Child Protection Policy

Grant A Smile acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and The Charity Commission requirements.

This policy:

a) applies to all adults including the Board of Trustees, volunteers, paid staff, agency staff and anyone working on behalf of Grant A Smile;
b) recognises that the welfare and interests of children and young people are paramount in all circumstances; and
c) aims to ensure that all children and young people have a positive and enjoyable experience when in contact with any of our staff or during our events. Every child should be in a safe and child centred environment and are protected from abuse whilst participating in workshops/events and otherwise.

Grant A Smile acknowledges that some children and young people, including those disabled and those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and accepts the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.

Grant A Smile will:

promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people;
ensure that everyone is clear about their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate mandatory learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people;
provide all children and young people on with information for themselves and their parents or carers covering Grant A Smile safeguarding arrangements;
widely promote Grant A Smile safeguarding policies and procedures;
ensure that trustees, staff and volunteers take seriously all concerns and allegations of abuse and respond appropriately;
securely maintain and store confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns;
prevent the use of unsuitable individuals through the robust use of Disclosure and Barring arrangements as they apply in each nation within the UK, and the application of best practice in the safe recruitment of staff and volunteers working with children and young people;
ensure that robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation; and
address without delay any failure to comply with this policy.

Monitoring

This policy will be reviewed annually and revisions recommended to the Board of Trustees. This policy may also be reviewed in the following circumstances:

changes in legislation or government guidance (including Working Together as revised within each nation, relevant legislative changes and nation specific child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures);
in the light of learning identified by a Local Safeguarding Children Board;
as required by the Charity Commission; and
as a result of any other significant change or event.

Grant A Smile is committed to the following:

That the welfare of the young person is paramount.
All young people, whatever their age, culture, ability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity, should be able to participate in any Grant A Smile workshop/events in a safe environment.
Taking all reasonable steps to protect young people from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings.
That all concerns, suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
That all Grant A Smile staff and volunteers, including self-employed contractors or partner employees or volunteers who work with young people, will be recruited with regard to their suitability for that responsibility and will be provided with guidance and training in good practice and child protection procedures where it is deemed relevant and appropriate.
That young people should be listened to as well as given opportunities to assist in the development of safeguarding and child protection good practice and; To work in partnership with Parents and Carers and young people to safeguard and protect all young people.

Poor Practice: The following should be avoided except in emergencies.

Do not transport young people in your car unless in a medical emergency.
Avoid spending time alone with young people away from others. If cases arise where these situations are unavoidable they should only occur with the full knowledge and consent of line manager or appropriate person from the setting and the young person’s parents and/or carers where possible. For example, a parent is in a bad state and needs to go to hospital, or a parent or carer fails to arrive to pick a young person up at the end of a Grant A Smile event. In all cases, such incidents should always be recorded.

The following are regarded as poor practice and should be avoided by all personnel: Engaging in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including any forms of inappropriate behaviour.

Use of your mobile phone or tablet in directly communicating with a young person other than in extreme emergencies.
Over friendly behaviour/nature with young people.
Allowing or engaging in inappropriate touching of any form.
Allowing young people to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
Making sexually suggestive comments to a young person, even in fun.
Reducing a young person to tears as a form of control.
Allowing allegations made by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded, unreported or not acted upon.
Meeting a young person in a private place
Introducing a young person to any illegal activities.

Please note that it is not our responsibility of anyone working at Grant A Smile to decide if a child is being abused at home or not. However, it is our responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting to any Safeguarding Officer or Line Manager as well as completing an Incident Referral Form.

Reporting incident should be sent to: admin@grantasmile.org.uk

Child Protection Policy