Children & Young People Safeguarding Policy for Not That Kind Of CIC

Not That Kind Of CIC abides by the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to safeguarding practice that reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice requirements.

• We recognise the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
• All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
• Some children 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, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

Purpose:

 Not That Kind Of CIC will:

• Protect children and young people who receive Not That Kind Of CIC’s services from harm.

• Provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Not That Kind Of CIC, including directors, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students. Failure to comply with the policy and related procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.

Definitions:

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

Child and Adult Abuse: Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

• Bullying and cyberbullying
• Child sexual exploitation
• Child Criminal exploitation
• Child trafficking
• Domestic abuse
• Female genital mutilation
• Grooming
• Historical abuse
• Online abuse

Safeguarding children: Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 as:

• protecting children from maltreatment.
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development.
• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding as Part of the Deal:

In safeguarding children, Not That Kind Of CIC is committed to the principles that reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice requirements.

Legal Framework:

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.

Not That Kind Of CIC have in place arrangements that reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as vulnerable adults.

Training and Awareness:

Not That Kind Of CIC will ensure an appropriate level of safeguarding training is available to its Directors, Volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation who requires it (e.g. contractors).

For all persons who are working or volunteering with children, this requires them as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to:

• Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children.
• Recognise a child potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.
• Understand how to report a safeguarding alert.
• Understand dignity and respect when working with children.

• Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Children Policy.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing:

 Not That Kind Of CIC expects all directors, volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation to maintain confidentiality.  Information will only be shared in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection.

However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if a child is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed. For further guidance on information sharing and safeguarding see https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/safeguarding

Recording and Record Keeping:

A written record will be kept about any concern regarding a child, young person or a vulnerable adult with safeguarding needs. This will include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made and why they were made.

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Safe Recruitment & Selection:

Not That Kind Of CIC is committed to safe recruitment practices, that reduce the risk of harm to children, young people or vulnerable adults from people unsuitable to work with them or have contact with them.

Social Media:

All directors and volunteers are made  aware of Not That Kind Of CIC social media policy and procedures and the code of conduct for behaviour towards the children and young people we support.

Use of Mobile Phones and other Digital Technology:

All directors and volunteers are made aware of Not That Kind Of CIC policy and procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and any digital technology and understand that it is unlawful to photograph children and young people without the explicit consent of the person with parental responsibilities.

Whistleblowing:

It is important that people within Not That Kind Of CIC have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistle blowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrong- doing within their organisation. This includes concerns about persons within or connected with the CIC. There is also a requirement by Not That Kind Of CIC to protect whistleblowers

Important Contacts:

Police
Emergency – 999
Non-emergency – 101

NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000