Safeguarding Policy
Last updated: August 2024
Next review date: August 2025
Policy Scope
This policy applies to all staff, contractors and volunteers at The Song School (TSS).
Introduction
TSS makes a positive contribution to a strong and safe community and recognises the right of every individual to stay safe.
TSS comes into contact with children and vulnerable adults through the course of the classes and workshops it provides.
The type of contact with children and/or vulnerable adults will be intensive regulated activity (i.e. 3 days or more within a 30 day period) and controlled activity (i.e. ancillary roles where there may be contact with vulnerable groups. This includes administrators who can access data on vulnerable people).
This policy seeks to ensure that TSS undertakes its responsibilities with regard to protection of children and vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support paid and unpaid staff in their practices and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.
Legislation
The principal pieces of legislation governing this policy are:
Working together to safeguard Children 2010
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2020
The Children Act 1989
The Adoption and Children Act 2002
The Children act 2004
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Care Standards Act 2000
Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
The Police Act – DBS 1997
Mental Health Act 1983
NHS and Community Care Act 1990
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
Data Protection Act 1998
SET Child Protection Procedures
The Prevent Duty (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015)
Definitions
Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the organisation to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.
Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.
It can take a number of forms, including the following:
Physical abuse
Sexual abuse
Emotional abuse
Bullying
Neglect
Financial (or material) abuse
Definition of a child: A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).
Definition of Vulnerable Adults: A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited.
This may include a person who:
Is elderly and frail
Has a mental illness including dementia
Has a physical or sensory disability
Has a learning disability
Has a severe physical illness
Is a substance misuser
Is homeless
Responsibilities
All staff (paid or unpaid) have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures.
We expect all staff (paid or unpaid) to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.
The Designated Safeguarding Officer is Louisa Strachan, louisa@thesongschool.co.uk
The Designated Safeguarding Officer’s responsibilities are:
Promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults
Ensure staff (paid and unpaid) have access to appropriate
training/information
Receive staff concerns about safeguarding and respond to all seriously, swiftly and appropriately
Keep up to date with local arrangements for safeguarding and CRB o Develop and maintain effective links with relevant agencies
Take forward concerns about responses
Implementation
The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:
Child Protection Policy
Social Media Policy
Health & Safety Policy – including lone working procedures, mitigating risk to staff and clients.
Equal Opportunities Policy – safeguarding procedures are in line with this policy, particularly in respect of discriminatory abuse
Data Protection Policy
Confidentiality Policy
Whistleblowing Policy
Safe Recruitment – TSS ensures safe recruitment through the following processes
All recruitment adverts or application details contain the following statement: “Recruitment is carried out in line with safe recruitment
practices”
All job or role descriptions for all roles involving contact with children and/or vulnerable adults will contain reference to safeguarding responsibilities.
Interviews are conducted according to equal opportunity principles and interview questions are based on the relevant job description and person specification
Enhanced DBS checks will be conducted for all staff (paid or unpaid) working with children and vulnerable adults. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred by the Disclosure and Barring Service to work to apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts.
No formal job offers are made until after checks for suitability are completed (including Enhanced DBS and 2 references). In exceptional and justifiable circumstances employment could commence prior to Enhanced DBS clearance, provided 2 references are found to be in order.
Disclosure and Barring Service Records Gap Management – TSS commits resources to providing DBS checks on staff (paid or unpaid) whose roles involve contact with children and/or vulnerable adults.
In order to avoid DBS gaps, TSS will ensure that their established staff and roles are regularly reviewed through
A 3 year rolling programme of rechecking Enhanced DBS is in place for holders of all identified posts.
Existing staff (paid or unpaid) who transfer from a role which does not require a DBS check to one which involves contact with children/vulnerable adults will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check.
Communications training and support for staff
TSS commits resources for training of staff (paid or unpaid), effective communications and support mechanisms in relation to Safeguarding.
All staff, who, through their role, are in contact with children and/or vulnerable adults will have access to safeguarding training at an appropriate level. Staff leading classes/workshops will undertake Level 2 training, student teachers/buddies will receive age appropriate in-house training, whilst the designated Safeguarding Officers will receive Level 3 training. All training will be renewed every 2 years.
Commitment to the following communication methods will ensure effective communication of safeguarding issues and practice:
Staff (paid or unpaid) meetings
One to one meetings (formal or informal)
Discussion of the Safeguarding Policy (and confirmation of understanding) o Encouraging open discussion during staff meetings to identify any barriers to reporting so that they can be addressed
Refresher sessions to remind staff (paid or unpaid) about policies and procedures
We recognise that involvement in situations where there is risk or actual harm can be stressful for the staff concerned. The mechanisms in place to support staff include:
Debriefing support for paid and unpaid staff so that they can reflect on this issues they have dealt with
Seeking further support as appropriate e.g. access to counselling
Reporting
The process detailed in the Child Protection Policy details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at TSS.
Child Disclosures
TSS and its staff recognises its duty to report any child disclosures as soon as possible. The process for raising and dealing with child disclosures is as follows:
Any member of staff (paid or unpaid) from TSS is required to report any concerns in the first instance to the DSL. A written record of the disclosure will be completed by the Safeguarding lead using the form in Appendix 1.
The local authority will be contacted for advice either for Early Help Assessment (EHA) or to the LSCP for a referral to social care
The advice given by the local authority will be followed.
If there are any serious and immediate concerns and the DSL is not available, the staff member should not wait to seek advice on next steps and go straight to point 2 above.
Allegations Management
TSS recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against its staff (paid or unpaid) within the organisation or by a professional from another organisation.
The process for raising and dealing with allegations is as follows:
Any member of staff (paid or unpaid) from TSS is required to report any concerns in the first instance to the Safeguarding lead.
A written record of the concern will be completed by the Safeguarding lead using the form in Appendix 1.
The local authority will be contacted for advice.
The advice given by the local authority will be followed.
Monitoring
TSS will monitor the following Safeguarding aspects:
Safe recruitment practices
DBS checks undertaken
References applied for in respect of new staff
Register/record of staff training on child/vulnerable adult protection
Monitoring whether concerns are being reported and actioned
Checking that policies are up to date and relevant
Reviewing the current reporting procedure
Managing Information
Information will be gathered and records stored in accordance with the Data Protection Policy.
All staff must be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. The public interest in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults may override confidentiality interests. However, information will be shared on a need to know basis only, as judged by the Founder.
All staff must be aware that they cannot promise students or their families/carers that they will keep secrets.
Communicating and reviewing the policy
TSS will make clients aware of the Safeguarding Policy. An electronic or hard copy will be available upon request.
This policy will be reviewed by the Founder every year and when there are changes in legislation.
End.