Policy Type:	Safeguarding
Produced by:	Operational Manager
Date:	1st March 2021
Taken to Staff Meeting:	Pending
Review Date:	Yearly

Introduction

Aura believes that all children, and vulnerable adults have an absolute right to protection from abuse, regardless of their age, race, religion, ability, gender, language, background or sexual identity and consider their welfare is paramount.

The organisation recognises that ‘safeguarding’ is everyone’s responsibility, and for services to be effective each staff member (including trustees, volunteers and service users) and partner organisation should play their full part.

This Policy details the reasonable steps that the organisation has put in place to enable its staff to operate a safe environment and to respond appropriately to safeguarding risks and incidents.

Please familiarise yourself with all sections of this policy, and particularly the details of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) relevant for your area, set out below.

 

Designated Safeguarding Lead – DSL	Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – Deputy DSL
Suhail Mohammed Operational Manager 07825443999	Dunyaal Khalid Programme Manager 07906632207
Asaf Mahmood   Chief Executive Officer   07818093963	Chairperson of the Board of Trustees

If ever in any doubt … contact your DSL/DSO

 

Safeguarding and Abuse

The law in England and Wales defines children as any child or young person that has not yet reached their 18th birthday.

 

‘Vulnerable Adult’ means an adult (a person aged 18 or over) who is (or may be) in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age, illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

 

The organisation defines safeguarding as enabling children and vulnerable adults to be:
safe from maltreatment, neglect, violence & sexual exploitation
safe from accidental injury & death
safe from bullying & discrimination
safe from crime & anti-social behaviour

 

Child Abuse – What to look out for
Child abuse is a very difficult and emotive issue for staff to deal with. However, all staff must respond positively to any allegations of child abuse involving any child.

Abuse is categorised into four types:

Physical
– children receive physical hurt or injury
Sexual
– adults seek sexual gratification by using children
Emotional
– children are harmed by a constant lack of love and affection, or threats, taunting etc.
Neglect
– children experience the persistent failure to meet their basic physical, emotional or psychological needs, such that it has a severe impact on their health, development or emotional stability.

 

Such abuse may take many forms and involve more than one category of abuse. The table below give some of the signs that abuse may be taking place.

 

Signs	Possible type of abuse
Unexplained injuries or those which have received no medical attention, hidden injuries.	Physical
Allegations (disclosure) made by the child, pre- occupation with sexual matters, sexual activity through words, play or drawings, severe sleep disturbances with fears and phobias, being sexually provocative with adults – in ways that are inappropriate for their age	Sexual
Signs	Possible type of abuse
Regression in behaviour, nervousness, sudden under- achievement, inappropriate relationships with peers/adults, attention seeking, running away, stealing, lying, looking uncared-for.	Emotional
Failure to provide adequate food, shelter or clothing for a child, or failing to adequately protect them from physical harm, ill health or to provide the basic emotional needs of a child.	Neglect

It is important not to take the above signs as indications that abuse has taken place; they should make you stop and think, but not necessarily jump to conclusions.

 

Physical abuse and neglect are difficult to hide. Sexual and emotional abuse are far more difficult to identify and prove. Many symptoms of distress can point to abuse but there may be other explanations.

 

Further information on the signs, symptoms and effects of abuse can be found at http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/signs-symptoms-effects/

 

Abuse of Vulnerable Adults – Additional considerations
Vulnerable adults are defined by government guidance as:

people who are or may be in need of community care services because of mental or other disability, age or illness, and / or
people who are unable to care for themselves or unable to protect themselves from abuse, significant harm or exploitation

 

The four types of abuse outlined under section 2.2 can also apply to vulnerable adults. In addition to these, vulnerable adults may be at risk of three other types of abuse:

 

Institutional – mistreatment in supported housing, residential homes, or hospitals

Financial – theft, fraud or exploitation, pressure over wills or inheritance, or misuse of property, possessions or benefits
Discrimination – harassment or discrimination over a person’s race, sexuality or
disability

 

Safeguarding in Mind

Basic Safeguarding rules of operation for all
Lone-working with Children / Vulnerable Adults

The organisation takes steps to minimise situations where a staff member is left completely alone with a child / vulnerable adult and where there is little, or no opportunity of the activity being observed by others. This may require that groups work within the same large room or work in adjoining rooms with the door left open.

