This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and session workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of the charity.
The purpose of this policy is:
We believe that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
We recognise that:
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
The charity will apply the following principles:
Anyone conducting an interview with a child who discloses abuse will do so in accordance with the following guidelines:
Do treat any allegation seriously and act at all times towards the child as if you believe what they are saying
Do tell the child that they are right to tell you
Do reassure them that they are not to blame
Do tell the child what you are doing, when and who you will have to tell, and keep them up to date with what is happening
Do take further action – you may be the only person in a position to prevent future abuse – tell your nominated person immediately
Do make a record of the discussion and include time, place, persons present and what was said
Do use the child’s language when recording their account of events; do not substitute words
Don’t coach or prompt the child to say something they weren’t going to
Don’t make promises you can’t keep
Don’t interrogate the child – it is not your job to carry out an investigation – this is the role of the police or social workers who have experience in this area
Don’t cast doubt on what the child has told you, don’t interrupt them or change the subject
Don’t say anything that makes the child feel responsible for the abuse
Don’t take photographs of any injury
Don’t do nothing – make sure you inform a member of the safeguarding team immediately – they will know what action to take and where to go for further advice
The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) will be a senior member of staff from the charity’s leadership team. The DSO will take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection. This will be explicit within the post holder’s job description.
The DSO will have the appropriate status and authority within the charity to carry out the duties of the post. They will be given the time, funding, training resources and support to:
The Designated Safeguarding Officer will be expected to:
The Designated Safeguarding Officer will:
There are four recognised types of abuse. It is important to know what they are and how to recognise them. Most types of child abuse can take one, or several of these forms, for example bullying and domestic violence are often both physical and emotional forms of abuse.
This is when a child is hurt or injured by a child or an adult. Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. It includes giving a child harmful drugs or alcohol. Female genital mutilation is a form of physical abuse which is illegal in the UK. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child they are looking after. A person might do this because they enjoy or need the attention they get through having a sick child.
This is when adults deny children love or affection, or constantly threaten or humiliate them. Sarcasm, degrading punishments and ignoring a child are also forms of emotional abuse and undermine a child’s confidence and sense of self-worth. Emotional abuse is 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 serious 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.
This is when a child is used sexually by an adult or young person. Sexual abuse can include kissing, touching the child’s genitals or breasts, vaginal or anal intercourse and oral sex. Encouraging a child to look at pornographic magazines or videos is also sexual abuse. Sexual abuse includes sexual exploitation, such as forcing a child or young personto take part in sexual activities, including prostitution. Boys and girls can be sexually abused by males and/or females, by adults and by other young people.
Neglect is 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 it may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers) or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
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.
Changes in behaviour which can also indicate physical abuse:
The physical signs of emotional abuse may include:
Changes in behaviour which can also indicate emotional abuse include:
The physical signs of sexual abuse may include:
Changes in behaviour which can also indicate sexual abuse include:
The physical signs of neglect may include:
Changes in behaviour which can also indicate neglect include:
The signs of CSE may be:
This policy will be reviewed a year after its initial implementation date and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:
We will maintain privacy and confidentiality except in the emergence of an at- risk case. In such circumstances we will require the therapist to follow their safeguarding procedure, and/or we will contact the relevant parties such as social services and the police, and City of London Corporation Children and Families Team.
What to do in case of an emergency?
Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO): Olga Venosa, Founder, Chair and CEO
olga.venosa@wearestrongercharity.org
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer(s): Ilaria Bianchi, Trustee
ily.bianchi@wearestrongercharity.org
Senior Lead for Safeguarding: Alexander Unterrainer, Trustee
alexander.unterrainer@wearestrongercharity.org
