Child Protection Policy

The Charity recognises that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances, to ensure that all feel safe. 

All children without exception have the right to be protected from abuse. We aim to ensure that whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religious belief and/or sexual identity, all children have a positive and enjoyable experience in a safe and child centred environment and are protected from abuse whilst engaged with the Charity.

Child protection is everyone's responsibility.

The Charity acknowledges that some children, including disabled children and young people or those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.   

No child or group of children must be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access services which meet their particular needs.

We aim to create a culture of vigilance in relation to our child protection approach, while continually developing our knowledge and practice accordingly. This includes a strong commitment to safer recruitment, selection and vetting.

Where there is a possibility of abuse or neglect by a person or persons, everyone has a responsibility to report their concerns to the appropriate person. It is not the responsibility of anyone working/volunteering at the Charity to decide whether or not abuse has taken place; it is their duty to act on any concerns by reporting them to the appropriate person. 

All concerns, and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously by trustees, staff and volunteers and responded to appropriately - this may require a referral to children’s social care services, or a local safeguarding partner for allegations against staff, trustees and other volunteers, and in emergencies, the police.

We will take all actions within our power to enable any child to have the best outcomes. 

Central YMCA is committed to:

• Valuing, respecting and listening to children;
• Ensuring all necessary safer recruitment checks are made when recruiting staff, self-employed contractors Trustees and volunteers, in line with the Charity’s Recruitment Policy;
• Maintaining strong child protection systems and procedures for staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers;
• Providing training and a common understanding of child protection issues;
• Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children and parents/guardians/carers;
• Sharing information about any concerns with the relevant external agencies and involving parents, guardians, carers and children appropriately;
• Providing effective management for staff through clear processes, supervision, and support.

Disabled children, including those who are visually impaired, may be more vulnerable to abuse than other children. However, safeguarding practices are essentially the same as those for non-disabled children.

Where a child has communication or learning difficulties, attention must be paid to the child’s special needs and to ways of ascertaining their perception of events. The child’s wishes may be identified by use of non-verbal communication systems, interpreters or facilitators.

Particular attention needs to be paid to promoting high standards of care and raising awareness of the risks to disabled children in order to strengthen the capacity of children and their families to protect themselves. Measures include:

• Helping disabled children make their wishes and feelings about their care and treatment known;

• Ensuring that all disabled children know how to raise concerns if they are worried or angry about something; 

• They should have access to people with whom they can communicate;

• Children with communication difficulties should have a means of being heard available to them at all times;

• Commitment to and understanding of all children’s safety and welfare needs among providers of services; and

• Contact with parents, guardians and carers; and

• Demonstrating a culture of openness and vigilant throughout the Central YMCA group.

5.1 Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers

Are required to familiarise themselves with this policy and procedure and follow this at all times 

If you have concerns about the welfare of a child, young person or vulnerable adult and believe that they may be at risk of harm, you must share that concern confidentially with a local safeguarding officer immediately

Any information shared should always be accurate, up to date and shared appropriately and securely with only the person or people who need to know and limited to information relevant for the purpose. If you have any doubts about when to share safeguarding information, discuss the situation with a safeguarding lead

It is essential that all our people ensure children and young people involved with the Charity are:

• Valued and respected as individuals;

• Listened to; 

• Involved in decision making as appropriate; 

• Encouraged and praised as appropriate. 

Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers are expected to contribute and take responsibility to ensure a positive working environment and to conduct themselves accordingly.

Employees, self-employed contractors, trustees and volunteers need to be aware of a visually impaired child’s need for physical contact, but ensure that contact is appropriate and given only with the consent of the child or young person. In the case of restraining a child to prevent injury or comforting a distressed child, ensure physical contact is ceased at the earliest possible moment. 

Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers need to observe guidelines issued by local Child Protection Committees for the protection of children.

Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers ensure that at least two adults are present when supervising children or young people. Do not spend excessive amounts of time alone with children, away from others – meetings with individual children or young people should take place as openly as possible. If privacy is required, the door should be left open and other staff or volunteers informed of the meeting. 

Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers avoid taking individual children on car journeys, however short – where this is unavoidable, it should be with the full knowledge and consent of parents/guardians/carers and a member of management. 

Employees, self-employed contractors and volunteers do not meet with children outside organised activities unless it is with the knowledge and consent of parents/ guardians/carers and a member of management. Never do things of a personal nature for a child or young person that they can do themselves. Never let allegations a child or young person makes go without being addressed and recorded.

The following forms of behaviour between staff, self-employed contractors trustees or volunteers and children or young people are not allowed under any circumstances:

• Sexual conduct; 
• Lending or borrowing of money or  property;  
• Giving or receiving gifts; and 
• Exclusive or secretive relationships.

5.2 Line Managers 

Ensure the Charity’s safer recruitment practices are upheld, in line with the Recruitment Policy. 

Support and encourage the completion of required Child Protection Awareness Training.

Adopt the Charity’s culture of vigilance and lead by example.

5.3 Board of Trustees and the Senior Leadership Team 

The Board of Trustees and Executive Team are responsible for setting an organisational culture that prioritises safeguarding, so that it is safe for those affected to come forward and report incidents and concerns with the assurance these will be handled sensitively and properly.

