Child Protection Policy
Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
(In the interest of conciseness the term Young People should be understood equally to Children and Vulnerable Adults throughout).
Download a PDF copy of our Child Protection Policy › PDF 76KB
1. Underpinning values
1.1. The interests of a young person are paramount.
1.2. All children and young people have the right to freedom from
abuse.
1.3. Children and young people have the right to be treated with
respect and dignity, as do the adults who work with them.
1.4. All adults within the Elements (EU) Ltd, which includes all
staff, either in a paid or voluntary capacity, have a responsibility
to protect children and young people from harm whenever they are
in a position to do so.
1.5. All children and young people must have the opportunity to express
their views about decisions taken about their lives.
1.6. All work with children and young people must be informed by
equal opportunities practice.
1.7. All those working with or on behalf of children and young people
must reflect and promote the value of working together with parents,
colleagues, other agencies and the child/young person in order to
create safe environments and protect the child/young person from
harm.
2. Key Principles
2.1. In cases of suspected child abuse all workers have a responsibility
for referral Elements (EU) Ltd Child Protection Officer.
2.2. Immediate action, to refer or consult, is required where there
is suspicion of abuse.
2.3. Investigation is NOT the responsibility of Elements (EU) Ltd
and must not be entered into. Investigating agencies have to balance
the necessity for action to protect the child with the potential
adverse effects of an investigation on the family and/or others.
2.4. Concise written records, signed and dated, must be carefully
made at each stage and copied to the Elements (EU) Ltd Child Protection
Officer immediately. All records must be held securely and be retrievable
promptly.
3. Why do we need Child Protection procedures? Will my
relationship with the young person be damaged?
• We need procedures to ensure the protection of children and young
people.
• We need procedures to ensure the best possible responses by relevant
agencies to allegations and incidents of child abuse.
• Yes, it is possible that relationships with the young person and
their parents/carers may be damaged at least in the short term. However,
the young person's safety is paramount.
4. Some Reminders
4.1. If you are responsible for staff (paid and unpaid), check that
they have ALL seen a copy of these guidelines and know and understand
about the procedures.
4.2. Ensure all staff (paid or unpaid) have fulfilled the following:
• All field staff working directly with young people must have a
current enhanced CRB certificate,
• All Elements (EU) Ltd employees working directly with young people
must declare all convictions including spent convictions.
• New Elements (EU) Ltd employees working directly with young people
must have a satisfactory CRB disclosure prior to commencing their
work with young people.
• All staff must attend the relevant level of Safeguarding Training
4.3. Brief new staff when they arrive, and ensure that they have
sight of a copy of the procedures.
4.4. Ensure that all staff know where these guidelines are kept and
further guidance is available on the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children's
Board website -http://www.oscb.org.uk/OSCB2007/index.htm
5. Recognising Abuse
Four indicators of abuse:
a) Child/young person's own disclosure
b) Emotional, behavioural or medical signs and symptoms noticed
c) Third party allegations, someone else witnessed and reports concerns
d) Admission of/or someone seeking help because they have or may
harm a child
6. Guidelines on handling a disclosure
If a young person tells you that they or another young person is
being abused: (the 6 R's)
6.1. Receive• Listen to what is being said, without showing shock
or disbelief
• Take what is said seriously
• Note down what has been said
(If you have had a similar experience in childhood this may be difficult
for you to do. You may need to pass the young person on to someone
else who is in a better position to handle the situation).
If a young person chooses to speak to you, it means they have placed
a great deal of trust in you. It takes a lot of courage to speak
to someone about what has happened to them.
6.2. Reassure
• Reassure the young person, as far as possible
• Don't promise confidentiality/secrecy: you have a duty to refer.
Explain as simply as you can what and who you will have to tell and
that information will only be shared with those who need to know.
(A young person may beg you not to say anything because they are
frightened but remember they would not have said anything unless
they wanted the abuse to stop).
Young people often feel responsible for or guilty about the incident
and need assurance that it is not the young person's fault. Tell
the young person you are glad they told you.
6.3. React
Allow the young person to talk but do not pressurize, only gain enough
information to establish whether or not you need to refer this
matter, but do not interrogate for full details – remember it is
better if the young person does not have to repeat the story over
and over again.
• Do not ask leading questions, for example “Did he/she…,” such questions
may invalidate your evidence (and the young person's) in any later
prosecution.
• Ask open questions like “Anything else you want to say?”
• Do not criticise the perpetrator; the young person may have an
affection for him/her or be a relative.
• Do not ask young people to repeat it all for another member of
staff.
• Explain what you have to do next and who you have to talk to.
6.4. Record
• Make brief notes at the time on any paper which is at hand, and
write them up as soon as possible.
• Keep your original notes with this “clear” copy.
• Record the date, time, place and any noticeable non-verbal behaviour
and the actual words used by the young person, if possible.
• Record statements and observable things rather than your “interpretations”
or assumptions.
6.5. Remember
• Follow these guidelines and consult as appropriate.
• Report the incident to your line manager. If necessary, you may
feel you have to refer on to an Assessment Team immediately. You
can always ring them to discuss the situation informally.
• Procedures require that appropriate records are made at all levels.
6.6. Relax
• Ensure that you get the support you need. You may need to unburden
yourself and come to terms with the emotions and feelings you have
been experiencing.
7. Allegations against Elements (EU) Ltd employee or contracted
staff
Allegations may be received in a variety of ways including:
• direct complaint by young person to a member of Elements (EU)
Ltd employee;
• direct complaint by a parent/carer to a member of Elements (EU)
Ltd employee;
• Concerns raised by parties who may have been told about or witnessed
abuse;
• Direct contact by parent/carer to Elements (EU) Ltd;
• Anonymous referral;
• Direct complaint to Elements (EU) Ltd or the Police.
7.1. Key Issues/Initial Actions to be taken:
• When an allegation has been made concerning any employee within
the Elements (EU) Ltd they should have the case against them dealt
with quickly, professionally and impartially. Elements (EU) Ltd
recognises the responsibility and vulnerability of all staff.
• The child's welfare is paramount (Children Act 1989 & 2004).
• A Director of Elements (EU) Ltd must be informed of any allegation
immediately. The Director of Elements (EU) Ltd will then advise you
who else must be informed.
• Suspension will never be an automatic response. Each case will
be considered individually.
• Where this is relevant – a young person who has made an allegation
should not be left alone until a Director of Elements (EU) Ltd has
been consulted and a course of action agreed, including the appropriateness
of the young person continuing on a Elements (EU) Ltd project.
• Do not seek to investigate the allegation yourself or interview
young people.
• Obtain details of the allegation. A verbal allegation should be
recorded and a copy sent to a Director of Elements (EU) Ltd
• A Director of Elements (EU) Ltd will consider the need for disciplinary
action
• Any disciplinary action must be kept separate from child protection
investigations.
• Criminal investigations will take precedent over an internal investigation.
• When issues are resolved, a Director of Elements (EU) Ltd will
write to all relevant parties with findings.
Who can I talk to?
For informal discussion of your concerns you can approach
the following:
• Elements (EU) Ltd – Mark Dewhurst 07931346808
• Elements (EU) Ltd – Rob Yates 07771701727
• Emergency Social Work Duty Team 0800 833408 (out of hours)
• Child Abuse Investigation Unit – 01865 335200 (Police)
If involving any Elements (EU) Ltd employee:
• Inform Mark Dewhurst or Rob Yates
• If the allegation is regarding either Mark Dewhurst or Rob Yates
seek advice from Child Abuse Investigation Unit – 01865 335200 (Police)
Download a PDF copy of our Child Protection Policy › PDF 76KB
