invisibletext
invisibletext

Introduction

Everybody has the right to be safe no matter who they are or what their circumstances.  Safeguarding is about protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults from abuse or neglect. We all have a responsibility to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable members in our society.

Just4Children believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them. All children and young people, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse regardless of their age, gender reassignment, marriage, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, religion, race, or disability.

The Just4Children due diligence process will include, but is not limited to

  1. i) Review of a supplier’s safeguarding policies
  2. ii) The results of any Disclosure and Barring Service disclosures

When reviewing suppliers and authorising them to provide services to our families

Suppliers are responsible for ensuring they have robust, well managed safeguarding arrangements in place which are compliant with current regulations and legislation to ensure all staff and volunteers are safely recruited, trained and managed, we also expect that these arrangements are reviewed regularly so that they remain up to date. This guidance seeks to give clarity to staff with managing suppliers and suppliers seeking to work with Just4Children.

Policy Scope

This policy is applicable to all suppliers working with children and families that fundraise through Just4Children.

Just4Children defines a child as any-one who is 0-18 years and a young person as 18-25 years old.

Child Protection/Safeguarding Adults Policies

Suppliers providing services to children and young people or in environments where children and young people are likely to be present should have a Safeguarding Policy in place which is consistent with their local children and adult safeguarding partnership/s safeguarding and child protection procedures. Services may include but are not limited to any therapies, procedures or operations that the family may wish their child to undertake.

Suppliers providing services to potentially vulnerable young adults will have a safeguarding adult’s policy in place consistent with guidelines and procedures published on their local Safeguarding Adults Board. The policies will detail the organisational procedures in place for:

  1. Safer recruitment including DBS arrangements.
  2. Training, including induction
  3. Supervision and Safeguarding Procedure
  4. Management of allegations
  5. Whistle blowing
  6. Information sharing and data protection updated to include GDPR 2018

 

  1. Safer Recruitment

Safer recruitment is an important part of making sure someone is suitable for the role they are undertaking.

Suppliers should ensure that all the relevant enhanced safeguarding, recruitment and barring checks have been undertaken for all those employed, who are working directly with children or young people and keep appropriate training records on a centralised register and advise Just4Children where any cautions/reprimands and warnings have been reported for any employees working with children and young people. These checks may include, but not be limited to:

  • Face-to-face/Video interviews
  • Checking Self-Declaration forms for relevancy to the role
  • Undertaking criminal record checks in accordance with current guidelines
  • Undertaking Barred list checks
  • Checking references before confirming appointment
  • A probationary and supervision period for new staff
  • Conducting personal development reviews
  • Monitoring conduct in the role
  • Conducting risk assessments

An enhanced criminal record check must be sought for all positions in Regulated Activity as currently defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (and as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012).  The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS provides clear guidelines relating to posts that meet the definition of Regulated Activity and that are eligible for an Enhanced Disclosure. Just4Children requires all those working directly with children and young people to undertake an enhanced DBS check that is compliant with current government guidelines.

  1. Training

As a minimum, training should always include an explanation of the organisation’s safeguarding arrangements, including policies in context and their implementation; this will usually be carried out during staff induction and will be supported by regular refresher sessions.  Training for all staff and volunteers should cover:

  • being aware of the importance, and their responsibility in appropriately sharing their concern where they are worried that a child, young person or adult at risk of harm may be suffering, or at risk of, abuse or neglect
  • being aware of how to report concerns when worried about the behaviour of a colleague/member of staff
  • understanding and being able to implement safe working practices for individual workers
  • knowing who in the organisation has safeguarding lead responsibility
  • Understanding information collation, holding and sharing as it pertains to individual organisations and changes that may have taken place in the wake of GDPR

Suppliers are required to ensure all staff working on the delivery of services to the children of families that fundraise with Just4Children have undertaken appropriate and up to date training, including where required to comply with all relevant legislation.

  1. Supervision and Safeguarding Procedure

When working on the delivery of services to the children of families that fundraise with Just4Children, suppliers must comply with all current and in force Statutory guidance for their sector and any site specific policies that are in place. The supplier’s employees working with Just4Children must also comply with the Code of Conduct shown in Appendix A.

  1. Management of Allegations

Children and young people can be subjected to abuse by those who work with them in any and every setting and all allegations of abuse or mistreatment of children by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer must be taken seriously.

Suppliers must have a clear procedure in place for handling concerns/allegations of abuse or neglect. Responsibility for compliance rests with the supplier who should have a named senior manager, identified in the Safeguarding Policy, to whom all allegations should be initially referred. In all instances the Just4Children CEO should be informed in accordance with our safeguarding arrangements.

  1. Whistle Blowing

Safeguarding concerns about colleagues or managers may be difficult for staff to raise because of potential repercussions. Suppliers shall have their own internal whistle blowing procedures and their staff should be aware of these procedures. Where the supplier is small and without management structures families can contact Just4Children directly to whistle blow issues relating to child protection.

  1. Monitoring Arrangements
  • Just4Children may monitor the safeguarding arrangements of supplier should it be felt necessary with a request for evidence
  • It is the supplier’s responsibility to ensure policies are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure they capture the most recent and up to date guidance, compliance and legislative requirements
  • Further safeguarding checks may be undertaken and information requested from the supplier as Just4Children deems appropriate
  • The supplier will forward any statutory safeguarding report to the Just4Children within 48 hours of such report being created and/or received by the supplier.
  1. Sub-contracting Arrangements

Both those directly employed or engaged by the supplier, including sub-contractors, must comply with the above requirements. When agreed with Just4Children, subcontractors may use this supplier’s Safeguarding Policy for the purpose of delivering services to Just4Children children.

Appendix A

CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SUPPLIERS

Please help us to ensure the safety of our service users by ensuring that all personnel comply with the code of conduct below.

It is the responsibility of all adults to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. The Supplier is asked to ensure that any person directly employed by them or through a subcontractor agrees to comply with the following:

  1. a) Work safely and take responsibility for own actions and behaviour. Avoid any contact which would lead any reasonable person to question your motivation and intentions
  2. b) Avoid lone contact with children and young people
  3. c) Never give personal contact details to children or young people, including your mobile phone number. Contact via social network sites is also unacceptable
  4. d) Work and be seen to work in an open and transparent way
  5. e) Do not use profane or inappropriate language
  6. f) Dress appropriately, i.e. dress in a way that:
  • Is unlikely to be viewed as offensive, revealing or sexually provocative
  • Does not distract, cause embarrassment or give rise to misunderstanding
  • Is absent of any political or contentious slogans
  • Is not considered to be discriminatory and is culturally sensitive

REMEMBER: Your actions, however well intended could be misinterpreted. Be mindful of the need to avoid placing yourself in vulnerable situations

More Safeguarding Policy for Suppliers

Application for support