ACCOLADE TUITION
Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
(working with children and vulnerable adults)
1. Introduction:
1.1 This policy is intended to all staff, self-employed tutors or anyone working on behalf of Accolade Tuition Ltd.
1.2 Accolade Tuition Ltd believes that no child should receive abuse of any kind and takes very seriously its responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and keep them safe.
1.3 The purpose of this policy is to:
- protect children and young people who receive Accolade Tuition Ltd’s services;
- provide staff, self-employed tutors or anyone working with Accolade Tuition Ltd with guidance on our approach to safeguarding and child protection.
2. We believe that:
2.1 The welfare of the child is paramount.
2.2 All children regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or sexual orientation have the right to be protected from abuse.
2.3 Some children are especially vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
2.4 Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers or other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
3. We seek to keep children and young people safe by:
3.1 Valuing, listening to and respecting the children and young people we work with.
3.2 Recruiting staff and self-employed tutors safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
3.3 Recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff and self-employed tutors via leaflets, posters, one-to-one discussions and policies.
3.4 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.
3.5 Using our safeguarding procedures to manage allegations against staff and self-employed tutors appropriately.
3.6 Ensuring we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
4. Legal framework:
4.1 There is a considerable number of useful legal legislations regarding the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people. Please do visit each one of these for more information.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (VBS)
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003
United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years 2014
Children and Families Act 2014
5. Definitions:
As defined in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’ document
Item
Definition
Children
Anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forces, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their status or entitlements to services or protection.
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
Defined for the purposes of this guidance as:
a. protecting children from maltreatment
b. preventing impairment of children's health or development
c. ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
d. taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
Child protection
Part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Abuse
A form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children 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. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.
Physical abuse
A form of abuse which 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.
Emotional abuse
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 a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meets the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child 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. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating 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 frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. 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 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 (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) 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.
Neglect
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 maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: a. provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment) b. protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger c. ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers) d. ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Extremism
Extremism goes beyond terrorism and includes people who target the vulnerable – including the young – by seeking to sow division between communities on the basis of race, faith or denomination; justify discrimination towards women and girls; persuade others that minorities are inferior; or argue against the primacy of democracy and the rule of law in our society. Extremism is defined in the Counter Extremism Strategy 2015 as the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for the death of members of our armed forces as extremist.
6. Child protection procedure:
6.1 It is the responsibility of anyone working with children to report any concerns of abuse to senior management
6.2 If you feel your concerns are not being taken seriously, you have the right to report your concerns to other services such as social services or the police.
6.3 Please follow the below procedures in the event of having concerns or a child disclosing experiencing abuse of any kind:
Step 1: Child makes a disclosure
- do not ask any leading questions
- reassure them that they have done the right thing by telling you and are not at fault
- do NOT promise confidentiality
- if they are old enough, explain to them what next steps you are going to take - that your top priority is keeping them safe
Step 1: Child does NOT make a disclosure but you have a concern
- do not ask any leading questions or discuss your concerns with the child
Step 2: Making notes
- Fill in the Child Protection form - write down what the child has told you as soon as possible and in their own words. Try to include times, dates, setting and people present.
- Record any marks or bruises on the Body Map
Step 2: Making notes
- Fill in the Child Protection form - write down your concerns including the time and day you became concerned.
- Record any marks or bruises on the Body Map
Step 3: Logging concerns
- Notify a Director - Richard or Lauren - who will contact the relevant agencies.
Step 3: Logging concerns
- Notify a Director - Richard or Lauren - who will contact the relevant agencies.
NB: A more detailed, government-sanctioned guide on how to deal with a disclosure of abuse can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/419604/What_to_do_if_you_re_worried_a_child_is_being_abused.pdf
7. Allegations made against staff:
7.1 We take all allegations made against members of staff or self-employed tutors very seriously and will thoroughly investigate these.
7.2 Directors of Accolade Tuition Ltd will record all allegations made and will report these to the appropriate authorities – statutory child Protection agencies and the police if necessary.
The safety of the children we cater for is our chief concern at Accolade Tuition. Should you encounter abuse of any kind, we urge you to act quickly and decisively: alert the company’s directors (Richard & Lauren) plus any other relevant authority without delay.