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Abbots Cross Primary School, Newtownabbey

Safeguarding

 
 

Our vision is for Abbots Cross Primary School pupils to become aspirational achievers, resilient learners and caring contributors to a challenging world. We believe that children thrive and maximise potential in an environment which is happy and secure and where mutual respect is nurtured and valued.

Abbots Cross Primary School has a Safeguarding & Child Protection Team. The team is as follows:

Designated Teacher (DT): Mrs Smyth

Deputy Designated Teacher (DDT): Mrs Berry

Principal: Mrs Griffith

Designated Governor for Child Protection & E-Safety: Mr Armstrong

Chair of the Board of Governors: Mrs Cherry

The general principles, which underpin our work, are those set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and are enshrined in the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, Safeguarding and Child Protection in Schools –A Guide for Schools (2017), Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland (2017), the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) Guidance and the Safeguarding Board (Northern Ireland) 2017.

The following principles form the basis of our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy.

  • In any incident the child’s welfare is paramount. This overrides all other considerations. (Article 3: United Nation Conventions on the Rights of a Child).
  • It is a child’s right to feel safe at all times, to be heard, listened to and taken seriously. (Articles 12 and 19: United Nation Conventions on the Rights of a Child).
  • Abbots Cross Primary School has a pastoral responsibility towards the children in its care and staff should take all reasonable steps to ensure that their welfare is safeguarded and their safety preserved.

If you are concerned about a child please do not hesitate to contact a member of the team.​