Bruton Swimmers CYPVA Policy Sept 17

CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND VULNERABLE ADULTS SAFEGUARDING POLICY AND PROCEDURE

POLICY

Bruton Swimmers believes that it is always unacceptable for a child, young person or vulnerable adult to experience abuse[1] of any kind. Bruton Swimmers recognises its responsibility to safeguard all children[2], young people and vulnerable adults[3] and promote their welfare, by a commitment to practice which protects them.

Bruton Swimmers recognises that:

  • The welfare of the child, young person or vulnerable adultshould always bethe paramount consideration.
  • All children, young people and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
  • Working in partnership with children, young people and vulnerable adults, their parents, teachers, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting their welfare.

The purpose of this policy:

This Policy has been designed to offer protection to children, young people and vulnerable adults, to protect’members of staff and those working with us or on our behalf and to protect the companyfrom anyone using our services to access vulnerable service users. The policy will:

  • Provide appropriate guidance for the safety and protection of children young people and vulnerable adults who receive Bruton Swimmers’ services.
  • Allow allmembers of staff and Bruton Swimmersrepresentativesto make informed and confident responses to specific child, young person and vulnerable adult protection issues.
  • Provide all members of staff and Bruton Swimmersrepresentatives with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be experiencing, or be at risk of harm.
  • Provide all members of staff and Bruton Swimmers representatives with guidance relating to their conduct and behaviour with children, young people and vulnerable adults to avoid any situation which could be misinterpreted leading to an allegation being made against them.
  • Ensure adequate procedures are in place including an identified reporting structure for all members of staff and representatives to follow in the event of concern that a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be at risk.

By implementing this policy, Bruton Swimmerswill seek to safeguard children young people and vulnerable adults by:

  • Valuing, listening to and respecting them.
  • Recruiting members of staff and representatives safely, ensuring that all necessary checks are made.
  • Sharing information aboutchild, young person and vulnerable adult protection and good practice withmembers of staff and representatives.
  • Sharing all information about concerns with thosewith statutory responsibilities for their protection.
  • Providing effective management for members of staff and representatives through supervision, support and training.
  • Reviewing the policy, procedures and practice annually.

Recruiting safely

Any person offered employment, who is likely to be in contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults in their day to day work, will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales. The offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory return from the relevant disclosure company. They will also be required to provide two references, including at least one regarding previous work with children.

Training

  • All Bruton Swimmersmembers of staff and representatives who are working with children, young people or vulnerable adults will be briefed on this Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy and the procedures set out as part of the induction programme.
  • Training records are to be kept up to date, with the date and content of training received recorded.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Director

  • To ensure that the company meets the requirements of its insurers regarding its safeguarding responsibilities
  • To manage complaints about poor practice ofa member of staff or representative.
  • To develop, review and update thecompany’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
  • To ensure the company’s safeguarding policy and procedures are communicated to all members of staff and representatives, including any changes or updates that are made.
  • To ensure staff have induction training covering children, young people and vulnerable adult safeguarding and are able to recognise and report any concerns immediately
  • To support members of staff/representatives after they have shared their concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult,
  • To make decisions about appointing a person based on the outcome of their EnhancedDBS check.
  • To be responsible for contacting appropriate local agencies in cases where a child, young person or adult is at risk of harm.
  • To liaise with appropriate local agencies for support and advice.
  • To ensuredetailed accurate written records of allreferrals and concerns are made and kept securely.

Staff / representatives working with children, young people or vulnerable adults

  • To comply with the Code of Behaviour set out in Appendix 1 of this policy.
  • To be familiar with the company’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
  • To attend induction and other relevant training to enable them to identify and respond to concerns about the safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults

PROCEDURE

What to do with your concerns

In the event that a child, young person or vulnerable adult makes an allegation or disclosure of abuse against an adult or another child, young person, it is important that you:

  1. Listen carefully and/or closely observe their behaviour;
  2. Let them know that you take what they are saying seriously;
  3. Do not attempt to question or interview them yourself;
  4. Let them know that you will need to tell someone else in order to help them. Do not promise to keep what they tell you secret.

Where a member of staff or Bruton Swimmers representative has received a disclosure of abuse or suspects that abuse may have occurred they must:

  1. Report it immediately (and follow up in writing within 24 hours) to Bruton Swimmers Director who will then contact the relevant Local Authority key personnel (e.g. Children’s Social Care Duty Officer) and where appropriate the Policeand maintain contact with relevant parties until resolution.

If unsure whether to share concerns, Bruton Swimmersmembers of staff or representatives should always raise these concerns with the Director, who will help with deciding what to do.

Record Keeping

Any member of staff or Bruton Swimmers representative receiving a disclosure of abuse, or witnessing incidents, must make an accurate record as soon as possible noting what was said or seen (record verbatim but only quote when completely accurate), putting the event into context, and giving the date, time, location and details of any witnesses. All records must be dated and signed. Guidance on what and how to record this information is included in Appendix 3.

All records relating to child, young person and vulnerable adult protection concerns must be passed to Bruton Swimmers Director. These records are retained and kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, in a secure place and will remain confidential.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality must be maintained and information relating to individual young people and vulnerable adults/families shared on a strictly need to know basis.

Allegations Against Members of staff or Company Representatives

If an allegation or complaint is made against a Bruton Swimmersmember of staff or representative, alleging abuse or harm to a child, the matter will be directed to Bruton Swimmers Director who will discuss with the appropriate authorities immediately and follow in writing within 24 hours of the allegation or complaint being made. In England any allegation relating to abuse of a child by someone working in a position of trust[4] with children must be passed to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for the area where that person normally works.

