1. Policy

Bear Basics Fmily Support believes that it is always unacceptable for a child, young person or vulnerable adult to experience abuse of any kind and recognises it has responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults, by a commitment to practices which protect them. Bear Basics, works to the principles of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2022 and Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership (KSCMP) www.kscmp.org.uk

1.2      This policy applies to all Volunteers and Trustees working on behalf of Bear Basics Family Support

2.   Legal framework and definition of safeguarding

2.1      Children Act 1989 and 2004

2.1.1   Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

2.1.2   Children and Social Work Act 2017

2.1.3   Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018

2.1.4   Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022

2.1.5   What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused 2015

2.1.6   Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015

2.1.7   Care Act 2014

2.2      All agencies working with children, young people, vulnerable adults and their families must take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to the welfare of children and vulnerable adults are minimised.

2.3      Where there are concerns about children, young people or vulnerable adult’s welfare, all agencies take appropriate actions to address those concerns, working to agreed local policies and procedures in full partnership with other local agencies.

3.  We recognise that:

3.1      The welfare of the child/young person or vulnerable adult is paramount.

3.2      All children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.

3.3      Working in partnership with children, young people and vulnerable adults, their parents, carers, family, extended family and other agencies is essential in promoting their welfare.

4.  The purpose of the policy:

4.1      To provide protection for the children, young people and vulnerable adults who receive Bear Basic’s services, including the children of adult members or users.

4.2      To provide Volunteers with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child, young person or vulnerable adult may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.

5.  We will seek to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults by:

5.1      Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.

5.2      Adopting child protection and vulnerable adult’s guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for all Volunteers.

5.3      Recruiting Volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.

5.4      Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, vulnerable adults’ parents/carers and volunteers.

5.5      Sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents/carers, children and vulnerable adults appropriately.

5.6      Providing effective management for volunteers through supervision, support and training.

7.  Child & Vulnerable Adults protection – Nominated individuals

7.1      Bear Basics believes that every child or vulnerable adult regardless of age has at all times and in all situations a right to feel safe and protected from any situation or practice that results in being physically or psychologically damaged. 

7.2      Bear Basics have appointed a Safeguarding Officer who shall be responsible for ensuring these policies are fully implemented.

          Julie Copley Bear Basics chair/founder 07949271897

          If in the event of an emergency situation someone may feel there is an immediate danger, they are instructed to ring 999.

7.3      If any volunteer who, in the course of their work, has reason to believe that a child or vulnerable adult is at serious risk, they MUST share their concern with the person responsible for Safeguarding within the organisation, who will take the following action:

7.3.1   Clarify the urgency of the situation with the Staff member/Volunteer.

7.3.2. If the situation is clearly an urgent case, the child is too frightened to go home or there are serious doubts about the child or vulnerable adult’s safety within the home, the KCC children’s social care services, the independent Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or the Police will be contacted immediately. 

          Kent County Council (KCC) contact details:

Concerned about a child? 

Call Children’s Social Care Services 03000 41 11 11 email social.services@kent.gov.uk (out of hours 03000 41 91 91)

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) 03000 41 08 88 

Email: kentchildrenslado@kent.gov.uk

Concerned about an adult?

Call 03000 41 61 61 or email social.services@kent.gov.uk.

Out of hours and in an emergency

Call: 03000 41 91 91. 

If you think someone is in immediate danger, the best thing to do is call 999 for the emergency services. 

7.3.3    If the concern is more general, this will be discussed with the Volunteer to agree whether a referral should be made to the KCC Children’s Social Care Services Team.

7.3.4   Accurately record any information given by the child/vulnerable adult or suspicions, including what has been seen, heard or known at the time and to retain a log of contact details made to Social Services and the Police.

7.4      The Nominated person for Safeguarding is responsible for ensuring:

7.4.1   That the Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adult Procedure is reviewed annually unless new or revised legislation or guidance from an acknowledged authority demands otherwise.

7.4.2   That the Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adult Procedure is distributed to all Volunteers and ensure that they have read and understood its contents.

