SAFEGUARDING POLICY
The aim of this policy is to promote the wellbeing, security, and safety of vulnerable people consistent with his or her rights, capacity and personal responsibility, and prevent abuse occurring wherever possible.
Safeguarding children, vulnerable adults and young people is a part of the wider role of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific vulnerable adults who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. As adults and/or professionals or volunteers, everyone is responsible for safeguarding vulnerable adults and promoting their welfare.
This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, students, interns or anyone else working on behalf of Skaped.
The purpose of this policy is to:
• Protect children and young people who receive Skaped’s services. This includes the
children of adults who use our services.
• Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults – and in particular protecting them from significant harm.
• Provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to
safeguarding and child protection.
Skaped 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 to keep them safe. We are committed to practise in a way that protects them.
The charity aims to ensure that they are welcomed into a safe, caring environment with a happy and friendly atmosphere.
The charity recognises that it is the responsibility of each one of its staff, paid and unpaid, to
prevent the neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse of vulnerable adults and young people, and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.
The charity recognises its responsibility to implement, maintain and regularly review procedures, which are designed to prevent and to be alert to such abuse.
The charity is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with vulnerable adults and young people, and to providing supervision.
The charity is committed to maintaining good links with the statutory social services authorities.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law (as amended from time to time) and guidance that seeks to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults namely:
● Children Act 1989.
● United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991.
● Data Protection At 1998.
● Human Rights Act 1998.
● Sexual Offences Act 2003.
● Children Act 2004.
● Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
● Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
● Children and Families Act 2014.
● Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years – Statutoryguidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities; HM Government 2014.
● Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children,
young people, parents and carers; HM Government 2015.
● Working together to safeguarding children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government 2015.
Safeguarding for Vulnerable Adults
Definition of Abuse
Abuse includes all forms of harm and mistreatment. It may include:
● Physical abuse, including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, misuse of restraint, inappropriate sanctions.
● Sexual abuse, including rape and sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not
consented, or could not consent or was pressured into consenting.
● Psychological abuse, including verbal abuse, emotional abuse, threats, deprivation of
contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, isolation or
withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
● Financial or material abuse, including theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection
with will, property or inheritance or financial transaction, or the misuse or misappropriation
of property, possessions or benefits.
● Neglect and acts of omission, including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure
to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, food and drink and heating.
● Discriminatory abuse, including racist or sexist remarks or comments based on a person’s impairment, disability, age or illness, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.
Signs of Abuse
It is the responsibility of all individuals and agencies having a responsibility for the care, treatment and support of vulnerable people to be alert to the possibility of vulnerable person abuse and be aware of the signs and indicators of abuse.
Concern may arise as a result of a single incident, allegation or disclosure; or they may arise as a result of an accumulation of indicators and/or signs. The responsibility to report any suspicion, allegation or disclosure of an incident immediately rests with the individual who identifies the concern regardless of their place within the organisation or their employing agency. Concerns may include:
● A person not getting the help or care they need.
● A person being hurt, bullied, frightened or intimidated.
● A person being taken advantage of, or exploited because of their age, disability or illness.
● A person not being allowed to make their own choices or decisions.
● A person being made to do something against their will.
● A person not being treated in a dignified or respectful manner.
Other signs of abuse may include:
● You might see and/or hear something happen.
● Something being bullied or intimidated.
● Someone being made to feel frightened or unhappy.
● Someone in a situation of unnecessary risk.
● There might be physical signs or unexplained or unusual injuries.
● Bruises.
● Slap marks.
● Black eyes.
● Torn, stained or blood-stained on clothes.
● The person may say things or behave in a way that causes you concerns.
● The person may seem unhappy or distressed.
● The person may appear frightened, anxious or agitated without identifiable cause, or relation to certain people.
● Sleeping problems.
● You may not know. It is enough that you are worried.
What to do if you see someone with injury:
● Don’t jump to conclusions.
● It is okay/good practice to ask the person, or if the person is not able to tell you the carer, how the injury was sustained (e.g. where did you get that bruise?).
