safeguarding policy

The purpose of this policy statement is:

 

1. to protect children and young people who receive Youth Mindset’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services.

2. to provide all staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Youth Mindset, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students.

This policy has been drawn up based on legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/child protection.

Practitioners who work with children and young people in this charity will read this policy within the framework of:

1. Other Youth Mindset Policies
2. Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018).
3. What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused
5. Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales March 2016.
6. Children Act 1989.
7. Children Act 2004.
8. Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006 (amended July 2018)
9. Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between Children (May 2018)
10. Information sharing Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers July 2018

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Recognising Abuse
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Child Protection Procedures and Information Sharing
5. Allegations Against Staff
6. Child Protection Training
7. Implementation, Dissemination and Review Strategies

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Every adult has the right and duty to refer any safeguarding concerns that they have themselves. In the case of a child, this should be direct to the Duty Desk or in the case of an adult, to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

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1.Introduction

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance, and other related documents:

• Code of conduct for staff, volunteers and mentees. Include adult to child supervision ratios Photography and sharing images guidance

• Volunteer Onboarding and safer recruitment

• Anti-bullying

• Whistleblowing & complaints

• Health and safety

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We believe that:

• Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind

• We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

Ofsted’s definition of safeguarding:

 

• Protecting children and Young People from maltreatment.

• Preventing impairment of children’s / young people’s health or development.

• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.

• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding action may be needed to protect children and young people from:

 

• Neglect.

• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

• Bullying including online bullying and prejudice-based bullying.

• Racist, disability and homophobic or transphobic abuse.

• Gender based violence /violence against women and girls.

• Any form of peer-on-peer abuse.

• Radicalisation and/or extremist behaviour.

• Child sexual exploitation and trafficking.

• Child criminal exploitation and county lines.

• The impact of new technology on sexual behaviour for example: sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and accessing pornography.

• Teenage relationship abuse.

• Substance misuse.

• Issues specific to a local area or population e.g. gang activity and youth violence.

• Domestic violence.

• Female genital mutilation.

• Forced marriage.

• Fabricated or induced illness.

• Poor parenting.

• Homelessness.

• So-called honour-based violence.

• Any other issues that pose a risk to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Safeguarding also relates to broader aspects of care including:

 

• Children’s and young people’s health and safety and well-being, including their mental health.

• Meeting the needs of children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities

• Meeting the needs of children and young people with medical conditions.

• Online safety and associated issues

• Appropriate arrangements to ensure children’s and young people’s security, considering the local context.

Our Charity’s Ethos is ‘Commitment, Courage, Community, Co-operation and Communication.’

Within this ethos we will work to ensure that all the children and young people we work with ‘have a voice’ and a ‘right to be heard’, Children and young people must be supported to understand, express and resolve their feelings, without this they are unlikely to access the further support systems they need to thrive.

Our charity is committed to embedding and promoting a whole charity approach to emotional health, wellbeing, and resilience. Staff, volunteers and trustees are trained, and children are supported and listened to. All staff and volunteers will work to ensure that:

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• Children and young people feel listened to, valued and respected.

• Staff, mentors and trustees are aware of indicators of abuse and know how to share their concerns appropriately.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees are subject to rigorous recruitment procedures which include enhanced DBS checks.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees are given appropriate support and training to deliver a safe charity.

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Youth Mindset is committed to referring safeguarding concerns via the Designated Safeguarding Leads to the appropriate organisation, normally local authority children’s social care/adults social care, contributing to the assessment of a child or young person’s needs where deemed necessary.

In order to ensure children and young people are adequately protected, we will ensure that:

 

• We have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and a Deputy DSL who undergo training to provide them with the knowledge and skills required to carry out the role at least once every two years. In addition to their formal training, as set out above, their knowledge and skills are updated at regular intervals, but at least annually, to keep up with any developments relevant to their role. The designated safeguarding lead will undertake Prevent awareness training.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees are trained in basic Child Protection / Young Adult awareness annually.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees have read and understand the Child Protection Policy and are aware of the indicators of child abuse and how to respond to concerns or disclosures of abuse by children and young people.

• All mentees are valued, listened to, and respected.

• Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures, and code of conduct for staff and volunteers

• Developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures

• Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training, and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures, and behaviour codes confidently and competently.

• Recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made

• Recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for organisations]

• Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions

• Making sure that children, young people, and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern

• Using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families, and carers appropriately

• Using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately

• Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise

• Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

• Ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff, and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance

• Building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people, and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Section 2. Recognising Abuse

A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. A Vulnerable Adult is anyone 18 and above with additional needs.

All staff, volunteers and trustees will be made aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases multiple issues will overlap with one another. Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child or young person by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.

Children and young people may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children/young person The Children Act 1989 introduced the concept of significant harm as the threshold that justifies compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of children and young people. It gives local authorities a duty to make enquiries to decide whether they should take action to safeguard or promote the welfare of a child or young person who is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm.

Special Educational Needs

Children with special educational needs, disabilities and health conditions (SEND) can face additional safeguarding challenges. We will ensure that staff, volunteers and trustees understand that additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children/ young people. These can include:

 

• Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child or young person’s disability without further exploration.

• The potential for children and young people with SEND being disproportionately impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs.

• Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers.

Children who have experienced Care and previously looked after children.
The most common reason for children becoming looked after is because of abuse and/or neglect.

Our staff and volunteers are given the information they need in relation to a child’s / young persons looked after status and the child’s contact arrangements with birth parents or those with parental responsibility. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will have details of a child’s social worker and the name of the Virtual School head that looks after the child.

Types of Abuse

The following definitions have been taken from Working Together 2018:

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

Emotional abuse
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:

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• It may involve conveying to child / young person 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 / young person opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.

• It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children/ young people. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s / young person’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child / young person participating in normal social interaction. This can also occur when a child / young person is a young carer for a parent who is disabled, has mental health problems or misuses alcohol or drugs.

• It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another – for example where there is fighting or violence in the home

• It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children/ young person’s frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children / young person.

• Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Child Sexual Exploitation
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity

1. in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or

2. for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.

 

The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology. This definition was updated by the DfE in February 2017.

Signs and Symptoms

• Acquisition of money, clothes, mobile phones etc without plausible explanation.

• Gang association and/or isolation from peers/social networks.

• Exclusion or unexplained absences from school, college, or work.

• Leaving home/care without explanation and persistently going missing or returning late.

• Excessive receipt of texts/phone calls.

• Returning home under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

• Inappropriate sexualised behaviour for age/sexually transmitted infections.

• Evidence of/suspicions of physical or sexual assault.

• Relationships with controlling or significantly older individuals or groups.

• Multiple callers (unknown adults or peers).

• Frequenting areas known for sex work.

• Concerning use of internet or other social media.

• Increasing secretiveness around behaviours.

• Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being.

Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s / young person’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s / young person’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy because 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 / young person from physical and emotional harm or danger.

• Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers).

• Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Signs and Symptoms
All staff, mentors and trustees are being trained to recognise symptoms and signs of abuse and neglect and some examples are included here: Physical Abuse: antisocial behaviour, finger marked bruising, withdrawn, low weight, anxiety Emotional Abuse: withdrawn, anxiety, lack of confidence Sexual Abuse: inappropriate use of language, anxiety, promiscuity, sexualised behaviour Neglect: withdrawn, low weight, bruising, unsuitable clothing, searching for food

Peer on Peer Abuse (KCSIE, 2021)
This is most likely to include, but not be limited to:

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• Bullying (including cyberbullying).

• Physical abuse such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting, hair pulling, or otherwise causing physical harm.

• Sexual violence and sexual harassment, including sexual jokes, comments and online remarks.

• Sharing of nudes and semi-nudes (also known as youth produced sexual imagery); and initiation/hazing type violence and rituals

• ‘Upskirting’ - which typically involves taking a picture under a person’s clothing without their permission, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm

• Children / young people may abuse their peers online, this can take the form of abusive, harassing, and misogynistic messages, the non-consensual sharing of indecent images, especially around chat groups, and the sharing of abusive images and pornography, to those who do not want to receive such content.

Online Safety
Youth Mindset takes into account the four areas of online safety risk of content, contact, conduct and commerce. We know that cyber bullying, grooming and sexual exploitation can all take place online. All of our staff, volunteers and trustees are advised of the risks to children and young people as well as to themselves. We are a partner organisation to C.E.O.P. and have access to appropriate training materials via C.E.O.P. to use for both our staff, volunteers, trustees and mentees as and when appropriate.

