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Safeguarding Policy
The Trustees, leadership team and staff of Nightingales Children’s Project fully recognise the responsibilities and duty placed upon them to have arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children & young adults, considering at all times what is in the best interests of the young person. We recognise that all staff, including volunteers, have a full and active part to play in protecting children & young adults from harm.
We believe that our Charity should provide a caring, positive, safe and stimulating environment in which young people can grow and the environment promotes the social, emotional and mental wellbeing of each individual beneficiary. The welfare of the beneficiary is paramount. All children and young people, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse. This policy applies to all children and young people.
Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents and carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
The Charity recognises its responsibilities and duties to report Child Protection concerns to the Social Services Department and to assist Social Services in Child Protection enquiries.
The policy is written with due regard to the UK and Romania guidance.
The Charity will raise Child Protection concerns with parents / carers at the earliest appropriate opportunity.
The Charity will ensure that all staff are given the opportunity to attend appropriate training in Child Protection and Safeguarding issues, as recommended in the guidance.
Aims
- To raise awareness of all staff of the need to safeguard all children and young people, and of their responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse.
- To provide all staff with the necessary professional development opportunities to enable them to identify children and young adults who may benefit from early help, to work with young people and their families to bring about positive change, and how to take appropriate action to safeguard children if necessary.
- To ensure that all parents, carers and young people are made aware of the risks they may face both inside and outside of the Charity, and what they can to do to keep themselves and others safe.
- To emphasise the need for good communication between all members of staff in matters relating to safeguarding & child protection.
- To develop a structured procedure within the Charity, that will be adhered to by all members of our community in cases of suspected abuse.
- To provide a systematic means of monitoring young people known or thought to be at risk of significant harm.
- To work openly and in partnership with families in relation to safeguarding and child protection concerns.
- To develop and promote effective working relationships with other agencies involved with safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people.
- To ensure that all adults working within the Charity have been checked as to their suitability to work with children and young people.
- To integrate opportunities into our services for young people to develop the skills they need to recognise and stay safe from abuse, allowing for continuity and progression through the age groups.
- To take account of and inform policy in related areas, such as anti-bullying; conduct; health and safety; restraint procedures; procedures for dealing with allegations against staff and recruitment practice.
Practical Steps in ensuring safeguarding:
- All staff, volunteers and members of the community who interact with our beneficiaries will be obliged to read through and sign a form to show that they are aware of our safeguarding policy and guidelines.
- All staff, volunteers and members of the community who interact with our beneficiaries will be obliged to provide an up to date appropriate police check before they will be considered for a place on the Nightingales team.
- Anyone who then does not adhere to the policy will no longer be allowed to interact with the beneficiaries of Nightingales.
