Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures

Policy Created: September 2023

Review Date: September 2024

Policy Aims: 

Batley Food Bank has a duty of care to promote the wellbeing of and safeguard from harm all children who are involved in its activities. All children have a right to protection.

This policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of Batley Food Bank in working with other professionals and agencies to ensure the safety and protection of all children who are involved in our activities. The service that we run provides food parcels to people referred to us, which may include families with children. Only people who are aged 18 or over are referred directly to Batley Food Bank.  Normally volunteers are aged 18 years old or over, unless they are taking part in a recognised volunteer activity such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, in which case they will be 16 years old or over.

We do not currently provide any other services or organise or facilitate any other activities.

Definitions   

What is safeguarding children?

A child is a child before their birth (i.e. during pregnancy) and until their 18^th Birthday.

Safeguarding children refers to the protection of children and young people from abuse or neglect. Abuse is 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. 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 take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.

Definition sourced from (Working together to Safeguard Children 2018).

There is a duty placed on public agencies under the Human Rights Act 1998 to intervene to protect the rights of citizens. Also, the Children Act 1989 makes it clear that the welfare of the child is paramount and everyone involved in the care of children has the responsibility to protect those children from harm.

Legislation sets out 4 categories of child abuse:

1. Physical Abuse
2. Neglect
3. Sexual Abuse
4. Emotional Abuse (see Procedures for full definitions)

Where this policy or the associated procedures refer to ‘staff’ this includes anyone engaged by Batley Food Bank as a volunteer, including trustees, or on a freelance basis.  It refers to anyone engaged in the planning and delivery of activities linked to children on behalf of Batley Food Bank.

We will enable all our staff and those who work with us to make informed and confident decisions regarding safeguarding issues and take all suspicions and allegations of abuse seriously.  We expect everyone at Batley Food Bank to have read, understood and adhere to our safeguarding procedures.

We will endeavour to safeguard children at risk by:

• Valuing them, listening to and respecting them;
• Adopting this policy and adhering to our associated procedures and code of conduct for staff;
• Ensuring we have a safer recruitment process for every person recruited by Batley Food Bank and ensuring all the applicable checks are made.
• Providing effective management of staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training;
• Ensuring organisations we contract or partners have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place;
• Sharing information about safeguarding good practice with freelance staff, volunteers, and other relevant parties;
• Reviewing this policy and procedures and updating as appropriate.

Documentation relating to safeguarding concerns can be stored in a locked filing cabinet, or a password protected electronic folder with limited access. Our computer-based security is kept up to date.

Consent, Confidentiality and Information Sharing

The Child Safeguarding Lead will be responsible for making decisions about sharing information with external agencies including the police and local authority.

Batley Food Bank is committed to keeping accurate and factual records of all safeguarding concerns that are reported. All safeguarding records will be kept securely and confidentially. Records must be factual, accurate and legible and include a date, time and signature.

Safer Recruitment

Batley Food Bank aims to do everything possible to minimise the risk of involving unsuitable people in our work with children.

All volunteers will have clear role descriptions which will be assessed for regulated activity.

DBS checks will be undertaken for individuals who are involved in regulated activity with children as part of their role with Batley Food Bank. DBS certificates will be updated every 2 years.

We will carry out safer recruitment practices including adverts which explicitly state the importance of child safeguarding to the organisation, an application form which also clearly states the importance, obtaining good quality references, undertaking interviews and probationary periods for any relevant positions.

Training

All staff in relevant positions i.e. team leaders, trustees with relevant responsibility and freelance consultants will undertake the Kirklees Safeguarding Children Partnership’s (KSCP) Awareness of Child Abuse and Neglect e-learning course every 3 years.

The safeguarding lead will undertake the Kirklees ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children Foundation Course’ and then the refresher course every three years.

Reporting a Concern

If someone in Batley Food Bank believes a child to be in imminent danger they must ring 999 immediately and ask for the Police.

Any other safeguarding concern should be reported to the Safeguarding Lead within one working day, in line with our safeguarding procedures (see appendix 1).

