This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and session workers, agency staff, students, or anyone working on behalf of the charity.
This policy has been drawn up based on law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
We recognise that:
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
As part of our commitment to safeguarding and providing necessary support, we are members of the following:
This Safeguarding Policy should be read in conjunction with the charity’s other policies and procedures as they are developed, reviewed, and updated. Those highlighted below form an appendix to this policy.
Name
Olga Venosa
Phone
07717576647
olga.venosa@wearestrongercharity.org
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer(s)
Name
Neil De Mello
Phone
07973795618
Neil.DeMello@wearestrongercharity.org
Name
Abiola Oke
Phone
07752461038
Abiola.Oke@wearestrongercharity.org
Helpline
08088005000
help@nspcc.org.uk
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
The charity will apply the following principles:
Anyone conducting an interview with a child who discloses abuse, will do so inaccordance with the following guidelines:
Do treat any allegation seriously and always respond as though you believe what they are saying.
Do tell the child that they are right to tell you.
Do reassure them that they are not to blame.
Do tell the child what you are doing, when and who you will have to tell, and keep them up to date with what is happening.
Do take further action – you may be the only person in a position to prevent future abuse – tell your nominated person immediately.
Do make a record of the discussion and include time, place, persons present and what was said.
Do use the child’s language when recording their account of events, do not substitute words.
Don’t coach or prompt the child to say something they weren’t going to.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
Don’t interrogate the child – it is not your job to carry out an investigation – this is the role of the police or social workers who have experience in this area.
Don’t cast doubt on what the child has told you, don’t interrupt them or change the subject.
Don’t say anything that makes the child feel responsible for the abuse.
Don’t take photographs of any injury.
Don’t do nothing – make sure you inform a member of the safeguarding team immediately – they will know what action to take and where to go for further advice.
The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) will be a senior member of staff from the charity’s leadership team. The DSO will take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection. This will be explicit within the post holder’s job description.
The DSO will have the appropriate status and authority within the charity to carry out the duties of the post. They will be given the time, funding, training resources and support to:
The Designated Safeguarding Officer will be expected to:
The Designated Safeguarding Officer will:
There are various forms of abuse including the following:
This is when a child is hurt or injured by a child or an adult. Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. It includes giving a child harmful drugs or alcohol. Female genital mutilation is a form of physical abuse which is illegal in the UK. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to, a child they are looking after. A person might do this because they enjoy or need the attention they get through having a sick child.
This is when adults deny children love or affection or constantly threaten or humiliate them. Sarcasm, degrading punishments and ignoring a child are also forms of emotional abuse and undermine a child’s confidence and sense of self-worth. Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as causing severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve serious bullying, 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 maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
This is when a child is used sexually by an adult or young person. Sexual abuse can include kissing, touching the child’s genitals or breasts, vaginal or anal intercourse and oral sex. Encouraging a child to look at pornographic magazines or videos is also sexual abuse. Sexual abuse includes sexual exploitation, such as forcing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution. Boys and girls can be sexually abused by males and/or females, by adults and by other young people.
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.
The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur using technology.
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. Neglect may occur during pregnancy because of maternal substance abuse. Once a
child is born 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, failure to ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers) 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.
7.6.1 The physical signs of emotional abuse may include:
7.6.2 Changes in behaviour which can also indicate emotional abuse include:
7.7.1 The physical signs of sexual abuse may include:
7.7.2 Changes in behaviour which can also indicate sexual abuse include:
7.8.1 The physical signs of neglect may include:
7.8.2 Changes in behaviour which can also indicate neglect include:
7.8.3 Changes in behaviour which can also indicate neglect include:
The purpose of this safeguarding code of conduct (the “Code”) is to outline the standard We Are Stronger Charity (the “Organisation”) expects from all staff, volunteers, and other representatives, whether paid or unpaid, to behave when working with children and young people.
The Code aims to help us protect children and young people from abuse and reduce the possibility of unfounded allegations being made.
As a representative of the Organisation, you are required to abide by the organisation’s policies and procedures, and to ensure your conduct is in accordance with the organisation’s values and aims.
In your role at the Organisation, you are acting in a position of authority and have a duty of care towards the adults, children, and young people with whom the Organisation works with.
You are likely to be a role model and are expected to act appropriately.
All staff members, volunteers and representatives of the Organisation agree as follows:
All staff members, volunteers and representatives of the Organisation agree as follows:
All staff members, volunteers and representatives of the Organisation should:
All staff members, volunteers and representatives of the Organisation should:
The Organisation’s staff members and volunteers must not do the following whilst acting in their capacity as representatives of the Organisation:
All staff members and volunteers of the Organisation agree to always follow this Code. Any allegations of inappropriate behaviour will be investigated according to the Organisation’s disciplinary policy. Actions will be taken in line with the Organisation’s disciplinary policy and may include dismissal from the Organisation and/or a DBS referral.
We may also make a report to statutory agencies such as the police and/or the local authority child protection services. If you become aware of any breaches of this Code, you must report them immediately.
If you become aware of any breaches of this Code, you must report them to the line manager or feedback team. Where necessary, you agree to follow our safeguarding and child protection procedures.
We will maintain privacy and confidentiality except in the emergence of an at-risk case. In such circumstances we will require the therapist to follow their safeguarding procedure, and/or we will contact the relevant parties such as social services and the police
Contact details for the City of London Corporation Children and Families Team are:
Address is:
Community and Children’s Services
City of London
North Wing, Guildhall
PO Box 270
London EC2P 2EJ
This policy will be reviewed a year after its initial implementation date and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:
