Safeguarding Policy
Wonder Women CiC’s Safeguarding Policy
1.0 Introduction
Safeguarding is at the heart of our work, from the women we bring together through our Wonder Women Mentoring Programme, to the people who attend our inspirational live events and the freelancers we contract to work for us. As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we have a duty to ensure that we make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of everyone who works with us.
2.0 Safeguarding Policy Statement
The Policy Statement and Procedures have been drawn up in order to enable Wonder Women CIC to:
Promote good practice and work in a way that prevents harm or abuse to young people and adults in all aspects of Wonder Women’s work.
To ensure that any allegations, disclosures of abuse or suspicions are reported, logged, dealt with appropriately and speedily and the person experiencing abuse is supported.
To stop any abuse occurring immediately.
It is fully acknowledged that the potential of abuse is there all the time and therefore it is important that Wonder Women CIC has the right policies and procedures in place to prevent and minimise abuse occurring in all aspects of facilities and services that it has control over or that fall within its direct sphere of responsibility.
In order to implement the policy, Wonder Women CIC will work:
To promote the freedom and dignity of the person who has or is experiencing abuse.
To promote the rights of all people to live freely from abuse and coercion.
To ensure the safety and well being of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to abuse that they are experiencing.
To manage our services in a way which promotes safety among our community and prevents abuse of any kind.
Wonder Women CIC will:
Ensure that the Wonder Women advisory board, contractors and service users we work with are familiar with this policy.
When recruiting people, we’ll ensure a Criminal Conviction declaration has been made and relevant job references have been checked.
Ensure all the contractors we hire receive formal/informal training regarding this policy and safeguarding in general.
Act within its Confidentiality Policy and gain permission from service users before sharing information about them with another agency.
Inform service users that where a person is in danger, at risk or a serious crime has been committed, a decision may be taken to pass information to another agency without the service user’s consent.
Make a referral to the Vulnerable Adult Protection Unit as appropriate
Ensure that the named person understands his/her responsibility to refer incidents of adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies (Adult Safeguarding Unit).
3.0 Scope of the policy
The safeguarding policy is to be used by any member of staff or contractor working directly with adults and young people, and with any other organisation who become involved in a concern in the course of their work with young people or adults at risk and are informed of the policy as appropriate.
The policy applies to anyone with whom we are in contact with in the course of our work, who is a young person, or Adult at Risk. Where the policy or procedure refers to a ‘young person’ we mean anyone who has not yet reached the age of 18 years. An adult at risk is someone aged 18 years or over ‘who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’ (Department of Health, No Secrets, 2000).
This policy is reviewed, endorsed and approved by the board of Directors annually, or when legislation changes or as and when required.
4.0 Purpose of this Policy and Procedure
This policy and procedure sets out how Wonder Women CIC implements safeguarding for young people, and any potential Adults at Risk with whom they come into contact with in the course of their work.
Wonder Women CIC is committed to devising and implementing policies so that everyone within the organisation accepts their responsibilities for safeguarding young people and Adults at Risk from abuse. This means following procedures to protect them and reporting any concerns about their welfare to the appropriate authorities.
This policy and procedure helps us to achieve this by:
Supporting us to safeguard young people and Adults at Risk in practice, by defining abuse and informing us what to do
Ensuring we all work to the same policy and procedure
Making sure we are accountable for what we do
Being clear about the roles and responsibilities we all have in safeguarding
Saying what staff can expect from the organisation to help them work effectively
This policy is informed by and supports our organisational purpose and is how we comply with local Safeguarding Adults at Risk policies and procedures in the areas where we operate.
5.0 Who is a Young Person and Adult at Risk?
Young Person
A young person means someone who is under 18 years of age, that is, has not reached their 18th birthday.
For Wonder Women CIC, this could refer to the young person we are working with directly, or one of these young persons, or of another person, with whom we are in contact with during the course of our work.