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by a member of staff or a volunteer must be reported to the Safeguarding Lead who will take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of the child and any other child who may be at risk. The safeguarding procedures will be followed which involve referring the allegation to Children’s Social Care and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who may involve the police. If the Safeguarding Lead is the subject of the allegation then the concern must be made directly to Children’s Social Care and the LADO whose responsibility it is to:

• Provide advice and guidance
• Liaise with the police and other agencies
• Provide assistance regarding suspension and referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This may then result in a criminal investigation, safeguarding investigation and/or disciplinary or misconduct investigation.

Everyone should feel able to raise concerns about poor safeguarding practice within Batley Food Bank and concerns will be taken seriously by the Trustees.

Prevent

Batley Food Bank supports the Kirklees Council’s Prevent Strategy.

Early Support

Safeguarding is also about prevention and recognising when a family may benefit from Early Support, providing interventions to build resilience amongst children, young people and their families – particularly those that may be vulnerable. Where appropriate we will support families to access support e.g. from the Healthy Start programme.

Promoting the Wellbeing of Children

Batley Food Bank promotes the wellbeing of children of families referred to us by providing food that is as healthy and varied as possible, and by not being judgemental about the circumstances of parents.

E-Safety

We will:

• ensure that the safety of children and young people is paramount when we use the internet, social media or mobile devices.
• ensure that, as an organisation, we operate in line with our values and within the law in terms of how we use online devices.
• Keep personal information about those involved in our organisation securely and only share as appropriate (in line with our data protection policy)
• Ensure that images/ videos are used only after their written permission has been obtained, and only for the purpose for which consent has been given (in line with our data protection policy)
• Provide support and training for staff about online safety where appropriate to their role.

See below for further advice:

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/templates/online-safety-policy-statement-and-agreement

Review of Policy

This policy will be reviewed annually and amended when necessary.  It may also be reviewed should any new, relevant legislation require this.

Safeguarding Policy approved by the Trustees on:      

Signed on behalf of the Trustees by:

Review date: September 2023

APPENDIX 1

Batley Food Bank – Safeguarding Children Procedures

It is responsibility of the Batley Food Bank Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that the safeguarding procedures are adhered to and to support all volunteers in upholding their professional conduct.

Safeguarding Procedures

• If a child or young person is in immediate danger then you must ring the Police (and/or ambulance service) on 999. This is the only time you should take action without needing to speak to the lead officer in your organisation first.

• The Safeguarding Lead is Dr Tracey Race and all concerns must be referred to her. (This includes if you have had to telephone the Police because a child or young person was in immediate danger and you were unable to speak to the lead officer at the time).

• The Safeguarding Report Form (Appendix 3) should be used by volunteers and trustees to report safeguarding concerns relating to children. All the information provided must be treated as confidential and reported to the Safeguarding Lead within one working day. Staff/Volunteers are unable to contact the Safeguarding Lead then use the contact numbers at the end of the form.

• The form should be completed at the time or immediately following the concern coming to your attention or a disclosure being made to you, but after all necessary emergency actions have been taken.

• Remember staff/volunteers must make clear to the child/ young person that they cannot guarantee confidentiality.

You must:

• Call the police and/ or an ambulance if the child / young person is in immediate danger.
• Listen carefully to what you are being told and reassure the child that you are taking what they say seriously
• Tell your manager what has happened

You must not:

• Touch or clear away evidence
• Interrupt the child/young person or ask “leading questions”
• Make assumptions.
• Promise absolute confidentiality. Or agree to keep it a secret
• Attempt to investigate the allegation yourself.
• Contact the alleged abuser
• Discuss the allegation with other staff/volunteers

Please note:

It is your duty to report concerns or disclosures of abuse.

It is not for you to decide whether or not a suspicion or allegation is true. All suspicions or allegations must be taken seriously and dealt with according to this procedure.

Batley Food Bank is not a statutory agency and has no right to undertake investigations into concerns regarding Child Protection. Referrals should be directed to the appropriate local Children Social Care Contact Centres.

