SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE & ADULTS AT RISK POLICY Charity Number 1196148
Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity: Eirlys Edwards: Designated Safeguarding Lead
1. Introduction
This Safeguarding Policy is for Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity trustees, employees and volunteers - safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Our Safeguarding Policy sets the scene about why safeguarding is important and how we will behave and make decisions in everything we do to promote the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and to protect them from harm.
Safeguarding will sometimes involve complex situations and difficult conversations inside the charity and in our contacts with external organisations; we will model a safeguarding culture of openness and learning which will help us to manage risks and to create a safe place for everyone.
There will sometimes be concerns about abuse, neglect or exploitation. The Safeguarding Policy explains what we expect you to do and how you will be supported if you are concerned that a child, a young person or adult is at risk or has been abused. It is not our responsibility at the Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity to investigate concerns or allegations but we are all responsible for taking timely action to safeguard children and young people.
2. Laws and guidance
This document is consistent with the legal framework set out in The Children Act 1989 and subsequent legislation and all associated guidance, in particular Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. Key pieces of legislation concerning adults at risk include The Care Act 2014 and The Mental Capacity Act 2015.
Statutory guidance explains what is expected in each nation to ensure the wellbeing and safety of children, young people and adults at risk.
3. Implementing the Safeguarding Policy
Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity will only be a safe place if everyone understands what they need to do implement the Safeguarding Policy in their day to day work. This applies to everyone, but leaders and managers are responsible for ensuring that employees and volunteers understand what is expected of them in a culture where we put the voices, safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk at the heart of our work.
4. Definitions
A ‘child’ or ‘young person’ is anyone up to the age of 18 years.
A ‘adult at risk’ is anyone aged over 18 years who has needs for care and support, who is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect and as a result of their care needs - is unable to protect themselves.
5. Safeguarding responsibilities
Safeguarding is most effective when people share responsibility and work collaboratively and with curiosity rather than assuming that ‘someone else’ knows or is doing the right thing. It is up to everyone to always act in the best interests of children, young people and adults and to take appropriate steps to ensure they are protected from harm or abuse.
All trustees, employees and volunteers
Safeguarding means everything we do to promote the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults and to protect them from harm. Everyone is expected to behave collaboratively, transparently and honestly to safeguard children and young people.
Everyone who has contact with children and young people is responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any situation or conduct which would lead a reasonable person to question their motivation and intentions. Everyone must be aware of the safeguarding policy and how to report a safeguarding concern.
Managers must ensure that employees and volunteers follow this policy and its related procedures and that they complete training which is consistent with their role and level of contact with children, young people and adults.
Celebrities and donors / supporters
Since the Savile Enquiry (2015) charities have been alert to predatory individuals who may exploit charities to abuse children, young people or adults at risk. Examples of abuse are rare but it’s necessary to be aware and vigilant about safeguarding in this aspect of our work including our work with celebrities, donors and supporters.
Specific safeguarding responsibilities
Trustees
Trustees have legal responsibilities for safeguarding and are required to report serious safeguarding incidents (safeguarding concerns about beneficiaries of the charity) to the Charity Commission. This includes reporting breaches of policy or procedure which have put beneficiaries at risk.
The Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring that the Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity protects and promotes the welfare of the children, young people and adults who are using services, receiving services or volunteering. The Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity‘s staff and volunteers will fulfil their statutory responsibilities for safeguarding.
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Team
The Chief Executive Officer and Executive Team have responsibility for ensuring that the Safeguarding Policy and related procedures are implemented throughout the charity.
Designated Safeguarding Lead
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for developing and improving safeguarding policy, procedure and practices across the charity. The Safeguarding Lead ensures that effective arrangements are maintained for safeguarding training, reporting safeguarding concerns, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for final sign-off of all safeguarding concerns from any directorate.
6. What is a safeguarding concern?
Many Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity employees and volunteers will rarely (if ever) come across a safeguarding concern in their work. The challenge for the charity is to ensure that everyone has enough knowledge to recognise a potential concern and the confidence to share a concern with their manager.
7. What to do if you have a concern (Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity Safeguarding Procedure)
Remember that a safeguarding concern may arise from something you have been told directly, something you have witnessed, information from other sources or just an instinct or intuition that something may not be right. Never keep a potential concern to yourself.
Nobody in Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity should make decisions about what to do with a safeguarding concern on their own. Always consult the safeguarding lead.
8. Allegations or concerns about a trustee, employee, volunteer, contracted service provider, celebrity or donor / supporter
Never keep a safeguarding concern about someone associated with Sir Gareth Edwards Cancer Charity to yourself - the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults comes first, always. You might be concerned about something you have seen or heard or it might just be your instinct that something is wrong.
Never attempt to assess or deal with allegations or suspicions yourself, immediately report any concern to a line manager at the level of Associate Director or speak to the Safeguarding Lead if you prefer. If your concern is about your own line manager, report your concerns to another manager at the level of Associate Director or above or speak to the Safeguarding Lead.
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is a law that encourages people to speak out if they believe that there is malpractice or wrongdoing in an organisation. The whistleblower is protected if the matter they raise is in the public interest. This protection applies in situations where the whistleblower makes a legitimate disclosure or ‘blows the whistle’ about harm or the risk of harm to children or young people.
10. Digital Safeguarding
Safeguarding is everything we do to promote the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk including all of our digital activities and services. The development of digital / online activities and services brings with it the challenge and responsibility for digital safeguarding – proactive and measured steps to protect children and young people from risks associated with digital services. This means balancing risks with the imperative to develop digital services that children and young people want and need