ETHOS HERITAGE CIC SAFEGUARDING AND PROTECTION OF CHILDREN

References:

A The Children Act 1989

B Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Reviewed: 21/12/22

Summary

1 EH CIC recognises the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 EH CIC is committed to ensuring that its safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance, and that its policies comply with best practice and statute requirements

Welfare Aims

2 This policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children is paramount in all circumstances It aims to ensure that regardless of age, ability, gender, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background, those under the age of 18:

● have a positive and enjoyable experience of heritage in a safe environment

● are protected from abuse whilst participating in or activities

What Is Abuse

4 Abuse may be the result of a single act or repeated acts It may be unintentional It may be an act of neglect or a failure to act. There are many forms of abuse including:

● Physical abuse

● Emotional abuse

● Sexual abuse

● Neglect and acts of omission

● Financial abuse

● Discriminatory abuse

● Institutional abuse

Our Responsibility

3 EH CIC recognises that children who identify with certain protected characteristics can be particularly vulnerable to abuse We accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare whilst they are participating in our projects

Procedures

4 As part of our safeguarding policy EH CIC will:

● promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people

● ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people

● ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern

● ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored

● prevent the employment of unsuitable individuals

● ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation

● ensure staff are trained in best practice and understand their statue and legal obligations

Characteristics

5 The following characteristics may, in some circumstances place an individual more at risk of harm or abuse

● Not having mental capacity1 to make decisions about their own safety or other day to day issues -including having fluctuating mental capacity associated with mental illness and acquired brain injury

● Communication difficulties

● Physical dependency – being dependent on others for personal care and activities of daily life.

● Low self-esteem.

● Experience of abuse.

● Experience of substance abuse.

● Been exposed to porngraphy

● Been groomed for serial gratification or financial advantage

Risk Factors

6 The following factors about a situation may make someone more at risk of harm or abuse:

● Being cared for in a care setting where they are more or less dependent on others

● Not getting the right amount or the kind of care they need

● Living with a family at risk

● Isolation and social exclusion

● Stigma and discrimination

● Lack of access to information and support

● Being the focus of anti-social behaviour

1Being unable to understand the implications of their situation and the risks to themselves, take action themselves to prevent abuse, participate to the fullest extent possible in decision making about interventions involving them, be they life-changing events or everyday matters (Mental Capacity Act 2005)

Recognition And Indicators Of Child Abuse

7. The ability to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse in any given situation is likely to depend on the nature of the relationship with the child or young person in question. Personnel involved in support on our projects should think in terms of the physical and behavioural signs, and the other factors associated with the category of abuse.

● Physical signs - What physical signs of abuse may be evident on the body of the child or young person at risk?

● Behavioural signs - When you think about the behaviour of the vulnerable child, young person or their caregiver, does it add to your concerns or lessen them?

● Other factors associated with the abuse - What do you know about the history of the child, young person, their family or caregivers? Does this information add to or detract from your concern?

Responsibilities

8 EH CIC must ensure that our staff and participants are familiar with safeguarding policy and procedures Safeguarding, however, is everyone’s business and individuals have a moral and legal responsibility to ensure the safety of vulnerable children and young people who may be at risk

Maintenance Of Records

9 Accurate records must be maintained for the child or young person being supported, including age, date of birth, address, contact details and emergency contacts, including Next of Kin

What To Do If You Suspect Abuse

10 If you suspect abuse, remember, you have a duty of care to take action A concern may be a direct disclosure from the child or young person at risk, or a concern raised by others It may be an observation of the behaviour of the child or young person at risk or the behaviour of another If concerned, you should do the following:

● Act to protect the child at risk This is best achieved by early reporting to the appropriate agency (in extreme circumstances this may be the police or the local authority) The local NHS can give advice on the appropriate actions

● Deal with immediate needs and ensure that the child or young person is, as far as is practicable, central to the decision making process EH CIC staff must be aware that it is not their role to investigate suspected abuse, this is the job of the appropriate authority

● Make a referral to the local Social Services Department if abuse is suspected and report the abuse to the senior EH CIC person on site.

● Record the events factually, without personal judgements or opinions

Recording Concerns

11. It is vital to maintain a record of any concerns that may be raised about an individual – this includes a record of the action taken in response. These need to be reviewed regularly as it may be possible to see patterns of behaviour emerging, which may indicate episodic or cumulative forms of abuse.

Reporting Concerns

12 Any safeguarding concerns must be reported without delay Incidences of suspected or potential abuse must be formally raised with senior EH CIC staff All staff on site must be aware that there may also be a legal obligation to report concerns to social services or the police No one should ever go home at the end of the day without reporting a concern If suspicions of abuse are mentioned by other people, they must be encouraged to report this at the earliest opportunity All staff must be aware that their first responsibility is to the child or young person and not to their colleagues or the organisation

Independent Reporting

13 It is important that all staff have an independent means to report concerns in confidence outside of their chain of command This is to ensure that information is not lost and that all concerns are appropriately followed up The initial point of contact should always be the senior EH CIC person on site, but if personnel are uncomfortable with this then an alternative route should be taken They should contact the local police, local social services or the local NHS

Cooperation

14. Those providing support to children at risk need to be aware that they will be required to cooperate with investigations undertaken by Children’s Social Care or other agencies. Where process allows, regular updates should be facilitated.

Safe Recruitment Procedures

15 Staff that have regular or unsupervised contact with participants during the course of their work will require Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificates (formerly CRB checks) Guidance on the need for these checks and the procedures to be applied can be found in EH CIC policies on safeguarding vulnerable groups An accurate database of staff showing their DBS clearance and dates must be kept and should be regularly reviewed Where charitable staff and subcontractors are engaged in on EH CIC projects, confirmation of DBS checks should be requested All staff should be qualified to Level 3 Safeguarding

Awareness Of Policy

16. These policies and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in EH CIC. Failure to comply with the policies and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation and or projects.

Training

17. Personnel who are responsible for managing the welfare or recovery activity of participants will be trained by the EH CIC Safeguarding Instructor. This course will ensure a base line of skills and knowledge to support our participants. EH CIC will maintain records of those staff who have completed the online training course.

Safeguarding Officer

19 To ensure compliance with the above policy, EH CIC has appointed Emma Samuel as the Protection and Safeguarding Officer She will ensure policies are adhered to and should be the first point of contact for any concerns that may arise

Monitoring

20 The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:

● Changes in legislation and/or government guidance

● As required by the Local Safeguarding Children Board, partners bodies and EC CIC Directors

● As a result of any other significant change or event