Standards and safeguarding

We want everyone who uses National Star’s services to be safe. All of our staff help make this happen.

We want everyone who uses National Star’s services to be safe. All of our staff help make this happen.

If we are worried about someone or think they may get hurt, we tell someone who can help. This may be a social worker or the police.

National Star carefully chooses people who work with us, making sure we know what they have done in the past and if they have been in trouble with the police.

Read National Star’s Safeguarding Policy, Welsh Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Procedures to make sure that we do the right things. We regard the protection of children and adults at risk as a priority, and are committed to safeguarding.

Our policy states that:

  • The protection of children, young people and adults at risk is everyone’s responsibility
  • National Star will follow statutory and specialist guidelines in working with children, young people and adults at risk
  • National Star will seek to support all those affected by abuse
  • National Star will review its Safeguarding Policy annually

We recognise our duty to safeguard students, residents and other service users, encompassing specific safeguarding issues that include Sexual Exploitation, Female Genital Mutilation and Forced Marriage.

The Chair of Governors will liaise with the local authority on safeguarding issues in the event of an allegation being made against the Principal or Chief Executive.

The Chief Executive Officer is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). The DSL has overall responsibility for safeguarding within the organisation, and will provide advice and support to other staff on welfare and safeguarding matters. The National Safeguarding Lead will act as the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and is responsible to the DSL.

Employees who have concerns about a student, service user or resident should raise these with the National Safeguarding Lead or DSL, who will decide whether to make an alert to social care, but any employee can refer their concerns about a child to children’s social care directly. Where an allegation or suspicion of abuse has been reported to the relevant Local Authority Safeguarding Team, National Star will work in partnership with them to determine the next steps.

National Star will exercise care in the appointment of all those working with children, young people and adults at risk, working to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ principles. We achieve this by ensuring that everyone working with children and vulnerable people:

  • Has undergone pre-employment checks in line with current legislation, including an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service check and adequate training and supervision
  • Understands and follows National Star’s Safeguarding Policy and procedures
  • Is registered with their relevant professional body (if appropriate)

National Star will promote safeguarding through improving the personal knowledge of learners or residents of their own safety and by ensuring they are and feel safe.

This positive approach was recognised during our most recent Ofsted visit when the inspector commented that National Star delivered ‘outstanding safeguarding of vulnerable young people, helping students take managed risks.’