Appendix 1

Code of Behaviour

Members of staff and Bruton Swimmers representatives must:

  1. Ensure that they are familiar with and understand the policies and procedures relating to their work with or in the vicinity of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This includes awareness of basic information in respect of school/college/youth centre procedures and of guidance produced by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board for their local authority area.
  2. Make themselves aware of the contact details for the appropriate Safeguarding Officer.
  3. Ensure that they feel confident in working within such an environment and work with their manager to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to carry out their tasks in this context.
  4. Take all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of any child, young person or vulnerable adult in contact with Bruton Swimmers.
  5. Treat all children,young people and vulnerable adults equally. Whatever their age, culture, ability, gender, sexual orientation, race or religion, all members of any group must be given similar attention, time, respect and dignity. It is recognised that there may be individuals who have differing needs, such as those with a disability, and in these instances appropriate attention should be given.
  6. Communicate with children, young people and vulnerable adults in a way that is appropriate to their age, understanding and preference.
  7. Ensure that their own behaviour, language, gestures and clothing, is appropriate and above reproach whilst in the company of children, young people or vulnerable adults.
  8. Ensure all contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults is in an open environment– one-to-one unobserved situations should not arise. However, it is recognised that there may be exceptional emergency circumstances where this may be unavoidable.
  9. Ensure relationships are built on mutual trust and respect.
  10. Ensure that the focus of any work with a child, young person or vulnerable adult remains based on their work and not on becoming friends.
  11. Make themselves aware of any medical conditions, allergies, existing injuries and medicine affecting any of the children, young people or vulnerable adults they have contact with.
  12. Prevent any othermember of staff or Bruton Swimmers representative from putting any child, young person or vulnerable adult in a situation which may result in a significant risk to their health and safety.
  13. Makethemselves aware of any behaviour or relationship difficulties involving the group of children, young people or vulnerable adults they are working with.
  14. Keep a written record of any incident, accident or injury, following Bruton Swimmers guidance on recording and reporting of incident, accident or injury (see Appendix 3 for guidance).
  15. In line with Bruton Swimmers health and safety guidance, ensure that appropriate first aid provision is available when delivering activities or events.
  16. Report any evidence or reasonable suspicion or concern over a child, young person or vulnerable adult’s welfare to the appropriate Safeguarding Officer and inform their line manager and Bruton Swimmers Designated Safeguarding Officerthat they have done so.
  17. Advise the appropriate individual when taking any photographs in or close to schools, youth clubs or any other locations where children, young people or vulnerable adults are likely to be present.
  18. Ensure that all parents (or their children’s schools) have given consent for their child/children’s names to appear in any press or other published articles.
  19. Ensure that, should any photographs be published, no surnames or addresses are used in text/captions unless specific permission has been obtained.

Members of staff and company representatives must not:

  1. Put themselves in a compromising situation, such as by spending a lot of time with one child, young person or vulnerable adult away from others, which could result in an allegation.
  2. Offer to do things of a personal nature for any child, young person or vulnerable adult who is capable of doing these for themselves.
  3. Exchange any personal contact information of any kind with any child, young person or vulnerable adult. If children contact any member of staff or Bruton Swimmers representative via social networking sites they should not be accepted as friends and the member of staff or representative should inform the Bruton Swimmers Director of the contact.
  4. Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
  5. In any circumstances take a child, young person or vulnerable adult into their own home or go unaccompanied to the home of a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
  6. Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with a child, young person or vulnerable adult e.g. engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative behaviour nor any form of inappropriate touching or language.
  7. Use any form of inappropriate control which results in making a child, young person or vulnerable adult cry or become upset.
  8. Tolerate bullying, rule violations or use of prohibited substances.

Appendix 2

Key contacts

Bruton Swimmers Director:Jessica Shipp

4 St Davids Place, Bruton, BA10 0EL

Tel: 01749 812551

Mobile: 07809 721452

Bruton Swimmers Safeguarding Officer: Gary Shipp

Contact details as above.

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (

Childline: 0800 1111

Appendix 3

Recording tips

When appropriate, take time to make detailed notes on what you have heard, using anything that comes to hand, even if it means writing on the back of an envelope.

Checklist for a good record

  • Use black ink as it shows up better when photocopied.
  • Be clear about why you are recording - what is the exact nature of the concern and which category of abuse does it suggest
  • Record as soon as possible after an event or observation – you may wish to make notes on whatever comes to hand and write it up a bit later.
  • Legible
  • Be precisewith time words – what does always, frequent, never mean?
  • Show the evidence– What did you see, hear? Who said what, when, where, how?
  • Clear and concise (Record in a way that you would be happy for the child or family to read what you have written).
  • Includes all relevant information
  • Direct quotes where possible
  • Free from jargon and abbreviations
  • Wherever possible, stick to the facts
  • Separate fact from opinion, and support opinions with evidence (e.g. they appeared angry because…..)
  • Professional judgment supported by evidence
  • Signed and dated and timed (time of incident and time that written entry was made).

Remember: If it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen!

Remember: A phone call is only worth the paper it is printed on if recorded and followed up in writing

Remember: Your records could be the start of a civil or criminal court case.

1

W: E: T: 07926 299545

[1]See the NSPCC guidance document ‘The Definitions and Signs of Child Abuse’ available from

[2]The Children Act 1989 defines a child as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The term young person has no legal status but is used as a courtesy term for older children.

[3]The Vulnerable Persons Act 2006 defines a vulnerable adult as “someone who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, of age or illness; and who may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”

4See the NSPCC guidance document ‘The Definitions and Signs of Child Abuse’ available from

[4]Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is an offence for any person aged 18 or over, who is in a position of trust, to have a sexual relationship with a young person under 18 if their role is one identified within the Act. These include staff working in educational institutions.