Safeguarding Policy
Policy Statement
At Ascension Enterprise, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We recognise that the safety and wellbeing of those we work with is paramount, and we aim to ensure that all individuals are protected from harm, exploitation, and abuse. This policy sets out our approach to safeguarding, providing a framework for how we promote safety and respond to safeguarding concerns.
1. Our Commitment to Safeguarding
We are dedicated to:
- Providing a safe and supportive environment for all children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
- Ensuring that all individuals involved in our services feel protected from harm, exploitation, and abuse.
- Adopting a proactive approach to safeguarding, which includes clear policies, regular training, and ongoing supervision.
- Responding to any safeguarding concerns promptly, sensitively, and in line with legal and regulatory requirements.
2. Definitions
- Child: Anyone under the age of 18.
- Young Person: A person between the ages of 16 and 18 (sometimes used interchangeably with "child" in safeguarding contexts).
- Vulnerable Adult: An adult who may be at risk of harm due to age, illness, disability, or any other circumstance that makes them vulnerable to exploitation or abuse.
3. Key Principles:
We believe that safeguarding should be everyone’s responsibility. Our approach is based on the following principles.
- Prevention: Taking steps to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation before they occur, through proactive measures and policies.
- Protection: Ensuring that children, young people, and vulnerable adults are protected from harm when it does occur.
- Partnership: Working in partnership with families, communities, and other agencies to safeguard and protect the individuals we work with.
- Transparency: Operating in an open and transparent manner, ensuring accountability in all safeguarding matters.
4. Responsibilities and Roles
The following individuals have specific roles in safeguarding at Ascension Enterprise:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): The DSL is responsible for overseeing all safeguarding issues within the organisation, ensuring that safeguarding concerns are reported and addressed appropriately. The DSL ensures that all staff are aware of and understand safeguarding protocols.
- Name of DSL: Toni-Ann Chayah
- Contact Information: admin@ascensionenterprise.co.uk
- Staff and Volunteers: All staff and volunteers working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of those in their care. They must report any concerns or suspicions of abuse or neglect to the DSL or follow the safeguarding procedures.
5. Safeguarding Procedures
If you have a safeguarding concern, please follow these steps:
- Identify the Concern: Recognise signs of potential abuse, neglect, exploitation, or any other safeguarding issue.
- Report the Concern: Any concern about the safety or welfare of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
- Record the Concern: Accurately document all details of the concern, including the date, time, nature of the concern, and any actions taken.
- Take Appropriate Action: The DSL will assess the concern and, where necessary, refer the issue to relevant external agencies, such as social services or the police, in accordance with legal requirements and guidance.
6. Safer Recruitment
At Ascension Enterprise, we follow safer recruitment practices to ensure that all individuals working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults are suitable for their roles. This includes:
- Conducting thorough background checks, including DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks, where applicable.
- Ensuring all staff and volunteers have appropriate safeguarding training before working with vulnerable individuals.
- Ensuring that all staff are made aware of and agree to follow the safeguarding policies and procedures.
7. Training and Development
- All staff and volunteers at Ascension Enterprise will undergo regular safeguarding training, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to identify and report safeguarding concerns.
- Ongoing safeguarding supervision and refresher courses will be provided to keep staff up-to-date with current policies, procedures, and legislation.
8. Reporting Concerns and Whistleblowing
We encourage an open culture of safeguarding, where concerns can be raised safely without fear of retribution. Staff, volunteers, or any individual associated with Ascension Enterprise who has concerns about safeguarding are encouraged to report them.
- Internal Reporting: Concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). If the concern involves the DSL, it should be reported to the Deputy DSL or another senior staff member.
- External Reporting (Whistleblowing): If concerns are not addressed within the organisation, or if there is suspicion of misconduct, individuals can report safeguarding concerns to external agencies such as the local authority or the NSPCC.
9. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is essential in safeguarding matters, and all information concerning safeguarding issues will be treated with the utmost sensitivity. However, confidentiality should never override the need to protect individuals at risk. Staff will share information only on a need-to-know basis and in accordance with the law.
10. Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains up to date and in line with current safeguarding best practices, laws, and regulations. We also conduct regular audits to assess the effectiveness of our safeguarding practices and to identify areas for improvement.
11. Contact Information
If you have any concerns or questions regarding safeguarding, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead:
- Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Toni-Ann Chayah
- Contact Email: admin@ascensionenterprise.co.uk
- Phone Number: 07904 769 146
Conclusion
At Ascension Enterprise, safeguarding is integral to everything we do. We are committed to creating a safe environment for all young people and vulnerable adults in our care. By following this policy, we aim to ensure that we meet the highest standards of safeguarding practice and protect the individuals we serve.