Review of Procedure

This procedure will be reviewed periodically and amended when necessary.  It may also be reviewed should any new, relevant legislation require this.

Details of safeguarding contacts in Kirklees

In an event where the Safeguarding Lead is unavailable and you have a concern that a child in  Kirklees is being abused or mistreated or you have concerns about a child’s well-being you should call and speak to someone on one of the following numbers:

Kirklees Duty and Advice Team
01484 456848

Kirklees Emergency Duty Service
01484 414933 (outside office hours)

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000

NSPCC email: help@nspcc.org.uk

APPENDIX 2

DEFINITIONS (Taken from ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’ )

Children

Anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their status or entitlements to services or protection.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

Defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

a. protecting children from maltreatment

b. preventing impairment of children’s health or development

c. ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

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

Child Protection

Part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

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. 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 take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or 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 persistent 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 meets the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or

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 participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), 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, though it may occur alone.

Sexual Abuse

Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of 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.

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

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 as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

a. provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)

b. protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger

c. ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)

d. ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Extremism/ Prevent

Extremism goes beyond terrorism and includes people who target the vulnerable – including the young – by seeking to sow division between communities on the basis of race, faith or denomination; justify discrimination towards women and girls; persuade others that minorities are inferior; or argue against the primacy of democracy and the rule of law in our society.

Extremism is defined in the Counter Extremism Strategy 2015 as the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for the death of members of our armed forces as extremist.

The Kirklees Prevent Strategy tackles all forms of extremism and the Kirklees Prevent Hub is the main point of contact for concerns across Kirklees.

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

County level and unitary local authorities should ensure that allegations against people who work with children are not dealt with in isolation. Any action necessary to address corresponding welfare concerns in relation to the child or children involved should be taken without delay and in a coordinated manner. Local authorities should, in addition, have designated a particular officer, or team of officers (either as part of multi-agency arrangements or otherwise), to be involved in the management and oversight of allegations against people who work with children. Any such officer, or team of officers, should be sufficiently qualified and experienced to be able to fulfil this role effectively, for example qualified social workers. Arrangements should be put in place to ensure that any allegations about those who work with children are passed to the designated officer, or team of officers, without delay.

County Lines

As set out in the Serious Violence Strategy, published by the Home Office, a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line’. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money, and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.

Child Crime Exploitation

As set out in the Serious Violence Strategy, published by the Home Office, where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child criminal exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the collective term for all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is a form of child abuse and is illegal in the UK.

Signs of Abuse

• Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts, or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries, or the explanation of the cause of the injury is ill-fitting. 
• A disclosure of abuse, or description of what appears to be an abusive act by a child or adult at risk. 
• Someone else (child or adult) expresses concern about the welfare of another child.
• Unexplained change in behaviour, such as withdrawal or sudden outbursts of temper. 
• Inappropriate sexual awareness or sexually explicit behaviour.
• Distrust of a particular individual, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be expected.
• Difficulty in making friends
• Eating disorders, depression, self-harm or suicide attempts.
• Deterioration in health or appearance including loss of weight.
• Unexplained loss of money or material goods (financial abuse)
• Unexplained possession of money or goods such as mobile phones (child sexual exploitation)
• Fear or anxiety

 This is not an exhaustive list of possible indicators of abuse.

Further resources, training and guidance can be found at :

Kirklees Safeguarding Partnership website – lots of good resources and training available which is free to the third sector (please make sure you attend any training that you have booked on to).

https://www.kirkleessafeguardingchildren.co.uk/

NCVO – national guidance tools and tips for the third sector on safeguarding:

https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/safeguarding/

Government guidance on handling a safeguarding allegation within a charity:

https://safeguarding.culture.gov.uk/

Disclosure and Barring Service (including eligibility tool):

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

NACRO advice on recruiting people with a criminal record and how to deal with disclosures:

https://www.nacro.org.uk/resettlement-advice-service/support-for-employers/