Female Genital Mutilation FGM
FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse. Staff, volunteers and trustees are or must be made aware that there is a statutory duty upon all to report to the police where they discover (either through disclosure by the victim or visual evidence) that FGM appears to have been carried out on a girl under 18 or is at risk of being carried out. When the charity is made aware through disclosure or seeing something they suspect may be due to FMG, they will follow the Home Office Mandatory Reporting procedures.

Child Criminal Exploitation:
County Lines Criminal exploitation of children is a geographically widespread form of harm that is a typical feature of county lines criminal activity: drug networks or gangs groom and exploit children and young people to carry drugs and money from urban areas to suburban and rural areas, market and seaside towns. This can still be exploitation even if the activity appears consensual.
• It can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and is often accompanied by violence or threats of violence.
• It can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and young people or adults.
• It is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources. Our staff, volunteers and trustees are informed about criminal exploitation and will be aware of this when considering behavioural changes and absences from the services we provide.

Contextual Safeguarding
All staff, volunteers and trustees are aware that safeguarding incidents and/or behaviours can be associated with factors outside our charity and/or can occur between children / young adults outside our care. All staff and the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy) will consider the context within which such incidents and behaviours occur. This means we will consider whether wider environmental factors are present in a child or young person’s life that are a threat to their safety, environment and/or welfare.

Section 3. Roles and Responsibilities

The DSL is the person who takes the lead responsibility for child and vulnerable adult protection, including support for other staff, volunteers, trustees and information sharing with other agencies, developing policies and staff training. Our DSL will normally be the person who responds to allegations made against members of staff, volunteers or trustees. The DSL must be a senior member of staff with the authority and seniority to carry out the functions of the role. The DSL cannot delegate this overall responsibility.

DSL Responsibilities

Refer suspected abuse and neglect to the appropriate authorities.

• When dealing with allegations against staff, trustees or volunteers follow our Whistle blowing and complaints policy.

• Develop and update the Child Protection and other safeguarding policies, ensuring that staff, volunteers and trustees are aware of them.

• Provide support and advice to all members of staff, volunteers and trustees regarding child / young adult protection concerns.

• Ensure that a child/young person’s protection file is kept securely and only copied or shared with relevant agencies directly involved with the child/ young person following ‘Information Sharing’ guidelines.

• Ensure that all staff, volunteers and trustees receive appropriate Child Protection and Safeguarding Training and maintain training records.

• The charities Designated Safeguarding Lead are aware of local procedures for making a Channel referral* * Channel is part of the Prevent programme which focuses on providing support at an early stage to people who are identified as being vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism.

Responsibilities of All Staff and Volunteers

• It is the responsibility of all members of staff, volunteers and trustees to ensure that all safeguarding concerns, both minor and serious, are reported to the DSL as soon as reasonably possible.

• The DSL may have other information regarding a child, young person or their family of which other staff may not be aware. Minor concerns may take on greater significance within the wider context of knowledge of a child young person or family that the DSL may have.

• All staff members and volunteers are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect and always act in the best interests of the child and young person.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees, receive training and ongoing training to equip them with a broad understanding of mental health needs appropriate to the age of the young people within our care

• All staff, volunteers and trustees receive appropriate child protection training which is regularly updated. The charity ensures that all new staff receive safeguarding training as part of their induction.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees are aware of systems within the charity which support safeguarding, and these are explained to them as part of induction.

• All staff, volunteers and trustees are aware of the procedures for reporting that an act of Female Genital Mutilation appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18 or is at risk of FGM being carried out. This must be reported to the police and the DSL

The Trustee with Responsibility for Safeguarding
The role of the trustee with responsibility for safeguarding includes ensuring:

• A DSL has been appointed and trained.

• Training for the DSL takes place every two years and that the DSL is kept abreast of developments and changes in law.

• That sufficient time and resources are allocated to the DSL to carry out their role effectively.

• All staff /trustees/volunteers have received safeguarding training including induction training for all staff and at regular intervals.

• The Single Central Record* is accurate and up to date with records for staff, volunteers and trustees.

• Numbers and trends of safeguarding issues are monitored.