● Follow the guidance below for disclosures and allegations but remain open minded, you may not always be told the truth.
● Record any physical signs or injuries using a body map or hand drawing if necessary. Write down a description of any physical signs or injuries including size, shape and colour. Make sure you sign and date it.
What should I do if someone discloses an allegation?
● Don’t interrupt a vulnerable adult who is freely telling you what has happened.
● Accept what is being said without making a comment and remain open.
● Take time to listen to the person rather than directly question him or her.
● Do not make judgments or jump to conclusions.
● Ask the person what they would like to do about what has happened.
● Reassure the person that their wishes will be taken into account.
Recording and preserving
It is the responsibility of all individuals and agencies having a responsibility for the care, treatment and support of vulnerable adults to ensure that any concerns they have about the welfare of an adult are recorded and they have evidence indicating that abuse is occurring or has happened is retained.
What to record and how?
It is important that you write down why you are concerned about a person, simply and as clearly as you can, and as soon as you can after an event. In some cases this will mean writing in a person’s records or notes, in others it might be on a scrap piece of paper. All original notes must be retained.
It is important that you record all relevant information including what you saw, what you heard, and why you acted as you did. There is a safeguarding form for vulnerable adults in Section 4 of this Policy to act as a template to record your observations and actions. You may include the following actions:
● Sign and date your records and make sure they are kept in a safe place.
● Record any physical signs or injuries using a body map or hand drawing if necessary, make sure you sign and date it.
● Where the vulnerable person has physical signs or injuries try and ensure they are seen by a qualified medical practitioner. (e.g. doctor or nurse).
● Make a written record of messages (e.g. answer-phone) to ensure that they are not lost. Include the date and time and sign them.
● Ensure you record what action you took and why.
● Sign and date all your records and make sure that they are kept in a safe place
Safeguarding children, vulnerable adults and young people is a part of the wider role of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific vulnerable adults who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. As adults and/or professionals or volunteers, everyone is responsible for safeguarding vulnerable adults and promoting their welfare.
This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, students, interns or anyone else working on behalf of Skaped.
The purpose of this policy is to:
• Protect children and young people who receive Skaped’s services. This includes the
children of adults who use our services.
• Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults – and in particular protecting them from significant harm.
• Provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to
safeguarding and child protection.
Skaped 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 to keep them safe. We are committed to practise in a way that protects them.
The charity aims to ensure that they are welcomed into a safe, caring environment with a happy and friendly atmosphere.
The charity recognises that it is the responsibility of each one of its staff, paid and unpaid, to
prevent the neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse of vulnerable adults and young people, and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.
The charity recognises its responsibility to implement, maintain and regularly review procedures, which are designed to prevent and to be alert to such abuse.
The charity is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with vulnerable adults and young people, and to providing supervision.
The charity is committed to maintaining good links with the statutory social services authorities.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law (as amended from time to time) and guidance that seeks to protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults namely:
● Children Act 1989.
● United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991.
● Data Protection At 1998.
● Human Rights Act 1998.
● Sexual Offences Act 2003.
● Children Act 2004.
● Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
● Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
● Children and Families Act 2014.
● Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years – Statutoryguidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities; HM Government 2014.
● Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children,
young people, parents and carers; HM Government 2015.
● Working together to safeguarding children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government 2015.
Safeguarding for Vulnerable Adults
Definition of Abuse
Abuse includes all forms of harm and mistreatment. It may include:
● Physical abuse, including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, misuse of restraint, inappropriate sanctions.
● Sexual abuse, including rape and sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not
consented, or could not consent or was pressured into consenting.
● Psychological abuse, including verbal abuse, emotional abuse, threats, deprivation of
contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, isolation or
withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
● Financial or material abuse, including theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection
with will, property or inheritance or financial transaction, or the misuse or misappropriation
of property, possessions or benefits.
● Neglect and acts of omission, including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure
to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, food and drink and heating.
● Discriminatory abuse, including racist or sexist remarks or comments based on a person’s impairment, disability, age or illness, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.
