become involved in gangs or criminal activities such as selling drugs or shoplifting

Where do I get help?

Talk to us – report your worries to the DSL (Nikki Howley)/ DDSL (Karen Buttery) or your child’s Head of Year or Pastoral Lead – we are here to help you

If you think a young person is in immediate danger, always ring 999 and contact Staffordshire Childrens Advice Service 0300 111 8007

Domestic Abuse

Stopping Domestic Abuse Together (SDAT)

Domestic abuse is abusive, violent, controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour between people aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members. It can happen to anyone, including teenagers in their own intimate relationships.

Children who see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse and are related to the victim or perpetrator are victims of abuse themselves. It can seriously affect children’s physical and mental wellbeing, including into adulthood, so we have a responsibility to share concerns.

Intervening early helps to stop abuse getting worse and prevent children experiencing significant harm, so it’s important to be alert to signs.

Domestic abuse can take different forms:

Physical: for example, hitting, punching, pushing, biting, burning or choking
Psychological/emotional: for example, putting a person down, controlling them with threats and intimidation, blaming them for the abuse or denying it
Sexual: any form of sexual activity that takes place without the other person’s full consent (e.g. physical contact, withholding contraception, or pressuring into sexual activities)
Financial: controlling the partner’s ability to earn and use their own money and resources (e.g. stopping them going to work, spending or taking their money)

Technology can also play a role in abuse, particularly among young people. For example, an abuser might use technology to monitor and control their victim, share intimate images without their consent, or post false or malicious information about them on social media.

Signs of witnessing domestic abuse:

Being aggressive or bullying others, or having tantrums
Being constantly or regularly ill, like having colds, headaches or mouth ulcers
Anti-social behaviour
Misusing drugs or alcohol
Having anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts
Eating disorders
Being attention seeking
Having problems in school or trouble learning, including playing truant
Tiredness
Becoming withdrawn
Startling easily, being nervous or jumpy
Acting younger than they are
Taking part in more activities outside home

Where to get Help:

National Domestic Abuse Helpline (freephone, 24/7): 0808 2000 247, org.uk
Men’s Advice Line (freephone): 0808 8010 327, org.uk
Galop (freephone, LGBT+): 0800 999 5428, org.uk/get-help/helplines

Operation Encompass is a Staffordshire Police initiative working with Children’s Services.

As part of Operation Encompass Staffordshire police will notify the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead of every incident of domestic abuse where a child is known to be living in the household.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and this is to help schools with responses to domestic abuse by helping them support children and their families exposed to or involved in domestic abuse. This may mean talking to students about their experiences, raising awareness through classroom discussion and schools activities, and helping victims and families by providing to them signposting information.

Landau Forte Academy, Amington is committed to protecting children and young people and working with partners to stop domestic abuse.

Support from the Academy

Support for Parents

Safeguarding information out of hours and during the Academy holidays

Useful links

General advice