Safeguarding Children Policy

Author:
Alok Bhatia

Policy Statement

At ServePlanet, we believe all children regardless of age, gender, disability or ethnic origin have a right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. ServePlanet will not tolerate the abuse of children (defined as under the age of 18) in any form.

It is the responsibility of all representatives of ServePlanet to raise any concerns you have or any concerns which are reported to you according to this policy. It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not child abuse has occurred.

It is the responsibility of all ServePlanet managers to ensure the delivery of this policy and to promote it as relevant in all aspects of their work, to hold themselves and others to account and to help create a safe environment for all.

This policy will automatically be applied in the UK and in all geographies where ServePlanet is carrying out its projects and must be used in conjunction with ServePlanet's Equal Opportunities Policy- Recruitment & Employment, Code of Conduct, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse Policy and Safeguarding Adults' Policy.

This policy does not form part of an employees' terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to change at the discretion of management.

Policy Contents

1. ServePlanet Safeguarding Principles
2. Definitions
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Support for Survivors and Victims
5. Policy Guidance
6. Safe Programming
7. How to Raise a Complaint or Concern
8. How to Respond to a Complaint or Concern
9. Procedure for Handling Complaints
10. Safe Recruitment
11. Young Volunteers
12. Use of Personal Data about Children
13. Training

Related Policy & Useful Links

• ServePlanet Code of Conduct

• ServePlanet Equal Opportunities Policy- Recruitment & Employment

• ServePlanet Volunteering Policy

• ServePlanet Safeguarding Adults' Policy

All the links will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure consistency across documents.

There are key pieces of legislation and national guidance that set out the framework for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk, which must be followed:

• The Children Act 1989
• The Sexual Offences Act 2003
• The Children Act 2004
• The Children and Young Persons Act 2008
• The Care Act 2014
• The Children and Family Act 2014
• Serious Crime Act 2015
• Modern Slavery Act 2015

There is additional related national guidance, which also must be followed where appropriate:

• Safeguarding children in whom illness is fabricated or induced: Supplementary guidance to working together to safeguard children (DCFS, 2008)
• Safeguarding disabled children: A practice guide (2009)
• Adult safeguarding: Policy and procedures (SCIE, 2011)
• Safeguarding children who may have been trafficked: Practice guidance (2011)
• Clinical governance and safeguarding (Department of Health, 2010)
• Working together to safeguard children (HM Government, 2015)
• Child sexual exploitation: Definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children from child sexual exploitation (Department for Education, 2017)
• Child sexual exploitation: Annexes to 'definition and a guide for practitioners, local leaders and decision makers working to protect children from child sexual exploitation' (Department for Education, 2017
• Safeguarding for volunteer involving organisations- An NCVO guide to develop a comprehensive approach to safeguarding in organisation.

This policy, procedure and guidance covers the following areas:

• Child protection processes and making a referral to children's social care
• Participating in statutory child protection processes
• Online safeguarding
• Complex abuse cases
• Child sexual exploitation

If in doubt about anything in this policy, please seek further advice from ServePlanet on +44 (0)7740650192.

1. ServePlanetSafeguardingPrinciples

ServePlanet will ensure that:

The welfare of the child is paramount;

1. Concerns or allegations of child abuse are always taken seriously, investigated and acted on if appropriate;
2. ServePlanet will seek to safeguard children by valuing, listening to and respecting them;
3. All managers, employees, volunteers and other representatives have access to, and are familiar with this policy, and know their responsibilities within it;
4. All staff receive training on Safeguarding Children at a level commensurate with their role;
5. All staff, volunteers and carers have access to information about how to report concerns or allegations of abuse, including children themselves;
6. Our recruitment practices are robust enough to ensure that we will not recruit staff, volunteers or other representatives if they pose a known risk to children's safety or wellbeing;
7. All managers are responsible for promoting awareness of this policy within their divisions, individual departments or teams.