Signs of Abuse
It is the responsibility of all individuals and agencies having a responsibility for the care, treatment and support of vulnerable people to be alert to the possibility of vulnerable person abuse and be aware of the signs and indicators of abuse.
Concern may arise as a result of a single incident, allegation or disclosure; or they may arise as a result of an accumulation of indicators and/or signs. The responsibility to report any suspicion, allegation or disclosure of an incident immediately rests with the individual who identifies the concern regardless of their place within the organisation or their employing agency. Concerns may include:
● A person not getting the help or care they need.
● A person being hurt, bullied, frightened or intimidated.
● A person being taken advantage of, or exploited because of their age, disability or illness.
● A person not being allowed to make their own choices or decisions.
● A person being made to do something against their will.
● A person not being treated in a dignified or respectful manner.
Other signs of abuse may include:
● You might see and/or hear something happen.
● Something being bullied or intimidated.
● Someone being made to feel frightened or unhappy.
● Someone in a situation of unnecessary risk.
● There might be physical signs or unexplained or unusual injuries.
● Bruises.
● Slap marks.
● Black eyes.
● Torn, stained or blood-stained on clothes.
● The person may say things or behave in a way that causes you concerns.
● The person may seem unhappy or distressed.
● The person may appear frightened, anxious or agitated without identifiable cause, or relation to certain people.
● Sleeping problems.
● You may not know. It is enough that you are worried.
What to do if you see someone with injury:
● Don’t jump to conclusions.
● It is okay/good practice to ask the person, or if the person is not able to tell you the carer, how the injury was sustained (e.g. where did you get that bruise?).
● Follow the guidance below for disclosures and allegations but remain open minded, you may not always be told the truth.
● Record any physical signs or injuries using a body map or hand drawing if necessary. Write down a description of any physical signs or injuries including size, shape and colour. Make sure you sign and date it.
What should I do if someone discloses an allegation?
● Don’t interrupt a vulnerable adult who is freely telling you what has happened.
● Accept what is being said without making a comment and remain open.
● Take time to listen to the person rather than directly question him or her.
● Do not make judgments or jump to conclusions.
● Ask the person what they would like to do about what has happened.
● Reassure the person that their wishes will be taken into account.
Recording and preserving
It is the responsibility of all individuals and agencies having a responsibility for the care, treatment and support of vulnerable adults to ensure that any concerns they have about the welfare of an adult are recorded and they have evidence indicating that abuse is occurring or has happened is retained.
What to record and how?
It is important that you write down why you are concerned about a person, simply and as clearly as you can, and as soon as you can after an event. In some cases this will mean writing in a person’s records or notes, in others it might be on a scrap piece of paper. All original notes must be retained.
It is important that you record all relevant information including what you saw, what you heard, and why you acted as you did. There is a safeguarding form for vulnerable adults in Section 4 of this Policy to act as a template to record your observations and actions. You may include the following actions:
● Sign and date your records and make sure they are kept in a safe place.
● Record any physical signs or injuries using a body map or hand drawing if necessary, make sure you sign and date it.
● Where the vulnerable person has physical signs or injuries try and ensure they are seen by a qualified medical practitioner. (e.g. doctor or nurse).
● Make a written record of messages (e.g. answer-phone) to ensure that they are not lost. Include the date and time and sign them.
● Ensure you record what action you took and why.
● Sign and date all your records and make sure that they are kept in a safe place
Safeguarding for Children
and Young People
We recognise that:
● The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989.
● All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm and abuse.
● Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
● Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
● Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
● Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people.
● Adopting children protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
● Developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures.
● Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support,
training, and quality assurance measures.
● Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
● Recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information
about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff and volunteers via leaflets, posters one-to-one discussions.
● Using our safeguarding 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.
Contact details: Designated Safeguarding Officer(DSO): Sandy AbdelRahman
Email: info@skaped.org
Phone: 07837363816
Skaped Safeguarding
Procedure for Children and
Young People
This procedure applies to any paid member of staff or volunteer who may be concerned about the safety and protection of a child or young person.
