SAFEGUARDING  POLICY. 

Mission Statement

1st2 Achieve Training will inspire people to create opportunities and enrich lives through learning.

To achieve this Mission, the Director of 1st2 Achieve Training and senior management team are committed to the following strategic objectives. We will:

• Proactively promote learning opportunities available at 1st2 Achieve.

• Strive to respond to the demands of individual learners, employees, employers and lo national priorities by developing a wide range of flexible delivery options.

• Constantly seek to improve and provide learning experiences of outstanding quality.

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Aim

The aim of 1st2 Achieve Training (hereunder referred to as “The Company”) is to provide and maintain an environment where young people, vulnerable adults and all learners regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion (hereunder referred to as “Learner(s)”), feel secure, safe are encouraged to talk, and are listened to.

The Company is committed to ensuring Learner’s know that there are staff at each training centre whom they can approach if they are worried or have any concerns. The Company will provide opportunities throughout the learning programme for Learners to develop the skills they need to stay safe, healthy and recognise abuse and harmful behaviours.

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Statement of Intent

The Company will:

• Ensure we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff, service providers and volunteers to work with learners through implementing Enhanced DBS checks.

• Develop staff to identify and respond to potential indicators of abuse, neglect, harmful behaviours and safeguarding concerns among learners.

• Work with safeguarding organisations and agencies to raise awareness of safeguarding issues.

• Raise learner awareness of health, safety and safeguarding issues, equipping learners with the skills needed to keep them safe.

• Implement procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse and harmful behaviours.

• Where necessary work with safeguarding organisations and interagency frameworks to support learners, who have been abused in accordance with his/her agreed protection plan.

• Through the implementation and embedding of our safeguarding policies and procedures within all learner processes we shall establish a safe, stable, and secure environment in which learners can learn, develop and feel valued.

• Respond appropriately to allegations against staff, service users and other adults.

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Responsibilities

Whilst it is expected that all staff of the Company will accept personal responsibility for practical application of the policy, lead responsibility for its implementation will rest with the Director and Management team responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is Michelle Edwards, Associate Director. michelle@1st2achieve.co.uk, 07519 815971.

We have one deputy DSO (Designated Safeguarding Officers) –​

• Julia Goode, Apprenticeship Team Leader, Julia@1st2achieve.co.uk, 07596 560209.

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Method

The Company shall designate a Senior Person responsible for Safeguarding, Learner Protection and Welfare who has received appropriate training and support for this role. This person will be responsible for recording an allegation or reported incident and will be responsible for contacting the local safeguarding board if necessary.

Each centre shall have a designated Safeguarding, Learner Protection and Welfare contact that have received appropriate training and support for this role. This person will be responsible for reporting allegations or reported incidents to the Senior Person. Every member of staff (including temporary, supply staff and volunteers) and appropriate partners (Schools, Referral Agencies and Employers) shall be briefed on the name and contact arrangements of the designated senior person responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare and their role. Currently, this person is Michelle Edwards, Quality Manager.

All staff shall undergo a formal briefing at induction in how to respond to potential indicators of abuse, neglect, harmful behaviours and safeguarding concerns among learners.

The Company shall ensure that within the cohort parents/guardians have understandings of the responsibility placed on the Company and its staff for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare, setting out its obligations within the Learner Handbook. The Company shall notify the designated support services and interagency networks if there is an unexplained absence of more than two days of a learner who is on the protection register. Effective links between the Company and all relevant agencies shall be maintained and full co-operation shall be afforded to all parties on enquiries regarding Safeguarding, Learner Protection and Welfare matters including attendance at case conferences. Written records shall be held securely; separate from the main learner administration file, in locked cabinets. All data will be held in line with the requirements of the GDPR Act 2018.

All Senior Managers shall access a copy of their local social services interagency partnership procedure for child protection and protection of vulnerable adults. All Managers shall establish contact with their local Social Services department to determine their safeguarding ‘alert’ procedure and point of contact and record this information within their Centre Health and Safety Premise File. The Company shall follow standard procedures where an allegation is made against any person, service provider or member of staff.

