Safeguarding Children Policy

CLIMB 4 LIMITED

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN – POLICY AND PROCEDURES

Contents

Introduction

Definitions

Legislation and key principles

Definitions and categories of abuse

Recognising Abuse

Roles and responsibilities

Reporting including process flowchart

Prevent

Training and support for staff

Useful information

Policy review

1. Introduction

Voluntary, charity, social enterprise (VCSE) and private sector organisations and agencies play an important role in safeguarding children through the services they deliver. Like other organisations and agencies who work with children, Climb 4 Limited have appropriate arrangements in place to safeguard and protect children from harm. All individuals working with Climb 4 Limited and who are working with children and their families are subject to safeguarding responsibilities, whether paid or a volunteer.

Working Together to Safeguard children 2023 sets out the safeguarding responsible for voluntary organisations: Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024: Keeping children safe in education 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Safer NELC: SaferNEL | Report a concern – SaferNEL

Climb 4 Limited has policies in place to safeguard and protect children from harm. These should be followed and systems are in place to ensure compliance.

Individuals, whether paid or volunteer, should be aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and protecting children from harm, how they should respond to child protection concerns and how to make a referral to local authority children’s social care or the police if necessary – this policy outlines your responsibilities and how you should respond.

1.1 Climb 4 Limited – Nature and Scope of our Work

CLIMB 4 Limited is a not for profit, user led, social enterprise, supporting disadvantaged people within North East Lincolnshire. We aim to improve the Health and Well-being of local people by providing centralized and outreach services/projects to vulnerable groups who are disadvantaged because of deprivation, socio-economic factors, and health inequalities. We provide Training, Education and Arts (TEA) activities run by the community, striving to work at grass route level, empowering members and participants to improve health and reduce social exclusion.

The beneficiaries that the organisation regularly works with or supports, are Vulnerable children, young people and their families.

For the nature of this policy and procedure document we shall be discussing safeguarding in relation to our beneficiaries that are children and Young people aged 0-18.

Climb 4 Limited provide a range of Training, Education and Arts Activities for vulnerable children and young people- this includes pre-school groups, after school clubs, holiday clubs and activities, youth personal development /employability training programmes, Peer support activities, work experience, Traineeships/ apprenticeships and advice and guidance. Although we do offer support for those experiencing poor mental health we do not not offer counselling or psychological therapies.

The location(s) in which activities take place include our home base – Centre 4 Wooton Road Grimsby. However we also use a variety of venues around North East Lincolnshire as outreach centre’s for our programmes and workshops.

The roles undertaken by paid staff and volunteers include-

Managing Director- (Unsupervised) manages the organisation ensuring that all staff are aware and follow safeguarding policies and procedures. Ensures that reviews are actioned and safeguarding is discussed as an agenda item at all management and project meetings. Reviews safeguarding reports before being sent to Safeguarding board

Safeguarding Officer- (Unsupervised) Reviews policy/ updated training and make changes to policies due to changes in legislation etc. Delivers Safeguarding training to new members of staff during induction. Complete safeguarding monthly reviews to be discussed at Directors meetings. Update staff during weekly project meetings of any safeguarding updates.

Project co-ordinators- (Unsupervised) Co-ordinate projects and teams ensuring that safeguarding procedures are followed ensuring priority of the safety of our participant children and young people at all times. Including face to face and online delivery.

Community/Family/Educational Engagement practitioners – (Unsupervised) Delivering workshops and engaging with children and young people.
Ensuring lessons plans/Schemes of work/group plans include safeguarding awareness delivery/ follow delivery procedures ensuring safety of participants. Follow procedures if any safeguarding issues are identified/or child/young person discloses safeguarding information

Community/Educational Assistants- (Unsupervised) Assist practitioners in delivery preparation and support children and young people during workshops and activities.

Activity Co-ordinators- (Unsupervised) Deliver creative activities to children and young people

Activity Assistants- (Supervised) Assist practitioners in delivery preparation and support children and young people during workshops and activities.

Volunteers/Trainees/Apprentices/Work Experience Students- (Supervised) Assist and support children and young people during workshops and activities.

The level of contact that the above paid staff and volunteers have with service users, will depend on the nature of the activity/ workshop or programme. The contact will generally include offering practical support and guidance during activity delivery. Contact shall NOT include Personal Care.

See above role descriptions for authorisation for Supervised or unsupervised contact.

Climb 4 Limited is committed to protecting the welfare and safety of all children and young people as they participate in the organisations services and /or its activities. Climb 4 Limited understands its responsibility to comply with legislation, particularly to ensure that the welfare of children and young people is paramount, and will constantly monitor developments in this field. However, Climb 4 Limited recognises that the best protection for children and young people participating in our programmes is the vigilance and forethought of staff and volunteers in preventing circumstances where abuse of trust could occur. To that end, Climb 4 Limited will strive to create a safe and secure environment where service users, volunteers and staff can work together confidently in mutual respect.

