Safeguarding Children & Young Adults Policy

With grateful thanks to NSPCC for this suggested brief format

Our safeguarding policy

This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and staff working on behalf of Hollow Rocks.

The purpose of this policy:

• To protect children and young people who receive Hollow Rocks services. This includes the children of adults who use our services;
• To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection;

Hollow Rocks 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 practice in a way that protects them.

Legal framework
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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
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Children and Families Act 2014
• Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 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 is paramount as enshrined in The Children Act 1989.
• All children regardless of sex, age, racial heritage, religious belief, disability, sexual orientation or identity have a right to equal protection from all types of abuse.
• Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, 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 young people safe by:

• Valuing them, listening to them and respecting them.
• Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people, a deputy safeguarding officer and a lead board member. 
• Adopting child protection and safeguarding procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
• developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures
• recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures
• 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.
• recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff and volunteers via leaflets, posters, one-to­ one discussions
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers 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
• ensuring 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.

Our child safeguarding policy informs our rules for child attendance and participation in Hollow Rocks activities, and any time spent in the Hollow Rocks premises. 

• Our child safeguarding policy informs our rules for child attendance and participation in Hollow Rocks activities, and any time spent in the Hollow Rocks premises. 
• Any child under the age of 14 must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times while they are in the Hollow Rocks premises. 
• Before participating in any of the Hollow Rocks activities, any child under the age 18 must have their parent of legal guardian review and sign our liability waiver.
• We reserve the right to refuse entry to Hollow Rocks premises to any unaccompanied child under the age of 14. This is to ensure the child’s safety.
• We reserve the right to refuse participation in Hollow Rocks activities to any child under the age of 18 who has not had a parent or legal guardian sign the wavier form. This is to ensure they are aware of any risks that may accompany such activities. 

Contact details
Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) Name: Toni McManus
Phone/email: 07547457301/toni@hollowrocks.com

Deputy DSO
Name: Anthony Klein 
Phone/email: 07917676500/Anthony@hollowrocks.com
Senior lead for Safeguarding Name: Louise Dawson
Phone/email: 07850 476015/Lou@hollowrocks.com

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually. 

This policy was last reviewed on: 25/04/2024

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