Safeguarding Statement

This organisation is committed to the safeguarding of children and young people and ensuring their well-being.

Specifically:

• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect of children and young people and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.

• We believe every child and young person should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that children and young people we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.

• All children and young people have the right to be treated with respect, to be listened to and to be protected from all forms of abuse.

• We believe in the necessity of creating a healthy culture in our organisation where the value of all people is recognised and challenges are responded to appropriately.

• We promote fundamental British values.  We have a due regard to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

We are committed to:

• Following the requirements for UK legislation in relation to safeguarding children and adults and good practice recommendations.

• Respecting the rights of children as described in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

• Implementing the requirements of legislation in regard to people with disabilities.

• Ensuring that workers adhere to the agreed procedures of our safeguarding policy.

• Keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.

• Supporting the Designated Safeguarding Lead/s in their work and in any action they may need to take in order to protect children and young people.

• Ensuring that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by this organisation.

• Supporting parents and families.

• Nurturing, protecting and safeguarding of children and young people.

• Supporting, resourcing, training, monitoring and providing supervision to all those who undertake this work.

• Supporting all in the organisation affected by abuse.

• Adopting and following the ‘Safe and Secure’ safeguarding standards developed by Thirtyone:eight (formerly CCPAS).

We recognise:

• Children’s Social Services (or equivalent) has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care (or equivalent) has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs.

• Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.

• Where working outside of the UK, concerns will be reported to the appropriate agencies in the country in which we operate, and their procedures followed, and in addition we will report concerns to our agency’s headquarters.

• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

We will review this statement and our policy and procedures annually

If you have any concerns for a child or adult with care and support needs then please speak to one of the following who have been approved as Designated Safeguarding Leads for this organisation.

Jayne Lock (Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Dave Cook (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead)

A copy of the full policy and procedures is available HERE