 

It is however recognised that some lone-working situations are unavoidable. In these exceptional situations, managers should train their staff to follow the departmental Lone Working Policy, implementing appropriate procedures and risk assessments to avoid placing children /vulnerable adults or staff at risk. Such departmental policy/procedures should be signed off by the appropriate

 

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Meeting Children/Young People away from work. Staff should not meet a child/vulnerable adult away from the organisation’s premises without a parent/carer or other adult being present, and without informing their line manager.

 

The report of any such meeting would be investigated and this could result in the member of staff being disciplined. Staff should be informed of the risks of ‘grooming’, and how to guard against it.

Supervision of under 8’s

Children under eight years of age are not permitted to move around the premises unless supervised by a member of the staffing team as part of an organised activity.

 

Taking Children off-site
Any group of children which leaves the organisation’s premises should be accompanied by no fewer than two adults (where possible, ideally both male and female for mixed gender groups).

Where children must be transported by minibus or car, the organisation will, as far as possible, arrange to have more than one staff member in the vehicle (see ‘Lone Working’ section above).

 

Working with external Children’s groups
All external groups who use the organisation’s facilities will be required to comply with the organisation’s minimum standards for the safeguarding of children. In particular:

The organiser should have an up to date DBS and these details must be provided to the organisation’s appropriate Designated Safeguarding Officer.

 

Contact details must be provided of the organiser the person(s) responsible for safeguarding children on behalf of their group.

Children aged under eight years of age must remain the full responsibility of their parent/ carer for the full duration of each and every activity.

 

External groups should make clear that, though they use the organisation’s facilities, they do so without the organisation’s accepting any responsibility or liability for any of their activities or the standards of care that they provide towards their group participants.

 

Mobile Phones / Cameras
Staff should only use mobile phones or camera’s whilst on duty for work related duties. Any photography which are undertaken should be for the use of the organisation in relation to social media or PR only. Once this data has been upload the staff member is required to destroy any data or picture in their possession.

 

Contractors on Aura MMA Premises
As a general principle (i.e. other than in emergency situations) all contractors undertaking work on behalf of the organisation must ensure that their staff have clear, current DBS Checks.
Where contractors wish to employ staff that do not have a clear and current DBS, this must be referred to the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Officer for risk assessment as to the person’s suitability to work at the organisation’s premises.

 

Clear Roles & Responsibilities

Clear roles and responsibilities for Safeguarding are delegated by the CEO to senior staff, to ensure the effective implementation of the organisation’s Policy.

 

Your Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

 

The Designated Safeguarding Officer is the first point of contact for all staff to go to for advice if they are concerned about a child / vulnerable adult (Deputy DSO should be available to cover times when the DSO is not at work.)

 

It is important that every staff member knows who their DSO (and Deputy DSO) is. See the table in the Introduction Section 1.1 for contact details.

 

DSO’s / Deputy DSO’s will:

• Have a higher level of safeguarding training and knowledge than the rest of the staff and should have completed a specific course for DSO’s.
• Ensure that the organisation’s Safeguarding Policy is fully implemented, and all procedures and risk assessments are suitably compliant.
• Assess information from staff regarding concerns about children / vulnerable adults and make decisions about whether staff concerns are sufficient enough to notify Birmingham Children’s Trust (or Adult Social Services), making referrals where appropriate.
• Support the HR & Ethos Department in the safer recruitment, induction and training of staff relating to their area.
• Ensure that concerns are logged and stored securely. Have joint responsibility with the CEO and Board of Trustees to ensure that the organisation’s safeguarding policy and related policies and procedures are followed and regularly updated.
• Promote a safe environment for children, and vulnerable adults;
• Liaise with the relevant statutory agencies e.g. Birmingham Children’s Trust, Adult Services, Police, Local Safeguarding Children Board, and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on safeguarding matters related to their service area.

[Note: It is not the responsibility of the DSO / Deputy DSO to decide whether a child has been abused or not – that is the responsibility of investigative statutory agencies such as Children’s Services or the police.]

Lead DSL

The Lead DSL will be the Executive Officer responsible for:

• Ensuring that the Association’s Safeguarding Policies is kept up to date with current best practice requirements and advising the CEO & Board appropriately.
• Facilitating Safeguarding reporting meeting to monitor / discuss safeguarding incidents across the organisation, involving
• Liaising with the statutory agencies on matters of Policy.

Managers & Supervisors

Managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that their staff teams operate within this Safeguarding Policy and any associated procedures.

 

Where there is any doubt, they must clarify their safeguarding responsibilities with the Designated Safeguarding Officer at the earliest opportunity.

 

The Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees has ultimate legal and strategic responsibility for Safeguarding. They approve the Organisation’s Safeguarding Policy on a annual basis and delegate operational responsibility to the Chief Executive Officer.

 

Chief Executive Officer

The CEO is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, and delegating responsibilities appropriately.

 

Monitoring & Reporting
The DSO is responsible for keeping a departmental record of all child / vulnerable adult safeguarding issues as they arise in their service area. They should ensure that the relevant Deputy DSO is kept informed of safeguarding developments.

 

The DSO will facilitate internal Safeguarding reporting meetings, and reports to the Board as highlighted above.

Everyone working with young people or vulnerable adults has a duty to report suspected, alleged or confirmed incidences of abuse IMMEDIATELY to the DSO (or the CEO & HR).

 

Safer Recruitment, Induction & Training
The organisation will take reasonable steps during the recruitment process to ensure that staff undertaking work on behalf of the organisation are suitable individuals to work with children / vulnerable adults, including the requirement to have an appropriate Disclosed and Barring Service check (level dependent on duties) prior to commencing work.

As part of ‘safer recruitment practice’ the Association will:

• Explore the experience of applicants, of working with or having had contact with children / vulnerable adults, before appointment.
• Give adequate time post-interview to fully explore the professional working background of all successful applicants.
• Obtain a complete career history, detailing what applicants were doing, from when and to, and with what organisation. Applicants must give a explanation for any and all gaps.

All applicants will be asked ‘recruitment housekeeping’ questions, to declare if they have any criminal convictions or cautions. Failure to disclose relevant information in sufficient detail will be treated as a ‘breach of trust’.

Successful applicants for positions will be required to produce any relevant certificates of qualification prior to confirmation in post.

 

A minimum of two acceptable references are required. One must be from the applicant’s current or most recent employer. All reference requests will include a copy of the Job Description/ Person Specification. Generic or applicant presented references will not be accepted, nor will incomplete previous employer references. Where any doubt about the completeness of references is perceived, a verbal reference must be sought. Offers of employment are conditional on obtaining suitable references and may be withdrawn.

 

Safeguarding children/vulnerable adult training is provided to staff during induction (including a copy of this Policy) and through departmental training and group-wide courses to equip them with the skills and knowledge to safeguard the children / vulnerable adults in their care.

All staff are provided with clearly defined job descriptions which include their responsibilities for the safeguarding of children /vulnerable adults.

 

The Disclosure & Barring Service

Depending on their role, all staff working with children / vulnerable adults are required to complete Enhance DBS

All employment situations which involve work with children / vulnerable adults are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, therefore, all convictions which relate to children and vulnerable adults, however old the conviction, must be declared by applicants. Information about other criminal convictions must also be declared, as these may be relevant to the suitability of an applicant.

 

Successful applicants that have a criminal conviction and / or narrative comments on their DBS checks will be risk-assessed for their suitability for work, by the Association’s DBS panel, prior to being confirmed in employment.

 

Disclosure and Barring Service checks should be repeated for each staff member every 3 years.

 

All staff must immediately fully disclose to their line manager, if they are arrested or charged with a criminal offence or receive a criminal caution or conviction. Failure to do so may be treated as a disciplinary matter.

 

Where there is significant evidence of a staff member displaying dangerous, neglectful or illegal behaviour relating to children /vulnerable adults, the appropriate authorities will be notified, and concerns reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer for the area where the organisation is based. In such instances a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Authority will be considered by the relevant Designated Safeguarding Officer.

 

Where there is any concern over safeguarding practice, compromise agreements will not be used to exit employees from Aura, nor will generic or ‘employee bearer’ references be issued to any such staff leaving the organisation.

 

Line Management & Supervision

Line Managers are expected to provide regular supervision & support for staff as a means of protecting children / vulnerable adults, developing transparent accountability and identifying training and development needs.

 

All staff should have a clear understanding of their duties, with clear reporting lines that enable them to seek clarity when needed and hold them accountable for their performance and actions.

