At Hartlepool Free School we take safeguarding very seriously. Our school ensures that safeguarding is a key priority in all aspects of school life, and that safeguarding is a key part of our curriculum and everyday practices We see safeguarding as being the responsibility of all members of our staff team and those who visit our school.
Safeguarding is about ensuring that children are safe from harm. This means protecting them from maltreatment, preventing any impairment to their health or development, ensuring that they grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and taking action, when appropriate, to ensure all children have the best outcomes. Child protection is part of this definition and refers to activities undertaken to prevent children suffering, or being likely to suffer, significant harm, including abuse and neglect.
Below is some useful information with regard to safeguarding.
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Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Rick Kitson |
01429 450081 |
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Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Tristan Keates |
01429 450081 |
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Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead |
Sarah Harrington |
01429 450081 |
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Link Safeguarding Trustee |
Joanna Bailey |
01429 450081 |
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Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) |
Blerta Collins |
01429 401844 |
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Children’s Hub |
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01429 284284 |
Links to Keeping Children Safe in Education can be found below.
Keeping Children Safe in Education Policy 2026
Child on Child Abuse Policy 2026
What do I do if I have a safeguarding concern out of school hours or during the school holidays?
If you have a safeguarding concern out of school hours or during the school holidays or just need to discuss a concern, please contact First Contact on 0300 026 7979 or for any emergencies call 999.
Operation Encompass School
We are an Operation Encompass school and work closely with the Police. More information can be found here Home : Operation Encompass
Useful safeguarding websites:
Prevent – Report online material promoting terrorism or extremism.
https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism
Take It Down – A free service that can help young people remove or stop the online sharing of nude, partially nude, or sexually explicit images or videos taken of them when they were under 18 years old.
https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/
Report Remove – Created to help young people under 18 in the UK to confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves and remove them from the internet.
https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/professionals/guidance/report-remove3/
Inclusive Digital Safety Hub – So you got naked online (SEND version), a guide for children and young people. This resource helps and advises young people who may find themselves in a situation where they (or a friend) have put a sexting image or video online and have lost control over that content and who it’s being shared with.
https://www.internetmatters.org/inclusive-digital-safety/so-you-got-naked-online-guide-for-young-people/
Child Exploitation Online Protection Team – for support with online concerns for parents, carers and students How can CEOP help me? | young person
What I wish my parents or carers knew… – A guide for parents and carers on managing children’s digital lives.
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/what-i-wish-my-parents-or-carers-knew-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers-on-managing-childrens-digital-lives/