Our Safeguarding Officer is Tariq Bashir (tariq@whoisyourneighbour.org.uk / 07917 101220) with Cath Chirgwin deputising (cath@whoisyourneighbour.org.uk / 07917 101407)

In summary

Statement of safeguarding principles

Principles

We are committed to:

safeguarding and protecting all children, young people and vulnerable adults.
establishing a safe, caring environment, where there is informed vigilance as to the dangers of abuse.

We will respond without delay to any safeguarding concern which suggests that a child, young person or adult is at risk or may have been harmed. We will work closely in partnership with statutory agencies such as the police and local authority where applicable.

Who is Your Neighbour? will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust. We will ensure appropriate measures are taken to address identified risks including referral to statutory agencies, suspension and the use of safeguarding contracts. In all these principles we will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy - Who is Your Neighbour?

Who is Your Neighbour? is committed to safeguarding and protecting all children, young people and vulnerable adults and firmly believes that the needs of children or of people when they are vulnerable are paramount. It acknowledges that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and no-one is exempt from fulfilling that responsibility.

Who is Your Neighbour? recognises that none of us is invulnerable but that particular care is needed for those whose vulnerability is increased by situations, disabilities or reduction in capacities. It is recognised that this increased vulnerability may be temporary or permanent and may be visible or invisible.

Who is Your Neighbour? recognises the serious issue of the abuse of children and vulnerable adults and recognises that this may take the form of physical, emotional, mental, sexual, financial, spiritual, discriminatory, domestic or institutional abuse or neglect, abuse using social media or human trafficking (slavery). It acknowledges the effects these may have on people and their development. It accepts its responsibility for ensuring that all people are safe in its care and that their dignity and right to be heard is maintained. It accepts its responsibility to support, listen to and work for healing with survivors, offenders, communities and those who care about them. It takes seriously the issues of promotion of welfare.

Who is Your Neighbour? commits itself to:

respond without delay to any allegation or cause for concern that a child or vulnerable adult may have been harmed, whether in the organisation or externally; it commits itself to challenge the abuse of power of anyone in a position of trust
ensure the implementation of Safeguarding Policy, government legislation and guidance and safe practice
the provision of support, advice and training for employees and associates that will ensure people are clear and confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure robust procedures are in place and staff, associates and participants are clear about roles and responsibilities within our organisation for children and vulnerable adults in our care and those using our services and facilities.

Roles and responsibilities

Safeguarding Officer (SO)

Who is Your Neighbour? has a designated Safeguarding Officer (Tariq Bashir - 07917 101220) and Deputy (Cath Chirgwin - 07917 101407). The Deputy assumes responsibility in the absence of the Safeguarding Officer.

Their roles will be to:

offer advice and consultation to employees and associates in Who is Your Neighbour? on any individual case, situations and / or emergencies
be available to assist with implementation of policy and procedure
undertake risk assessments as appropriate
be a pro-active link between Who is Your Neighbour? and external agencies, especially statutory organisations, in ensuring the best support for those who need help.

Key concepts and definitions

A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16 years-of-age, is living independently or is in further education, a member of the armed forces, in hospital or in custody in the secure estate, does not change their status or entitlements to services or protection.
A vulnerable adult is any adult aged 18 or over who due to disability, mental function, age, illness or traumatic circumstances, may not be able to take care or protect themselves.
Safeguarding is protecting children or vulnerable adults from maltreatment, preventing impairment of their health and ensuring safe and effective care
Adult/child protection is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to activity which is undertaken to protect children/specific adults who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm, including neglect.
Abuse and neglect may occur in a family, in a community and in an institution. It may be perpetrated by a person or persons known to the child or vulnerable adult, or by strangers; by an adult or by a child. It may be an infliction of harm or a failure to prevent harm.

