Safeguarding & Policies

Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose

Lotus Mentoring is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people who access our services. This policy sets out our approach to safeguarding and the responsibilities of all staff and volunteers.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of Lotus Mentoring. It covers all activities and services delivered by Lotus Mentoring, regardless of location.

3. Key Principles

• The welfare of the child or young person is paramount
• All children and young people have the right to protection from abuse regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs
• All concerns and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
• All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to report concerns
• Working in partnership with other agencies is essential for the protection of children and young people

4. Designated Safeguarding Leads

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Dave Farley
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Nick Lyons

5. Recognising Abuse

All staff and volunteers should be aware of the signs and indicators of abuse, which may include physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. Staff should also be aware of additional forms including online abuse, exploitation, and peer-on-peer abuse.

6. Reporting Procedures

Any concerns about the welfare of a child or young person must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. If the DSL is unavailable, concerns should be reported to the Deputy DSL. In cases of immediate danger, contact the emergency services on 999.

7. Safer Recruitment

Lotus Mentoring follows safer recruitment practices including DBS checks for all staff and volunteers who have contact with children and young people.

8. Training

All staff and volunteers receive regular safeguarding training and updates in line with current guidance and legislation.

9. Review

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if required by changes in legislation or guidance.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Overview

This statutory guidance sets out what is expected of organisations and individuals to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It covers the legislative requirements and expectations on individual services.

Key Principles

• Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility: for services to be effective each professional and organisation should play their full part
• A child-centred approach: for services to be effective they should be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children
• Information sharing is vital for effective safeguarding

Early Help

Providing early help is more effective in promoting the welfare of children than reacting later. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child's life.

Multi-Agency Working

Effective safeguarding requires clear local arrangements for collaboration between professionals and agencies. Lotus Mentoring is committed to working with local safeguarding partners and contributing to multi-agency assessments and plans where appropriate.

For the full document, please refer to the government publication on GOV.UK.

Keeping Children Safe in Education

About This Guidance

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is statutory guidance from the Department for Education. It sets out the legal duties with which schools and colleges must comply to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.

Part One: Information for All Staff

All staff should be aware that safeguarding incidents can happen anywhere, and all staff should be alert to possible concerns. Key areas include:

• Understanding what safeguarding is and their role in it
• Being aware of the signs of abuse and neglect
• Knowing what to do if a child tells them they are being abused or neglected
• Understanding how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality
• Being aware of the early help process and their role in it

Safeguarding Categories

Staff should be aware of the main categories of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. They should also be aware of specific safeguarding issues such as child sexual exploitation, county lines, female genital mutilation, and radicalisation.

Online Safety

Technology is a significant component in many safeguarding issues. Staff should be aware of the risks associated with technology and the internet, and how these can be managed.

For the full document, please refer to the DfE publication on GOV.UK.