Safeguarding People from Harm

Safeguarding Principles

To ensure good safeguarding governance, we suggest key principles in line with the Charity Commission’s advice. 

Protecting people from harm

It is essential that members of your group recognise signs of abuse or mistreatment.

Abuse and mistreatment includes:

• physical abuse: including hitting, slapping, punching, burning, misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint
• sexual abuse: including rape, indecent assault, inappropriate touching, exposure to pornographic material
• psychological or emotional abuse: including belittling, name calling, threats of harm, intimidation, isolation
• financial or material abuse: including stealing, fraud, misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
• neglect and acts of omission: including withholding the necessities of life such as medication, food or warmth, ignoring medical or physical care needs
• discriminatory abuse: including racist or sexist abuse, abuse based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment

Abuse or mistreatment may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. It may be a single act or repeated acts.  People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds and may be known or unknown to the person experiencing abuse.

Awareness

It is essential that people in your group are clear on expectations regarding spotting safeguarding concerns.

Handle and report incidents and concerns

For any incident or allegation of abuse, we suggest that you carry out the following steps:

• handle and record it in a secure and responsible way
• act quickly, ensuring you stop or minimise any further harm or damage
• report it to all relevant agencies in full
• plan what to say to those involved with your group - and the media if appropriate
• review what happened to understand how to stop it from happening again

We suggest that you report any concerns as follows:

To the police if the incident or concern is serious and requires immediate attention or involves criminal behaviour.
To the safeguarding team / social services of the local authority where the incident or concern was observed or raised.  The relevant contact number or e-mail will be displayed clearly on the Local Authority’s website.

Recording of incidents and near misses

We suggest that you record accurately and securely (in line with GDPR guidance) any incident that you observed and referred, any case that was reported to you and any incident you prevented through your actions (a near miss).

We also suggest that you record any allegation of inappropriate behaviour by members of your group or by other associated individuals

Designated Named Person

You should have a Designated Named Person in your group who is responsible for safeguarding issues

Safeguarding Code of Behaviour

The Code of Behaviour should apply to all members of your group

1. Preventing Abuse and Mistreatment

1.1 Group members should not spend excessive amounts of time alone with children, young people or adults, away from others.  Meetings with individual children, young people or vulnerable adults should be avoided or should take place within sight of others.  If privacy is needed indoors, the door should remain open or the room have glazed partitions or doors and other group members should be aware of the meeting.

1.2 Group members are advised not to make unnecessary physical contact with children, young people or adults. However, there may be occasions when physical contact is unavoidable, such as providing comfort at times of distress, or physical support in outdoor activities or similar. In all such cases contact should take place only with the consent of the child, young person or vulnerable adult.

1.3 It is not good practice to take children, young people or vulnerable adults alone in a vehicle, however short the journey. Where this is unavoidable, it should be with the full knowledge and consent of the parents (or guardians).

1.4 Group members must not meet children, young people or vulnerable adults outside the group’s organised activities, unless it is with the knowledge and consent of the parents/guardians.

1.5 Group members should not start an investigation or question anyone after an allegation or concern has been raised. This is the job of the authorities. You should simply record the facts and report these to the group’s Designated Named Person (please refer to the paragraph above).

1.6 Group members should never (even in fun) –

1. Initiate or engage in sexually provocative conversations or activity.
2. Allow the use of inappropriate language to go unchallenged.
3. Do things of a personal nature for children, young people or vulnerable adults that they can do themselves.
4. Allow any allegations made by a child or adult to go without being reported and addressed, or either trivialise or exaggerate abuse issues.
5. Make promises to keep any disclosure confidential from relevant authorities.

1.7 Group members should not show favouritism to any one child, young person or adult, nor should they issue or threaten any form of physical punishment.

2. Issues to adhere to

2.1 Group members must respect children’s, young people's and adults’ rights to privacy and encourage children, young people and adults to feel comfortable enough to report attitudes or behaviour they do not like.

2.2 Group members must be aware of the procedures for reporting concerns or incidents and should familiarise themselves with the contact details of the Designated Named Person.

2.3 If a group member finds himself or herself the subject of inappropriate affection or attention from a child, young person or adult, they should make others aware of this.

2.4 If a group member has any concerns relating to the welfare of a child, young person or adult in their care, be it concerns about actions/behaviours of another group member or concerns based on any conversation with the child, young person or adult, particularly where the child, young person or adult makes an allegation, they should report this immediately to the Designated Named Person.

3. Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse or mistreatment

3.1 Group members must recognise that they have a duty to act on reports, or suspicions, of abuse or neglect. It also the case that taking action in cases of abuse or mistreatment is never easy.

3.2 How to respond if you receive an allegation:

• Reassure the person concerned
• Listen to what they are saying
• Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible
• Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
• Tell them that the information will be treated seriously
• Don’t start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
• Don’t promise to keep it a secret

3.3 If you witness abuse, or if abuse has just taken place, the priorities will be:

• To call an ambulance if required
• To call the police if a crime has been committed
• To preserve evidence
• To keep yourself and group members safe
• To inform the Designated Named Person in your group
• To record what happened 

All situations of abuse or alleged abuse should be discussed with the Designated Named Person.

If the individual experiencing abuse does not have capacity to consent, a referral should be made without that person’s consent, in their best interests.

The Designated Named Person may take advice from any agency. This may require a referral to children’s social care services, the independent Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against group members, and in emergencies, the police.

4. Managing allegation(s) made against a group member

It is important to ensure that any allegations made against group members are dealt with swiftly.

Where a group member is thought to have committed a criminal offence the police should be informed. If a crime has been witnessed, the police should be contacted immediately.

The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. A risk assessment must be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk to all group members posed by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role within the group whilst the investigation is undertaken. 

The Designated Named Person will liaise with Social Services to discuss the best course of action and to ensure that the group’s disciplinary procedures are coordinated with any other enquiries taking place as part of the ongoing management of the allegation. 

5. Recording and managing confidential information

It is suggested that you commit to maintaining confidentiality wherever possible and information around safeguarding issues should be shared only with those who need to know.