Ismaili Council for the United Kingdom

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Ismaili Council for the United Kingdom recognises its responsibility and duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

We have a commitment to treat everyone fairly and with respect. This includes a commitment that under no circumstances should any staff member or volunteer inflict physical or psychological harm to a child. Assault of children is against the law. If any adult causes physical or psychological injury to a child, or mistreats a child, they could be prosecuted for committing a criminal offence. We are aware that many children and young people are the victims of different kinds of abuse and that they can be subjected to social factors that have an adverse impact upon their lives. We aim to create a safe environment within which children and young people can thrive and adults can work with the security of clear guidance.

We will endeavour to ensure that:

  • children and young people are listened to, valued and respected;
  • volunteers and staff are aware of the need to be alert to the signs of abuse and know what to do with their concerns;
  • all volunteers and staff are, where appropriate, required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check;
  • all volunteers and staff are, where appropriate, given appropriate support and training

For the purposes of this Statement, a child is defined as anyone who is under the age of 18 years (in case of children with SEN + D, the age limit is 25).

Protecting children

All volunteers and staff are encouraged to demonstrate appropriate behaviour and follow good practices. Volunteers and staff should be committed to:

  • treating children and young people with dignity and respect;
  • always listening to what a child is saying;
  • valuing each child;
  • recognising the unique contribution that each child can make; and
  • encouraging and praising each child.

The following are common sense guidelines that volunteers and staff should follow to create a positive environment for interacting with children:

  • working in an open environment, avoiding private or unobserved situations;
  • immediately reporting serious incidents to the appropriate persons and keeping a written record of any injuries or incidents;
  • ensuring that parental consent has been obtained where appropriate e.g. prior to transportation of children or when making off-site trips; and
  • addressing suspected poor practice or possible abuse as appropriate.

As a general rule, volunteers and staff should avoid:

  • transportation of children alone on a car journey; and
  • spending excessive time alone with children away from others.

In the event that occasions arise where the above is unavoidable, any action should occur with the full knowledge and consent of the child's parent/guardian.

Volunteers and staff should not:

  • let serious allegations made by a child go unreported;
  • leave a child unattended or unsupervised;
  • treat a child for a serious injury or administer any medication, treat a child for an injury alone and away from others;
  • allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.

Responding to signs or suspicions of abuse

The volunteer or staff member who is approached by the child should:

  • listen to the child and/or closely observe their presentation and behaviour;
  • let them know that what they are saying is being taken seriously;
  • react calmly and keep responses short, simple, slow and gentle;
  • not stop a child who is talking freely about what happened;
  • observe and listen but not ask for more information e.g. they should not conduct their own investigation;
  • tell the child s/he has done the right thing by informing the volunteer/staff member;
  • avoid making comments or judgements about what is shared;
  • tell the child what will happen next, and be honest - let them know that help will be provided;
  • inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) as soon as possible;
  • make a written record of the incident or events.

The Ismaili Council is committed to the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018 (the Act) which place duties on organisations and individuals to process personal information fairly and lawfully and keep the information we hold safe and secure.

However, it is important to note that GDPR and the Act do not prevent, or limit, the legitimate sharing of information for the purposes of keeping children safe. Fears about sharing information must not be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and protect the safety of children. Staff and volunteers (especially the DSL) who need to share “special category data� should be aware the Act contains “safeguarding of children and individuals at risk� as a processing condition that allows practitioners to share information. This includes allowing practitioners to share information without consent. If it is not possible to gain consent, it cannot be reasonably expected that a practitioner gains consent, or if to gain consent would place a child at risk.

September 2023

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