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Definition

A young person is defined as a person/s under the age of 18 (The Children Act 2004). A vulnerable adult is a person over the age of 18 whose ability to protect themselves from violence, abuse or neglect is significantly impaired through physical or mental disability or illness, through old age or otherwise.

• Child Protection – Scope of Procedure Definition – a child or young person under the age of 18

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Concerns

What is or may be happening to a child or young person in an organisation. What is or may be happening outside that organisation (for instance in their own family).

• Concerns may be about the behaviour of: A member of staff. A provider of a service. A peer/family member Actions or inactions taken/not taken regarding the risk to a child or young person. Any member of staff receiving such information in all circumstances must respond in accordance with the following procedure – DO NOT INVESTIGATE ANY CASE YOURSELF

Immediate action to take if, as an employee of1st2 Achieve Training, you observe abuse taking place within the employer training network or training programme.

• Do all you can to stop the abuse immediately without putting yourself, the child or young person at undue risk.

• Inform the perpetrator of your concerns and advise them to stop and ask them to move themselves to an area where there is no contact with children and young persons. Advise them that you will immediately be informing the Senior Person on-site. If the perpetrator fails to desist – call for assistance. If the perpetrator does desist – stay with the child or young person until you can transfer them to the care of another responsible adult. Inform the Senior Person on site of what you have seen.

• Write notes on what you have seen, who did what, what was said and what you did including the date, time and location, name of the perpetrator, name of the child or young person, sign and date your notes. Report the incident immediately to your Safe Guarding Contact who is responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare. The Senior Person will after discussion decide whether the concerns should be referred to social services following the local child/safeguarding protection ‘alert’ procedure. The Senior Person will inform all parties within the employer organisation of action taken.

Immediate action to take if, as an employee of 1st2 Achieve Training, you receive an allegation of harm to a child or young person taking place within the employer training network or training programme.

• If you are in direct contact with the person raising the concern for instance through a telephone call or discussion: Do not promise confidentiality. Explain what will happen next and assure them that you will only tell those you have to tell to try and get the matter dealt with.

• Avoid asking leading questions. Ask only what you need to know. Details of the allegation. – Name, DOB and address of child or young person.

• Think about the immediate risk to the child or young person and what can be done to minimise the immediate risks. – Take notes of what has been said. – Don’t at this stage tell the person who is the subject of an allegation what you have been told.

• Report the incident immediately to your Safe Guarding Contact who will inform the Senior Person responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare. The Senior Person will after discussion decide whether the concerns should be referred to social services following the local child/safeguarding protection ‘alert’ procedure. The Senior Person will inform all parties within the employer organisation of action taken.

If you are not in direct contact with the person raising the concern, for instance if you have received a letter or email:

• Retain any written records including emails and letters. Don’t at this stage tell the person who is the subject of an allegation what you have been told.

• Report the incident immediately to your Safe Guarding Contact who will inform the Senior Person responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare. The Senior Person will after discussion decide whether the concerns should be referred to social services following the local child/safeguarding protection ‘alert’ procedure. The Senior Person will inform all parties within the employer organisation of action taken.

Allegations about an employee of 1st2 Achieve Training, Sub-Contractors or Co-workers.

Any member of staff receiving such information in all circumstances must respond in accordance with the following procedure – DO NOT INVESTIGATE ANY CASE YOURSELF.

• Immediate action to take if you receive an allegation about an employee of 1st2 Achieve Training, Sub-Contractor or Co-Worker. Report the incident immediately to the Senior Person responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare. The Senior Person will liaise with the Directors to co-ordinate decisions and any actions to be taken, including any referral to the child/independent safeguarding protection authority. Actions will be implemented through invoking standard procedure.

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Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

Scope of Procedure Definition – someone over the age 18 years who:

• Is or may need community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness Is or may be in need of addition support through learning difficulties

• Is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation

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Concerns

• Physical abuse.

• Sexual abuse.