Line managers/ supervisors will ensure work is managed on a day-to-day basis in ways that protect both children/ vulnerable adults and staff, ensuring neither are placed in unreasonable positions of vulnerability.

 

Other relevant Association / departmental policies
Safeguarding issues may be dealt with in other organisation or departmental policies / procedures as long as they are consistent with the content of this Safeguarding Policy.

 

Safeguarding Incidents
Dealing with a ‘disclosure’

A ‘disclosure’ has been made where a child / vulnerable adult, voluntarily and without
prompting, communicate that they have been, or are at risk of being abused.

 

It is the organisation’s policy to report all child ‘disclosures’, accurately, fully and promptly to Birmingham Children’s Trust. The organisation is not qualified to investigate the validity of such ‘disclosures’, hence its commitment to report all such ‘disclosures’.

 

The reporting of vulnerable adult disclosures must be done with due consideration to informed consent. See section 4.1.2 below.

 

All staff in receipt of a ‘disclosure’ should act in accordance with the following guidance (Note: additional organisational guidance may be developed, as long as it is consistent with these guidelines):

 

 

When a child / vulnerable adult is making a disclosure

 

When receiving a ‘disclosure’ you should follow the following guidelines:

Accept what the child / vulnerable adult says, keeping calm and looking at them directly.

• Let them know that you will need to inform your Senior Manager; do not promise confidentiality.
• Be aware that the child / vulnerable adult may have been threatened.
• Reassure the child / vulnerable adult they were right to tell you and that you believe them.
• Where appropriate, let the child / vulnerable adult know what you are going to do next and that you will let them know what happens.
• Make detailed notes as soon as possible, writing down exactly what was said, by whom, and when it was said. Record dates and times of these events and, even if you subsequently write-up your notes in a neater format, keep your original handwritten record for future reference.
• Complete a Safeguarding Incident Report (see Proforma in Section 6).
• DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PROMPT THE CHILD. DO NOT ASK LEADING QUESTIONS AS THIS COULD RESULT IN A VALID CASE BEING THROWN OUT OF COURT.

When a vulnerable adult is making a disclosure – proportionality & consent:

In considering the protection of vulnerable adults, staff should act in proportionate manner, considering factors such as the extent of the vulnerability of the person concerned, the severity of the abuse and how prolonged the abuse has been going on for, before acting.

 

It is a general legal principle that vulnerable adults need to give their informed consent before staff should intervene in a situation in which a vulnerable person may be at risk, or before information held by the organisation is passed on, or referred, to another agency.

 

There are exceptions to this however such as when a crime has been committed, or when a judgement is made, based upon an informed risk assessment that the vulnerable person does not have the mental capacity to give consent. Also, when a judgement is made, based upon an informed risk assessment, that the vulnerable person is mentally ill and may be a danger to themselves or to others.

These examples are not exhaustive. Advice on how to proceed should be sought from the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSL).

 

What to do after you have received a disclosure

For Children – Do not delay.

(In the case of vulnerable adults – consider proportionality & consent, See Section 4.1.2 above)

Inform your Line Manager (who will inform the DSO) or, in their absence, go direct to the Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSO).

 

The Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSO) must contact Birmingham Children’s Trust (or Adult Social Services).

 

A Safeguarding Incident Report (see Proforma in Section 6) should be completed and submitted to the Children’s Services

Department (or Adult Social Services) within 48 hours.

 

However, if you are unable to reach your Line Manager or the Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSS), or you are not confident in the Organisation’s ability to act appropriately, you should contact Birmingham Children’s Trust (or Adult Social Services) yourself. The organisation is professionally responsible in placing the welfare of children / vulnerable adults over and above its own reputation or standing in the community.

 

If you wish to discuss your concerns with an independent body. The NSPCC operates a national child protection helpline – 0808 800 5000.

 

Do not discuss the concern with anyone other than:

• Your Line Manager
• Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSO)
• Chief Executive Officer
• appropriate individual(s) within the Children’s Services Department (or
• Adult Social Services)
• Police

Confidentiality is vitally important. For the protection of the child/ vulnerable adult, as well as for the parent(s)/ carer, and to preserve the quality of evidence, the parent(s)/ carer must not be informed of the ‘disclosure’ without authorisation from the relevant local authority Children’s Services Department (or Adult Social Services) or the Designated Safeguarding Officer.