• Regular meetings with DSL.

• The Charity child protection and safeguarding policies are updated in line with legislation and annually.

• Trustee Board is informed about safeguarding regularly and provided with an annual report.

• Children and Young People in our care have access to information about safeguarding, including online.

• Ensure safer recruitment and selection practice is in line with legal requirements, including the requirement for trustees, staff and volunteers to have enhanced DBS checks.

Section 4. Child Protection Procedures and Information Sharing

Our charity shares information lawfully and fairly having regard to the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Information is held safely and securely. Staff, trustees and volunteers understand the importance of sharing information as early as possible. If staff or volunteers are unsure about whether or not to share information, they understand that they must speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Everyone understands that fears about sharing information will not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to protect the safety of children. This includes allowing practitioners to share information without consent if:
 

You have a concern about a child / young person’s wellbeing, based on:

• Something the child / young person / parent has told you.

• Something you have noticed about the child/young person’s behaviour, health, or appearance.

• Something another professional said or did.

 

Even if you think your concern is minor, the DSL may have more information that, together with what you know, represents a more serious worry about a child or young person. It is never your decision alone how to respond to concerns, but it is always your responsibility to share concerns, no matter how small.

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1. Decide whether you need to find out more by asking the child / young person, or their parent / carer to clarify your concerns, being careful to use open questions, beginning with words like: ‘how’, ‘why’, ‘where’, ‘when’, ‘who’?

2. Let the child / young person / parent / carer know what you plan to do next if you have heard a disclosure of abuse or you are talking with them about your concerns. Do not promise to keep what they tell you secret. Example: ‘I am worried about your bruise, and I need to tell Mrs Smith so that she can help us think about how to keep you safe’.

3. Inform the DSL immediately. If the DSL is not available, contact the Deputy DSL. If neither of these staff members are available, speak to the named trustee. In usual circumstances, at least one DSL will always be available in person or by telephone. In the unlikely event that all DSLs are unavailable, you must make the referral yourself.

4. Make a written record as soon as possible after the event, on the appropriate logging form:

   • ​ Name of child/young person.

   • Date, time and place.

   • Who else was present.

   • What was said / What happened / What did you notice. speech, behaviour, mood, drawings, games or appearance.

   • If the child, young person or parent / carer spoke, record their words rather than your interpretation.

   •  Analysis of what you observed and why it is a cause for concern. All verbal conversations are promptly recorded.

5. The DSL may take advice from the Duty Desk Children or Adults Social Care

6. The DSL makes the referral to the Duty Desk The referral will note all previous interventions by the Charity with the child/young person, any relevant history relating to the child/young person, their siblings or the family.

7. The DSL shares information with other relevant professionals, recording reasons for sharing information and ensuring that they are aware of what action the other professionals will take as a result of information shared.

8. The DSL informs parent /carer that they have made a Child Protection referral, if the parent /carer does not already know, and if there is no reason not to let them know. If unclear, it is recommended advice is sought from Duty Desk. They may suggest delaying informing the parent / carer in cases of suspected sexual abuse, or where informing the parent might put the child or young person at further risk, to prevent them being harmed or intimidated (and retracting their disclosure). In cases of suspected Fabricated or Induced Illness by proxy, the parent is not informed that this is being considered.

9. The DSL remains in close communication with other professionals around the child / young person and with the wider family (depending on the nature of the suspected abuse), in order to share any updates about the child / young person. If a child protection investigation is pursued, the DSL and other key school staff will:

   • ​Work closely and collaboratively with all professionals involved in the investigation, to keep the child / young person safe.

   • Attend a child protection conference when invited and provide updated information about the child/young person.

   • Attend any subsequent child protection review conferences.

 

Safer Recruitment Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021
Highlights Safer Recruitment processes in education settings but we as a charity believe this is good guidance for our charity as well. At least one member of our staff on every recruitment panel has undertaken training in Safer Recruitment. Our recruitment and selection process ensures that staff, volunteers and trustees have undertaken appropriate safeguarding checks including:

• Identity check.

• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

• Two references with at least one being from the previous employer.

• A record of the interview is kept.

• Volunteers are appropriately supervised.

• Check of professional qualifications.

• Check to establish the person’s right to work in the UK.

