SAFEGUARDING POLICY

1: OUR COMMITMENT

 

All our employees who work with learners play a role in shaping their lives. Our aim is to interact in ways that are empowering and inspiring. This policy has been produced to outline the safe and responsive environments we create, which safeguard all Streetwise Defence learners. We believe in our duty of care to safeguard and promote welfare for everyone we train.

 

2. PURPOSE & SCOPE

 

This policy outlines the responsibilities of Streetwise Defence in relation to the protection of our learners, including children, young people and adults, in response to:

  • The Children Act 1989

  • The Victoria Climbié Inquiry Report by Lord Laming; 2003

  • Every Child Matters Green Paper 2003

  • Every Child Matters ‘Change for Children’ 2004

  • National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services 2004

  • The Children Act 2004(revised 2014)

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006

  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Act 2006

  • Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007

  • Vetting and Barring Scheme 2009

  • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

  • Equality Act 1998

  • Children and Social Work Act 2017

  • GDPR 2018

  • Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021

 

3. KEY CONTACT

 

Dene Josham is the safeguarding lead at Streetwise Defence and can be contacted on +44 (0)7944 577 662 or by email on info@streetwisedefence.com

NB. If you have an urgent safeguarding concern and feel that someone is in imminent danger, call 999 for assistance.

 

4. DEFINITIONS

 

Safeguarding is the protection of children and adults, especially those at risk from abuse and neglect. Types of abuse may include:

  • Abuse (physical, emotional, financial, institutional, sexual, and organisational)

  • Self-neglect

  • Discrimination

  • Child sexual exploitation

  • Bullying and cyberbullying

  • Domestic abuse

  • Substance misuse

  • Fabricated or induced Illness

  • Faith abuse

  • Forced marriage

  • Gang and youth violence

  • Private fostering

  • Female genital mutilation (FGM)

  • Gender-based violence

  • Radicalisation

  • Sexting

  • Sexual violence, such as rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault

  • Sexual harassment, such as sexual comments, remarks, jokes and online sexual harassment, which may be stand-alone or part of a broader pattern of abuse

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

  • Relationship abuse, including teenage relationship abuse

  • Trafficking and modern slavery

  • Breast ironing

  • Mental health concerns

  • Sexual violence and sexual harassment

  • Children missing in education

A child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. An adult at risk is defined as any person over the age of 18 and at risk of abuse or neglect because of their need for support or personal circumstance and may include those:

  • Living in sheltered housing

  • Receiving any form of health care

  • Receiving a welfare service in order to support their need to live independently

  • Receiving a service due to their age or disability

  • Living in residential accommodation such as a care home

  • Receiving domiciliary care in their own home

  • Pregnant or nursing mother living in residential care

  • Person under supervision of probation service

A person may be deemed at higher risk of a safeguarding issue affecting them due to other factors, including:

  • Poor numeracy and literacy skills, or specific learning need

  • English not a first language

  • Unsupportive employer

  • Under-represented group

  • Acting as a carer for another family member

  • Background in offending or is showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups

  • Has a disability or social need

  • Has special educational needs (whether or not they have a statutory Education, Health and Care Plan)

  • Lives ‘In Care’ or has recently transitioned out of Care

  • Is a young carer

  • Is frequently missing/goes missing from care or from home

  • Is within a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as drug and alcohol misuse, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse or generally unsupportive.

 

5: OUR RESPONSIBILITY

 

We all have a responsibility to ensure that children, young people and adults are protected from harm, informed about potential risks to their welfare, and understand how to seek help.

Our aim is to provide a positive and safe environment for children, young people and adults to learn in.

If we identify children, young people or adults who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, we will take appropriate action to ensure they are supported and kept safe.

Our instructors are enhanced DBS checked and are expected to comply with any DBS check request, to complete (at least) Level 1 safeguarding training, to have a good understanding of what constitutes a safeguarding or welfare concern, how to provide support and guidance in such instances and the channels for escalating a concern.

 

6: SAFE RECRUITMENT

 

Streetwise Defence complies with best practice in the recruitment and training of its staff, in line with legislative requirements. Instructors will undergo the appropriate pre-employment checks including enhanced DBS checks for their role where applicable, and undertake mandatory safeguarding training appropriate to their role. Staff will understand the principles of safe working practices, and how not to put themselves in situations that compromise themselves or learners. All new employees will receive an appropriate induction, including safeguarding training.

 

7: KEY PRINCIPLES

 

Streetwise Defence has a duty to ensure that all staff fulfil their responsibilities in safeguarding children, young people and adults. We will ensure that:

• All people will be treated with respect and with courtesy in an environment that is free from harassment or discrimination. Any instances of sexual harassment, including sexual comments, remarks or jokes will be challenged and it will be made clear that sexual harassment or abuse in any form is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by Streetwise Defence.

• All equipment will comply with legislative health and safety standards and provide a safe and secure environment for learning with appropriate supervision and support of staff.

• We will work with learners, employers and other agencies to promote a safe and healthy culture to ensure that learners are safeguarded. We understand that sensitive information may be shared by learners during the training and this information will be kept confidential, unless we need to raise a safeguarding concern with the appropriate parties.

• We will develop partnerships to proactively protect students at risk of abuse, neglect or at risk of radicalisation.

• Staff will be trained and have a clear understanding of personal safety and good safeguarding practices as well as what factors may make learners vulnerable to a range of safeguarding concerns and can recognize outward signs of abuse, or unexplained changes in behaviour, which may be indicative of abuse. All staff will be made aware of the signs of abuse and the procedures for reporting abuse.

• We will work with learners to promote their own personal health, well-being and safety including their safety online.

• We will work proactively to raise awareness of radicalisation and extremism in order to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

• Learners and employers will receive confidential advice, guidance and support for a range of issues that they may face. They will be signposted to external agencies where specialist support is required.

• We will support students to have personal resilience and be able to make informed and sensible decisions about their safety and well-being in an attempt to prevent them from being exploited, attacked or abused.

•We will deal with any allegations of abuse by staff according to the disciplinary procedures as appropriate.

 

8: REMOTE TEACHING

 

Keeping learners and instructors safe during remote education is essential. The same principles set out above, also apply to remote teaching.

We maintain a professional practice when communicating online with learners. When possible we communicate within business hours (or agreed hours), and any sensitive information that is shared will remain confidential.

We use secure online learning platforms. All training is conducted from a quiet or private room with consideration to the background.

 

8: RECORDS

 

We will keep clear, comprehensive records of any disclosures and/or allegations of abuse.

We will comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, which allows for disclosure of personal data where this is necessary to protect the interests of a learner.

 

Get in touch for more information.