Green Corridor Safeguard Statement & Child Protection Policy
Green Corridor Safeguard Statement & Child Protection Policy
Green Corridor Safeguarding Statement & Child Protection Policy
Safeguarding Statement
Green Corridor (GC) is committed to safeguarding all children, young people and vulnerable adults that come into contact with our work. We believe that all children, young people and vulnerable adults have an equal right to protection from abuse, regardless of their age, race, religion, ability, gender, language, background or sexual identity and consider the welfare of the child/ young person / vulnerable adult is paramount.
We will take every reasonable step to ensure that children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected where our staff and associates are involved in the delivery of our work. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
We enable all our staff and those who work with us to make informed and confident decisions regarding safeguarding. We expect everyone (staff, board, associates, volunteers and anyone working on behalf of GC) to have read, understood and adhere to this policy and related procedures.
Aims of the Safeguarding Policy
Green Corridor will take every reasonable step to ensure that children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected where:
Our own staff are directly involved in a project or programme.
We broker the relationship between a school/ young person’s setting/community venue and an associate/ organisation.
We contract an associate/ organisation to work with a school/ young people’s/ community setting.
We work in partnership with another organisation or agency.
We will endeavour to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults by:
Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
Adopting this policy and adhering to our associated procedures and code of conduct for staff.
Recruiting all staff, volunteers and associates safely by ensuring that all the necessary checks are made.
Sharing information about safeguarding and child protection with children, parents, school staff, community workers, carers, associates and staff.
Sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, involving children, school staff, community workers, carers and parents appropriately.
Providing effective management of staff and associates through supervision, support and training.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Designated person responsible for Safeguarding and Child Protection will be the GC Youth Engagement Officer. In their absence the CEO will undertake the role. The role of the Designated Person is to:
Assume overall responsibility for safeguarding and child protection for the Company.
Help the rest of the Company understand the key issues in relation to safeguarding and the cultural / education sectors.
Establish contact with the senior member of social services responsible for child protection in the local area.
Be a point of contact within the organisation for staff, board, partners and associates in relation to safeguarding and child protection.
Be aware of local statutory safeguarding procedures and networks.
Make decisions about safeguarding and child protection.
Receive and assess information from staff and associates who have a child protection concern.
Report the issue to the Safeguarding Officer/ within the school/ organisation where the events were taking place.
Make a formal referral to a statutory child protection agency or the police without delay.
Record the concern and action in the child protection log.
It is not the role of the Designated Person or GC to decide whether abuse has taken place or not. The responsibility of the Designated Person or GC is to ensure that concerns are shared and appropriate action taken.
Recruitment and Training of Staff, Associates and Volunteers
Job Description/Person Specification and Advertising:
A detailed job description and person specification will be drawn up. This will clearly define the role of the position, the tasks and skills needed and the type of person most suited to the role.
An appropriate length of time will be required to place advertisements in local newspapers, to give applicants time to prepare for interview, to conduct background checks and to take up references.
As part of the application process, all applicants must complete an application form where they are asked about previous experience of working with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Included in this form is a declaration stating that there is no reason why they should not be considered suitable for working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
All information is treated with total confidentiality and fairness.
Pre-Selection Checks:
Consent must be obtained from an applicant to seek information from the ISA.
Two confidential referees. These referees must be taken up and confirmed through telephone contact.
Evidence of identity (passport or driving licence photograph), supported by original birth/marriage certificate, utility bill to confirm address and documents with National Insurance number for verifications.
Interview and Induction:
All employees and volunteers are required to undergo an interview carried out to acceptable protocol and recommendations. All employees and volunteers should receive formal or informal induction, during which:
Their qualifications should be substantiated.
The job requirements and responsibilities should be clarified.
They are made aware of GC’s safeguarding policy and procedures
Training needs (if any) are identified
All staff must be registered with the ISA before they are confirmed in the position (if they will be working with children, young people and vulnerable adults on a weekly basis).
