Citicare International’s Safeguarding Policy.
PURPOSE & AIMS
1.1 The purpose of Citcare International’s (Citicare) safeguarding policy is to ensure every adult and child is safe and protected from harm. This means we will always work to:
Protect adults, children and young people from maltreatment.
Prevent impairment of adults, children and young people’s health or development.
Identify adults, children and young people who may be in need of extra help. Ensure that our services assist adult, children and young people to be safe.
1.2 This policy will give clear direction to volunteers, those in receipt of our services and parents about expected behaviour and our responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of all adults, children and young people.
1.3 Citicare 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. The elements of our policy are prevention, protection and support.
1.4 This policy applies to all those receiving services from or providing services on behalf of
Citicare.
1. LEGISLATION AND STATUTORY GUIDANCE
This policy is based on the Department for Education’s statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. We comply with the procedures set out by our local safeguarding children and adults boards.
This policy is also based on the following legislation/guidance: The Children Act 1989 (and 2004 amendment), which provides a framework for the care and protection of children
The Care Act 2014, which provides a framework for the care and protection of adults
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974,
The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims (Amendment ) Act 2012
Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
The Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 and Childcare Act 2006.
The Childcare (Disqualification) and Childcare (Early Years Provision Free of Charge)
(Extended Entitlement) (Amendment) Regulations 2018
What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’, DfE (March 2015)
Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services (July 2018)
Mandatory Reporting of Female Genital Mutilation – procedural information‘ (October 2015)
The Prevent duty: Departmental advice for schools and childcare providers’
Child Sexual Exploitation: A definition and guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers DfE (2017)
Tower Hamlets and Kensington and Chelsea Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures
DEFINITIONS
Children includes everyone under the age of 18.
Adults includes everyone aged 18 and over.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults means:
Protecting adults, children and young people from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children’s or adult’s health or development
Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all adults and children to have the best outcomes
Child protection is part of this definition and refers to activities undertaken to prevent children suffering, or being likely to suffer, significant harm.
Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child or adult. Somebody may abuse or neglect an adult or child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Adults and children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (e.g. via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.
Neglect is a form of abuse and is the persistent failure to meet a child or adult’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of material substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment).
Protect a child or adult from physical and emotional harm or danger. Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers) or Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child or adult’s basic emotional needs.
Self-neglect covers a wide range of behaviour: neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
Physical Abuse – includes hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.
Sexual Abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
Modern Slavery encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
Capacity refers to the ability to make a decision at a particular time, for example when under considerable stress. The starting assumption must always be that a person has the capacity to make a decision unless it can be established that they lack capacity under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Organisational Abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
Discrimination – discrimination is abuse, which centres on a difference or perceived difference particularly with respect to race, gender or disability or any of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act.
Financial or Material Abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Emotional or Psychological Abuse – this includes threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
Cyber Bullying – cyber bullying occurs when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages, or uses online forums with the intention of harming, damaging, humiliating or isolating another person. It can be used to carry out many different types of bullying (such as racist bullying, homophobic bullying, or bullying related to special educational needs and disabilities) but instead of the perpetrator carrying out the bullying face-to-face, they use technology as a means to do it.
Forced Marriage – forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties are married without their consent or against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of a third party in identifying a spouse. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 make it a criminal offence to force someone to marry.
Mate Crime – a ‘mate crime’ as defined by the Safety Net Project is ‘when vulnerable people are befriended by members of the community who go on to exploit and take advantage of them. It may not be an illegal act but still has a negative effect on the individual.’ Mate Crime is carried out by someone the adult knows and often happens in private. In recent years there have been a number of Safeguarding Adult Reviews relating to people with a learning disability who were murdered or seriously harmed by people who purported to be their friend.
Radicalisation – the aim of radicalisation is to attract people to their reasoning, inspire new recruits and embed their extreme views and persuade vulnerable individuals of the legitimacy of their cause. This may be direct through a relationship, or through social media.
2. OUR ETHOS
Children:
4.1 The child’s welfare is of paramount importance. Citicare will establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are listened to and are safe. Children will be able to talk freely to any member of volunteer if they are worried or concerned about something.
