In Toto Ed fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect adults and children from harm and supporting and promoting the welfare of those coming into contact with our organisation.
WHAT IS SAFEGUARDING?
Safeguarding is a term used to denote measures to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of individuals. Safeguarding is keeping the children and adults we care for protected from harm, abuse or neglect.
Safeguarding is crucial as promoting the welfare of our children and adults and protecting them from harm can massively help the young person’s health and development, ensuring the children and adults grow up with the provision of safe and effective care.
Everybody who is working with a young person has a duty of care to keep the young person safe, also making sure everyone who comes into contact with a young person has a role to play in sharing information and identifying concerns.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
When working with our children and adults, we should always be vigilant on recognising signs of harm, abuse and neglect as it is crucial for the wellbeing and health of the young person. In some cases, a young person may not be able to verbalise or find it difficult to verbalise, so it is crucial to be able to recognise the signs.
Below is a list of a few signs to look out for:
• Change in behaviour
• Being withdrawn from activities or being withdrawn from individuals
• Task avoidance
• Delayed or inappropriate emotional development
• Loss of self-confidence or self-esteem
• Self-harm
• Unexplained injuries (bruising, fractures or burns)
• Desperate seeking of affection
NEGLECT & TYPES OF ABUSE
• Neglect is a deficit in meeting a child’s basic needs including the failure to provide adequate care.
• Physical abuse is any intentional act causing injury or trauma.
• Verbal abuse is when a person forcefully criticises, insults, or denounces someone else.
• Financial abuse is the illegal or unauthorised use of a person’s property, such as money.
• Sexual abuse is undesired sexual behaviour by one person upon another.
• Discrimination is treatment of a person based on a group such as religion, sex, age, race, etc.
WHO SHOULD I SPEAK TO ABOUT A CONCERN?
In Toto Ed Cambridge office: 01223 344355
• Psychological & emotional abuse is any act including confinement, isolation, verbal assault, humiliation, intimidation, infantilisation, or any other treatment which may diminish the sense of identity, dignity, and self-worth. STACEY
stacey.green@in-toto-ed.com
Local Authority Designated Officers can be contacted for allegations against all staff and volunteers via:
Email: LADO@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01223 727967
Out of Hours Emergency Duty Team: 0345 045520
PROCEDURES FOR VISITING IN TOTO ED
On arrival, all visitors must report to reception and sign-in using our online Inventry system. All visitors will be issued with a visitors lanyard.
During your visit you must ensure the following:
• Wear your visitor lanyard at all times
• Report to a member of staff, anything that you see or hear that is of concern
During your visit, we require you to refrain from the following:
• Sharing personal information with students
• Using your mobile phone
• Disrupting lessons
Fire emergency procedures
Any person discovering a fire must:
• Operate the nearest fire alarm
• Evacuate to the fire assembly point outside the school
Lockdown procedures
Please remain in a locked room away from doors and windows until you are informed the lockdown has ended.
Professional visitors
At In Toto Ed, we welcome visits from professionals representing external agencies. To ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff, we ask that the following procedures are adhered to:
Visit Arrangements:
• All professional visits must be scheduled in advance.
• Professionals conducting 1:1 sessions with students are required to present valid photo identification at every visit.
Health & Safety Expectations:
• External professionals are expected to have completed their own risk assessments prior to working with young people.
• A member of the In Toto Ed staff may accompany the visitor upon request.
• A private room will be allocated for meetings with students.
• Support from In Toto Ed staff is available and should be requested when needed.
Student Risk Assessments
• In Toto Ed maintains confidential and up-to-date risk assessments for all students.
• Professionals may request access to this information as needed for their work.
In Case of Serious Incidents
If a serious incident occurs, visitors should:
• Immediately call for assistance,
• Move to a safe location,
• Allow In Toto Ed staff - trained in de-escalation and positive handling - to manage the situation.