• Further checks on people who have lived or worked outside the UK. 16

Our charity aims to:

• Deter potential abusers by setting high standards of practice and recruitment.

• Reject inappropriate candidates at the application and interview stages.

• Prevent abuse to children / young people by developing robust policies and agreeing on safe practice. Volunteers who have not had checks undertaken are not left unsupervised or allowed to work in regulated activity.

Section 5. Allegations Against Staff

An allegation or concern that any person who works with children or young people, in conjunction with his/her employment in either a paid or unpaid capacity, or voluntary activity has;

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child or young person or may have harmed a child or young person;

• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child or young person; or

• behaved towards a child or young person or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children.

Organisation Responsibilities

• Allegations of abuse can be made by children and young people, and they can be made by other concerned adults.

• All allegations against staff, trustees or volunteers should be immediately brought to the attention of the DSL

• If an allegation is made against the DSL, this should be brought to the attention of the Safeguarding Trustee.

• All staff, trustees and volunteers should feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and potential failures in the charity’s safeguarding procedures and know that such concerns will be taken seriously by the senior leadership team. Whistleblowing procedures, which are suitably reflected in staff training and staff behaviour policies, are in place for such concerns to be raised with the charity’s senior leadership team.

The DSL will take the following actions:

• Ensure that the child or young person reporting the allegation is safe and away from the member of staff, volunteer or trustee against whom the allegation is made.

• Follow the Whistleblowing and Complaints Procedure Policy.

• Contact the parents/carers of the child/young person following advice from Duty Desk.

• Following advice from the Duty Desk and other appropriate persons e.g., trustee for safeguarding, review the member of staff’s working arrangements, volunteer, or trustee role, and if no safe alternative identified suspend the member of staff, volunteer or governor pending investigation.

• Attend joint evaluation meetings (JEMs) convened by the external agency involved and act upon the decisions made at these meetings.

 

Staff Conduct In order to protect children, young people and members of staff,
we encourage staff, volunteers and trustees to follow our professional code of conduct. This covers appropriate dress, the use of appropriate boundaries, social contact (including on social networking sites), the receiving and giving of gifts and favouritism, and the safe use of technology, including mobile phones. Consideration needs to be given to:

• Being alone with the child / young person.

• Physical contact.

•  Social contact outside setting / appropriate boundaries.

• Gifts and favouritism.

• Behaviour management.

• Intimate care

• Administration of medicine

• Safe use of technology (Security / Internet / mobile phones / digital images of children, etc).

• Appropriate use of social networking sites.

Section 6. Child Protection Training

The DSL will keep detailed records of all staff’s/volunteer child protection training and will issue reminders when training updates are required. It is our practice to include a safeguarding and child protection agenda regularly in trustee and staff meetings. All members of staff, volunteers and trustees, undertake single-agency, basic awareness child protection training at least once every three years. In addition, the designated members of staff will undertake multi-agency training (Level 3) every two years.

Staff, volunteers and trustees receive regular safeguarding updates, as required, but at least annually, to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively. Staff receive training about the safeguarding issues surrounding the internet and other online technologies.

Section 7. Implementation, Dissemination and Review Strategies

This policy is reviewed annually by the DSLs and is considered and approved by the Board of Trustees. It will reflect the experience and expertise of charity staff, volunteers and trustees. The DSLs will encourage a culture of listening to children and young people and taking into account their wishes and feelings in any measures our charity may put in place to protect them. All members of staff, volunteers and trustees read and agree the child protection policy before the start of their employment/volunteering/trustee role. All children, young people and their families will be made aware of the policy before enrolment. It is important for families to be aware of actions staff may take if there are any concerns for a child or a young person’s safety, and for them to understand that they might not be consulted before action is taken. Knowing about child protection procedures ahead of time helps parents /carers to engage better in the process, meaning that change is more likely to take place.​​​

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Contact details:

Nominated child protection lead
Name: Claire Burrows
Phone/email: 07513154558 – claire@youthmindset.onmicrosoft.com

Deputy child protection lead(s)
Name(s): Verity Slaughter Penney
Phone/email: 07784996553 – verity@youthmindset.onmicrosoft.com

Trustee for safeguarding and child protection
Name: Stuart Palombo
Phone/email: 07799428149

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​Updated 12th October 2025; Due to be updated October 2026

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