4.2 Everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding children. We recognise that volunteer at Citicare play a particularly important role as they are in a position to identify concerns early and provide help for children to prevent concerns from escalating. All volunteer are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child, volunteer members must always act in the best interests of the child.
4.3 All volunteer and regular visitors will, through induction and training, know how to recognise emerging needs and indicators of concern, how to respond to a disclosure from a child and how to record and report this information. They will not make promises to any child and will not keep secrets. Every child will know what the adult will have to do with any information they have chosen to disclose should it outline a safeguarding concern.
Adults:
4.4 Citicare supports the six principles of adult safeguarding as outlined by The Care Act 2014. These principles underpin our safeguarding policy in relation to adults.
Empowerment – People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
“I am asked what I want as the outcomes from the safeguarding process and these directly inform what happens.”
Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs.
“I receive clear and simple information about what abuse is, how to recognise the signs and what I can do to seek help.”
Proportionality – The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
“I am sure that the professionals will work in my interest, as I see them and they will only get involved as much as needed.”
Protection – Support and representation for those in greatest need.
“I get help and support to report abuse and neglect. I get help so that I am able to take part in the safeguarding process to the extent to which I want.”
Partnership – Local solutions through services working with their communities.
Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse “I know that volunteer treat any personal and sensitive information in confidence, only sharing what is helpful and necessary. I am confident that professionals will work together and with me to get the best result for me.”
Accountability – Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
“I understand the role of everyone involved in my life and so do they.”
4.5 All adults, regardless of age, ability or disability, gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital or gender status have the right to be protected from abuse and poor practice and to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment.
4.6 Citicare will seek to ensure that we are inclusive and make reasonable adjustments for any ability, disability or impairment, we will also commit to continuous development, monitoring and review.
4.7 The rights, dignity and worth of all adults will always be respected.
4.8 We recognise that ability and disability can change over time, such that some adults may be additionally vulnerable to abuse, for example those who have a dependency on others or have different communication needs.
4.9 We recognise that a disabled adult may or may not identify themselves or be identified as an adult ‘at risk’.
4.10 We all have a shared responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of all adults and will act appropriately and report concerns.
At all times we will work in partnership and endeavour to establish effective working relationships with parents, carers and colleagues from other agencies in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, The Care Act 2014, and Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures.
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
| Roles | Name | Contact Details |
| Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | Stephen Smith | Stephen@citicare.org.uk |
| Senior Lead for Safeguarding | Rosemary James | Rosemary@citicare.org.uk |
5.1 It is the responsibility of every member of volunteer and regular visitor to ensure that they carry out the requirements of this policy and, at all times, work in a way that will safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and vulnerable adults. This includes the responsibility to provide a safe environment.
The Senior Lead for Safeguarding
5.2 The Senior Lead for Safeguarding at Citicare is accountable for ensuring the effectiveness of this policy and our compliance with it.
5.3 The Senior Lead for Safeguarding will ensure that:
The safeguarding policy is in place and is reviewed annually, is available to the public and has been written in line with statutory guidance and the requirements of Tower Hamlets and Kensington and Chelsea’s Safeguarding Children Partnership and Adults Board’s procedures. A senior volunteer is designated to take the lead responsibility for safeguarding.
All volunteer receive a safeguarding induction and are provided with a copy of this policy and the volunteer code of conduct.
All volunteer undertake appropriate safeguarding training relevant to their role. Procedures are in place for dealing with allegations against volunteers who work with children in line with statutory guidance.
Safer recruitment practices are followed to prevent individuals who may pose a risk to children from having access to children within the organisation.
Any weakness with regard to safeguarding arrangements that are brought to their attention will be remedied without delay.
Policies and procedures, particularly concerning referrals of cases of suspected abuse and neglect, are followed by a volunteer.
All volunteers feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe safeguarding practice and such concerns are addressed sensitively in accordance with agreed internal procedures.
Liaison will take place with the Designated Officer for the Local Authority (commonly known as ‘LADO’) in the event of an allegation of abuse being made against a volunteer where their role involves working with children.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
5.4 The Designated Safeguarding Lead is a Director who takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection at Citicare. The DSL will carry out their role in accordance with the responsibilities outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
5.5 The DSL will provide advice and support to volunteers. Any concern for a child/adult’s safety or welfare will be recorded in writing and given to the DSL.