When concerns are raised about the young person or a service user (or vulnerable adult), the needs of the youngest person takes precedence.
Adult at Risk
This policy applies to any ‘Adult at Risk’, defined by the following:
Any person aged eighteen or over who -
Is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and
Is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.
In rare instances, where Wonder Women CIC may come across adults at risk on the mentoring programme or at our live events, we will work with adult agencies to support their needs.
6.0 What do we mean by abuse?
Emotional Abuse may include intimidation and threats, humiliation, racial, sexual or homophobic abuse, harassment, coercion and extortion, being isolated from people other than the abuser and from other sources of information, being made to say or do things or think in ways prescribed by the abuser, being deprived of sleep, being kept exhausted and debilitated and having one’s sense of reality distorted by misinformation/lies or misuse of medication.
It may also include denying choice and deprivation of privacy and other human rights, lack of access to activities and an abusive institutional “regime.”
Signs that emotional abuse is taking place include difficulty gaining access to the adult on their own, or the adult gaining opportunities to contact you, the adult not getting access to medical care or appointments with other agencies, low self-esteem, lack of confidence and anxiety, increased levels of confusion, sleep disturbance, person feeling /acting as if they are being watched all of the time, decreased ability to communicate, communication that sounds like things that the perpetrator would say, deference/submission to the perpetrator and behaviours that show resistance to a perpetrator.
Physical Abuse may include a person being hit, punched, kicked, slapped, pushed, thrown, pinched, shaken, strangled, suffocated, hit or beaten with an object, stabbed, burnt or scalded.
It may include inappropriate restraint or imprisonment, abuse of medication, deprivation of use or misuse of physical aids and adaptations and neglect of personal care, food, drink and warmth.
Signs that physical abuse is taking place include injuries that are consistent with physical abuse, injuries that are the shape of objects, presence of several injuries of a variety of ages, injuries that have not received medical attention, a person being taken to many different places to receive medical attention, pressure sores, skin infections, dehydration, unexplained weight changes or medication being “lost”.
It may include physical conditions that mean a person is restrained or imprisoned, e.g. locks that the person cannot use, wheelchair tyres deflated. It may include behaviour that indicates that the person is afraid of the perpetrator, for example flinching at movements made by the perpetrator, change of behaviour in presence of the perpetrator or avoiding the perpetrator.
7.0 Designated Safeguarding Lead:
The designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for:
Responding to safeguarding concerns
Liaising with other agencies and reporting as required
Ensuring that locally established procedures are followed including reporting and referral processes
Supporting staff to discuss concerns
Making referrals as necessary
Maintaining a confidential recording system
Organising training for all staff
Liaising with other professionals
8.0 Safer Recruitment
Wonder Women CIC takes a proactive approach to safer recruitment (paid contractors) which includes:
Robust assessment and selection procedures to assess a candidate’s suitability for the role.
Demonstrable and visible commitment to safeguarding which is clearly set out in our website, job descriptions and interview processes.
Safeguarding is covered carefully throughout all face-face interviews.
Ensuring all work history is provided and any gaps in employment explained by candidates.
Proof of identity and qualifications captured.
Two references provided (one must be the most recent employer).
9.0 Staff/Contractor Training
Wonder Women CIC will ensure that all staff and contractors are provided training on safeguarding at induction and annually to ensure that they are:
Aware of our policy and procedures.
Aware of the indicators of abuse.
Aware of issues of online safety.
Able to report any concerns through appropriate channels.
Aware of data protection/confidentiality protocols.
Aware of actions that Wonder Women will take if any disclosures are made.
Able to ensure safe practice and activities relating to safeguarding, including risk assessments.
10.0 Identifying Safeguarding Issues
Potential safeguarding issues may be raised through:
An allegation is received by a third party.
An individual’s appearance, behaviour, or statements cause suspicion of abuse and/or neglect.
An individual reports an incident(s) of alleged abuse.
A written report is made regarding the serious misconduct of a contractor or other mentee or mentor towards an individual.
