This safeguarding policy outlines the responsibilities of First for Apprenticeships in relation to the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults in response to:
- The Children Act 1989
- The Protection of Children Act 1999
- The Children Act 2004
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2006
- What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused. DfES 2006
- Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education 2007
- Safer practice, safer learning 2007
- Keeping children safe in Education 2016
- Data protection act 1998 / General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government 2015)
First for Apprenticeships is dedicated to the health, safety, and welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in courses or activities which come under the responsibility of the company.
This safeguarding policy covers all First for Apprenticeships customers whether they are based on site or in workplace learning, covering all aspects of a learner’s programme regardless of where it takes place. It is the responsibility of all staff to understand their role in supporting the safeguarding policy across all aspects of provision and for familiarising themselves with the appropriate procedures and other policies that support this overarching document.
What is Abuse?
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment.
Abuse can be:
- Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
- Physical abuse – including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.
- Neglect and acts of omission – including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
- Sexual abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault, or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
- Psychological / Emotional abuse – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
- Organisational abuse – including neglect or poor care practice within an organisation or specific care setting, such as a hospital or care home. It can also be in relation to care provided in your own home. This may range from one-off incidents to ongoing ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
- Discriminatory abuse – including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.
- Self neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour such as neglecting to care for your personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
- Domestic abuse – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional, or so-called ‘honour’ based violence.
- Modern slavery – encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Trafficking and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
First for Apprenticeships is committed to ensuring that the company:
- Provide a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults to learn in.
- Identifies children, young people and vulnerable adults who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm, and
- Takes appropriate action to see that such children, young people and vulnerable adults are kept safe.
Designated Senior Staff
The senior designated person – Michael Bray, Commercial Manager, holds strategic responsibility for the safeguarding processes and procedures are robust and consistently applied and that First For Apprenticeships fulfils its legal duties within the legislation.
As the company’s senior representative, Michael will be responsible for taking the lead for raising awareness within the staff of issues relating to the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and the promotion of a safe environment for learners within the company.
The senior designed Safeguarding Officer is responsible for:
- Overseeing the referral of cases of suspected abuse or allegations to Children’s Social Care.
- Ensuring that all staff receive basic training in safeguarding issues and are aware of the company’s safeguarding policy and procedures.
- Provide an annual report to the Director of the company setting out how any deficiencies in the procedure or policy have been identified.
- Providing advice, guidance and support to staff on issues relating to safeguarding.
- Establishing a secure system for the safe, confidential storage of records of any safeguarding concerns (even where that concern does not lead to a referral).
- Ensuring that employers and employees working with First for Apprenticeships are aware of the company’s Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults Policy.
- Liaising with the LA, Safeguarding Children’s Board, Children’s and Adult Social Care and other appropriate agencies as and when required.
The designated Safeguarding Officer is required to receive regular training in safeguarding issues and inter-agency working, as required by the Safeguarding Children’s Board, and will receive refresher training annually unless legislation dictates sooner.
First for Apprenticeships has a duty to ensure that all staff fulfill their responsibilities in safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. We will ensure that:
- All people will be treated with respect and with courtesy by staff and customers in an environment that is free from harassment or discrimination.
- All training rooms, facilities and equipment will comply with legislative health and safety standards and provide a safe and secure environment for learning with appropriate supervision and support of staff.
- First for Apprenticeships will work with learners, employers and other agencies to promote a safe and healthy culture in particular the local Safeguarding Children’s Boards to ensure that learners are safeguarded through the effective operation of the company’s safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults procedures. The company’s Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adult Policy will be made available to all engaged parties.
- First for Apprenticeships will develop partnerships to proactively protect students at risk of abuse, neglect or at risk of radicalisation.
- Staff will be trained and have a clear understanding of personal safety and good safeguarding practices as well as what factors may make learners vulnerable to a range of safeguarding concerns and can recognise outward signs of abuse, or unexplained changes in behaviour or performance which may be indicative of abuse. All staff will be made aware of the signs of abuse and the procedures for reporting abuse.
- First for Apprenticeships will work with learners to promote their own personal health, well-being and safety including their safety online.
- First for Apprenticeships will work proactively to raise awareness of radicalisation and extremism in order to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
- Learners and employers will receive confidential advice, guidance and support for a range of issues that they may face. They will be signposted to external agencies where specialist support is required.
- First for Apprenticeships will support students to have personal resilience and be able to make informed and sensible decisions about their safety and well-being in an attempt to prevent them from being exploited and or abused.
- First for Apprenticeships has established and will regularly review procedures for reporting suspected abuse taking account of any new government legislation, regulations or best practice documents to ensure staff are kept fully up to date with their responsibilities and duties with regard to the safety and well-being of children.
- First for Apprenticeships will deal with any allegations of abuse by staff according to the Company Disciplinary Procedures as appropriate.
First for Apprenticeships will comply with the best practice in the recruitment and training of its staff, in line with legislative requirements. First For Apprenticeships recruitment Policy supports this document. Staff will undergo the appropriate pre-employment checks including DBS checks for their role where applicable, and undertake mandatory safeguarding training appropriate to their role. Staff will understand the principles of safe working practices, and how not to put themselves in situations that compromise themselves or learners. All new employees will receive an appropriate induction, including safeguarding training.
First for Apprenticeships has a legal obligation to protect young people and vulnerable adults from abuse. First for Apprenticeships has an appropriately trained safeguarding officer (Michael Bray) and all staff are trained in Safeguarding L2 who will ensure that disclosures made by learners are dealt with quickly, sensitively and appropriately. All staff will be trained in the appropriate response to a disclosure and the correct procedure for dealing with concerns about a learner. Allocated staff members will work with learners and employers to proactively protect them from abuse and neglect and prevent learners being placed in an abusive situation. Refresher training will be carried out every 2 years, unless legislation dictates sooner, and any updates or Safeguarding issues are discussed in quarterly team meeting to ensure all staff remain current and competent.
The company will keep clear, comprehensive records of any disclosures and/or allegations of abuse.
The company will comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998, which allows for disclosure of personal data where this is necessary to protect the interests of a learner.
Links with external agencies
First for Apprenticeships work with Local Safeguarding Children Boards, the Local Authority Designated Officer, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub and other professions to ensure a comprehensive safeguarding network is in place. Advice will be taken from professionals within these organisations as appropriate.
NSCB – 0191 277 2500
Durham LSCB – 03000 265 770
First for Apprenticeships will work proactively with the regional Prevent coordinators when appropriate.
Prevent North East regional Co-ordinator – Chris Sybenga 07384 456640, firstname.lastname@example.org