5.6 During opening hours, the DSL and/or a deputy will always be available for a volunteer to discuss any safeguarding concerns. If a DSL is not available in person, we will ensure that they are available via telephone and/or any other relevant media.
5.7 Through appropriate training, knowledge and experience our DSL will liaise with Police, Adult’s or Children’s Services where necessary, and make referrals of suspected abuse.
5.8 The DSL will maintain written records ensuring that they are kept confidential and stored securely.
5.9 The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all volunteers are aware of our policy and the procedure they need to follow. They will ensure that all volunteers and regular visitors have received appropriate safeguarding information during induction and that appropriate training needs are identified
4. TRAINING & INDUCTION
6.1 When a new volunteer joins our activities, they will be informed of the safeguarding arrangements in place. They will be given a copy of Citicare’s safeguarding policy along with the volunteer code of conduct and told who our Senior Lead for Safeguarding and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) are. All volunteers are expected to read these key documents.
6.2 Every new volunteer that comes into regular contact with children and vulnerable adults will receive safeguarding training during their induction period. This programme will include information relating to how to manage a disclosure from a child, how to record concerns, and the remit of the role of the DSL. The training will also include information about whistle-blowing in respect of concerns about another adult’s behaviour and suitability relating to their work with children and/or vulnerable adults.
6.3 Guidance about acceptable conduct will also be given to all volunteers during induction. These are sensible steps that every adult should take in their daily professional conduct with children. All volunteers are expected to carry out their work in accordance with this guidance and will be made aware that failure to do so could lead to disciplinary action.
6.4 In addition to the safeguarding induction, we will ensure that mechanisms are in place to assist volunteers to understand and discharge their role and responsibilities. In order to achieve this we will ensure that:
All volunteers undertake appropriate safeguarding training based on their role
All volunteers receive safeguarding updates (for example, via email, e-bulletins, volunteer meetings), as required to provide them with the relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively
6.5 All regular visitors, temporary volunteers will be given a set of our safeguarding procedures. They will be informed of whom our Senior Lead for Safeguarding, DSL and what the recording and reporting system is.
6.6 We actively encourage all of our volunteers to keep up to date with the most recent local and national safeguarding advice and guidance accessible via Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Partnership and Adults Board and Kensington and Chelsea Safeguarding procedures, which ever is applicable.
6.7 Our Senior Lead for Safeguarding will also undertake appropriate training to ensure they are able to carry out their duty to safeguard all of the children or vulnerable adults coming into contact with Citicare.
5. PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING PATHWAYS TO HELP AND SUPPORT
7.1 Citicare adheres to safeguarding procedures that have been agreed locally with Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Partnership and Adults Board and also in Kensington and Chelsea. Where we identify vulnerable adults or children and families in need of support, we will carry out our responsibilities in accordance with Tower Hamlets Safeguarding Children Partnership and Adults Board guidance and Kensington and Chelsea Guidance.
7.2 Every volunteer working at Citicare are advised to maintain an attitude of ‘it could happen here’ where safeguarding is concerned. When concerned about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult, volunteers should always act in the interests of the child or vulnerable adult and have a responsibility to take action as outlined in this policy.
7.3 All volunteers are encouraged to report and record any worries and concerns that they have and not see these as insignificant. On occasions, a referral is justified by a single incident such as an injury or disclosure of abuse. More often however, worries and concerns accumulate over a period of time and are evidenced by building up a picture of harm over time; this is particularly true in cases of emotional abuse and neglect. In these circumstances, it is crucial that volunteers record and pass on worries and concerns in accordance with this policy to allow the relevant authorities to build up a picture and intervene with support at the earliest opportunity. A reliance on memory without accurate and contemporaneous records of concern could lead to a failure to protect.
7.4 It is not the responsibility of volunteer to investigate welfare concerns or determine the truth of any disclosure or allegation. All volunteer, however, have a duty to recognise concerns and pass the information on in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy.