Climb 4 Limited takes its responsibility to promote safeguarding within our organisation and with the groups that we work with seriously. We aim to safeguard children by:

Ensuring all of our staff/volunteers are carefully selected and trained to ensure their awareness of safeguarding issues relating to children and young people.

Having a Safeguarding Children and young people’s policy and procedure which is clearly understood, so that any member of staff, volunteer or trustee has an appreciation of the appropriate guidance to follow, should a concern be raised.

Reviewing our Safeguarding Children and young people’s policy and procedure annually in order to ensure it is in line with national and local policy, and the recommendations of the North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership. This will be done as part of our ongoing practice of annual reviewing of all policies with trustees/management committee.

Ensuring that dedicated officers are appointed, to hold a specific role in relation to advising Climb 4 Limited staff and volunteers, whereby advice and a clear course of action can be offered in relation to any safeguarding children concerns. In the event of the lead officer not being available at the time the issue arises, a deputy lead officer will be appointed and will deputise in this role for advice and guidance. If both officers are unavailable, and the situation warrants a swift response, the matter will be referred directly to the North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.

Ensuring that paid staff and volunteers who work closely with children know how to report their concerns about a child, staff member or volunteer. This will be achieved by carrying out an appropriate induction, which will include information on our Safeguarding Children policies and procedures.

On occasions Climb 4 Limited work in partnership with other organisations and sometimes do not deliver all of its own activities, where others will deliver activities on your premises or other locations, on our behalf.

If this occurs we shall ensure that any other agency, organisation or individual engaged to work on our behalf knows how to report their concerns about a child, staff member or volunteer.  This will be achieved by confirming the contracted/partnership organisations’ safeguarding processes and ensuring the appropriate level of training and induction is carried out, which will include knowledge of information on Safeguarding Children policies and procedures.

1.2 The objectives of this policy are:

1.2.1 To explain the responsibilities that Climb 4 Limited and its staff, volunteers and trustees have in respect of safeguarding children.

1.2.2 To provide staff and volunteers with an overview of child protection

1.2.3 To provide a clear procedure that will be implemented where child protection issues arise.

1.2.4 To ensure the Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures are referred to where specific safeguarding issues arise [Concern about a child | NELC (nelincs.gov.uk)]

1.3 Additionally, this Safeguarding Children and Young people’s policy, procedures and guidance should be read and cross referenced in conjunction with the following Climb 4 Limited policies and procedures:

Behaviour Management Policy

Complaints policy

DBS checks

Equality and Diversity Policy

Grievance procedure

Induction process

Recruitment and selection policy

Whistleblowing policy

And North East Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP) policies and procedures. These procedures reflect and are compliant with current legislation.

Definitions

A child is defined as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’ throughout. The term practitioner is used in the guidance to refer to individuals who work with children and their families in any capacity, including a range of professionals, such as qualified social workers and those who work for the statutory safeguarding partners or in education settings.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as: Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online. Amended to reflect the updated Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 to include:

Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge

protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online

preventing the impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development

ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

3.0 Legislation and key principles

3.1 This policy has been developed in line with:

Children Act 1989

Children Act 2004, as amended by the Children and Social Work Act 2017

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Children and Families Act 2014

Education Act 2002

Education Act 2011

Adoption and Children Act 2002 – amended the Children Act 1989 by expanding the definition of harm to include witnessing domestic violence

Children and Adoption Act 2006

Children and Young Persons Act 2008

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024

Special educational needs and disability code of practice 0-25 years 2015

The Children Act 1989 provides the legislative framework for child protection in England. Key principles established by the act include:

the paramount nature of the child’s welfare

the expectations and requirements around duties of care to children.

The Children Act 2004, as amended by the Children and Social Work Act 2017, places new duties on key agencies in a local area. Specifically, the police, clinical commissioning groups and the local authority are under a duty to make arrangements to work together, and with other partners locally, to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in their area.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 is the statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0-25 years, Guidance for organisations working with and supporting children who have special educational needs or disabilities: SEND_Code_of_Practice_January_2015.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

And from specialist organisations such as:

• The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information and Support Services (SENDIASS). SENDIASS offer information, advice and support for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND. All local authorities have such a service: Find your local IAS service (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)

• Mencap – Represents people with learning disabilities, with specific advice and information for people who work with children and young people

• NSPCC – Safeguarding children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and NSPCC – Safeguarding child protection/deaf and disabled children and young people

3.2 Key principles

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

• Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge

• Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online

• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development

• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

• Promoting the upbringing of children with their birth parents, or otherwise their family network4 through a kinship care arrangement, whenever possible and where this is in the best interests of the children

• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes in line with the outcomes set out in the Children’s Social Care National Framework5.

