Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy


  1. Purpose

The HUBB’s objective is to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe. All Children and Young People have a fundamental right to be safeguarded from harm.


The purpose of this Policy and related procedures is to:

  • promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and protect them from harm
  • prevent harm occurring through early identification of risk and appropriate timely intervention
  • identify staff responsibilities in dealing with reports or suspicions of abuse
  • provide clear and robust guidance on how to handle these concerns
  • encourage good practice in all aspects of promotion and protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults

  1. Context

The HUBB will carry out its responsibilities under all relevant legislation, regulations and professional guidelines which include the following:

  • Children Northern Ireland Order 1995
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007

  1. Scope

This Policy deals with the safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable adults from abuse, as defined below.

  • Child- A person under the age of 18, as defined in the Children Northern Ireland Order 1995
  • Vulnerable Adult- A Vulnerable Adult is a person aged 18 or over, who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness and who is, or may be unable to take care of him or herself or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation (DoH No Secrets 2002)
  • Abuse
  • Neglect or acts of omission
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Psychological/Emotional abuse
  • Financial or material abuse (Exploitation)
  • Discriminatory abuse

  1. General Principles

This policy and related procedures are based on the following principles:

  • The HUBB seeks to provide and promote a safe environment for all users.
  • The HUBB recognises that anyone can be the subject of abuse and that all allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and treated in accordance with the HUBB’s procedures.
  • This Policy and related procedures will be reviewed every three years to ensure they reflect current legislation and best practice.
  • The HUBB will use best practice in its safe recruitment of staff and volunteers by undertaking the appropriate checks.
  • The HUBB reserves the right to refuse to employ any person or let a person volunteer for the HUBB who has a conviction for the abuse of a child, young person or a vulnerable adult. All HUBB employees and volunteers will be subject to appropriate background checks.
  • Our employees and volunteers will listen, record and report all concerns, disclosures and allegations of abuse in accordance with current procedures in an empathic, prompt and secure manner.
  • The HUBB will NOT investigate instances of abuse as this is the role of statutory agencies e.g. social services, PSNI and NSPCC.
  • The HUBB will inform all users and parents/guardians/carers of under 18’s about the HUBB’s policy and procedures and that this may mean we refer cases to investigative agencies in the interest of the child, young person or vulnerable adult
  • The HUBB is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with, or come in contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults and to provide appropriate supervision

The policy will be implemented in the following ways:

  • All staff must refer all concerns, allegations or suspicions to a Designated Safeguarding employee or the Designated Safeguarding Manager promptly using the appropriate recording methods
  • Designated Safeguarding employees will report these concerns, allegations or suspicions to the Designated Safeguarding Manager
  • The Designated Safeguarding Manager will undertake to contact external agencies when and where appropriate.

  1. Responsibilities

All Employees and Volunteers

  • It is the responsibility of ALL employees and volunteers working in the HUBB to record and report abuse and incidents of concern, not just those employees and volunteers specifically working with children, young people and vulnerable adults.
  • Anyone with an immediate concern about the safety or welfare of a child or young person should contact the police via a 999 call.
  • Anyone with a concern about the abuse of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult in circumstances other than an emergency should fill in the safeguarding record form and forward it on immediately to a designated safeguarding employee or manager.
  • Adopt best practice child protection and vulnerable adult guidelines as provided by the HUBB
  • Act upon any safeguarding disclosure in accordance with the HUBB procedures.
  • Promote safe practice and challenge poor and unsafe behaviour.
  • Ensure all health and safety procedures are adhered to.

Designated Safeguarding Manager (DSM)

The Designated Safeguarding Manager’s role is to:

  • Liaise with Board of Management regarding safeguarding policy, procedures and any reported incidents of concern.
  • Liaise with the local Gateway Team regarding safeguarding procedures and any reported incidents of concern.
  • Liaise with and understand the roles and responsibilities of all the appropriate investigating agencies.
  • Review this policy and related procedures annually.
  • Oversee and monitor the security of record keeping.
  • Ensure that safeguarding measures are implemented at all HUBB events that may involve children, young people or vulnerable adults.
  • Manage and support all Designated Safeguarding employees

Procedures for Dealing with Actual or Suspected Incidents of Abuse

 

The Designated Safeguarding Manager is Colleen Crothers, who will be responsible for recording and reporting child protection concerns, disclosures, allegations.

Where an allegation is made, or someone in the HUBB has concerns, a record should be made on the Cause for Concern Form and submitted to the Designated Safeguarding Manager or other designated safeguarding employee immediately.


Code of Behaviour for HUBB employees and volunteers

The HUBB recognises our responsibilities to develop maintain a safe, equitable environment when we may have contact with children and vulnerable adults through the nature of our business.


The HUBB will ensure that the welfare of children and vulnerable adults are treated as a priority, and that they are treated equally and that their views are heard.


Employees, volunteers and Board of management members in the HUBB should not: 

  • spend excessive amounts of time alone with children or vulnerable adults away from others;
  • take children or vulnerable adults alone in a car on journeys, however short;
  • take children or vulnerable adults to your home.

When it is unavoidable that these things do happen, they should only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge of the member organisation and/or the child’s parents.


Employees, volunteers and Board of management members in the HUBB should never:

  • engage in rough physical games;
  • engage in sexually provocative games;
  • allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any form;
  • allow children or vulnerable adults to use inappropriate language unchallenged;
  • make sexually suggestive comments about or to a child or vulnerable adult even in fun;
  • let allegations a child or vulnerable adult makes go unchallenged or unrecorded;
  • do things of a personal nature for children or vulnerable adult that they can do themselves.

Health and Safety

The HUBB’s guidelines to ensure the general safety of activities, first aid, accidents, road safety, insurance, fire procedures, emergencies, premises and the effective management of health and safety can be obtained from the Manager.


Monitoring

This policy will be reviewed annually by the management committee to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

 

Signed:               

Position:              Secretary

Date:                   June 2020

 

Approved by Policy Committee

Signed                

Chairperson

Date:                   June 2020

Review

Signed: _______________________________                  Date of Review: ____June 2021_____ _____

Signed: _______________________________                  Date of Review: _______________________

Signed: _______________________________                  Date of Review: _______________________

Signed: _______________________________                  Date of Review: _______________________

Signed: _______________________________                  Date of Review: _______________________