Training:
In addition to pre-selection checks, the safeguarding process includes training after recruitment to help staff to:
Ensure their good practice is likely to protect them from false allegations.
Recognise their responsibilities and report any concerns about suspected poor practice or possible abuse.
Respond to concerns expressed by a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
Work safely and effectively with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Responding to Allegations or Suspicions:
If a member of staff / associate has any reason to suspect that a child, young person or vulnerable adult is being subjected to physical, emotional or sexual abuse, then these steps must be followed:
Report the matter to the Designated Officer
The Designated Officer will assess the nature of the suspicions or the disclosure.
The Designated Officer will consult the relevant Officer at the venue (i.e. School, theatre, community centre etc.) involved, or contact social services.
Company staff must not attempt to investigate the matter themselves. This is the responsibility of social services and / or the police.
If an allegation is made against a member of the Company staff / associates, the Company will act swiftly and there will either be a criminal investigation, a child protection investigation and / or a disciplinary or misconduct investigation.
Photography and Images
The vast majority of people who take or view photographs or videos of young people do so for entirely innocent, understandable and acceptable reasons. Sadly, some people abuse young people through taking or using images, so we must ensure that we have some safeguards in place. To protect our young people we will:
Seek their consent for photographs to be taken or published (for example, on our website or in newspapers or publications)
Seek parental consent for those under the age of 16yrs
Use only the young person’s first name with an image
Ensure that young people are appropriately dressed
Encourage young people to tell us if they are worried about any photographs that are taken of them.
Attendance
No learner under the age of 18 will be allowed to leave site early (before 2pm) without prior contact with a parent/guardian.
No learner will be allowed on site without a member of GC staff.
All learner non-attendance must be reported to the GC Youth Engagement Officer by 11 am on the day of absence.
All learners must sign in and this piece of documentation must be given to the GC Youth Engagement Officer.
The GC Youth Engagement Officer will undertake an initial YP risk assessment of all young people attending GC site based programmes. School based learners will have risk assessments undertaken by the LA and a copy logged with GC
The YP Risk Assessment will be completed on the learners first day with GC. A copy will be placed on the GC Cloud in the Safe Guarding Folder for GC staff access (read only)
Site Safety
The GC delivery leader must complete a risk assessment. An electronic copy of this risk assessment must be saved on the GC Cloud at least 24 hours prior to the activity.
All knives are to be kept in a locked container and the key kept in a place of safety
Learners can only use knives when under supervision by a GC member of staff.
All COSSH substances will be kept in a locked cupboard, which can only be accessed by a member of the GC staff.
All keys are to be kept in a place of safety with access only to GC staff members
A file containing up to date emergency contact details sheet for all our GC learners will be available to approved GC staff only. This file will be managed and kept updated by the GC Youth Engagement Officer.
All GC staff and Mentors will complete an initial DBS check, which will then be updated every 3 years.
Two GC staff members should be on site, at all times, when task days are scheduled to be delivered. In exceptional circumstances and with prior agreement one staff member may be on site with established learners. What constitutes exceptional circumstance will be considered on a case by case basis with the final decision taken by the senior staff member present.
External Excursions (Green Corridor Minibus)
Drivers must make certain that all passengers have boarded are: -
Safely seated and are wearing properly adjusted seat belts, if fitted, before moving off.
The doors must be properly closed, but not locked, before the driver moves off.
Equally, they must make sure that all passengers have left the minibus and are clear of the doors before moving off.
They should be aware of the danger of passengers ‘clothes becoming trapped in a door.
Drivers should only use suitable, agreed, drop off points.
They should ensure that passengers do not exit from doors opening into traffic.
When collecting or dropping off passengers’ from/to premises on the offside of a one-way street, the vehicle should stop on the nearside and the passengers escorted across the road when it is safe to do so.
Comfort:
Everybody will be happier and enjoy the trip more, if they are comfortable. The minibus should not be too hot, cold or stuffy, and appropriate rest stops should be planned into the journey.