2. Definitions

2.1 Safeguarding Children and Child Protection

Safeguarding is the process of protecting children from abuse or neglect, preventing impairment of their health and development, ensuring they are living in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. 'Child protection' is an element of Safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering or likely to suffer, significant harm.

2.2 Child

A child is defined as anyone under 18 years old. This definition is recognised internationally as identifying a population who are particularly vulnerable and require additional safeguards to protect their rights.

The definition of a child for the purposes of Safeguarding and child protection should not be confused with the legal definition of a child or age limits set out in other relevant laws. The fact that a person under the age of 18 may have reached the age of majority, age of sexual consent, voting age or such like does not alter their inherent vulnerability as a child.

2.3 Young Volunteer

Anyone who is under the age of 18 years old is classed as a 'Young Volunteer' when they are volunteering for ServePlanet.

2.4 Child Abuse

Different forms of harm or mistreatment of children are categorised under the broader term "child abuse". Abuse can happen anywhere and at any time, but research shows that the perpetrators of abuse are likely to be known and trusted by the child. The most commonly defined types are:

• Physical: violence towards or deliberate injury of a child.
• Neglect: persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and psychological needs.
• Sexual: using a child for sexual stimulation or gratification.
• Emotional: behaviour which attacks a child's self-esteem.
• Child Sexual Exploitation: Children in exploitative situations and relationships receive something such as gifts, money or affection as a result of performing sexual activities or others performing sexual activities on them.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) requires states to protect children from abuse.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility and failure to act on concerns relating to children is not an option.

ServePlanet Managers and ultimately Trustees, hold overall accountability for this Policy and its implementation. ServePlanet's Trustees are responsible for reviewing and updating this Policy annually and in line with legislative and organisational developments and hold overall accountability for ServePlanet's Safeguarding of Children.

All staff, volunteers and other representatives of ServePlanet are required to adhere to this Policy and ServePlanet's Code of Conduct at all times.

All ServePlanet employees are obliged to report any suspicions of child abuse. Failure to report to a relevant person suspicion of abuse relating to someone else is a breach of ServePlanet's policy, and could lead to disciplinary action being taken. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no obligation placed on any individual to report any incident that has happened to them.

ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team can offer further support to staff, volunteers and other representatives on implementing this Policy.

4. Support for Survivors and Victims

Support will be offered to survivors and victims, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Support can include psycho-social counselling or access to other appropriate support as needed. Survivors and victims can choose if and when they would like to take up the support options available to them.

5. PolicyGuidance

5.1. Contact with Children

ServePlanet Representatives Must Never:

• Fail to disclose any convictions or child related investigations that they are subject to;
• Seek to make contact or spend time with any child with whom they come into contact as part of their work with ServePlanet except as part of the designated activities set out in their role;
• Abuse their position to withhold professional assistance or give preferential treatment, gifts or payment of any kind to a child, or another person in relation to a child, in order to solicit any form of advantage or sexual favour from a child;
• Have sexual intercourse or participate in any form of sexual activity, including paying for sex, with any person under 18 years old or under the local age of sexual consent (where higher). This applies to all ServePlanet representatives regardless of the age of consent locally and mistaken belief in the age of the child is not a defence;
• Hit or otherwise physically assault a child irrespective of cultural norms, including as punishment;
• Behave physically in a manner with a child which is inappropriate or sexually provocative;
• Use language or behaviour towards children that is inappropriate, harassing, abusive, sexually provocative or that is intended to shame, humiliate or emotionally abuse;
• Use computers, mobile phones, video and digital cameras to exploit or harass children or to access child pornography through any medium;
• Recruit children for any labour which is inappropriate to their age or developmental stage, which interferes with their time available for education and recreational activities, or which places them at risk of injury;
• Do things of a personal nature for a child with whom they come into contact as part of their work for ServePlanet that the child can do for themselves (e.g. toileting, bathing, dressing);
• Share a bedroom with or sleep close to an unsupervised child or children where that child/children are ones with whom they come into contact as part of their work for ServePlanet;
• Visit a child's home alone or invite unaccompanied children into their own accommodation, where that child/children are ones with whom they come into contact as part of their work for ServePlanet;
• Put a child at risk of harm through inaction (including failure to report a concern);
• Condone or participate in any child related activity which is illegal, exploitative, unsafe or abusive; this includes behaviour by other children;
• Act in any way that may be abusive or put a child at risk of abuse or exploitation.
  