In Full

1. Philosophy.

Who is Your Neighbour? is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all children, young people, and adults who are or may be vulnerable and / or need care and support. It affirms that the needs of children and of people when they are vulnerable are paramount. It acknowledges that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and no-one is exempt from fulfilling that responsibility.
Who is Your Neighbour? recognises that there is particular help, support and care needed for those who are vulnerable. It recognises that this vulnerability may be temporary or permanent and may be visible or invisible but acknowledges this does not diminish our duty of care towards an individual.
Who is Your Neighbour? recognises the serious issue of the abuse of anyone and recognises that this may take many forms in the light of growing awareness and learning. It acknowledges the effect abuse may have on individuals, sometimes also on their families and especially on their development. It accepts its responsibility for ensuring that all people are safe in its care and that their dignity and right to be heard is maintained. It accepts its responsibility to support, listen to and work for healing with survivors, offenders, communities and those who care about them. It takes seriously the issues of promotion of welfare.
Who is Your Neighbour? commits itself to responding well and without delay to any allegation or cause for concern that a child or adult may have been harmed, whether in the organisation or any other context. It commits itself to challenge the abuse of power of anyone in a position of trust.
Who is Your Neighbour? commits itself to ensuring the implementation of national government legislation and guidance and local policies and protocols.
Who is Your Neighbour? commits itself to the provision of support, advice and training for employees and associates to ensure they are clear and confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable. It affirms the role of the Who is Your Neighbour? Safeguarding Officer (SO), Safeguarding Deputy and those others who hold safeguarding roles including the first point of contact as advertised.
Who is Your Neighbour? commits to:
1. promoting a safe environment and culture within our organisation safely appointing and supporting all those with responsibility related to the work of safeguarding
2. responding promptly to every safeguarding concern or allegation
3. supporting victims/survivors of abuse and those affected by it
4. supporting those who are subject of concerns and allegations of abuse and those affected
5. responding to those that may have posed a risk in the past or do so currently.
Who is Your Neighbour? sees safeguarding in its wider sense, not just relating to harm and abuse but to people’s welfare and well-being, relationships between people, day-to-day vulnerabilities and anything that affects someone’s overall quality of life. Safeguarding is therefore at the centre of all our work.

2. Purpose

the purpose of this policy is to ensure everyone understands their responsibilities to safeguard and promote the welfare of all and to ensure people are clear about roles and responsibilities for children and adults in our care and those using our premises
all related policies and procedures are also mandatory; information given in related documents that is guidance in nature does not carry the same authority but it is highly advisable that such advice is adhered to, given it is the product of experience and learning over period of time.

3. Governance.

Who is Your Neighbour?'s Board of Trustees will take overall responsibility for the work of safeguarding, being the vehicle to drive forward the development and implementation of all requirements laid down across Who is Your Neighbour?
Who is Your Neighbour?'s SO will report to the Chair of Who is Your Neighbour? and offer support, advice and expert help to promote the work of safeguarding throughout Who is Your Neighbour?

4. Partnerships

Who is Your Neighbour? will commit itself to working closely with external agencies to ensure the best support for those who need help. It will co-operate, particularly, with statutory agencies in working as a partner and, through the SO, ensure working relationships with key colleagues, especially Local Authority Designated Officers (often, but not always, called LADO - Local Authority Designated Officer - or DOLA - Designated Officer for the Local Authority), Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board colleagues and Public Protection agencies.
From time to time, as necessary, the Who is Your Neighbour? SO will attend relevant meetings with local agencies to represent Who is Your Neighbour?
Who is Your Neighbour?'s SO and Deputy SO will undertake training to ensure their knowledge and understanding is relevant and up to date.
Who is Your Neighbour? recognises the importance of working in partnership with the Charity Commission to fulfil its duty to inform it of serious safeguarding matters, as advised by the Who is Your Neighbour? SO.