They are responsible for understanding the nature of the threat and the risks within the Charity

They will ensure that the Charity effectively manage risks and is able to deal appropriately with safeguarding issues by: 

• Creating an ethos which upholds core values of shared responsibility and wellbeing for all, while promoting respect, equality and diversity and understanding
• Ensuring sufficient resource is applied to keep children safe from harm
• Adopting stringent and transparent child protection practices which recognise, support and protect individuals 
• Sharing information about child protection and good practice with other key stakeholders and external agencies  
• Providing training opportunities for staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers to enable them to continually update their child protection knowledge
• Sharing information and concerns with agencies who need to know and ensuring we involve learners, parents/guardians/carers, staff and others in an appropriate way 
• Providing effective management for staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers through supervision, support and training.  

5.4 Designated Safeguarding Leads 

The Designated Safeguarding Leads take responsibility for the Charity’s overall approach. 

These roles will provide support, advice and guidance to trustees, board members and staff on an on-going basis and on any specified Prevent issues as required. Other responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the Charity is meeting its legal and statutory requirements 
• Undertaking full assessments of the safeguarding risks within the Charity, and ensures these are effectively managed 
• Ensuring the Charity is able to deal appropriately with incidents through the adoption of robust and transparent policies and procedures which are aligned to best practice and the requirements of our regulators
• Undertaking an annual review of safeguarding policies 
• Making sure all safeguarding policies and procedures are fully implemented and followed by staff, self-employed contractors, volunteers, children, young people under 18 and vulnerable adults
• Working with local safeguarding officers to review the safeguarding strategy and action plan along with policies and procedures both periodically and following serious incidents, making any necessary changes and reporting back to the Board for discussion and approval 
• Ensuring that the Charity’s safeguarding policies and procedures in relation are well communicated and are easily available
• Working with the local safeguarding officers to ensure that stringent and transparent safeguarding practices are in place which recognise, support and protect at risk individuals 
• Supporting the Board to monitor the effectiveness of safeguarding practices in place, through regular and fit for purpose monitoring and reporting 
• Ensuring that everyone receives appropriate advice and training in relation to their responsibilities for safeguarding, enabling them to continually update their knowledge; including staff, self-employed contractors, volunteers and the Board 
• Ensuring that everyone is aware of how to respond properly when incidents arise and report as necessary to social services, other agencies and the police if necessary 
• Making sure all new staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers are inducted on the Charity’s approach to safeguarding 
• Updating the Named Trustee (Trustee Lead) on all safeguarding issues that need to be raised at Board level 
• Undertaking systematic analysis of incidents / concerns, providing regular updates to the board of Trustee’s and an annual in-depth review of our approach.
• Providing support, supervision and advice for local safeguarding officers with a severe safeguarding concern 
• Dealing with any allegations that are made against staff, self-employed contractors trustees or volunteers with referral to the LADO where required
• Being aware of learners that are already engaged with a social or care worker

The contact details for the designated safeguarding leads and Trustee Lead can be found on the Charity’s intranet.

5.5 Local Safeguarding Officers 

The local safeguarding officers support the Charity’s Safeguarding and child protection approach at local level.

These roles take responsibility for safeguarding children, young people under 18 and vulnerable adults in their regions. They provide advice and support to staff, volunteers and self-employed contractors, and are responsible for liaising with external agencies. Other responsibilities include: 

• Managing child protection issues and cases in their region or operation  
• Liaising with and making referrals to appropriate agencies about children, where there are child protection concerns, including the designated officer (previously LADO) 
• Managing referrals and liaises with other agencies, like the DBS or Police as required 
• Ensuring appropriate information is available at the time of a referral and the referral is confirmed in writing, confidentially as quickly as possible (e.g. within a working day)
• Keeping detailed, accurate and secure written records of child protection concerns, where appropriate (i.e. include a chronology of concerns, referrals, meetings, phone calls or emails) to include on MyConcern
• Recording incidents and actions on MyConcern, no matter how minor the incident 
• Remaining familiar with local referral procedures and know how to contact and establish links with the local authority or police  
• Providing support, supervision and advice to any staff member, self-employed contractor, volunteer, child, young person or vulnerable adult with a child protection concern 
• Ensuring the effective and consistent communication and embedding of child protection policies and practice within their region or operation 
• Providing regular briefings and updates at staff meetings to ensure that all staff are kept up to date and regularly reminded of their responsibilities 
• Ensuring that every member of their region or operation has access to and understands the Charity's child protection policy 
• Making sure all staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers know how to raise concerns
• Ensuring all staff, self-employed contractors and volunteers have completed the Safeguarding eLearning 
• Delivering face to face training for those working in a regulated activity on a regular basis 
• Maintaining awareness of vulnerable service users within their region / operation 
• Encouraging a culture of listening to children and embedding their views and wishes into policy and practice. 

A full list of the contact details for the local safeguarding officers can be found on the Charity’s intranet.

5.6 Central Services Support 

The HR, IT and Facilities teams from central services will provide assistance in support of the Charity’s child protection approach and action plans. This will include:

• Sourcing appropriate training providers for Safeguarding eLearning modules 
• Supporting with the logistical aspects of the roll out of the Safeguarding eLearning modules 
• Supporting with ongoing reporting on eLearning completion; how to record the training, how to report on this, prompts for renewals etc.
• Creating and maintaining sufficient safeguards online 
• Ensuring the security settings are fit for purpose  
• Monitoring and filtering of appropriate site access for learners  
• Ensuring all Central YMCA site locations are fit for purpose