ServePlanet Representatives Must Always:

• Treat all children with respect regardless of their race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, nationality, ethnicity, social origin, property, disability or other status;
• Avoid being placed in a position where they are alone with a child or children with whom they come into contact as part of their work with ServePlanet;
• Act professionally towards children they interact with in their role, following relevant laws pertaining to working with children, including those in relation to child labour;
• Consider the risk of harm and whether there is any possibility a child may be abused or exploited when assessing the appropriateness of any physical or verbal contact, including in the design of ServePlanet programmes;
• Report any suspicion, allegation or witness of child abuse or other breaches of the Safeguarding Children Policy as per the reporting procedures outlined in this document.

Those who work with or for ServePlanet (including ServePlanet's beneficiaries) can also raise a concern without fear of retribution to ServePlanet's Whistleblowing Service by phoning: +44 (0) 7740650192

If an allegation is made against you, then you must inform your manager immediately. You should create a signed and dated record of the details as you know them and send a copy of this to HR. All those accused will be treated with respect and all allegations are treated confidentially. You may wish to seek support from HR.

8. How to Respond to a Complaint or Concern

ServePlanet is committed to responding to all complaints and concerns of abuse. ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team are responsible for this work, and have specialist expertise in prevention, carrying out investigations, and delivering support to survivors of and victims of child abuse.

ServePlanet recognises that disclosures and suspicion should always be acted upon swiftly, and if there is an urgent child protection situation, for example if a child is in imminent danger of abuse, then immediate protective action must be taken.

What to do if You Have Concerns About a Child's Wellbeing:

• The first priority is the immediate safety and welfare of the child.
• Keep calm and act normally; do not say or show that you are shocked.
• Do not investigate or question the child. If a child reports abuse directly to you, only ask questions to get enough information to understand the complaint (e.g. 'who, what, where, when' questions, but not 'why' questions).
• Never agree to keep a secret. If a child is in danger you will have to inform others.
• Do not directly challenge parents, carers or teachers about your concerns.
• Record all the details that support your suspicion and report this in line with internal reporting procedures.

It is the responsibility of all who represent ServePlanet, in whatever capacity, to raise concerns regarding possible or known issues of child abuse or exploitation in projects managed or supported by ServePlanet immediately in line with the procedures outlined below.

9. Procedure for Handling Complaints

When a complaint or concern has been raised, it must be referred within 24 hours to ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team. This can be done on behalf of somebody else, and may only involve a suspicion.

Internal Response

Within 72 hours of receiving a complaint or concern, ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team must convene a case conference. An email should be sent to the complainant acknowledging the complaint as soon as possible. ServePlanet must refer suspected cases of child abuse to local statutory authorities where possible.

Confidentiality must be maintained throughout the complaints process by all staff and witnesses. Staff members who breach confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. In some cases, such breaches constitute breaking the law.

Retaliation Against Complainants, Victims and Witnesses

ServePlanet will take action against any staff, volunteers or other representatives, whether they are the subject of a complaint or not, who seek or carry out retaliatory action against complainants, victims or other witnesses. Staff who are found to do this will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Outcomes of Misconduct

Employees who are found to contravene this policy will be subject to disciplinary action that may result in dismissal. Where possible, ServePlanet will refer suspected cases of child abuse to local statutory authorities and the process and outcome will be handled by said authority. Volunteers, contractors and other representatives will have their relationship with ServePlanet terminated.

