Date Policy reviewed: July 2024

Children’s Safeguarding Policy 

FLAG DV is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This policy outlines our responsibilities and the steps we take to ensure that children are protected from harm while engaging with our services. This includes identifying, responding to, and reporting any concerns about a child’s safety and well-being.

FLAG DV abides by the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to safeguarding practice that reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice requirements.

  • We recognise the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
  • All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
  • Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
  • Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

Purpose

FLAG DV will:

  • Protect children and young people whom FLAG DV comes into contact with as a result of its Legal Advice Clinics from harm. 
  • Provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to all FLAG DV employees, volunteers, contractors, and anyone involved in the delivery of our services. Failure to comply with the policy and related procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.

Definitions

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

Child and Adult Abuse: Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

  • Bullying and cyberbullying
  • Child sexual exploitation
  • Child Criminal exploitation
  • Child trafficking
  • Domestic abuse
  • Female genital mutilation
  • Grooming
  • Historical abuse
  • Online abuse

Safeguarding children: Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 as: 

  • protecting children from maltreatment. 
  • preventing impairment of children’s health or development.
  • ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
  • taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.

FLAG DV should have in place arrangements that reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as vulnerable adults.

The Prevent duty

Some organisations in England, Scotland and Wales have a duty, as a specified authority under section 26 of the Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015, to identify vulnerable children and young people and prevent them from being drawn into terrorism. This is known as the Prevent duty. These organisations include:

  • Schools 
  • Registered childcare providers
  • Local authorities
  • Police
  • Prisons and probation services
  • NHS trusts and foundations.
  • Other organisations may also have Prevent duties if they perform delegated local authority functions.

Children can be exposed to different views and receive information from various sources. Some of these views may be considered radical or extreme.

Radicalisation is the process through which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. It can result in a person becoming drawn into terrorism and is in itself a form of harm.

Extremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

Training and Awareness

FLAG DV will ensure an appropriate level of safeguarding training is available to its Trustees, Employees, Volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation who requires it (e.g. contractors).

For all employees who are working or volunteering with children, this requires them as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to: 

  • Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children.
  • Recognise a child potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.
  • Understand how to report a safeguarding Alert.
  • Understand dignity and respect when working with children.
  • Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Children Policy.

Similarly employees and volunteers may encounter concerns about the safety and wellbeing of an adult at risk of abuse. For more information about adults safeguarding, refer to FLAG DV’s Adults Safeguarding Policy.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

FLAG DV expects all employees, volunteers and trustees to maintain confidentiality.  Information will only be shared in line with the Data Protection Act.

However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if a child is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed. For further guidance on information sharing and safeguarding see the GDPR policy document.

Recording and Record Keeping

A written record must be kept about any concern regarding a child safeguarding concern. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made and why they were made.

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with the Data Protection Act.

Further details regarding what records FLAG DV hold can be found within the Privacy policy.

Safe Recruitment & Selection

FLAG DV is committed to safe employment and safe recruitment practices, that reduce the risk of harm to children from people unsuitable to work with them or have contact with them. 

FLAG DV has policies and procedures that that cover the recruitment of all Trustees, employees and volunteers.

Social Media

All employees and volunteers should be aware of FLAG DV’s social media policy and procedures and the code of conduct for behaviour towards the children we support.

Whistleblowing

It is important that people within FLAG DV have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistle blowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrong- doing within their organisation. This includes concerns about another employee or volunteer. There is also a requirement by FLAG DV to protect whistle-blowers. 

FLAG DV Safeguarding Adults Policy

Introduction 

This policy outlines FLAG DV’s commitment to safeguarding adults at risk. FLAG DV recognises its duty to promote welfare, ensure safety, and act appropriately on any allegations, reports, or suspicions of abuse. This policy is designed to:

  • Protect those who receive FLAG DV’s services from harm.
  • Provide guiding principles for staff, volunteers, and the families of children and young people on child protection.
  • Ensure proper handling and support in response to allegations or suspicions of abuse.

This policy applies to all FLAG DV personnel, including senior managers, trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, and students.

Definitions
The Policy and Procedures relate to the safeguarding of adults at risk defined as:

  • A person aged 18 or over who is in need of care and support, regardless of whether they are receiving them, and who, because of those needs, are unable to protect themselves against abuse or neglect. 
  • Adult safeguarding means protecting a person’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. 
  • Adult safeguarding lead is the title given to the member of staff in an organisation who is given the lead for Safeguarding Adults.  

The policy applies to all staff, including trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, students and anyone working on behalf of FLAG DV.

FLAG DV is committed to the belief that the Safeguarding of Adults is everybody’s responsibility.