Child protection is part of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and is defined for the purpose of this guidance as activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suspected to be suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.

This includes harm that occurs inside or outside the home, including online. Effective safeguarding means practitioners should understand and be sensitive to factors, including economic and social circumstances and ethnicity, which can impact children and families’ lives.

3.3 Effective safeguarding systems are those where:

A child-centred approach to safeguarding is taken

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

Need is assessed effectively and help provided to the child and/or family in need

There is access to individual services and universal services; from early help to complex, critical and immediate need

Anyone who has concerns about a child’s welfare can make a referral to the local authorities’ children’s social care

We effectively share information between local organisations and agencies

4.0 Categories of Abuse and Definitions

Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Harm can include ill treatment that is not physical as well as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others. This can be particularly relevant, for example, in relation to the impact on children of all forms of domestic abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can 12 take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children.

Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the illtreatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), 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, although it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue in education and all staff should be aware of it and of their school or college’s policy and procedures for dealing with it.

Domestic abuse: can encompass a wide range of behaviours and may be a single incident or a pattern of incidents. That abuse can be, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional. Children can be victims of domestic abuse. They may see, hear, or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse). All of which can have a detrimental and long-term impact on their health, well-being, development, and ability to learn.

Neglect: 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, for example, as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion 13 from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Online Abuse: Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the Internet, whether through social networks, playing online games or using mobile phones. Children and young people may experience cyberbullying, grooming, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or emotional abuse.

Children can be at risk of online abuse from people they know, as well as from strangers. Online abuse may be part of abuse that is taking place in the real world (for example bullying or grooming). Or it may be that the abuse only happens online (for example persuading children to take part in sexual activity online).

Children can feel like there is no escape from online abuse – abusers can contact them at any time of the day or night, the abuse can come into safe places like their bedrooms, and images and videos can be stored and shared with other people.

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE): A type of sexual abuse. Children in exploitative situations and relationships receive something such as gifts, money or affection as a result of performing sexual activities or others performing sexual activities on them.

Children or young people may be tricked into believing they’re in a loving, consensual relationship. They might be invited to parties and given drugs and alcohol. They may also be groomed and exploited online.

Some children and young people are trafficked into or within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation can also happen to young people in gangs. There is clear link between CSE and child criminal exploitation.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Is the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It’s also known as female circumcision or cutting.

Religious, social or cultural reasons are sometimes given for FGM. However, FGM is child abuse. It’s dangerous and a criminal offence.

There are no medical reasons to carry out FGM. It doesn’t enhance fertility and it doesn’t make childbirth safer. It is used to control female sexuality and can cause severe and long-lasting damage to physical and emotional health.

Bullying and Cyber Bullying: Behaviour that hurts someone else – such as name calling, hitting, pushing, and spreading rumours, threatening or undermining someone.

It can happen anywhere – at school, at home or online. It’s usually repeated over a long period of time and can hurt a child both physically and emotionally.

Bullying that happens online, using social networks, games and mobile phones, is often called cyberbullying. A child can feel like there’s no escape because it can happen wherever they are, at any time of day or night

Modern Slavery and Child Trafficking: modern slavery encompasses slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking and all are child abuse. Trafficking means; deception, physical coercion, psychological coercion and complex cases1.

Children are recruited, moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Children are trafficked and enslaved for:

child sexual exploitation

benefit fraud

forced marriage

domestic servitude such as cleaning, childcare, cooking

forced labour in factories or agriculture

criminal activity such as pickpocketing, begging, transporting drugs, working on cannabis farms, selling pirated DVDs, organ harvesting and bag theft.

Many children are trafficked into the UK from abroad, but children can also be trafficked from one part of the UK to another and where they are also criminally exploited this is classed as Modern day slavery. Indicators to look out for include:

No evidence of parental permission for the child to travel

Little or no evidence of a pre-existing relationship with the adult

Unsatisfactory accommodation

Signs of injury or persistent ill-health

Grooming: Grooming is when someone builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or trafficking.

Children and young people can be groomed online or face-to-face, by a stranger or by someone they know – for example a family member, friend or professional.

Groomers may be male or female. They could be any age.

Many children and young people don’t understand that they have been groomed or that what has happened is abuse.

Harmful Sexual Behaviour: Includes:

using sexually explicit words and phrases

inappropriate touching

using sexual violence or threats

full penetrative sex with other children or adults.

Children and young people who develop harmful sexual behaviour harm themselves and others.

County Lines and Child Criminal Exploitation

County lines is the police term for urban gangs supplying drugs to suburban areas and market and coastal towns and often involves gangs using children to move drugs and money, the child becomes criminally exploited – Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE).

CCE often involves physical and emotional violence, criminal and sexual exploitation, modern slavery, and the child becoming missing.