• Psychological abuse.

• Financial or material abuse.

• Neglect or acts of omission.

• Discriminatory abuse.

Concerns may be about the behaviour of:

• A member of staff.

• A provider of a service.

• A peer/family member

The principles for staff in identifying and responding to incidents of concern relating to adults are the same at those for children and young persons. In most cases the same process and guidance in the sections will need to be followed.

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Reporting For FGM

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is illegal in England and Wales under the FGM Act 2003 (“the 2003 Act”). It is a form of child abuse and violence against women. FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.

The FGM mandatory reporting duty is a legal duty provided for in the FGM Act 2003 (as amended by the Serious Crime Act 2015). The legislation requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to make a report to the police where, in the course of their professional duties, they either:

• Are informed by a girl under 18 that an act of FGM has been carried out on her; or

• Observe physical signs which appear to show that an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under 18 and they have no reason to believe that the act was necessary for the girl’s physical or mental health or for purposes connected with labour or birth

For the purposes of the duty, the relevant age is the girl’s age at the time of the disclosure/identification of FGM (i.e. it does not apply where a woman aged 18 or over discloses she had FGM when she was under 18). Complying with the duty does not breach any confidentiality requirement or other restriction on disclosure which might otherwise apply. The duty is a personal duty which requires the individual professional who becomes aware of the case to make a report; the responsibility cannot be transferred. The only exception to this is if you know that another individual from your profession has already made a report; there is no requirement to make a second.

Reports under the duty should be made as soon as possible after a case is discovered, and best practice is for reports to be made by the close of the next working day, unless any of the factors described below are present. You should act with at least the same urgency as is required by your local safeguarding processes.

A longer timeframe than the next working day may be appropriate in exceptional cases where, for example, a professional has concerns that a report to the police is likely to result in an immediate safeguarding risk to the child (or another child, e.g. a sibling) and considers that consultation with colleagues or other agencies is necessary prior to the report being made.

If you think you are dealing with such a case, you are strongly advised to consult colleagues, including your designated safeguarding lead, as soon as practicable, and to keep a record of any decisions made. It is important to remember that the safety of the girl is the priority.

It is recommended that you make a report orally by calling 101, the single non-emergency number.
You should be prepared to provide the call handler with the following information;
Explain that you are making a report under the FGM mandatory reporting duty.

• Your details: Name, contact details (work telephone number and e-mail address) and times when you will be available to be called back, job role, place of work

• Details of your organisation’s designated safeguarding lead: name, contact details (work telephone number and e-mail address), place of work

• The girl’s details: name, age/date of birth, address

Throughout the process, you should ensure that you keep a comprehensive record of any discussions held and subsequent decisions made, in line with standard safeguarding practice. This will include the circumstances surrounding the initial identification or disclosure of FGM, details of any safeguarding actions which were taken, and when and how you reported the case to the police (including the case reference number). You should also ensure that your organisation’s designated safeguarding lead is kept updated as appropriate.

FGM is child abuse, and employers and the professional regulators are expected to pay due regard to the seriousness of breaches of the duty.

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Summary

If an act of abuse or neglect of a vulnerable adult is identified or suspected, then the 1st2 Achieve Training employee should:

• Ensure the persons immediate safety.

• Do not promise confidentiality or agree to keep something secret.

• Do not investigate yourself and avoid asking leading questions.

• Obtain the necessary information to make an informed referral.

• Advise the Senior Person within the employer organisation.

• Make and keep a record of the incident and actions taken.

Report the incident immediately to your Safeguarding Officer who will inform the Safeguarding Lead responsible for Safeguarding Learner Protection and Welfare. The Safeguarding Lead will after discussion decide whether the concerns should be referred to social services following the safeguarding protection ‘alert’ procedure. The Safeguarding Lead will inform all parties within the employer organisation of action taken.

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Monitoring and Review

The impact of this Policy will be monitored through rigorous performance reporting to management and the Director.

Responsibility for review: Michelle Edwards, Associate Director
Review Date: February 2021