Wonder Women CIC expects all staff and contractors to act on the information, following the process identified below to ensure the safety of the individual. It is not the responsibility of staff and contractors to investigate the validity of any concerns, but it is their responsibility to ensure that responsible persons are informed and provided with factual information.
11.0 Responding to Safeguarding Issues
All allegations must be taken seriously and acted upon. Wonder Women CIC expects its staff and contractors to know how to respond appropriately and ensure that the individual’s safety is paramount at all times. In the event of an allegation, staff and contractors must:
Talk to the individual, listen to what they have to say and take it seriously, without using leading questions.
Explain to the individual that any information given will have to be shared with others if this suggests they or others are at risk of harm.
Notify the designated safeguarding lead immediately.
Record the disclosure as soon as possible noting the:
Date and time of notification
Individual’s name
What was said or noticed
Actions to be taken
Respect the individual's confidentiality.
Once a report has been made, the designated safeguarding lead will take immediate action if they suspect a person has been/is likely to be abused. This will include:
Contacting the Police if required and with a follow up in writing within 24 hours.
Keeping a record of the whole process, including names of those contacted, actions arising, rationale for actions, and include timescales and reporting back times, as well as keeping staff informed.
Informing the police with the agreement of the person if they feel they have been at risk of a crime being carried out against them
In the event an allegation is made against a Wonder Women CIC staff member or contractor working on behalf of Wonder Women CIC. The designated safeguarding lead will:
Ensure the staff member does not have access to the alleged victim/informant.
Ensure the staff members or contractor working on behalf of Wonder Women CIC does not have access to any records pertaining to the victim/informant.
Take a decision on whether the staff member or contractor working on behalf of Wonder Women CIC should be suspended within 24 hours of the accusation being made.
Instigate grievance procedures where required, which may result in the staff member being dismissed.
Inform the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) of the issue.
If the allegation is made about the Director of the mentoring programme or the designated safeguarding lead, an alternative member of staff would consult with Wonder Women’s CEO or the advisory board to ensure that the person in question would not have access to records or clients while an investigation takes place.
12.0 Peer-on-peer abuse
Wonder Women CIC recognises that people are capable of abusing their peers. This includes verbal as well as emotional and physical abuse.
Wonder Women CIC will not tolerate peer on peer abuse or allow it to be passed off as “banter”. We are committed to the prevention, early identification and appropriate management of peer on peer abuse within our organisation and beyond. In cases where peer on peer abuse is identified, we will follow our protection procedures, taking a contextual approach to support all people who have been affected by the situation.
We recognise that peer on peer abuse can manifest itself in many ways such as:
Bullying
Racism
Homophobia
Classism
Ableism
Technology can be used for bullying and other abusive behaviour. Some of these behaviours will need to be handled with reference to our other policies as appropriate.
The policy will:
Set out our strategies for preventing, identifying and managing peer on peer abuse
Take a contextual approach to safeguarding all people involved.
Acknowledge that people who have allegedly abused their peers may have been abused by their peers in the industry they work in or communities they are part of, however this does not influence Wonder Women’s no-tolerance stance on peer to peer abuse of anyone in the Wonder Women community or otherwise.
In responding to alleged incidents of peer on peer abuse, staff should:
Use professional judgement and respond to each incident on a case by case basis.
Report to the designated safeguarding lead as soon as an issue arises.
Secure advice from other agencies as required as to relevant next steps, including reporting to the Police if required.
Take all reports seriously and provide reassurance to the victim that they will be kept safe and supported.
Not promise confidentiality and be clear that we may have to share information with those necessary to do so.
Produce a written report recording facts as described by the individual.
With regard to Wonder Women’s online members site, the designated safeguarding lead will secure advice on searching, screening and revoking access of members if required. Staff must not view or forward any images unless unavoidable and only where the designated safeguarding lead is present.
The designated safeguarding lead will make an immediate risk and needs assessment.