Purpose
We aim to ensure that children or young people who attend Skaped, and any other/young people who may come to the attention of Skaped, receive the protection and support they need if they are at risk of abuse.
This procedure provides clear direction to staff and volunteers at Skaped if they have concerns that a child or young person is in need of protection.
Different types of abuse:
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. 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 is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.
● It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless and 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, ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate.
● It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on a
child/young person. 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 to participate in normal social interaction.
● It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another.
● It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children/young people to frequently feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of a child/young person. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child/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/young people in looking at, or in production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet).
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.
● Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of material substance abuse.
● Once a child is born it may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food,
clothing, and shelter, including exclusion from home or abandonment.
● Failure to protect a child/young person from physical harm or danger.
● Failure to ensure adequate supervision, including the use of adequate care takers
● Failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
● It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
There are also emerging types and methods of child abuse, including:
● Sexual exploitation.
● Female genital mutilation (FGM).
● Trafficking of children in order to exploit them sexually, financially, via domestic servitude,
or via the involvement in activity such as the production and sale of illegal drugs
● Abuse linked to beliefs such as spirit possession or witchcraft.
● Radicalisation and the encouragement of coercion to become involved in terrorist activities
● Abuse via online methods e.g. from adults seeking to develop sexual relationships with
children or to use sexual or abusive images of them.
● Domestic violence (either witnessing violence between adult family members, or, in the case of older young people, being subjected to coercion or violence in an intimate relationship in the same way as an older person).
Indicators of abuse in children and young people
Many of the signs that suggest abuse may also be caused by other issues, and often it is a case
of investigating agencies needing to build up a picture of the child’s life by piecing together the
information held by different individuals and organisations.
It is also important to point out that children and young people can experiences various types of
abuse at the same time. For example, all abuse involved and element of emotional abuse, and
neglect often occurs in context where children are also being subjected to physical or sexual
abuse.
9
In terms of specific signs and indicators, sometimes there are physical signs such as:
● Unexplained bruises, other injuries or health problems.
● Unexplained gifts or additional mobile devices.
● Poor appearance of hygiene.
● Recurring health problems that are not treated.
● Young children not meeting their developmental milestones (particularly if there is no
disability).
● Being left alone.
● An unsuitable home environment e.g. cold, dirty, physically unsafe.
● Pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections or anal/virginal soreness.
● Any signs that a child/young person is at risk of being subjected to forced marriage or
Female Genital Mutilation.
A child’s/young person’s behaviour can also help to indicate that they are being abused. It can
be helpful to be aware of behaviour that you might normally associate with an older or younger
child. Look out for signs that a child is unsettled or unhappy:
● Withdrawn.
● Suddenly behaves differently.
● Anxiety.
● Clingy.
● Depressed.
● Aggressive.
● Problems sleeping.
● Eating disorder.
● Wets the bed.
● Soils clothes.
● Takes risks.
● Misses school.
● Changes in eating habits.
● Obsessive behaviour.
● Nightmares.
● Drugs.
● Alcohol.
● Self-harm.
● Thoughts about suicide.
Ways that abuse might be brought to your attention
● A child might make a direct disclosure about him or herself.
● A child might make a direct disclosure about another child or young person.
● A child might offer information that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.
● A member of staff might be concerned about a child appearance or behaviours of a
parent or carer towards a child.
● A parent or carer might make a disclosure about abuse that a child is suffering or at risk of suffering.
● A parent might offer information about a child that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.
Talking to a child that has told you that he/she or another child is being abused
● Reassure the child that telling someone about it was the right thing to do.
● Tell him/her that you now must do what you can to keep him/her (or the child who is the subject of the allegation) safe.
● Let the child know what you are going to do next and who else needs to know about it
● Let the child tell his or her whole story. Don’t try to investigate or quiz the child, but make sure that you are clear as to what he/she is saying.
● Ask the child what he/she would like to happen as a result of what he/she has said, but don’t make promises you can’t keep.
● Give the child the ChildLine phone number: 0800 11 11.
Helping the child in immediate danger or in need of emergency medical attention
● If the child is in immediate danger and is with you, remain with her/him and call the
police.
