Our Safeguarding Policy

This policy applies to all staff, including directors, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of Several Seats C.I.C

The purpose of this policy:

●  To protect children, young people and vulnerable adults who receive Several Seats C.I.C’s services. This includes the children of adults who use our services

●  To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection; Several Seats CIC believes that a child, young person and vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them. 

Policy Statement

Safeguarding is a fundamental part of Several Seats C.I.C’s work and this commitment is reflected in Several Seats’ Quality Standards and the values of our organisation, which inform and support all of our safeguarding activity:

• We are respectful

• We treat others as they would want to be treated

• We are inclusive

• We work together, we involve, and we consult

• We are solutions-focused

• We ensure that what we do makes a real difference

• We are expert

• We strive to be the best at what we do.

• We are empowering

• We support others to achieve their goals

We recognise that:

●  The welfare of the child or vulnerable adults is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989●  All children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.

●  Some children and vulnerable adults are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues

●  Working in partnership with children, young people, vulnerable adults, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting welfare.

We will seek to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe by:

●  Valuing them, listening to and respecting them

●  Appointing a designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people, a deputy and a lead board member for safeguarding 

●  Adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers 

●  Developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures

●  Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures

●  Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made

●  Recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately 

●  Using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately 

●  Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise

●  Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

●  Ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance

Guiding Principle

Everyone's responsibility - Everyone at Several Seats has a responsibility to keep children and adults who need care and support safe from abuse and neglect.

Prevention – We will put sensible measures in place to prevent abuse, including the use of safe recruitment practices, promoting safe working practice and raising awareness of safeguarding.

Protection – We will provide policy, procedures, information and training to enable all Several Seats staff to identify and respond appropriately to concerns about abuse.

Partnership – Several Seats C.I.C. will work in Partnership with statutory, regulatory and other relevant organisations to ensure that safeguarding concerns are responded to appropriately.

Empowerment – We will be person-centred and uphold rights in our safeguarding work

Accountability - We aim to be transparent in our approaches and recognise the need for continuous learning and improvement.

Roles and Responsibilities - All staff and volunteers Every individual working for Several Seats C.I.C., irrespective of their role, has a part to play in safeguarding children and adults who need care and support. All staff will undertake training and must familiarise themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

Directors

Directors have a responsibility to ensure that safeguarding is included, where appropriate, in the strategic plans, risk assessments, communications and quality assurance processes of their Directorate. In some cases, they will be required to make decisions in relation to complex or serious safeguarding concerns, in consultation with the Head of Safeguarding. They should promote the discussion of safeguarding at team meetings and as part of supervision or one-to-one meetings. They may be required to make decisions relating to complex or serious safeguarding concerns and can seek advice from the Head of Safeguarding where required. 

Head of Safeguarding 

The Head of Safeguarding is the Designated Person for Safeguarding at Several Seats C.I.C. They are responsible for developing and quality assuring safeguarding activity across Several Seats C.I.C. and supporting best practice for external stakeholders.

Several Seats C.I.C. Partners

Several Seats C.I.C.’s Partners will make their own arrangements for safeguarding, in partnership with their local Adult and Children's (where required) Safeguarding Boards and in accordance with the Several Seats C.I.C. Quality Standards for safeguarding.

Breaches of Policy

Failure to comply with the Several Seats C.I.C. safeguarding policy may be managed in a number of ways, depending on the nature and consequences of any incident. In some cases a combination of responses may be required.

• Local authority co-ordinated safeguarding investigation

• Police investigation

• Referral to the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

• People & Performance disciplinary process

• Internal review or co-operation with an external review

 

Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children and vulnerable young adults, namely;

●  Children Act 1989

●  United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991

●  Data Protection Act 1998

●  Human Rights Act 1998

●  Sexual Offences Act 2003

●  Children Act 2004

●  Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

●  Protection of Freedom Act 2012

●  Children and Families Act 2014

●  The Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice: 0-25 years - Statutory Guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government 2014

●  Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing services to children, young people, parents and carers; HM Government 2015

●  Working together to safeguarding children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government 2015This policy should be read alongside our policies and procedures on:

●  Recruitment, induction and training

●  Role of the designated safeguarding officer

●  Dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person

●  Managing allegations against staff and volunteers

●  Recording and information sharing

●  Code of conduct for staff and volunteers

●  Safer recruitment 

●  E-safety

●  Anti-bullying 

●  Complaints 

●  Whistleblowing

●  Health and Safety

●  Training, supervision and support

●  Lone working policy and procedure 

●  Quality assurance 

Equality Statement

Several Seats C.I.C. is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. Everyone who accesses our services or works for us in a paid or voluntary capacity should be safe, empowered to play a part in promoting their own welfare and that of others and able to live a life free from abuse. This applies to all, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or belief.