7.4.3   Promoting and maintaining links with KCC Social Services, Children and Families Team in relation to both general and specific child protection matters. Promoting further policies, procedures and information including CSE, FGM, Radicalisation and Missing Children to volunteers by signposting them to the KSCB website www.kscmp.org.uk 

7.4.4   That the KCC Front Door Team contact number is clearly displayed in the office.

1. Bear Basics Volunteers are not trained to decide if abuse has occurred.

8.   Sharing Information

8.1 Bear Basics will manage information in line with statutory requirements and in accordance with the organisation’s own values of being straightforward, accessible, and professional. Bear Basics handles sensitive personal information about people, and must ensure that there is no unauthorised access, loss, misuse, modification or disclosure of this information. When safeguarding Children and adults at risk, there may be a need to disclose personal or sensitive information to someone from another organisation. 

Bear Basics will only do this where the law permits, and where disclosure is considered to be in its client’s best interests (safeguarding) including the prevention of a crime. 

8.2      Case records and any other notes or correspondence kept as a hard copy or electronically in the office must be kept securely.  If the office is broken into and confidential records stolen, the theft must be reported to the Police and to the Board of Trustees. The confidential nature of the papers should be emphasised when reporting to the Police.

9.  Procedures for working with Children and Vulnerable Adults

9.1      All Volunteers must at all times:

9.1.1   Be vigilant about their own actions so they cannot be misinterpreted.

9.1.2   Acknowledge the age group they work with.

9.1.3   Never trivialise or exaggerate child/vulnerable adult abuse issues.

9.1.4   Allow the child/vulnerable adult time to speak and not interrupt nor make suggestions to them which could imply making an investigation.

9.1.5   Reassure the child/vulnerable adult that they are glad she or he has told what has happened and that it was right to tell.

9.1.6   Not interrogate or question other than to clarify understanding.

9.1.7   Be honest and tell the child/ vulnerable adult what they have said cannot be kept a secret and that they will have to talk to someone else that can help.

9.1.8   Remain calm, not showing anger, disgust, disbelief.

9.1.9   As soon as practical, write down all the child/vulnerable adult has revealed and discuss the situation only with the Safeguarding Officer, or in their absence another member.

9.2      Home visits

9.2.1. All home visits to families with children must be conducted with the prior permission and arrangement of their parent/guardian/carer.

9.3.2   No child will be visited at home unless a parent/guardian/carer is present.

9.3      Office visits

9.3.1   Any child visiting the Bear Basics storage for a service must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/carer who must remain on the premises at all times.

9.3.2   If a child/adult is taking part in a mediation interview being conducted in the mediation room in the office, the door to the room must remain open at all times.

10. Procedures relating to allegations concerning Volunteers and Trustees

10.1    The following procedures deal primarily with Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adult enquiries and any subsequent criminal investigations as distinct from complaints of poor practice:

10.1.1  Any allegation of abuse, however minor, by any volunteer will be reported to Julie Copley Safeguarding Officer who will immediately pass this information onto The KCC LADO in order for this to be investigated by the appropriate bodies promptly.  If the safeguarding officer is absent or if the subject of the allegation, the trustee responsible for safeguarding will take this action forward. 

• The LADO will be informed immediately for advice and guidance
• If as an individual you feel this will not be taken seriously or are worried about the allegation getting back to the person in question, then it is your duty to inform the LADO yourself directly
• A full investigation will be carried out by the appropriate professionals (LADO) to determine how this will be handled
• Bear Basics will follow all instructions from the LADO and ask all staff members to do the same and co-operate where required
• Support will be provided to all those involved in an allegation throughout the external investigation in line with LADO support and advice
• Bear Basics reserves the right to suspend any member during an investigation
• All enquiries/external investigations/interviews will be documented and kept in a locked file for access by the relevant authorities
• Unfounded allegations will result in all rights being reinstated
• Founded allegations will be passed on to the relevant organisations including the local authority children’s social care team and where an offence is believed to have been committed, the police, and will result in the termination of employment. Bear Basics will also notify the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure their records are updated
• All records will be kept until the person reaches normal retirement age or for 21 years and 3 months years if that is longer. This will ensure accurate information is available for references and future DBS checks and avoids any unnecessary reinvestigation
• Bear Basics retains the right to dismiss any member  of the team in connection with founded allegations following an inquiry

11. Steps for Bear Basics Volunteers to take if an alleged disclosure is made or they have concerns about a child or vulnerable adult’s welfare

• If a child is at immediate risk volunteers will contact the police or social services
• They will not contact the alleged abuser
• They will not investigate
• They will listen and reflect
• They will take advice from the Child Protection Officer, Children’s Social Services and/or the Police

