Safeguarding

Child Protection & Safeguarding

Our Aim

We are committed to working together to safeguard all children. The safeguarding of our students is central to everything that we do as a school.

This page is designed to ensure that all students and their parents have information and guidance to ensure that children are kept as safe as possible and have access to the support they need.

Sharing Concerns

Should you have a concern about the welfare of a young person, you can access support through specialist pastoral staff at school. Our aim is to ensure that all necessary support is available to our students and families.

Claire Hirst (AVP) is the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Grace Cook is the Deputy DSL and Education and Welfare Support Officer. They are available via email or through the usual school phone number:

safeguarding@voy.hslt.academy / hello@voy.hslt.academy or 01904 560000

Alternatively, if you are worried about a child or a young person, you could contact the City of York Council’s Children and Young People’s Services through the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). If your concern is outside of normal office hours, you should contact the emergency duty team.

You can read our Safeguarding Policy on our policies page here.

During Office Hours

• By Phone: 01904 551900
• Email:  childrensfrontdoor@york.gov.uk

Outside Office Hours

• Emergency Duty Team (for evenings, weekends and bank holidays): 01609 780780

In an Emergency

If you are concerned that a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm, you should seek medical help or, in an emergency ring 999.

You should call 101 to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response

Keeping Your Child Safe

Click for – Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024

Below are links to websites which provide parents/carers with useful information about where to go for advice and support

• https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/
• https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
• http://educateagainsthate.com/
• http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
• http://www.talktofrank.com/worried-about-a-child
• http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_parents

The following websites provide support for young people who may need it for a variety of reasons:

• http://www.talktofrank.com/
• https://www.childline.org.uk/
• http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_children_young_people
• https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

Safeguarding updates

• September 2024 update
• October 2024 update

Keeping Children Safe Online

Parents may be concerned regarding online apps or websites their children are using. Here are some useful links which contains parent information on a variety of apps that you may find useful:

• https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides
  A helpful guide for parents to the apps / websites your child may be using. This is regularly updated and includes details of a wide variety of platforms.
• https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/parents-and-carers
  Providing, advice, guidance and resources to parents to help keep your child safe online.
• https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
  A detailed website focussing on on-line safety and parental awareness.
• https://parentzone.org.uk/
  Providing help and support for parents on all elements of ‘digital family life’
• https://www.internetmatters.org/
  A website which offers online support to parents and families including a live chat function for parents to access support quickly.
• https://www.net-aware.org.uk/
  Your guide to apps, games and social media sites

Broadband Parental Controls and Internet Safety for Children 

https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/
Specific support with using parental controls with your broadband and online security set-up

You can also find out more on our Online Safety page.

If you’d like to report a safeguarding issue or have concerns regarding bullying, you can do so by clicking this link. Anything you write will be sent anonymously.