Procedures for reporting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) have been introduced by government office as a mandatory duty for teachers in schools.

It has been estimated that over 20,000 girls under the age of 15 are at risk of FGM in the UK each year, and that 66,000 women in the UK are living with the consequences of FGM. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a growing cause of concern in schools.

FGM is child abuse and a form of violence against women and girls, and therefore it is dealt with as part of existing child and adult safeguarding/protection structures, policies and procedures. It is illegal in the UK to subject a child to female genital mutilation (FGM) or to take a child abroad to undergo the procedure – Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Despite the harm it causes, FGM practising communities consider it normal to protect their cultural identity. The age at which girls are subject to FGM varies greatly from shortly after birth to any time up to adulthood. The average age is 10 to 12 years.

In dealing with FGM it is important to be alert to the following key indicators:

• A child’s family comes from a community that is known to practise FGM
• A chid may talk about a long holiday to a country where the practice is prevalent
• A child may confide that she is to have a ‘special procedure’ or to attend a special occasion
• A child may request help from a teacher or another adult

Any female child born to a woman, or has a sister, who has been subjected to FGM will be considered to be at risk, as much as other female children in the extended family. Any information or concern that a child is at risk of, or has undergone FGM, will result in a child protection referral to Children’s Social Care.

Call the FGM helpline if you are worried a child is at risk of, or has had, FGM. It’s free, anonymous and they are available 24/7. Call them on 0800 028 3550, or email them at fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk 

Further information and guidance can be found here

As part of our school’s ongoing safeguarding and child protection duties, we are fully behind the government’s Prevent Strategy.

From 1 July 2015 all schools are subject to a duty under section 26 of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, in the exercise of their functions, to have “due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”. This duty is known as the Prevent Duty for Schools.

At St Robert Southwell, we build pupils’ resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling our pupils to challenge extremist views.

The statutory guidance refers to the importance of Prevent awareness training to equip staff to identify pupils at risk of being drawn into terrorism and to challenge extremist ideas.

All staff have annual PREVENT training.