Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures

This document had been written with reference to:

London Child Protection Procedures-5th Edition 2013

NSPCC guidelines

Working together to safeguard children 2018

Working Together Guidance 2013

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022

The protection and welfare of the children seen by Linked Communication Services Limited is of paramount importance. Children and parents/carers have a right to expect a safe and secure environment.

The policy applies to all associates and volunteers working with Linked Communication Services Limited in all settings. There are five main elements:

• Ensuring safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children

• Raising awareness of child protection issues and equipping children with the skills needed to keep them safe.

• Developing and then implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse.

• Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.

• Supporting children who may be subject to a child protection or child in need plan.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment

• preventing impairment of children’s health or development

• ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

All staff should aim to proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils so that the need for action to protect them from harm is reduced.

It is recognised that the children who receive speech and language therapy, due to their Special Educational Needs, face additional barriers when recognising signs of abuse, and that practitioners should be alert to the potential need for early help.

Barriers include the following:

• Assumptions that indicators of possible abuse such as behaviour, mood and injury relate to the child’s disability without further exploration.

• The potential for children with SEN and disabilities being disproportionally impacted by behaviours such as bullying, without outwardly showing any signs.

• Communication barriers and difficulties in overcoming these barriers.

Good Practice for Safeguarding Children

Linked Communication Services Limited believes in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children by developing children’s understanding, awareness, and resilience.

In addition, all staff should adhere to and be alert to the following principles and actions:

• Always work in an open environment (e.g., avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication with no secrets)

• Promote fairness, and confront and deal with all forms of bullying

• Treat all children equally and with respect and dignity

• Always put the welfare of the young person first

• Maintain a safe and appropriate distance with the children

• Be an excellent role model

• Always give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism

• Follow safe recruitment practices.

Safer Recruitment

All Speech and Language Therapy associates are required to provide a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate. They are also required to show evidence of identify/right to work, qualifications (via the Health Care Professions Council) and membership with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).

It is mandatory for all associates to complete/maintain Safeguarding Children Level 3.

Specific Safeguarding Issues

Expert and professional organisations are best placed to provide up-to-date guidance and practical support on specific safeguarding issues. Government guidance on the issues listed below, can be accessed via the GOV.UK website.

In addition, the NSPCC offers information on its own website www.nspcc.org.uk.

Child Protection

All children have a right to be safe. The welfare and safety of all the children are our first priority. Therefore, all associates are obliged to follow this policy and have a duty to recognise and report concerns.

Child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. Effective child protection is essential as part of wider work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Linked Communication Services Limited has a guiding principle of partnership between home and centre, but with child abuse, or suspicion of child abuse, our first and only responsibility is to the child. This may mean that parents are not informed or consulted in some instances.

Suspected cases of child abuse are reported, procedures adhered to, and subsequent actions are left to the appropriate agencies.

If concerns arise whilst providing services within an educational setting, the Designated Safeguarding Lead of that organisation will be informed.

SAFEGUARDING and CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Stephanie Connolly (Level 3). She can be contacted at info@linkedcommunication.co.uk

When staff are working in nurseries or schools as associates of Linked Communication Services Limited, the Safeguarding procedures for that organisation should be followed and Stephanie Connolly informed.

Staff are in regular contact with children all day and are in a position to detect possible abuse. The criteria should be that they have reasonable suspicion that the child is being or has been abused or may suffer in future.

Child abuse is taken to refer to any child under the age of 18 years who, through the actions of parents or other carers, or through their failure to act, has suffered or is likely to suffer harm.

Guidelines for Associates:

If you see possible signs of injury or of abuse, you should:

• Ask the child or young person how it happened. You must listen carefully to what the child is saying, treat it seriously, and value what they say. Record what you have seen and heard. If the child is unable to tell you anything you should also record that. (If you can, write brief notes of what they are telling you while they are speaking keep your original notes, however rough, they may help you later if you have to remember exactly what was said).

• Record what has been observed and said as soon as possible after speaking to the child and immediately inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

• Do not promise the child or young person that it will be kept a secret. You have a responsibility to report it so that action can be taken. Give reassurance that only those who need to know will be told.

• It is crucial not to ask leading questions. These might give your own idea of what might have happened (E.g., “Did he do X to you?”). Just ask open questions such as “What happened?”; “Is there anything else that you want to say?”