● If the child is elsewhere, contact the police and explain the situation to them.
● If he/she needs emergency medical attention, call an ambulance and, while you are
waiting for it to arrive, get help from your first aider.
● If the first aider is not available, use any first aid knowledge that you have yourself
to help the child.
● You may also need to contact your supervisor/manager or designated safeguarding
officer to let them know what is happening.
A decision will need to be made about who should inform the child’s family and the local authority
children’s social care department and when they should be informed. If you have involved the
police and/or the health services, they should be part of this decision. Consider the welfare of the
child in your decision making as the highest priority.
Issues that need to be considered are:
● The child’s wishes and feelings.
● The parents right to know (unless this would place the child or someone else in danger,
or would interfere with a criminal investigation).
● The impact of telling or not telling the parent.
● The current assessment of the risk to the child and the source of that risk.
● Any risk management plans that currently exist.
Once any immediate danger or emergency medical needs has been dealt with, follow the
steps set out in the flowchart at the end of this document.
Keeping a record of your concerns
Use the example reporting form in this document to record the concern and how it is dealt with.
The relevant sections of the form should be completed and signed at each stage of the procedure.
It can be used to forward information to the statutory child protection authorities if a referral to
them is needed.
The form should be signed and dated by all those involved in its completion and kept confidentially
on the child’s/young person’s file. The name of the person making the notes should be written
alongside each entry.
Digital Safeguarding
Policy
The purpose of this policy statement:
Skaped works with children and young people as part of its activities. These include:
running workshops, events, online social media and programme.
The purpose of this policy statement is to:
• ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is paramount when
adults, young people or children are using the internet, social media or mobile
devices.
• provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach
to online safety.
• ensure that, as an organisation, we operate in line with our values and within the law
in terms of how we use online devices.
The policy statement applies to all staff, volunteers, children and young people and anyone
involved in Skaped’s activities.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to
protect children in England. Summaries of the key legislation and guidance are available
on:
• online abuse
• bullying
• child protection.
We believe that:
• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
• children should be able to use the internet for education and personal development,
but safeguards need to be in place to ensure they are kept safe at all times.
We recognise that:
• the online world provides everyone with many opportunities; however it can also
present risks and challenges
• we have a duty to ensure that all children, young people and adults involved in our
organisation are protected from potential harm online
• we have a responsibility to help keep children and young people safe online, whether
or not they are using Skaped’s network and devices
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other
agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare and in helping young
people to be responsible in their approach to online safety
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief,
sex or sexual orientation, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or
abuse.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
• appointing an online safety coordinator
• providing clear and specific directions to staff and volunteers on how to behave online
through our behaviour code for adults
• supporting and encouraging the young people using our service to use the internet,
social media and mobile phones in a way that keeps them safe and shows respect for
others
• supporting and encouraging parents and carers to do what they can to keep
their children safe online
• developing an online safety agreement for use with young people and their parents or
carers
• developing clear and robust procedures to enable us to respond appropriately
to any incidents of inappropriate online behaviour, whether by an adult or a child or
young person
• reviewing and updating the security of our information systems regularly
• ensuring that user names, logins, email accounts and passwords are used effectively
• ensuring personal information about the adults and children who are involved in our
organisation is held securely and shared only as appropriate
• ensuring that images of children, young people and families are used only after their
written permission has been obtained, and only for the purpose for which consent has
been given
• providing supervision, support and training for staff and volunteers about online safety
• examining and risk assessing any social media platforms and new technologies before
they are used within the organisation.
If online abuse occurs, we will respond to it by:
• having clear and robust safeguarding procedures in place for responding to abuse
(including online abuse)
• providing support and training for all staff and volunteers on dealing with all forms of
abuse, including bullying or cyberbullying, emotional abuse, sexting, sexual abuse and
sexual exploitation
• making sure our response takes the needs of the person experiencing abuse, any
bystanders and our organisation as a whole into account
• reviewing the plan developed to address online abuse at regular intervals, in order to
ensure that any problems have been resolved in the long term.