Safeguarding

Safeguarding Policy

Policy Statement

Sunderland Engineering Training Association Ltd. (Seta) recognises its responsibilities regarding safeguarding and promoting the welfare of learners.

Seta acknowledges that all learners have a right to be protected from abuse and are entitled to an environment that is safe, supportive and promotes personal wellbeing.

Principles

This code of practice is based on the following principles which are derived from the Children’s Act (1989)(2004) and Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

• A child is a person under the age of 18.

• A vulnerable adult as anyone over the age of eighteen years who is:

· Receiving social care services

· Receiving a health service

· Living in sheltered accommodation

· In custody or under a probation order

· Requiring assistance to conduct their affairs

· Receiving a service or participating in an activity aimed at older people or people with physical or mental disabilities.

• An acknowledgment that children can be victims of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect and bullying.
• Abuse can have serious and long-term effects on all aspects of a child’s health, development and well-being. Sustained abuse is likely to have a deep effect on a child’s self-image, self-esteem and future life.
• The safety and welfare of children are paramount and it is the responsibility of all members of staff to help to prevent abuse and to act on any concerns.

• All children have the right to live in safety and be protected from abuse.
• Children must be listened to, and any allegation or suspicion that they have been the victims of abuse or ill treatment will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

• The above principles will apply equally to all children irrespective of their race, culture, religion or belief, language, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or offending status.
• All reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with children, through its recruitment practices, CRB checks and induction procedures.

• Those in a position of trust should have a clear understanding of the responsibilities this carries and should not abuse their position or put themselves in a position where allegations of abuse, whether justified or unfounded, could be made. The potential of both men and women to abuse a position of trust is recognised.
• All members of staff have a duty to raise concerns, without prejudice to their own position, about behaviour by staff, managers, volunteers, students or others, which may be harmful to those in their care and will receive appropriate support when doing so.

Forms of Abuse

There are five main forms of abuse, although there are variations within these:

Physical Abuse
This involves deliberate physical harm to children. It includes hitting, shaking, throwing, squeezing, burning and biting, as well as giving children alcohol, inappropriate drugs or poisonous substances. It also includes attempted suffocation or drowning and fabricating the symptoms of an illness. Reasonable physical restraint to prevent a child from harming themselves, another person, or from causing serious damage to property is not deemed to be abuse.

Sexual Abuse
This involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening and involves the use of children by adults – both male and female – to meet their own sexual needs. This could include direct sexual activity, penetrative or non-penetrative acts, masturbation, taking indecent photographs or videos, or showing children pornographic material or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect
This involves the failure to meet the child’s physical and/or psychological needs and is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. It may involve a failure to provide food, warmth, clothing, love, affection, attention and recognition, or a failure to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or a failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

Emotional Abuse
This involves the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause a severe and adverse effect on the child’s emotional development. As well as persistent lack of love and attention, this includes constant criticism, threats, taunting and words and action that demean the child. Within the context of a training environment, it may include persistent denigration of a child’s work or ability. It may involve conveying to the child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may involve causing a child to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. There is some level of emotional abuse in all types of child abuse, but it can also occur alone.

Bullying
This is deliberate, hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time where it is difficult for those being bullied to defend themselves. Bullying can be verbal, written or physical.

Recognition of Abuse

Child abuse can and does occur both within a child’s family and in institutional or community settings. The following may indicate that a child is being or has been abused:

• Unexplained or suspicious injuries, particularly if such an injury is unlikely to have occurred accidentally.
• An injury for which the child’s or adult’s explanation appears inconsistent.
• The child describes an abusive act or situation.
• Unexplained changes in behaviour.
• Inappropriate sexual awareness or sexually explicit behaviour.
• The child appears distrustful of adults.
• The child is not allowed to be involved in normal social activities.
• The child becomes increasingly dirty or shabby.

Incidents that must be reported/recorded

Any of the following incidences should be reported immediately:

• If you accidentally hurt a child.
• If he/she seems distressed in any manner.
• If a child appears to be sexually aroused by your actions.
• If you are concerned that a relationship is developing that could represent an abuse of trust.
• If you are concerned that the child is becoming attracted to you.
• If you are concerned that a colleague is becoming attracted to someone in his/her care.
• If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.
• If you have had to use reasonable physical restraint to prevent a child harming themselves, or another, or from causing significant damage to property.
• If a child reports an allegation of abuse regarding a member of an external organisation using Training Centre facilities

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Provide guidance on procedures that staff and others who are involved with the learners should follow if there is a suspicion that a learner is experiencing or is at risk of abuse.

• To provide protection for all learners at Seta.

• To promote a culture which makes Seta a safe and supportive place to learn.

• To clearly define the different forms of abuse.

Responsibilities

• It is the responsibility of the Board and Senior Management to ensure that the Safeguarding policy is followed by all persons within Seta.

• It is the responsibility of all staff to adhere to and implement the Safeguarding Policy and procedures.

• All staff should remain alert to the signs of abuse which can show themselves in many ways depending upon the type of abuse being committed.

• To report suspected cases of abuse immediately

• Implement all other related policies. (Child Protection, Anti-Bullying, Equal Opportunities)

Guidance for staff

If someone discloses that they are being abused the staff member should:

• React calmly

• Reassure the young person that they were right to tell and listen to them carefully.

• Question them carefully without leading or prompting.

• Do not promise confidentiality

• Inform the young person what you will do next.

• Make a full written record of what has been discussed ready to pass on to the designated person.

• Report any complaints received about another member of staff immediately to senior management.

Code of Practice

• All members of staff should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour when working with children in order to protect children from abuse and themselves from false allegations. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.

Good practice

• Maintain a register of children working with you at any given time
• Work in an open environment avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication. Avoid spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
• Treat all children equally, with respect and dignity.

• Always put the welfare of the child first.

• Maintain a safe and appropriate distance with children. It is not appropriate for staff, students or volunteers to have an intimate relationship with a child.

• Ensure that if any form of manual/physical touching is required, it should be provided openly
• Be an excellent role model – this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of children.

• Where required give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.

• Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.

• Attend any relevant training courses provided.

The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:

• Engage in rough physical or sexually provocative games.
• Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.

• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.
• Deliberately reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
• Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
• Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.

• Do things of a personal nature for children that they can do for themselves.

Related Policies

· Child Protection Policy

· Anti-Bullying Policy

· Equal Opportunities Policy

· Staff Recruitment Policy