5. Who is Your Neighbour? safeguarding roles and responsibilities.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. In Who is Your Neighbour?, structures in place across the organisation allow concerns to be dealt without delay and ensures outcomes are safe for everyone.
The appendices outline the roles and responsibilities of all key safeguarding roles and responsibilities in Who is Your Neighbour? However, Who is Your Neighbour? will ensure that the following people are clear about their specific responsibilities:

- the Who is Your Neighbour? Safeguarding Officer Tariq Bashir
- the Who is Your Neighbour? Deputy Safeguarding Officer Cath Chirgwin
- the Who is Your Neighbour? Chair Mariam Shah
- the Who is Your Neighbour? Vice Chair Mike Fitter

6. Procedures for dealing with concerns – “Responding Well”

Who is Your Neighbour? will adopt the phrase “Responding Well” as the over-arching term for its safeguarding policies and procedures, especially in responding to a concern. This term reflects the commitment to responding appropriately, sensitively and in line with expectations whilst maintaining a sense of dignity for those being helped and supported, no matter what the concern or who it is about.
It is the policy of the Who is Your Neighbour? that any concerns will be:
- listened to
- taken seriously
- approached without judgement
- dealt with in collaboration with the people concerned, if appropriate and safe
- referred to the appropriate people for advice, guidance and / or action without delay and however vague those concerns
- maintained as a high priority until dealt with appropriately
- referred to external agencies if necessary.
These concerns will always be recorded as soon as is possible and appropriate recording measures will be in place and updated regularly.
Who is Your Neighbour? also takes seriously the importance of good practice and will commit itself to ensuring good practice guidelines are adhered to. Where any aspect of good practice may not be possible or is compromised, the Who is Your Neighbour? Board of Trustees will be informed so as to make contingency arrangements and have the deficits recorded and reviewed.
Who is Your Neighbour? will be committed to the auditing at appropriate intervals of safeguarding and good practice to ensure compliance, identify areas of development and maintenance of the highest standards.

7. Provision of safeguarding training

Who is Your Neighbour? will provide essential and appropriate training as required by national governmental standards and good practice. Training is seen as critical to Who is Your Neighbour?’s ability to safeguard and protect. Refusal to attend training will be taken seriously and, if necessary, trigger disciplinary arrangements, including suspension from posts until such training has been completed.
The SO will oversee training within Who is Your Neighbour? as a whole and ensure that all necessary requirements are being fulfilled.
Risk assessing safeguarding concerns: from time to time, it will be necessary for certain specific situations to be risk-assessed to ensure people are safe and free from harm. This may be due to concerns about others' behaviour and conduct or possible risks an individual may pose in general. These assessments will always be done in conjunction with the SO and, as appropriate, the Chair of Who is Your Neighbour? There will be a range of situations where such a risk assessment will be needed and Who is Your Neighbour? will be committed to undertaking these without delay and as advised.
Accessibility in offering help: Who is Your Neighbour? employees and associates have contact numbers, especially emergency ones, for those who are in safeguarding roles and who are best placed to offer safeguarding help and advice. This will include emergency agency numbers. These will be easily accessed so as to avoid people having to ask for them should they wish to remain anonymous.
Social Media: in the light of the growing use of social media to communicate and connect to others, Who is Your Neighbour? is committed to making this aspect of safeguarding a high priority in ensuring relevant, up to date and accessible advice, policies and procedures. Concerns about the use of social media to cause harm in any way must always be treated as a safeguarding matter and the appropriate procedures followed.

8. Criminal record checks (DBS)

All those in an appropriate role will be subject to a DBS check that is relevant to their role and must be updated every five years. All those who are in such a role without valid DBS clearance will be not be allowed to continue or begin in that role until one has been obtained.

9. Specific circumstances.

There are a number of complex situations that will require a particular safeguarding response and the SO (or point of contact in any interim) must be consulted to help and advise in such circumstances.
This will be especially important in dealing with such emerging safeguarding issues as domestic abuse, modern slavery, radicalisation, female genital mutilation, trafficking, child sexual exploitation.

10. Compliance.

Given safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, Who is Your Neighbour? will do all it can to support, equip and support everyone to be able to play an active part in promoting and responding to safeguarding matters.