Following an incident involving sexual harassment or violence, we will consider:
The wishes of the victim in terms of how they want to proceed. This is especially important in the context of sexual violence and sexual harassment;
The nature of the alleged incident(s), including: whether a crime may have been committed and consideration of harmful sexual behaviour;
The ages/development stages/power imbalances of young people involved;
If the alleged incident is a one-off or a sustained pattern of abuse;
Are there ongoing risks to the victim, other people, and other related issues and wider context?
When dealing with other alleged behaviour which involves reports of, for example, emotional and/or physical abuse, staff can draw on aspects of Hackett’s continuum to assess where the alleged behaviour falls on a spectrum and to decide how to respond. This could include, for example, whether it:
is socially acceptable
involves a single incident or has occurred over a period of time
is socially acceptable within the peer group
is problematic and concerning
involves any overt elements of victimisation or discrimination e.g. related to race, gender, sexual orientation, physical, emotional, or intellectual vulnerability
involves an element of coercion or pre-planning
involves a power imbalance between the young people and those allegedly responsible for the behaviour
involves a misuse of power
Where a young person has been harmed, is at risk of harm, or is in immediate danger, we will make a referral to the MASH following locally agreed protocols. Collaborative working will help ensure the best possible package of coordinated support is implemented for the victim and, where appropriate, the alleged perpetrator and any other young people that require support.
Whilst protecting young people and/or taking any disciplinary measures against the alleged perpetrator, we will work closely with the police (and other agencies as required), throughout investigations and in any necessary subsequent actions. Where there is an investigation the alleged perpetrator will be removed from any shared groups with the victim and we will also consider how best to keep them a reasonable distance apart on our premises. This is in the best interest of the young person concerned and should not be perceived to be a judgement of guilt before any legal proceedings.
Wonder Women CIC actively seeks to raise awareness of and prevent all forms of peer-on-peer abuse by:
Educating all staff and contractors, advisory board members about this issue. This will include training on the nature, prevalence and effect of peer-on-peer abuse, and how to prevent, identify and respond to it. This includes (a) Contextual Safeguarding; (b) The identification and classification of specific behaviours; and (c) The importance of taking seriously all forms of peer-on-peer abuse (no matter how low level they may appear) and ensuring that no form of peer-on-peer abuse is ever dismissed as teasing.
Educating Wonder Women’s contractors about the nature and prevalence of peer-on-peer abuse by signposting them to Wonder Women’s Community Guidelines before commencing work with us.
Request all mentors and mentees sign a confidentiality agreement at the start of the programme to protect the confidential conversations shared between each other during the year of the programme.
Educating service users before gaining access to Wonder Women’s members site, online community hub and whatsapp groups of the policy to outline our expectations, Wonder Women’s values of respect, fairness and kindness and to reiterate how to treat each other.
Educating all contractors who work with us on our zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of peer-on-peer abuse.
The Wonder Women Mentoring Programme Director will check-in with all mentors and mentees 30 days after the commencement of the programme to ensure everyone is happy with their pairings and to check that all 1-2-1 mentoring meetings have been scheduled for the year ahead to ensure a positive start.
Ensuring that all peer-on-peer abuse issues are fed back to Wonder Women’s CIC designated safeguarding lead with speed so that they can spot and address any concerning trends and identify those who may be in need of additional support.
Challenging societal attitudes that underlie such abuse.
Working with Trustees, all staff and contractors to address equality issues, to promote Wonder Women’s positive values, and to encourage a culture of tolerance and respect amongst all.
Creating conditions in which young people and adults can aspire to and realise safe and healthy relationships.
Creating a culture in which our young people and adults who work with Wonder Women CIC feel able to share their concerns openly, in a non-judgmental environment, and have them listened to;
Responding to cases of peer-on-peer abuse promptly and appropriately.
Multi-agency working across the district, reporting and responding to peer-on-peer abuse in a coordinated way.