The gangs will target vulnerable children and adults, particularly those who do not have support networks, additional educational needs, mental ill-health, disabilities or emotional vulnerability i.e. absent parents or bereavement.

Child criminal exploitation can:

affect any child or young person (male or female) under the age of 18 years

still be exploitation even if the activity appears consensual

involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance; often accompanied by violence or threats of violence

be typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.

Signs to look out for include:

Persistently going missing from school or home and / or being found out-of-area

Unexplained acquisition of money, clothes, or mobile phones

Excessive receipt of texts / phone calls

Relationships with controlling / older individuals or groups

Leaving home / care without explanation

Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries

Carrying weapons

Significant decline in school results / performance

Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks

Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being

This information is adapted from the NSPCC website – https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/

Further information can be found in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023: Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024: Keeping children safe in education 2024 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Recognising Abuse or neglect

Child abuse occurs to children of both sexes and all ages, in all cultures, religions, and social classes and to children with and without disabilities. All staff and volunteers should be alert to signs that a child may be at risk of significant harm.

The signs of child abuse aren’t always obvious, and a child might not tell anyone what’s happening to them. Sometimes, children don’t even realise that what’s happening is abuse.

5.1 How to tell whether behaviour is normal for their age:

Children develop and mature at different rates. So what’s worrying for a younger child, might be normal behaviour for an older child. If a child looks or acts a lot older or younger than their age, this could be a cause for concern.

However, if a child develops more slowly than others of a similar age and there’s not a cause such as physical or learning disabilities, it could be a sign they’re being abused.

All ages:

Talks of being left home alone or with strangers.

Poor bond or relationship with a parent, also known as attachment.

Acts out excessive violence with other children.

Lacks social skills and has few if any friends

Under 5’s:

Doesn’t cry or respond to parent’s presence or absence from an early age

Reaches developmental milestones late, such as learning to speak, with no medical reason

Significantly underweight but eats well when given food.

5 – 11 years old:

Becomes secretive and reluctant to share information.

Reluctant to go home

Unable to bring friends home or reluctant for professionals to visit the family home.

Poor school attendance and punctuality, or late being picked up.

Parents show little interest in child’s performance and behaviour

Parents are dismissive and non-responsive to professional concerns.

Is reluctant to get changed for sports etc.

Wets or soils the bed.

11-18 years old:

Drinks alcohol regularly from an early age.

Is concerned for younger siblings without explaining why.

Becomes secretive and reluctant to share information.

Talks of running away.

Shows challenging/disruptive behaviour at school.

Is reluctant to get changed for sports etc.

6.0 Roles and responsibilities – Climb 4 Limited

6.1 All staff, volunteers and Directors have a responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures.

Climb 4 Limited expects all staff, volunteers and Directors to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices. Our organisation has a designated person whom concerns are reported, refer to section 6.2 and 7.4.

This extends to making other organisations or agencies that might be delivering work on our premises, or on our behalf, aware of our Safeguarding Children policy and procedures.

Therefore, each member of staff, volunteer, Director or contracted Climb 4 Limited representative: –

Will abide by the Policies and Procedure of Climb 4 Limited

Will inform Climb 4 Limited of any relevant police record or other factor, or any change in his/her circumstances, which may make him/her unsuitable either as a Climb 4 Limited volunteer or representative for any particular Climb 4 Limited activity.

Recognises that the role within Climb 4 Limited places him/her in a position of trust with regard to all children who are service users participating in Climb 4 Limited activities and undertakes to uphold that trust at all times.

Undertakes to maintain, within the organisation’s procedures, the confidentiality of any information relating to other staff members, volunteers, representative and service users made available to him/her in the course of the role

Will not knowingly place him/herself in a situation where they are alone with a child or young person and will endeavour to ensure, as far as possible, that there is another adult in attendance.

Will ensure that any Climb 4 Limited activities involving children outside the normal activities are agreed and approved by her/his line manager in advance.

Will not behave in any way, physically or verbally, that could be offensive.

Remembers at all times that interactions between him/herself and service users must be such that no reasonable person observing that interaction could construe its nature as abusive.

6.2 Specific responsibilities and roles

Area of responsibility

Person responsible

Notes

Ensuring the policy is in place and appropriate

Jordan Aisthorpe, Youth and Communities.

Created and checked against legislation and North East Lincolnshire policies and procedures

Ensuring the policy is accessible

Jordan Aisthorpe

Youth and Communities

Via Onedrive and ensuring that all staff have access and know where hard copy is kept.

Ensuring the policy is implemented

Project co-ordinators ensure their teams implement safeguarding procedures- can identify signs/know how to report

Jordan Aisthorpe and Charlotte Robinson to offer support /training to teams/co-ordinators

Ensuring the policy is monitored and reviewed

Jordan Aisthorpe – Youth and Communities