Safeguarding Policy
This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, students or anyone working on behalf of Smile For Life Children’s Charity.
The purpose of this policy:
- To protect children and young people who receive Smile For Life Children’s charity’s services and children and young people who are in our care at any time.
- To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.
Smile For Life Children’s charity believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to operate in a way that protects them.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
- Children Act 1989
- United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
- Data protection Act 1998
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Sexual Offences Act 2003
- Children Act 2004
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Children and Families Act 2014#
- Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0-25 years – Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government 2014.
We recognise that:
- the welfare of the child or young person is paramount
- all children and young people regardless of their age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
- Some children and young people are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, disabilities,
- their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
- Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies
is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
- Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
- Adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of
conduct for staff and volunteers
- Developing and implementing an effective e-policy and related procedures
- Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.
- Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
- Recording and storing information professionally and securely and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, young people, their families, staff and volunteers.
- Using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately.
- Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.
- Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
- Ensuing that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.
Contact details:
Designated Safeguarding Officer:
Paula Gascoigne
paula@smileforlife.org.uk
07745 387530
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer:
Lauren Patterson
07812 538876