1.1 Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedure

1. Safeguarding Children Policy Statement
Open Homes Nottingham is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children (anyone under the age of 18) and young people we encounter. We do this by taking reasonable steps to protect them from neglect, physical, sexual, or emotional harm.

 Our key principles include:

• A duty of care to all children our staff or volunteers interact with.
• The paramount importance of children’s welfare.
• The right of all children to protection from abuse, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, or beliefs.
• The responsibility to raise awareness and implement clear procedures for addressing safeguarding concerns.

Our Commitments:

• Provide adequate support, training and guidance to staff and volunteers.
• Implement a clear procedure for dealing with safeguarding issues, ensuring awareness among all personnel.
• Follow safe recruitment practices, including DBS checks for all staff and volunteers interacting with children.
• Appoint a designated Child Protection Officer for any concerns about a child.
• Ensure each project has specific safeguarding procedures.
• Assess and manage risks associated with our activities to minimise and manage these risks.

2. Safeguarding Children Guidelines
Situations involving the abuse of children arise infrequently in the work in which Open Homes Nottingham is involved. However, it is vital that staff and volunteers are informed and equipped to be able to deal with situations as and when they do present. Therefore they should be able to recognise, respond to and report suspected, alleged or disclosed abuse effectively and appropriately, in line with the established procedure.

Guidelines for Good Practice:

• Identify and manage situations that may present risks.
• Organise work and project settings to minimise risks.
• Create and maintain an open and non-defensive culture for discussing concerns.
• Foster mutual accountability, enabling the challenge of potential abusive behaviours.

2.1 Definitions of Abuse
Abuse and neglect can occur in various settings and involve different forms:

• Physical Abuse: Deliberate harm, including hitting, shaking, or poisoning. Children are at higher risk in homes with substance abuse or domestic violence.
• Emotional Abuse: Persistent emotional maltreatment, leading to severe effects on a child's emotional development, such as verbal abuse or bullying.
• Sexual Abuse: Involves any sexual activity with a child, including physical contact and non-contact activities like grooming or exposure to sexual content. Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a significant concern, often involving coercion or manipulation.
• Neglect: A pattern of failing to provide basic needs, which can lead to serious impairment of health and development. It includes inadequate food, clothing, hygiene, or supervision.

2.2 Recognising and Responding to Abuse
Signs of abuse may vary. Common indicators include:

• General Indicators: Behavioural changes, poor hygiene, avoidance of certain individuals, school difficulties, or frequent absences.
• Physical Abuse Signs: Unexplained injuries or frequent accidents.
• Emotional Abuse Signs: Withdrawal, excessive fear, or parents who show indifference to the child.
• Sexual Abuse Signs: Inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviour for age, physical health issues related to sexual activity.
• Neglect Signs: Unsafe living conditions, lack of proper clothing, or unmet medical needs.

3. Reporting Procedure
Reporting potential or suspected child abuse is essential and will not jeopardise a staff member or a volunteer’s position at Open Homes Nottingham. Any allegation should be taken seriously and particular care should be taken with regard to confidentiality and the sharing of information with appropriate people.

Remember it is not your responsibility to decide whether abuse is taking place but it is your responsibility to pass concerns on.  The guiding principle is that the safety of the child is always the overriding consideration.

Steps for Reporting:

1. Record accurate details using the provided form; if unavailable, write on paper and transfer later.
2. Report immediately to your Project Leader/Line Manager and the Child Protection Officer (for Nottingham Nightstop, please contact the on-call worker who will contact the safeguarding lead, Dawn Randall, if needed).
3. If appropriate, this will then be reported to Depaul by a staff member and logged.
4. Maintain confidentiality; do not discuss with others and ensure documentation is kept confidential and stored securely.
5. Avoid investigating or asking leading questions yourself.
6. Do not promise confidentiality and explain to the young person that you must pass the information on for their safety if there is a concern.
7. If the disclosure is about another child or young person, if possible, please obtain their full name, address and date of birth.  It may be helpful to explain to the young person that you are worried about (name) and need the information as you have to speak to Open Homes Nottingham to see if any help can be given.  If the young person refuses to provide the information, then re-assure them they are safe, and that you still need to pass this information on.  Please also let them know that if they are concerned then they need to speak to yourself or someone in authority.

Helpful Communication:

• Reassure the young person they are safe and express concern about their wellbeing.
• Clarify that sharing information is part of your duty to protect them and others.

For Further Guidance:
Refer to the 2023 Working together to safeguard children guidance: Link

Record Keeping:
Maintain confidential records of all concerns and communications. These records should comply with data protection policies.

Open Homes Nottingham or for Nottingham Nightstop volunteers/Supported Lodgings Hosts the on-call number: 03333232265

Examples of how to approach the conversations with a  young person:

‘Thank you for sharing that with me, you are safe here with us.  I just need to check if there are any other children in the house where your (name of alleged abuser) lives, as we need to make sure they are safe too’

‘Thank you for sharing that with me, are you worried about (name)?’

‘I am concerned about you/or about (name) therefore I need to pass this information on to Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop as we have a duty to make sure you/or (name) is safe’

‘I understand that you don’t want me to tell anyone but I have a duty to ensure that you and any other young people are safe.  I need to speak to Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop and see if they can get any help for you/or (name).’

‘I understand that you don’t want to tell me anymore, the reason I am asking is because I have a duty to ensure that you and (name) is safe, I need to contact Open Homes Nottingham/Nottingham Nightstop and see if they can get them any help, I will let you know what they say.  The more you can tell me the more we will be able to help you/ or (name)’

‘I understand that you don’t want to tell me that information, the reason I have to ask is that I have a duty to make sure you/ or (name) is safe.  If you are concerned about (name) in the future then speak to someone you trust like a support worker/teacher etc.  We can talk about this more if you would like if you have any questions or we can watch a film or …’

NB. Please ensure you keep clear written records of all concerns, communication with   appropriate agencies, and any actions taken. These must be kept confidential as per data protection policy.

For further detailed information, refer to the 2023 Working Together to Safeguard Children document   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children--2

  * MASH - Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub