Safeguarding Policy
Historyworks is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults who are involved in our activities and projects.
Download safeguarding related pdf documents below:
- Safeguarding Policy
- Dealing with a disclosure flow chart
- Useful info and contacts about safeguarding
- Consent form pro forma
1. Statement on Safeguarding Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
Historyworks takes seriously the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults who are involved in our activities and projects.
A child is defined as a child/young person under the age of 18 (in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) (NSPCC Legal Guidelines)
A vulnerable adult is defined as a person over 18 years old: “Who is or may be in need of community care services by reason disability, age or illness; and is or may be unable to take care of unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation” (No Secrets, Department of Health 2007)
Historyworks is committed to working with children and young people following the guiding principles outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. They are:
* Children/young people must be protected from all forms of violence and exploitation
* Everyone has a responsibility to support the care and protection of children and young people
* We listen to children and young people, respect their views and respond to them directly
* Children and young people should be encouraged and enabled to fulfil their potential
* We challenge inequalities for children and young people
* Every child and young person must have someone to turn to
(As paraphrased by the NSPCC)
We wish to prevent any physical, sexual or emotional abuse of children, young people or vulnerable adults and recognise our responsibility to implement, maintain and review the following safeguarding procedures.
2. Working Safely With Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults
Historyworks will ensure that team members (freelancers/volunteers) do not work 1:1 with a child/young person/vulnerable adult during activities, recording and filming, unless in the instance of an emergency.
Historyworks will ensure that as far as possible, an adult is not left alone with a child/young person/vulnerable adult where there is no opportunity for the activity to be observed by others. This will mean groups working within the same large room, an adjoining room with the door left open, or a room with large windows to corridors.
3. Photography, Film and Audio Recording
School Projects
Historyworks will ensure that written consent has been obtained from the school ensuring that parents/carers have given permission for their children/young people to be photographed, filmed and audio recorded during Historywork projects before the project commences (see downloadable consent form).
Public Events
During public events Historyworks will ensure that the general public are made aware of photography, film and audio recording and gain consent through clear signage within venues (see downloadable sign below) and/or announcements during pubic events (as appropriate).
4. Safeguarding Disclosure Procedures
If a child/young person/vulnerable adult makes a disclosure of abuse to a member of the Historyworks team it may take any (or a number) of these forms:
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Emotional abuse
- Neglect
When a disclosure of abuse has been made by a child/young person/vulnerable adult one of the following procedures must be followed depending on the nature of the activity (for a step by step guide to deadline with a disclosure, see downloadable flow chart):
- School Visit- Report the safeguarding concern to the Safeguarding Designated Person (DP usually the Headteacher or another member of the Senior Leadership Team) from the school setting of disclosure from child and follow school’s safeguarding procedure such as filling in school’s concern/disclosure form.
Public Event- Report the safeguarding concern to the appropriate Designated Person (DP) from the umbrella body overseeing the event eg. University of Cambridge, My Cambridge, Arts Council England and follow their safeguarding procedure eg. Ringing designated DP contact and filling in disclosure form.
5. Defining Regular and Non-regular Contact
Regulated (regularly occurring) contact is defined (in this context) as:
Contact carried out by the same person frequently (once a week or more often), OR on 4 or more days in a 30-day period (or in some cases, overnight), involving both:
1. Unsupervised activities: teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children/young people, or providing advice / guidance on well-being, or driving a vehicle only for children.
2. Work for a limited range of establishments (specified places), with opportunity for contact, for example schools, children's homes, childcare premises (but not work by supervised volunteers)
Non-regulated (non-regular) contact is therefore defined as:
Contact carried out by the same person that is less frequent than once a week or 4 or more days in a 30-day period (or includes an overnight stay).
6. DBS Check Procedures
A DBS check is always required when working in regulated activity with children/young people/vulnerable adults; this includes both paid/unpaid team.
No one should be working regularly with children/vulnerable adults until a satisfactory DBS has been received, in these circumstances.
In general the work we carry out at Historyworks will be unregulated and not frequent, taking the form of one-off field trips, recording and project work with large groups of children/young people under the supervision of their teachers and families, therefore on most occasions a DBS check will not be required for Historyworks team members. However, this will be assessed on a project by project basis.
If we know that a project that we have recruited freelance staff for involves regulated activity with children, young people and vulnerable adults, then we must receive a satisfactory DBS before working in their role.
We will ensure that all freelancers/volunteers have read and understood our policies and procedures for child and vulnerable adult safeguarding.
Any freelancers and volunteers who will have direct frequent and intensive contact with children and/or vulnerable adults will be asked to complete ‘A Basic Child Protection Training’ course (Courses are available in UK via City Council, eg through the Cambridge City Council for more information visit: http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/learntogether/homepage/34/education_child_protection
If a DBS check is required for a new freelancer/ volunteer who will have direct access to children/vulnerable adults as part of their role on a project, we will check their references and carry out a DBS Enhanced Disclosure check at the start of their contract through the relevant umbrella body.
If it is necessary to do so and if a new freelancer/volunteer has already added their DBS to the update service, we will ask them for their details and permission to check their status online, rather than carry out a DBS check through our umbrella body. If we’re not satisfied with the content or lack of information given by the online DBS check service we may decide that a full enhanced DBS check is necessary. This will be decided upon on a case-by-case basis.
If a new freelancer/volunteer is due to engage in regulated activity with Children or Vulnerable Adults and refuses to complete a DBS or give us the details of their online DBS information via the update service, then we will have to say ‘no’ to them working with us as a freelancer or volunteer.
We will carry out a child and vulnerable adult safeguarding briefing session for new freelancers/volunteers, explaining child and vulnerable adult protection policies and procedures. This will be carried out with all relevant freelancers/volunteers before entering Historyworks organized activities with any children or vulnerable adults.
When contracting creative practitioners and other external partners (if the project involves regulated activity with a specific group of children) on behalf of a school/community group etc. it will be our responsibility to check references and ensure Enhanced Disclosure checks are carried out as necessary. If there is a problem with an external partner’s Disclosure (eg. it has not arrived before the start of the project) we will discuss this with the school/community group contact and jointly decide the best course of action.
Other Useful Info and Contacts
Other Useful Info and Contacts from
Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSBC)
DO YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AS A FREELANCER OR AS A VOLUNTEER WITH HISTORYWORKS?
If you do, then read this:
You need to know that keeping children and young people safe is your responsibility
If you have any concerns that a child or young person is being harmed or harming themselves, Or is otherwise at risk, you must always report it to your Line Manager and if they are not available one of the Designated Persons (DP).
If you need to speak to someone urgently in the absence of the above contact: Cambridgeshire Direct 8am – 8pm Monday-Saturday on 0345 045 0180 or out of these hours on 01733 234 724.
You can also get advice and support from the, Education Child Protection Service advice helpline (8.30am – 4.30pm during school term time only) 01223 712096, or from the Cambridgeshire Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) on www.cambslscb.org.uk
The LSCB safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people across Cambridgeshire.
It includes all the main organisations working with children and young people and their parents and carers.