1. Complete a written record of their concerns. Member/volunteer discusses concerns with nominated person/Chief Executive Officer immediately.
2. If it is urgent and nominated person cannot be contacted the mediator should call the Front Door Team on 03000 41 11 11 (03000 41 91 91 out of hours)

1. When making a referral the Chief Executive Officer or nominated person will need to complete a Single Request for Support form. Ensure information is full, accurate and detailed and that all sections of the form are completed. Once completed upload to www.kent.gov.uk/singlerequestupload. This form should be completed in conjunction with the new integrated front door process. Refer to Kent Safeguarding Children’s Board www.kscmp.org.uk

12.  Training

12.1    The Safeguarding Officer will arrange for all Volunteers to gain a general awareness for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

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12.2    All Volunteers to be made aware of the document “What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused” www.education.gov.uk/publications 

13. Definition of Abuse:

13.1    Children/vulnerable adults may be in need of protection where their basic needs are not being met, in a manner appropriate to their age and stage of development, and they will be at risk through avoidable acts of commission or *omission on the part of their parent(s), sibling(s) or other relative(s), or a carer (i.e. the person(s) while not a parent who has actual custody of the child).

*NB this means children/vulnerable adults at risk through either something a person has done to them or something a person is failing to do for them.   

13.1.1 Physical: Physical abuse may involve a person poking, pushing, hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, suffocating, cuts, bruising, beating etc. a child or vulnerable adult causing him/her harm. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

 13.1.2 Emotional: 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 conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meets the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber 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.

13.1.3  Sexual: Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. 

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. 

13.1.4  Neglect: The inability of a carer to meet a child/vulnerable adult’s basic physical and psychological needs, which result in serious impairment to their health and development, is deemed to be persistent and severe neglect.  This may be a failure to provide food, shelter, clothing or a failure to protect the child/vulnerable adult from physical harm and danger.  It may also include neglect of a child/vulnerable adult’s basic emotional needs.

13.1.5 Financial: Financial abuse can range from failure to access benefits, through inadvertent mismanagement and opportunistic exploitation to deliberate and targeted abuse, often accompanied by threats and intimidation. It can include theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, overcharging or carrying out unnecessary work, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

13.1.6 Discriminatory: Includes ageist, racist, sexist, that based on a persons disability, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.

13.1.7 Institutional: The mistreatment or abuse or neglect of an adult at risk by a regime or individuals within settings and services that adults at risk live in or use, that violate the person’s dignity, resulting in lack of respect for their human rights. Institutional abuse occurs when the routines, systems and regimes of an institution result in poor or inadequate standards of care and poor practice which affects the whole setting and denies restricts or curtails the dignity, privacy, choice, independence or fulfilment of adults at risk.

13.1.8 Abuse of trust: A relationship of trust is one in which one person is in a position of power or influence over the other person because of their work or the nature of their activity. There is a particular concern when abuse is caused by the actions or omissions of someone who is in a position of power or authority and who uses their position to the detriment of the health and well-being of a person at risk, who in many cases could be dependent on their care. There is always a power imbalance in a relationship of trust.

13.1.9 Mate crime: Mate crime a type of hate crime where perpetrators befriend a person with a disability but in fact soon begin to exploit, hurt or harm them. This can include sexual abuse, forced prostitution, financial exploitation, physical abuse, violence and even murder.

13.1.10 Extremism: is something we are very aware of at West Kent Mediation. As set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 “Extremism goes beyond terrorism and includes people who target the vulnerable – including the young – by seeking to sow division between communities on the basis of race, faith or denomination; justify discrimination towards women and girls; persuade others that minorities are inferior; or argue against the primacy of democracy and the rule of law in our society”. 

Extremism is defined in the Counter Extremism Strategy 2015 as “the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for the death of members of our armed forces as extremist”.

13.1.11 Contextual: As well as threats to the welfare of children from within their families, children may be vulnerable to abuse or exploitation from outside their families. These extra-familial threats might arise at school and other educational establishments, from within peer groups, or more widely from within the wider community and/or online. These threats can take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple threats, including: exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups such as county lines; trafficking, online abuse; sexual exploitation and the influences of extremism leading to radicalisation. Extremist groups make use of the internet to radicalise and recruit and to promote extremist materials. Any potential harmful effects to individuals identified as vulnerable to extremist ideologies or being drawn into terrorism should also be considered