Principles of the policy and procedures 

The policy and procedures are based on The Six Principles of Safeguarding that underpin all adult safeguarding work.

The Care Act 2014 and Guidance state that safeguarding: 

  • Empowers individuals being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent
  • Prevents by taking action before harm occurs
  • Protects those in greatest need
  • Is based upon a community approach from all partners and providers
  • Ensures accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

FLAG DV will comply with the Berkshire multi-agency adult safeguarding policy and procedures which are built on strong multi-agency partnerships working together, to prevent abuse and neglect where possible, and provide a consistent approach when responding to safeguarding concerns. This entails joint accountability for the management of risk, timely information sharing, co-operation and a collegiate approach that respects boundaries and confidentiality within legal frameworks.

Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse 

FLAG DV is committed to ensuring that all staff, trustees and volunteers undertake training to gain a basic awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse. FLAG DV will ensure that the Adults Safeguarding Lead and other members of staff, trustees and volunteers have access to training around Safeguarding Adults. 

Abuse includes:  

  • Physical abuse: including hitting, slapping, punching, burning, misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint 
  • Sexual abuse: including rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment, 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, selling assets, 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.  Self-neglect is also a form of abuse.
  • Discriminatory abuse: including racist, sexist, that based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment 
  • Institutional or organisational: including regimented routines and cultures, unsafe practices, lack of person-centred care or treatment 
  • ‘Honour’ based violence

Signs of Abuse include:
FLAG DV ensures all staff and volunteers receive training to recognize abuse signs. Abuse includes:

  • Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, burning, inappropriate restraint.
  • Domestic Violence: Physical, sexual, emotional abuse, or ‘honour’-based violence.
  • Sexual Abuse: Rape, indecent assault, harassment, exposure to pornography.
  • Psychological Abuse: Belittling, threats, intimidation, isolation.
  • Financial Abuse: Theft, fraud, misuse of property or benefits.
  • Neglect: Withholding life necessities, ignoring care needs.
  • Discriminatory Abuse: Racist, sexist, or disability-based harassment.
  • Institutional Abuse: Unsafe practices, lack of person-centred care.

Signs of Abuse: Changes in behaviour, physical injuries, neglect signs, financial exploitation, and unusual behaviour or distress.

You may not know. It is enough that you are worried.

Preventing abuse 

FLAG DV implements measures to reduce abuse likelihood, ensuring all interactions are respectful. Service users are encouraged to participate in the organisation’s operations. Information on abuse, complaints, and safeguarding policies is available to service users and their families.

Recruitment and HR procedures 

Recruitment emphasises safeguarding, ensuring staff and volunteers are suitable for their roles. Procedures include:

  • Compliance with HR and Recruitment Policies.
  • Clear job or role descriptions.
  • Application forms with past conviction disclosures.
  • Interviews by a trained panel.
  • Enhanced DBS checks and reference verification.

If FLAG DV removes someone from a role due to risk of harm, a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is mandatory.

Training procedures 

New staff and volunteers receive safeguarding training during induction and annually. Existing staff and volunteers receive annual updates.

‘Whistle blowing’ procedures 

If a member of staff or a volunteer has any concerns about the actions and attitude of the Safeguarding Lead, they should report the matter to the Chair of Trustees of FLAG DV. If all internal routes are exhausted, then individuals can ‘whistle blow’ to the Independent Chair of the Adults Safeguarding Board (ASB). See policy. 

Health and Safety

All paid staff and volunteers volunteering in FLAG DV buildings, or on the premises where a FLAG DV event is being held, are to be given a Health and Safety induction.  All paid staff and volunteers in the course of representing FLAG DV are covered by the organisation’s Public Liability Insurance. We endeavour to ensure that any events which paid staff and volunteers are asked to attend on behalf of FLAG DV are safe and accessible. This is achieved through the prior completion of risk assessments at FLAG DV organised events and in some cases written confirmation of appropriate insurance cover at third party organised events.

Data Protection

FLAG DV will fulfil its duty in relation to Safeguarding by recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance.  Further details of how Flag DV will collect, process and store data can be found within our privacy policy available on our website.

Procedure

Our safeguarding procedures are meticulously outlined in the relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which are integral to our clinic practice and overall operations. These SOPs provide comprehensive guidance on recognising, responding to, and managing safeguarding concerns, ensuring a consistent and effective approach.  

Each SOP is designed to support our commitment to safeguarding by providing clear steps for identifying risks, escalating concerns, and collaborating with relevant agencies. Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Deputy DSL oversee the implementation of these procedures, ensuring that all concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately. These procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to reflect best practices and legislative changes, reinforcing our dedication to the protection and well-being of all service users.