7.5 The DSL should be used as a first point of contact for worries, concerns and queries regarding any safeguarding concerns at Citicare. Any member of volunteer or visitor who receives a disclosure of abuse or suspects that a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm must report it immediately to the DSL. In the absence of a DSL, the matter should be brought to the attention of the Senior Lead for Safeguarding.
7.6 All concerns about a child or vulnerable adults should be reported without delay and recorded in writing using the agreed procedures.
7.7 Following receipt of any information raising concern, the DSL will consider what action to take. All information and actions taken, including the reasons for any decisions made, will be fully documented.
7.8 The DSL will decide whether to make a referral to the Police, Adults or Children’s Services when there are safeguarding concerns.
7.9 If a referral to Adults or Children’s Services has not met the threshold for support or statutory intervention, the DSL will make a full written record of the decision and outcome.
7.10 If, at any point, there is a risk of immediate serious harm to an adult or child, a referral should be made to the Police. Anybody can make a referral.
7.11 Volunteers should always follow the reporting procedures outlined in this policy in the first instance. However, they may also share information directly with Children’s Services, Adult’s Services or the Police if:
The situation is an emergency and the DSL and the Senior Lead for Safeguarding are unavailable
They are convinced that a direct report is the only way to ensure the adult or child’s safety.
7.12 Any volunteer who does not feel that concerns about a child have been responded to appropriately and in accordance with the procedures outlined in this policy should raise their concerns with the Senior Lead for Safeguarding. If any volunteer does not feel the situation has been addressed appropriately at this point, they should contact Adult’s Services or Children’s Services directly with their concerns.
7.13 We recognise that children are also vulnerable to physical, sexual and emotional abuse by their peers or siblings. Abuse perpetrated by children can be just as harmful as that perpetrated by an adult, so it is important to remember the impact on the victim of the abuse as well as to focus on the support for the child or young person exhibiting the harmful behaviour. Such abuse will always be taken as seriously as abuse perpetrated by an adult and volunteers must never tolerate or dismiss concerns relating to peer on peer abuse.
7.14 We recognise that children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) can face additional safeguarding challenges. These additional barriers can include:
Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the adult or child’s disability
Adults or children with SEND can be disproportionately impacted by issues such as bullying without outwardly showing any signs
Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers
7.15 At Citicare we recognise that our volunteers are well placed to identify concerns to help prevent child sexual exploitation and have a vital role in identifying signs that sexual exploitation may be taking place. Any volunteer that has a concern regarding sexual exploitation should inform the DSL who will liaise with Police and Children’s Services.
7.16 At Citicare we recognise that our volunteers may be placed to identify concerns to prevent children from becoming victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FMG) and other forms of so-called ‘honour-based’ violence (HBV). If volunteers have a concern regarding a child or adult that might be at risk of HBV they should inform the DSL who will liaise with the Police and Children’s Services.
7.17 We recognise that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is no different to safeguarding against any other form of vulnerability in today’s society. At Citicare, we will ensure that:
Through training, volunteers have an understanding of what radicalisation and extremism is, why we need to be vigilant and how to respond when concerns arise.
The DSL has received relevant training in this area and will act as the point of contact for any concerns relating to radicalisation and extremism.
DSL will make referrals to Adults and/or Children’s Services and will represent our organisation at meetings as required, unless this is done by the Senior Lead for Safeguarding.
7.18 When Dealing with Disagreement and Escalation of Concerns, the DSL or other appropriate member of volunteer will:
Contact the line manager in children’s social care if they consider that the social care response to a referral has not led to the child being adequately safeguarded and follow this up in writing
Contact the line manager in children’s social care if they consider that the child is not being adequately safeguarded by the child protection plan and follow this up in writing
Use the Local Authority Escalation Policy if this does not resolve the concern
6. RECORDS AND INFORMATION SHARING
8.1 If a volunteer is concerned about the welfare or safety of any child or vulnerable adult at Citicare, they will record their concern on the agreed reporting procedure. Any worries or concerns should be passed to the DSL without delay.
8.2 Any information recorded will be kept in a secure cabinet or electronically. These files will be the responsibility of the DSL/Senior Lead for Safeguarding. The information will only be shared on a basis of ‘need to know in the adult’s or child’s interests’ and on the understanding that it remains strictly confidential.