Safeguarding policies

Purpose of these policies

UK Spaniel Rescue (the Charity) takes seriously the safety and wellbeing of everyone who comes into contact with the Charity, including its workers, volunteers, trustees, contractors and beneficiaries.  This document establishes a suite of safeguarding related policies, specifically policies on:

• Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
• Harassment and Bullying
• Complaints
• Whistleblowing
• Worker and Volunteer Conduct

Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults

1. Introduction

Everyone has a responsibility for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. Children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk have a right to be safe in the services provided for them and the activities they choose to participate in.

This policy applies to all workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors for the Charity, which is committed to safeguarding those with whom it engages.

There are two main aims of this policy:

• To protect and promote the welfare of the children, young people and vulnerable adults who are encountered by the Charity.
• To support the Charity, its workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities.

It is not the role of the Charity to investigate allegations of abuse. However, all workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors have a clear responsibility to take action when they suspect that a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be a victim of significant harm or abuse.

This policy demonstrates how the Charity will meet its legal obligations. It explains: 

• What the Charity will do to protect and safeguard children, young people and adults at risk of harm.
• How people can safely voice any concerns through an established procedure.
• That the Charity will deal with all reports of abuse or potential abuse in in a serious and effective manner
• That workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors receive appropriate training
• That robust ‘safer’ recruitment procedures are in place.

It should be noted that this policy is not a stand-alone document. It should be used in conjunction with the other policies adopted by the Charity, including Harassment and Bullying, Complaints, Whistleblowing and our Worker and Volunteer Conduct.

All organisations that make provision for children, young people or vulnerable adults must ensure that:

• The welfare of the child or adult at risk is paramount
• All children, young people and adults at risk have the right to protection from abuse. This applies regardless of their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse and neglect are responded to swiftly and appropriately

We take this responsibility seriously and expect all workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors to share this commitment.

This Policy sets out procedures for the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk and protecting them from abuse. We will achieve this by:

• Ensuring that all workers, volunteers and trustees comply with this policy and that they are informed of, and comply with, the requirements of them arising from the safeguarding policies and procedures of the partner organisations with whom we work.
• Promoting good practice that encourages a safe environment; protects all parties and avoids mistaken allegations of abuse
• Respecting and promoting the rights, wishes and feelings of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• Providing all workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors who fall within our regulated activities with instruction, training and information that will ensure that they:
  • are properly equipped to recognise abuse and mistreatment
  • know how to obtain advice from relevant professionals when necessary
  • are clear about how to record and report concerns
  • work in a way which will protect them, as far as possible, from accusations of abuse
• Ensure that all suspicions or allegations involving workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors are dealt with effectively and efficiently and that appropriate disciplinary and appeals procedures are implemented
• Ensure workers, trustees, volunteers and contractors who work with children, young people or vulnerable adults are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and/or a satisfactory disclosure prior to commencing such work.
• Require all contractors and, where appropriate, their employees to adopt and abide by the processes laid out in the Safeguarding Policy
• Review this policy at least once every three years or whenever there is a major change in organisation or in relevant legislation.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. 

Additional Information

First Aid

• When any person administering the first aid is doing so on behalf of an organisation established for the purpose of providing first aid (e.g. St John Ambulance Service), it is regulated activity.
• A worker employed for another purpose who volunteers, or is designated, to be that organisation’s first aider is not in regulated activity.

2. What is Safeguarding?

The Children’s Act 2004 (section 11), Childcare Act 2006, Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and HM Governments ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015’ (chapter 2, paragraph 4) place a duty on key statutory agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

In practical terms this means that we have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for children, young people and adults at risk in which their welfare is of paramount importance and in which they can achieve their potential.

Safeguarding means protecting a person’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about working together to support children, young people and adults at risk of harm to make decisions about the risks they face in their own lives and protecting those who lack the capacity to make these decisions.

The legislation relating to the Safeguarding of Children is different from the legislation relating to the Safeguarding of Adults at risk of harm. This policy covers adults and children. For clarity, the legislation for each group is summarised separately.

Key Legislation- Safeguarding of Children

The key legislation underpinning the Safeguarding of children and young people is the Care Act 2014, Children and Social Work Act 2017 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018. All children from 0-18 years are covered by the legislation.

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 confirms that the 3 statutory safeguarding partners in relation to a local authority area are defined in the Children and Social Work Act 2017 as:

• Local Authority (Tier 1/responsible for children’s services). 
• Clinical Commissioning Group (now Integrated Care Board)
• Chief Officer of Police

The 3 statutory partners have a shared and equal duty to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in a local area.

The Care Act 2014 established the need to have a Safeguarding Partnership Board for children.

Key Legislation- Safeguarding adults at risk

Statutory requirements regarding the Safeguarding of Adults at Risk are set out in the Care Act 2014 and supporting statutory guidance.

The term ‘Adult at Risk’ is a short form of the phrase ‘An adult at risk of abuse or neglect’. It refers to adults who may have safeguarding needs according to the Care Act (2014). An Adult at Risk (sometimes referred to as AAR) is an adult (someone aged 18 or older) who:

• Has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs)
• Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
• As a result of those needs, is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

The Care Act 2014 established the need to have Safeguarding Adult Boards in each local authority area. The Act confirmed that the three statutory safeguarding partners should be; Local Authority (tier one authority), Chief Officer of Police, and Clinical Commissioning Groups (now Integrated Care Boards).

3. Safeguarding Structure

The Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership (https://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk) is a multi-agency partnership providing strategic leadership and oversight of child safeguarding across Lancashire, where the Charity is based.

The Lancashire Safeguarding Adults Board (https://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/lancashire-safeguarding-adults.aspx), is ultimately responsible for all safeguarding/adult protection activities in Lancashire.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

Designated Safeguarding Officer

The Charity’s Designated Safeguarding Officer is Angela Phillips (tel: 07935652999, email: hello@ukspanielrescue.co.uk). Their role is to:

• Promote safeguarding within the Charity
• Ensure safeguarding policies are up to date in terms of current/ new legislation and good practice
• Ensure appropriate training is in place
• Review related safeguarding policies and procedures
• Provide a point of contact for any worker, trustee, contractor or volunteer who want to discuss concerns about a child, young person or adult at risk of harm.
• Take forward reports of safeguarding concerns

Any safeguarding allegations or concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Officer or otherwise to the Police. 

If the allegation involves a child or young person, the Designated Safeguarding Officer must contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for further advice and support as required.

Employees, Trustees, Agency Staff, Contract Staff and Volunteers

All workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers are responsible for complying with the requirements of the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. They should take all reasonable steps to ensure (within the context of their duties) that risks are minimised and that children, young people and adults at risk are protected, and their welfare promoted.

5. Reporting Concerns

If you think a child, young person or an adult with care and support needs is in immediate danger, phone 999.

All workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers are responsible for carrying out their duties in a way that actively safeguards and promotes the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. They must also act in a way that protects them from wrongful allegations of abuse as far as possible. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Officer who will refer the report to the relevant authorities.

Recognising abuse

Abuse is a form of maltreatment that can occur in several forms which are not mutually exclusive.  For children, types of abuse include:

• Physical
• Psychological
• Sexual
• Grooming
• Child sexual exploitation
• Female genital mutilation
• Online abuse and cyberbullying
• Child trafficking and modern slavery
• Domestic abuse
• Self-neglect
• Forced marriage

Types of adult abuse include:

• Physical
• Sexual
• Psychological
• Discrimination
• Exploitation, modern day slavery and human trafficking
• Financial
• Organisational
• Domestic abuse
• Neglect and acts of omission
• Female genital mutilation

Even for those experienced in working with children, young people or adults at risk, abuse it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or already has taken place. Whilst it is accepted that workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers are not experts at such recognition, everyone has a duty to act if they have any concerns. If they are unsure, then any concerns should be discussed with a Designated Safeguarding Officer.

6. Receiving an allegation of abuse

When a child, young person or adult at risk makes an allegation of abuse or bullying, you should:

• Stay calm and try to get another witness if it does not compromise the situation.
• If you believe the person is ‘at risk’ of immediate significant harm, which includes situations which any worker, trustee, contractor and volunteer would reasonably believe requires the emergency services, then you must contact the relevant emergency service and notify the Designated Safeguarding Officer in their absence.
• Listen carefully to what is said and allow the person to talk at their own pace, being careful not to compromise potential evidence.
• Find an appropriate opportunity to explain it is likely that information will need to be shared with other responsible people, do not promise to keep secrets.
• Only ask questions for clarification, the use of open questions, for example, what, where, when, who is advisable, do not ask leading questions (that suggest certain answers as this could compromise evidence).
• Reassure the child, young person or adult at risk that they have done the right thing in telling you
• Tell them what you will do next and who you will inform.
• Immediately report to and inform the Designated Safeguarding Officer.

Making a referral if you are worried about a child, young person or vulnerable adult:

• If information is obtained which raises concern of abuse, you should act immediately.
• If you think an individual is in immediate danger, then you should phone the police on 999.
• Workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers need to log their concern about a child, young person or adult at risk’s safety with the Designated Safeguarding Officer.

7. Allegations involving workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers

If a concern or allegation relates to a worker, trustee, contractor or volunteer, this must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Officer. In addition, if the allegation or concern involves a child or young person, the Designated Safeguarding Officer will liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for further advice.

8. Monitoring and record keeping

A record must be kept of all safeguarding concerns. The Designated Safeguarding Officer is responsible for retaining a record of concerns.

9. Training

The Charity will take all reasonable steps to ensure that all workers, trustees, contractors and volunteers who are likely to come into contact with children, young people or adults at risk as a regular part of their job will be provided with appropriate training.  Refresher training will take place every 2 years, or in the event of any significant change.

10. Recruitment

It is the responsibility of anyone recruiting a worker, contractor or volunteer to undertake a risk assessment for those roles likely to involve regular and/or substantial unsupervised contact with children, young people or adults at risk before recruitment takes place. This will determine the safeguarding level of all roles and ensure that only appropriate individuals are selected to undertake DBS procedures.

In the event that a DBS check has not been returned prior to a start date, the person responsible for the recruitment must produce a risk assessment and ensure that no individual does not work alone with children, young people or adults at risk.

11. Photography, Film and Media

The Charity will take appropriate action to protect children, young people or adults at risk from the inappropriate use of photographic images. Some photographs taken by or on behalf of the Charity will be anonymous group shots in public places. Some photographs taken by or on behalf of the Charity will feature images where people can be identified through their image. Wherever a photograph is taken, and a person is able to be identified through their image, the Charity will obtain photo consent before using the image in any way. For those aged under 16 years old, photo consent from a parent or guardian will be required. It should be remembered that photographs can be used as a means of identifying children, young people or adults at risk, especially when they are accompanied by personal information. For any event that the Charity runs, the Charity will communicate that a photographer will be in attendance. The Charity will also ensure that, where people have a concern about their photograph being taken, they are able to raise this concern and to take reasonable steps to avoid being photographed and still participate in the given activity or event.

12. Procurement and contractors

Any contractor or sub-contractor engaged by the Charity in areas where personnel are likely to come into contact with children, young people or adults at risk shall ensure that:

• These personnel have a valid enhanced disclosure check through the Disclosure and Barring service both the adults barred list and the children’s barred list.
• That no personnel are permitted to work directly with children, young people or vulnerable adults until they have had a disclosure check, and the contractor or sub-contractor has received and evaluated the results.
• Monitor the levels on an ongoing basis and validity of these checks with the personnel concerned

Where a disclosure check for personnel is invalid or deficient the contractor or sub- contractor, shall immediately remove that personnel from the provision of parts of the service requiring direct working with children, young people or vulnerable adults and advise the designated Safeguarding Officer.

The supplier shall ensure that their personnel are suitably trained and have awareness of safeguarding and how to report any safeguarding concerns.

Where these requirements are relevant then these must form part of any service level agreement, contract or licence.

Appendix A: Safeguarding Guidance Notes

Recognising child abuse
Abuse can take many forms and the examples in the definitions below are not exhaustive. There may be other situations not covered in the examples below that give you concern for a child’s safety and wellbeing.

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person.  It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving high levels of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (rape, or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.  They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual online images, watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse as can other children.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment);
• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger;
• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers);
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment;

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

How to spot if an adult is at risk?
Physical abuse – including hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.
Sexual abuse – including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
Psychological abuse – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.
Exploitation – either opportunistically or premeditated, unfairly manipulating someone for profit or personal gain. This includes modern slavery and human trafficking.
Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, exploitation, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Neglect and acts of omission – including ignoring medical or physical care needs, overuse of medication, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
Discriminatory abuse – including discrimination on grounds of race, gender and gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.
Institutional abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting like a hospital or care home, for example. This may range from isolated incidents to continuing ill-treatment.
Self Neglect – failure of an adult to take care of himself or herself that causes or is reasonably likely to cause within a short period of time, serious physical, mental or emotional harm or substantial damage to or loss of assets. This includes hoarding.
Domestic Abuse – Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling behaviour, coercive behaviour or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality.

The person responsible for this policy/procedure is: Andrea Phillips
This policy has been approved by the Board of Trustees.
Policy approved date 22nd October 2024
This policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Board of Trustees.
Next Review due: October 2025