• Do not investigate yourself. N.B. In circumstances where a child has a suspicious injury which requires urgent medical attention, the CP referral process should not delay the administration of First Aid or emergency medical assistance.

• If a pupil is thought to be at immediate risk because of, for example, parental violence, drunkenness or other incapacity, urgent police intervention will be requested.

Procedures to be followed by Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

• Decide in discussion with relevant staff re: how to proceed.

• Discuss low level concerns with parents or carers.

• Monitor low level concerns to ensure that they are not accumulating to the extent that they become major concerns.

• If the DSL deems it necessary to take further steps.

• Record all decisions and actions taken in the Child Protection file.

Making a referral to Social Care Team

If it is suspected that a child is being abused or neglected, or is at risk of being abused or neglected, then a referral should be made to social service. According to the seriousness of the situation it may also be appropriate to contact the Police.

Concerns should be discussed with the parent/carer and agreement sought for a referral to Social Care, unless seeking agreement is likely to place the child at risk of significant harm through delay or the parent/carer’s actions or reactions.

Where a professional decides not to seek parental permission before making a referral to Social Care team, the decision must be recorded in the child’s file with reasons, dated and signed and confirmed in the referral Social Care.

A child protection referral from a professional cannot be treated as anonymous, so the parent/carer will ultimately become aware of the identity of the referrer. Where the parent/carer refuses to give permission for the referral, but the Designated Safeguarding Lead still considers that there is a need for referral:

• The reason for proceeding without parental agreement must be recorded.

• The parent/carer’s withholding of permission must form part of the verbal and written referral to Social Care team.

• The parent/carer should be contacted to inform them that, after considering their wishes, a referral has been made.

• When calling Social Care Team, the following information should be provided with the referral (but absence of information must not delay referral):

• Full names, date of birth and gender of child/ren

• Family address

• Identity of those with parental responsibility

• Full names and date of birth of all household members (parents and others who live in the home)

• Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents/carers

• Full names, date of birth and gender of all siblings

• Information about the siblings (which school they attend etc.)

• Any special needs of child/ren

• Any significant/important recent or historical events/incidents in child or family’s life

• Cause for concern including details of any allegations, their sources, timing and location

• Child’s current location and emotional and physical condition

• Referrer’s relationship and knowledge of child and parents/carers

• Known involvement of other agencies/professionals

• Record of any previous or current interventions that may be in place (CASA, children centre registration form etc.)

• Assessment of risk

• Information regarding parental knowledge of, and agreement to, the referral.

Recording

The referrer should keep a written record of discussions with child/young person, parent, staff and the information provided to Social Care team.

The referrer should keep a written record on file (including any notes made at the time) of the decisions taken in the course of the discussion with Social Care team and ensure that these are clearly dated, timed and signed. The outcome of the referral should be followed up with Social Care if this is not forthcoming within a day.

Records should be:

• Clear

• In straightforward language

• Concise

• Accurate in fact

• Differentiate between fact, observation, allegation, opinion

Procedures for allegations against a member of staff

There are a wide range of situations which fall under the term ‘allegation’, but generally it will include concerns about a member of staff, manager, student, or volunteer who has:

• Behaved in a way that has, or may have, harmed a child.

• Possibly committed a criminal offence against or in relation to a child.

• Behaved towards a child in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children

Concerns may be raised by other staff (whistleblowing), parents, the public or other professionals, or it may be the case that information becomes known in other ways, for example, a concern about a member of staff outside of their work.

The designated senior manager to whom allegations or concerns should be reported is Stephanie Connolly. These should be reported immediately and at least within one working day.

When informed of a concern or allegation, the designated senior manager should not investigate the matter or interview the member of staff, child concerned or potential witnesses.

They should:

• Obtain written details of the concern/allegation, signed, and dated by the person making and receiving it.

• Approve and date the written details.

• Record any information about times, dates and location of incident/s and names of any potential witnesses.

• Record discussions about the child and/or member of staff, any decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions.

It may be necessary to ask any staff involved to provide a written account about what happened, but this should be in the staff’s own words and should be signed and dated. This should not be an investigation, but information gathering. There should be no collaboration amongst staff about their written accounts.

Written by: Stephanie Connolly (Managing Director)

Guided by HCPC standards

Date: September 2022

Date for review: September 2025