 

Dealing with a ‘suspicion’
If a ‘disclosure’ has not been made, but you are nevertheless concerned by what you observe or hear, you should act on your ‘suspicion’ in accordance with the following guidance:

• Discuss with your line manager the nature of your concerns.
• Keep a log of your concerns. Is there is a pattern to the occurrence?
• Sensitively ask the child / vulnerable adult (or parent / carer if appropriate) questions that, in as far as possible, do not draw attention to your concerns. Are your concerns alleviated by what you hear or do you need to act on them?

The decision to complete a Safeguarding Incident Report (see Proforma in Section 6) and inform the local Children’s Services Department (or Adult Social Services), should be taken by the Designated Safeguarding Officer (or Deputy DSO).

 

Safeguarding concerns regarding staff members contractors

If a staff member or external provider using our facilities is accused or suspected of abuse against a child / vulnerable adult, the organisation will act professionally, promptly and decisively to remove them from duty or exclude them from the premises, so as to protect the interests of both child/ vulnerable adult and the person accused, until an investigation is completed.

All allegations of abuse regarding staff should be immediately reported to the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Officer, and to the relevant LADO within one working day (Note: Contact the Social Services Emergency Duty Team, out of normal LADO working hours).

 

In the event that an allegation of abuse is made against one of the organisation’s Designated Safeguarding Officers (or Deputy DSO’s) this must be referred immediately to the Chief Executive Officer.

In the event that an allegation of abuse is made against the Chief Executive Officer this should be reported to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

Where a member of staff is under investigation for the alleged abuse of a child / vulnerable adult, he/ she may be subject to the provisions of the Staff Disciplinary Procedure following guidance from the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

 

In order to protect the child/ vulnerable adult, and to support the worker, the individual maybe suspended on full pay and without prejudice, to allow time and space for the allegation to be fully investigated.

 

The organisation will suspend the individual(s) at the earliest opportunity, having consulted with the Local Safeguarding Board and/ or Police. During this time of suspension, the staff member must, as a condition of employment, co-operate reasonably with the investigating process and comply with any reasonable restrictions on their contact or communications with the organisation’s staff or service users until such time as the investigation is completed.

 

The organisation will provide without prejudice, the individual under investigation with an appropriate ‘peer support’ to accompany them through the process.

 

In the event of dismissal or resignation of a staff member as a result of safeguarding concerns (including abuse and neglect either deliberate or for any other reason including competence issues) the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Officer will refer the conduct of that staff member or volunteer to the Disclosure and Barring Agency.

 

Compromise agreements will not be used in situations such as this to exit staff from the organisation.

 

Whistle-blowing
Staff may also consider the use of the organisation’s Whistle-blowing Policy where they have serious safeguarding concerns regarding the behaviour, actions or lack of actions by volunteers, trustees or another staff member.

 

Confidentiality and Recording Information
Children have the right to confidentiality unless the organisation considers that they are at risk of serious harm.

Adults over the age of 18 generally have the legal right to confidentiality, and to give their informed consent that information about them can be shared. There are exceptions to this where individuals are deemed to be particularly vulnerable (see Section 4.1.2 above).

Any information recorded regarding safeguarding issues must be stored securely and every effort made to maintain confidentiality.

 

Details of any suspected abuse should only be discussed with those staff and external agencies that is appropriate and necessary to do so.

 

A Safeguarding Incident Report (see Proforma in Section 6) should be used for recording all ‘disclosures’ and ‘suspected’ child abuse.

 

This must be used to record all allegations and suspicions of abuse across the Association’s services at the earliest possible opportunity, and a copy must be provided to the Designated Safeguarding Officer within two working days.

 

5.0 Policy review
This Policy will be reviewed and re-approved by the organisation’s Board of Trustees.

Other organisational / departmental policies & procedures should be reviewed and modified as needed to remain compliant with the organisation’s Safeguarding Policy.

 

Description of incident:
Date:	Time:
Location:	Person(s) present:
Name of child/vulnerable adult, involved:

Age/date of birth (if known):
Address (if known):
Name of person with parental / carer responsibility (if applicable):
Contact details for person with parental / carer responsibility (if applicable & known):
Has the incident/concern been discussed with the person with parental responsibility? Date and time of discussion:	YES / NO (Please circle)
(For Vulnerable Adults only) Do you have informed consent to act?

Explanation/Response from Parent/Carer: (If applicable) Signature:   Date: Time: