Safeguarding

The welfare of the child and vulnerable adult is paramount in all circumstances.  We acknowledge our duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable people.  We are committed to ensuring that our safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities and government guidance, and complies with best practice requirements.

We ensure that no child or vulnerable adult that we offer our services to are treated any less favourably than others in being able to access services.   We follow the principle that any person can access our services irrespective of protected characteristics and including age, biological sex and gender identity, ethnicity and cultural background, disability, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or religious ans spiritual beliefs.

We aim to ensure that our clients receive the highest standards of care and professionalism and that all of our clients are protected from abuse.

Our Safeguarding policy applies to all personnel associated with our service.  We have a commitment to the safe recruitment, selection and vetting of all volunteers, employees and trustees.  All of our personnel are required to undertake a DBS check prior to contact with children and/or vulnerable adults to whom we provide a service.  It is against the law for us to employ, contract, or allow someone to volunteer for regulated activity if they are on one of the barred lists.

All volunteers, paid staff, and other associated parties are informed of our strict adherence to our Safeguarding and Confidentiality policies, and of the underpinning statutory legislation.  We ensure that all personnel associated with Life Mapped Ltd are familiar with the policy content and procedures of all three policies, including Safeguarding, and with the underpinning legislation during their induction.  We ensure that that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and are provided with appropriate opportunities learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and vulnerable people.

All clients are informed of our strict adherence to our Safeguarding and Confidentiality policies.  In the event that we become aware that a client causes a safeguarding concern towards either themselves or others, we will follow the Safeguarding policy and procedures alongside the associated Confidentiality policy exclusions.

In relation to children and young people, we adopt the definition used in the Children Act 2004 and the Department for Education (DfE) guidance document: Working together to safeguard children: a guide to interagency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (2015), which define safeguarding and promoting children and young people’s welfare as:

  • protecting children from maltreatment
  • preventing impairment of children’s health or development
  • ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and
  • taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

The above statutory guidance defines child protection as part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. Child protection is the activity undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

In respect of vulnerable adults, we adopt the definition used in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

All concerns, and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously by all trustees, staff and volunteers and responded to appropriately.  Depending on the concern and/or allegation, this could include a requirement to make a referral to children’s services, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against staff, trustees and other volunteers, and in emergencies, the police.  We ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored.

We operate our safeguarding policy in association with the Health and Safety policy to promote the safety and welfare of children, as well as all trustees, staff, volunteers and mentees.

Our safeguarding policy is reviewed and approved annually or when there is a change to legislation which requires the policy to be reviewed and amended or updated.  The next Safeguarding policy review date is January 2020.