Abbot’s Lea School’s safeguarding officer receives award

A member of staff from Abbot’s Lea School, Woolton, has been awarded for her dedication in supporting families who require extra assistance in Liverpool. 

Lisa Sharpe, who is the Safeguarding Officer at the school, has been awarded with the Early Help Recognition Award by Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool Safeguarding Children Partnership. 

The award acknowledges Lisa’s continuous hard work, time and commitment to supporting families through the Early Help initiative throughout Liverpool. 

Early Help means taking action to support a child, young person or their family in the early stages of a problem, as soon as it emerges.   

In Liverpool, there are three Early Help Hubs which encourage effective multi-agency working.  

In each hub, there is a range of professionals who work together to support the Early Help agenda.  

This includes representatives from the police, children’s services, health, housing, Department for Work and Pensions, parent and infant mental health, therapeutic social workers and school family support service.   

Lisa’s role at Abbot’s Lea School is vital. 

 She supports students age 3-19 with Autism and complex learning needs, where there are specific needs to take extra care to jointly safeguarding the children in the family home or at school.   

Such joined up support ensures that all the necessary steps are being taken to protect the vulnerable youngsters from anything that might detract from a healthy and happy development.   

Lisa is an essential point of contact between the school, the families, the child protection authorities and the organisations that their regulations apply to.  

Lisa’s position at the school and her outstanding involvement with the Early Help Hubs has not gone unnoticed.  

Nicky Walsh, Early Help Partnership Manager at Liverpool City Council, recognised that the relationships Lisa was building with families and the support that she was giving them was making a real difference to the lives of children and their families. 

Nicky said: “High quality Early Help is vital in ensuring that children, young people and their families receive coordinated support as soon as a problem emerges.  

“We are keen to acknowledge the hard work that is undertaken by professionals to support the Early Help agenda and are delighted to be able to recognise Lisa as one of the people who goes ‘above and beyond’ with her offer of early help.”  

Lisa Sharpe said: “I am quite shocked and really humbled to receive this award from Liverpool City Council and the Liverpool Safeguarding Children Partnership. 

“I love my job and the children within the school are at the heart of everything I do. Their safety and wellbeing are of the utmost importance, and I strive to ensure the best outcomes for every single one of them.  

“I have worked at Abbot’s Lea School since 2009 and so I have been fortunate to develop solid relationships with all of the families, including those that, at times, require a little extra support.”  

Headteacher of Abbot’s Lea School, Mrs Ania Hildrey, said: “I am absolutely overjoyed that Lisa has been recognised for her superb safeguarding work.  

“Lisa is quiet, unassuming, and humble as a fellow colleague, and yet, her knowledge of safeguarding and her thorough, detailed, methodical approach to every single family (and never quite a “case”!), is truly inspiring.  

“Everything that she does is child and family centred and her service to the school is vital.  

“I am extremely proud that her commitment and the impact of her work have not gone unnoticed at the city-wide level.  

“As we continue on our journey to become an International Centre of Excellence in Autism Education, Research and Professional Development, our robust safeguarding policy and ethos means that we have created a culture of safeguarding that supports both our students, families as well as our staff.”  

Mrs Hildrey added: “On behalf of all the team, I would like to extend our sincere congratulations to Lisa and thank her for all her hard work and dedication. You are simply the best, Lisa!”