Organisation………………………………………………………………………………… Date of completion: ……………….….

Name/role of person completing this document:………………………………......

There are two Safeguarding Boards in Buckinghamshire which have a remit to ensure there are effective arrangements in place to protect our most vulnerable from harm:

  • Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB): The role of the BSCB is to coordinate local arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people, and to ensure these are effective.
  • Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB): The role of the BSAB is to coordinate local arrangements to safeguard adults with care and support needs, and to ensure these are effective.

Both Boards work with their statutory partners to ensure they are compliant with their statutory duties around safeguarding. However, a much wider number of organisations are working directly with children, young people or adults with care and support needs in Buckinghamshire. This includes a range of commissioned services, voluntary, community and faith sector organisations. It is important that robust safeguarding arrangements are in place within all of these settings.

Although these organisations are not always bound by the same legal framework as statutory organisations, they are still expected to have arrangements in place that reflect the importance of safeguarding children, young people and adultswith care and support needs.

This tool can be used by non-statutory organisations working in Buckinghamshire to check whether they have appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place. (N.B. Some organisations may require higher standards to be met than are set out in this tool, in which case you should follow your own organisational guidance).

Where such organisations are commissioned by statutory agencies to provide services on their behalf, contract monitoring arrangements must consider whether robust safeguarding arrangements are in place. This tool can also be used by commissioners as part of these arrangements. (N.B. Some commissioners have developed their own bespoke safeguarding audit tools and this tool is not intended to replace those).

1. Senior managers take leadership responsibility for safeguarding and safeguarding is embedded within the organisation. / In Place?
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. There is a clearly identified lead for safeguarding with sufficient seniority to take overall responsibility for the organisation’s safeguarding arrangements.

  1. There is a clear accountability framework which enables all staff and volunteers to understand their role in safeguarding children and / or adults with care and support needs.

2. Organisations have policies and procedures in place to support effective working. / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. The organisation has a Safeguarding Policy which is reviewed on an annual basis, can be easily accessed by all staff, volunteers and all interested parties and provides clear, straightforward guidance on how to recognise and respond to possible abuse or neglect.
Further Information: Visit the BSCB website for support writing a Child Protection / Safeguarding Policy:
  1. There is an organisational whistle-blowing policy which encourages staff to report poor practice.

  1. There is a code of conduct for staff that sets out what behaviours are expected.

  1. Allegations concerning staff or volunteers who work with children are referred to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) as appropriate. Allegations concerning staff or volunteers who work with adults with care and support needs are referred to relevant adult safeguarding manager.
Further Information: Visit the BSCB website to find out more about managing allegations against staff and volunteers:
3. Safe recruitment of staff and volunteers / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. Staff and volunteers are recruited following Safer Recruitment Procedures.
Further Information: Visit the BSCB website for support around safer recruitment practices:
  1. DBS checks are undertaken appropriately all staff and volunteers.
Further Information: Government advice on DBS checks
4. Training, Learning and Development / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. Safeguarding awareness training is mandatory on induction for all staff and volunteers who will have contact with children or adults with care and support needs.

  1. Relevant safeguarding training pathways are in place for those staff members who will have more in depth contact with children or adults with care and support needs. Additional training includes understanding of thresholds, Early Help and exploitation.

  1. Appropriate supervision and support is provided to staff and volunteers working with children or adults with care and support needs.

  1. There is a named lead for Safeguarding (and deputy if appropriate) who can be contacted by staff and volunteers for support and advice when dealing with safeguarding issues.

5. Effective Practice – how services respond to and engage with vulnerable people / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. The BSCB thresholds and Early Help strategy are followed.
Further Information: Thresholds and Early Help
  1. Children and adults with care and support needs are fully involved in plans to safeguard their welfare, and individual case decisions are informed by their wishes, feelings and experiences.

  1. Organisations understand how communities are changing over time and ensure services for children or adults with care and support needsare responsive to this.

6. Contracting with other organisations / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. Safeguarding is integrated into all contractual processes with clear standards and reporting requirements to prevent abuse and neglect.

  1. This must include a whistle blowing policy which all staff and volunteers are aware of, that will assist them in escalating concerns and reporting poor practice.

7. Sharing and storing information / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. Information about the organisation’s commitment to keeping children or adults with care and support needssafe is available to everyone.

  1. Children or adults with care and support needsare made aware of their right to be safe from abuse.

  1. Information is made available forchildren or adults with care and support needs(and where relevant their parents or carers) on where to go for help and advice in relation to neglect, abuse and bullying. This is available in a format that is accessible and understandable to all and in plain English.

  1. There is a clearly identified person who is responsible for the sharing and storing of information concerning children or adults with care and support needsand everyone in the organisation knows who this is.

  1. Contact details for the local (including neighbouring authorities where appropriate) social care departments, police and emergency medical help are readily available.

  1. Children or adults with care and support needs(and their parents / carers)are consulted onpolicies and procedures, how they are working and how information is made available.

  1. There is a policy on appropriate information sharing
Further Information: Guidance on information sharing:
8. Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation / In Place
Y/N / How do you know?
Evidence of effectiveness / Action required
  1. Policies and procedures are reviewed at least every three years and revised as required by legislation, guidance or feedback from service users.

  1. Children or adults with care and support needs and their parents / carers are consulted on a regular basis, and their feedback is incorporated into future plans.

  1. Management groups receive performance management reports which include reference to safeguarding issues and analyse these on a regular basis.

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May 2017