Passenger Briefing:
Passengers should be aware of the behaviour expected of them.
Children in particular should be briefed before the journey begins so that they understand why boisterous behaviour is inappropriate.
Passengers should be aware of the time when they must return to the minibus after rest stops, or for the return journey
Passenger illness:
Drivers should also know what to do in the event of passenger illness.
This will require the driver to have details and a contact number for the relevant persons and understand how to deal with the safety of other passengers whilst dealing with the unwell passenger
Child Protection Policy
Green Corridor is committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for children and young people involved in any of its activities. We recognise the unique status of children and young people and seek to ensure that they are respectfully treated as individuals. All workers within the Company, paid and voluntary, accept that the welfare of the child is paramount. We do this by:
Recognising that all children have the right to freedom from abuse.
Ensuring that all our staff, associates, partners and volunteers are carefully selected and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children in their care.
Responding swiftly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse, and providing parents and children with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have.
All allegations of abuse are taken seriously and responded to appropriately.
Appointing a Designated Officer who will take specific responsibility for child safety and act as the main point of contact for parents, children and outside agencies.
Ensuring access to confidential information is restricted to the Designated Officer or the appropriate external authorities.
Reviewing the effectiveness of our Child Protection Policy annually, and that it is endorsed and approved by the Board of Governors.
The definition of ‘child’ or ‘young person’ relates to anyone under the age of 18, and also to those above the age of 18 who are vulnerable for reasons of mental and physical ability.
Immediate Action to Ensure Safety
Immediate action may be necessary at any stage in involvement with children and families.
IN ALL CASES IT IS VITAL TO TAKE WHATEVER ACTION IS NEEDED TO SAFEGUARD THE CHILD/CHILDREN
If emergency medical attention is required this can be secured by calling an ambulance (dial 999) or taking a child to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department.
If a child is in immediate danger the police should be contacted (dial 999) as they alone have the power to remove a child immediately if protection is necessary, via Police Protection Order.
Recognition of Abuse or Neglect
Abuse or neglect of a child is caused by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting: by those known to them or more rarely by a stranger.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms, of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This situation is commonly described using terms such as, fabricated illness by proxy or Munchausen Syndrome by proxy.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child though it may occur alone.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (eg rape or buggery) or non-penetrative acts. This may include non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material, or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Individuals within the organisation need to be alert to the potential abuse of children both within their families and also from other sources including abuse by members of that organisation.
The organisation should know how to recognise and act upon indicators of abuse or potential abuse involving children. There is an expected responsibility for all members of the organisation to respond to any suspected or actual abuse of a child in accordance with these procedures.
It is good practice to be as open and honest as possible with parents/carers about any concerns. However, you must not discuss your concerns with parents/carers in the following circumstances:
Where sexual abuse is suspected
Where organised or multiple abuse is suspected
Where fictitious illness by proxy (also known as Munchausen Syndrome by proxy) is suspected
Where contacting parents/carers would place a child, yourself or others at immediate risk
What To Do If Children Talk To You About Abuse Or Neglect
It is recognised that a child may seek you out to share information about abuse or neglect, or talk spontaneously individually or in groups when you are present. In these situations you must:
Listen carefully to the child. DO NOT directly question the child.
Give the child time and attention.
Allow the child to give a spontaneous account; do not stop a child who is freely recalling significant events.
Make an accurate record of the information you have been given taking care to record the timing, setting and people present, the child’s presentation as well as what was said. Do not throw this away as it may later be needed as evidence.
Use the child’s own words where possible.
Explain that you cannot promise not to speak to others about the information they have shared.
Reassure the child that:
You are glad they have told you
They have not done anything wrong
What you are going to do next
Explain that you will need to get help to keep the child safe.
DO NOT ask the child to repeat his or her account of events to anyone.
Consulting About Your Concern
The purpose of consultation is to discuss your concerns in relation to a child and decide what action is necessary.
You may become concerned about a child who has not spoken to you, because of your observations of, or information about that child.