Priory Coleg Wales

Safeguarding Procedures and Safeguarding Benchmarking

Definition

Safeguarding is a cover-all term and refers to the practices of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. Previously we have referred to Child Protection and the Protection of Vulnerable Adults.

Purpose

Priory Coleg Wales fully recognises its responsibilities for the safeguarding of all vulnerable young people (children and adults). Priory Coleg Wales recognises that all of its learners are vulnerable. As a member of staff working with vulnerable young people it is your duty to act upon and report any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse. Failure to do so would be a failure in your duty of care.

All allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse must be reported to your nominated Safeguarding Officerand not discussed with any other member of staff.

Our Safeguarding Officer is Claire Adsley

Our Deputy Safeguarding Office is Catherine Wall

In the event that you receive information about a safeguarding issue which requires immediate and urgent action, for example, if someone is in immediate risk of harm or abuse, and you are unable to make contact with our nominated Safeguarding Officers, a member of Senior Management or the designated on-call person then you should contact Torfaen Social Services:

During office hours (9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.00am – 4.30pm Friday) contact Torfaen on 01495 762200 and tell them it is a Child Protection referral.

At all other time, including nights, weekends and Bank Holidays contact the Emergency Duty team on 0800 3284432 or the Police if there is immediate danger of harm.

Your Local Safeguarding Childrens’ Board is Torfaen LSCB:01633 648119or 01633 644594 . |

Points

Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the college. There are five main elements to our policy and these should be used in conjunction with other Priory Group documentation.

  • Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with learners.
  • Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping learners with the skills needed to keep them safe.
  • Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse.
  • Supportinglearners whohave been abused in accordance with his/her agreed protection plan.
  • Establishing a safe environment in which learners canlearn and develop.

We recognise that because of the day-to-day contact with learners, college staff are well placed to observe the outward signs of abuse. The college will therefore:

  • Establish and maintain anenvironment where learners feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.
  • Ensure learners know that there are adults in the college whom they can approach if they are worried.
  • Include opportunities for learners to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse.

We will follow the procedures as set out in the AllWalesChild Protection Procedures 2008 ()

  • Report any allegations of abuse to the local Social Care Department within 24 hours of this becoming known to the College. The report will be by telephone,in the first instance, to the duty officer at the local Social Care and then confirmed in writing by the designated Safeguarding Officer or Senior member of staff.
  • Ensure we have a designated senior member of staff for protection of vulnerable young people who has received appropriate training and support for this role.
  • Ensure every member of staff, volunteer and governor knows the name of the designated senior person responsible for safeguarding/child protection and their role.
  • Ensure all staff and volunteersunderstand their responsibilities in being alert to the signs of abuse and responsibility for referring any concerns to the designated member of staff responsible for protection of vulnerable young people.
  • Ensure that parents/caregivers have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the college and staff for safeguarding/child protection by setting out its obligations in the college prospectus.
  • Notify Social Care if there is cause to believe any young person has been the subject of abuse.
  • Develop effective links with relevant agencies and co-operate as required with their enquiries regarding protection of vulnerable people including attendance at case conferences.
  • Keep written records of concerns about learners, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately.
  • Ensure all records are kept securely; separate from the main file for learners,and in locked locations.
  • Develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
  • Ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed.

We recognise that young people who are abused or witness violence may find it difficult to develop a sense of self worth. They may feel helplessness, humiliation and some sense of blame. The college may be the only stable, secure and predictable element in the lives of young people at risk. When at college their behaviour may be challenging and defiant or they may be withdrawn. The college will endeavour to support the learner through:

  • The college ethos, which promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment and gives learners a sense of being valued.
  • The college code of conduct and policy on bullying and positive behaviour policy is aimed at supporting vulnerable learners in the college. The college will ensure that every learner knows that some behaviour is unacceptable but they are valued and not to be blamed for any abuse which has occurred.
  • Liaison with other external agencies that support the learner. Ensuring that, where a learner on the child protection register leaves, theirinformation is transferred to the new situation immediately and that the learner’s social worker is informed.
  • For local guidance and information on child protection and safeguarding refer to:

All Wales Child Protection Procedures (

  • For local guidance please refer to Torfaen Local Safeguarding Childrens’ Board:

Tel: 01633 648119 or 01633 644594

Web address:

  • For support or guidance from Social Care, to report an allegation or to make a referral for Child Protection or Adult Protection please refer to Dianne Chorister at Torfaen Social Care Services:

Tel: 01495 762200

Web address: and follow the appropriate links |

Allegations Against Members of Staff

Any allegations that are made against members of staff must also be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Officer unless the allegation in way implicates the Safeguarding Officer themselves, in which case the most Senior Member of staff available, starting with the Manager, must be informed. Any allegations involving members of staff must be reported by the college to Annette Brady at the Torfaen Safeguarding Unit to report any allegations and/or to discuss what steps should be taken to investigate the issue

Date of issue September 2010

Safeguarding Benchmarking for PCW

  1. Safer Recruitmentand staffing

1.1.Safer Recruitment Training is available for all staff involved in the recruitment, selection and interview process of all prospective of members of staff

1.2.All appointments for new posts adhere to safer recruitment guidance

1.3.All staff have an Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check prior to appointment and prior to having direct unsupervised contact with any learners

1.4.There is a clear process in place for reports, allegations or complaints relating to individual members of staff

1.5.There is a clear procedure and guidance about informing the lead Safeguarding Officer of any staffing concerns of a safeguarding nature

1.6.Priory Coleg Wales will report any member of staff to the Independent Safeguarding Authority who poses a threat to children or vulnerable adults

  1. Policies, Procedures and Working Practices

2.1.Up to date Local Procedures on Safeguarding are available and accessible to all members of staff

2.2.There is clear evidence available that staff have read andare aware of Priory Coleg Wales Local Safeguarding Procedure documents

2.3.All staff with safeguarding responsibilities receive regular training on safeguarding

2.4.Priory Coleg Wales has made with Torfaen LSCB as well as with other key agencies

2.5.Priory Coleg Wales has clear processes for identifying and reporting safeguarding issues

2.6.Local Safeguarding Procedures are reviewed annually

2.7.Priory Coleg Wales actively pursues links with Social Services in relation to managing any safeguarding

2.8.All staff are aware and actively work towards the Seven Core Aims for Children and Young People as summarised in UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

  1. Training

3.1Regular safeguarding training is available and delivered to all staff

3.2Training is available to staff that meets the requirements of their individual safeguarding responsibilities, e.g. appropriate training available for Lead Safeguarding Officer, Senior Managers etc.

3.3Training is regularly reviewed and updated

3.4Priory Coleg Wales has made links with Torfaen LSCB

Page 1 of 4