Bright World edge closer to Safeguarding accreditation with Child-Safe

In Partnership with Bright World

On Tuesday 15^th October Director of Operations, Avril Griffin accompanied Managing Director, Lana Foster to Child-Safe International’s Headquarters in Bristol (West of England).

Child-Safe is a unique organisation which aims to safeguard and prevent the abuse of children and young people living away from home.

 The two Bright World representatives met with the Charity’s leader and Founder, Chris Gould in order to discuss and learn more about Child-Safe’s Assured Partner scheme and their accreditation. 

Chris began Child-Safe in 2004. After 30 years experience within the police as a Detective Chief Superintendent heading the Child Protection Sector, he developed plans to build an organisation which focused solely on preventing the abuse of children and young people living away from home and received a Police Research Award for Innovation from the Home Secretary in 1999.

After meeting Chris for the first time back in 2011, Managing Director, Lana Foster has made bold changes within the team to shift the focus of the guardianship programme onto Safeguarding and Child Protection. By employing Safeguarding Manager, Brian McAllister and Director of Operations, Avril Griffin this year, Lana believes that Bright World can only improve and evolve as a company and guardianship organisation that is dedicated to protecting the children under its care.

“With all members of the Guardianship team undergoing specialist Child Protection training from Child Safe earlier this year, they are now more qualified to detect and resolve Child Protection issues.”

 Lana Foster, Bright World Managing Director

After a quick tour of the Avon and Somerset Police Headquarters, where Child-Safe are based, Lana and Avril discussed the remaining steps which will allow Bright World to become recognised Partner of Child-Safe and the Pilot accredited International Education Company worldwide.

There are four levels within the scheme – bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Bright World is currently working towards the Bronze level; an achievement which will further cement the company’s commitment to the Safeguarding and Child Protection of International students.

“I am really positive about the work that Bright World is doing in relation to safeguarding in it’s wildest sense and you are to be applauded for your dedication and positivity in this regard. I am really excited about having you achieve a level of Child-Safe accreditation.”

Chris Gould, Founder and Chairman of Child-Safe

Chris was also very excited to introduce Lana and Avril to Child-Safe’s ‘App’ SafeKnight.

The SafeKnight app was recently named in the top five safety apps competition globally at the recent WYSTC conference in Australia.  The app, once downloaded, can be used to launch the phone/device’s camera and not only records the photo onto the phone in the standard way but also holds a virtual copy which is date/time/location stamped and can be accessed to help track down a potentially missing person.

For more information on Bright World’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures please click here

Stover School shortlisted for a national award

Bright World Partners, Stover School has been shortlisted for a national Award at the prestigious 'Independent School Awards' in the Outstanding Financial-Commercial Initiative category.

The Independent School Awards™ (ISAs) celebrate excellence in the strategic and financial management of independent schools in the UK. They are organised by the team behind Funding for Independent Schools magazine. The ISAs provides benchmarks for the sector as a whole and opportunities for schools to learn from each other. All shortlisted schools demonstrate value for money to their parents.

Two other schools from across the UK have been nominated in the Outstanding Financial-Commercial Initiative category and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony in November. Stover School is committed to playing its part to encourage all energy consumers to be more energy efficient and believe in the huge range of benefits - environmental, social and economic - that energy saving can bring in the future.

Two woodchip biomass boilers plated at 270kW and associated buffer tanks have been installed at Stover School, Newton Abbot. The system feeds the Senior School, Preparatory School and three Boarding Houses, providing heating and hot water to the entire School estate.

The school has been approved by Ofgem, for the production of heat under the renewable heat incentive scheme. Ofgem is responsible for implementing and administering the scheme on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and under this scheme the school will be paid for every KWh that its biomass boilers produce.

The Renewable Heat Incentive is the world’s first long-term financial support programme for renewable heat. This initiative was launched in November 2011 by the UK Government to encourage uptake of renewable heat technologies among householders, communities and businesses through financial incentives. The UK Government expects the Renewable Heat Incentive to make a large contribution towards their 2020 aim of having 12 per cent of UK heating coming from renewable sources.

Stover Preparatory School presently holds a Bronze Eco-School Award and this year, aim to reach Silver status. With this in mind, a working party and pupil committee has been formed to put into practise Eco-initiatives. This will help Stover School reach its target of being even more ‘eco-friendly’. 

If you would like to apply to this Co-educational UK Boarding School in Devon. Please enquire online today!

 For further information, or if you are interested in learning more about placement and uk guardianship, please get in touch with Sales & Marketing Manager, Charlotte Hamson charlotte@brightworld.co.uk, call 01273 835745 or visit our website. www.brightworld.co.uk