Our Safeguarding Policy

The purpose of this policy statement is:

To protect children and young people from harm when experiencing an English Alive service.
To provide staff, young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of English Alive, including senior managers, paid staff, sessional workers and students.

Legal framework:

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/childprotection.

The Policy

We recognise that:

The welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take.
Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies are essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.
Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
Extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

Valuing, listening to and respecting them.
Appointing a deputy and a board member for safeguarding.
Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff.
Providing effective management for staff through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures, so that all staff know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently.
Recruiting and selecting staff safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance.
Making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern.

Using our safeguarding and child protection 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.
Building a safeguarding culture where staff, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Safeguarding and child protection lead:

Name: Jessica Cox

Phone: +33764394148

Email: jess.cox@english-alive.com

Contact the safeguarding lead immediately if you have concerns of the following:

You believe a student could be a safeguarding risk.
You see inappropriate behaviour from the English Alive team.
You see inappropriate behaviour from the staff at the school / centre you are working in.
Any other concerns about student safety.

Your identity will be protected during any investigations.

Once the safeguarding lead has been notified, they will follow the appropriate escalation process.

English Alive are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: 01/02/2023