Mrs Smith recently undertook a course to help support our pupils and community with some really tricky issues. 

 

The course was run by Tender and throughout, the commented on how committed and inspirational Mrs Smith was...so much so, she was nominated for an award and we are so proud because she won!

 

You can read the transcript from the award ceremony below. A huge congratulations to Mrs Smith for her hard work and dedication - she is phenomenal!

 

Keeping Children Safe Champions (Presented by Nazir Afsal) 

Keeping children and young people safe sits at the heart of everything Tender does.  Safeguarding is everybody’s business and we all have a part to play in creating a safety net for every child.   

Children often disclosure personal experiences during Tender workshops which they know Tender will share with the safeguarding leads in their schools, to ensure they are safe and cared for.  These disclosures can often provide a piece of the jigsaw that forms the picture of a child’s story.  This single piece can help schools better support their students and teachers will say to us “I knew there was something going on for that child but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until now”. 

Two people who understand this profoundly are Jill Smith from Kings Oak School and Paula McTernan from Middle Park Community Centre in Greenwich, who truly exemplify best practice in joined up working to safeguard the young people in their care.  

This was evident when they took part in Tender’s six-week adult training programme, during which they were able to offer knowledge and ideas for ways in which they work closely together to protect and nurture the young people who attend both the school and the centre. From sharing details of opportunities and incidents that may impact their young people, to getting to know the communities on the estate in which the settings are based, these two dedicated professionals truly put the wellbeing of the young people they work with at the forefront of everything they do. 

 

The award for Keeping Children Safe Champions therefore goes to… Jill Smith from Kings Oak school and Paula McTernan from Middle Park Community Centre.