False Allegations

It is extremely rare that staff or other stakeholders are found to have raised allegations which they knew to be false. If a member of staff from ServePlanet is found to have made an allegation that they knew to be false they will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Complaints about ServePlanet's Partners

If ServePlanet receives a complaint about a partner organisation, ServePlanet will expect the partner to respond quickly and appropriately. ServePlanet should assist the partner to ascertain its obligations under local law to refer the matter to the police or other statutory authorities for criminal investigation.

Where appropriate, ServePlanet should work with the partner to address the issue through an appropriate independent investigation. If the outcome is that child abuse has occurred, ongoing work with the partner cannot involve the individual(s) concerned.

If there is reason to believe that an allegation of child abuse has been dealt with inappropriately by a partner then they risk withdrawal of funding or ending the relationship.

Receiving External Complaints and Concerns

Complaints raised from outside the organisation should be referred to ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team and must adhere to ServePlanet's policy and procedures as outlined in this document.

10. Safe Recruitment

ServePlanet is committed to recruiting staff, volunteers and other representatives safely. All application forms, interviews and references must address Safeguarding and equality requirements and attitudes in line with the ServePlanet Equal Opportunities Policy- Recruitment & Employment.

Recruitment for all applicants to roles supervising young volunteers or working directly with child beneficiaries must follow this policy, particularly that:

• All applicants must be asked to disclose all criminal convictions in keeping with the parameters of local employment law;
• We are not able to offer volunteering opportunities to anyone with spent or unspent convictions for sexual offences or any form of child abuse;
• Legitimate registers must be checked to establish whether applicants are a known risk to children;
• Applicants should not start work until reference checking and checking of legitimate registers has taken place
  

• Young volunteers must not be left alone in a property at any time.
• At least two adults should be present when a young volunteer is volunteering, one of whom must be designated as the young volunteer's supervisor for the duration of their shift.
• ServePlanet representatives who regularly supervise children must be subject to a criminal records check.
• If an activity is identified as higher risk in the Health and Safety assessment, this must have constant supervision from the nominated supervisor.
• Young volunteers should work alone with an adult only in exceptional circumstances, and managers are responsible for monitoring this.
• Managers must ensure appropriate supervision arrangements are clear and agreed in advance with anyone who will supervise young volunteers.
• IN THE UK If a young volunteer is being regularly supervised by the same adult, that adult must be subject to an Enhanced DBS check, as allowed by DBS rules. Failure to do this could result in criminal liability if the adult is later found to be a known risk to children.
• IN THE UK, Sexual relations between an adult supervisor and a young volunteer aged 17 or 16 will often constitute a criminal offence under the Sexual Offences Act (2003) due to the position of trust held by the adult. ServePlanet must refer such allegations to the relevant statutory authorities for investigation.
• OUTSIDE THE UK: ServePlanet will follow all local laws relating to the supervision of young people.
  

12. Use of Personal Data about Children

ServePlanet staff must adhere to ServePlanet's Privacy Policy which is guided by the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union (2018). All information stored by ServePlanet about children and young people must be processed in accordance with this Act and ServePlanet's policy.

Research with children must be in line with this policy. ServePlanet representatives must consider how to protect a child's identity, how to share and store such content and how to achieve "informed consent".

Disputes about the use of child images must be raised to the Safeguarding Team.

13. Training

All ServePlanet staff and representatives must receive training on Child Safeguarding commensurate with their role. This training will be carried out by specialists on a regular basis and will include information about ServePlanet's policy positions, reporting and investigation procedures and how to embed Child Safeguarding in ServePlanet's work.

Overall responsibility for ensuring that staff receive regular training and messages about Safeguarding lies with all ServePlanet Managers.

Children require training to ensure that their capabilities and competencies are at a level where they can operate without putting themselves and others at risk.

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