0800 689 3416
Children’s Safeguarding Policy for Accelerate Empowerment Ltd
Accelerate Empowerment Ltd abides by the duty of care to safeguard and promote
the welfare of children and young people and is committed to safeguarding practice
that reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best
practice requirements.
● We recognise the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in
all the decisions we take
● All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion
or belief, sex, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all
types of harm or abuse
● Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous
experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
● Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and
other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
Purpose:
Accelerate Empowerment Ltd will:
● Protect children and young people who receive Accelerate Empowerment Ltd
services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services
● Provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their
families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child
protection.
This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Accelerate Empowerment Ltd,
including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional
workers, agency staff and students. Failure to comply with the policy and related
procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in
dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.
Definitions:
The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached
their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed
forces or is in hospital.
Child Abuse: Children may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from
within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There
are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and
neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within
these categories, they are:
● Bullying and cyberbullying
● Child sexual exploitation
● Child Criminal exploitation
● Child trafficking
● Domestic abuse
● Female genital mutilation
● Grooming
● Historical abuse
● Online abuse
Safeguarding children: Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to
Safeguard Children 2018 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.
● taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Safeguarding as Part of the Deal:
In safeguarding children, Accelerate Empowerment Ltd is committed to legislation,
policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key
legislation is available from https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system
Accelerate Empowerment Ltd has in place arrangements that reflect the importance
of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
For all employees who are working or volunteering with children, this requires them
as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to:
● Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children.
● Recognise an child potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.
● Understand how to report a safeguarding Alert.
● Understand dignity and respect when working with children.
● Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Children Policy.
Confidentiality and Information Sharing:
Accelerate Empowerment Ltd expects all employees, volunteers and staff to maintain
confidentiality. Information will only be shared in line with the General Data
Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection.
However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if a child is deemed
to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a
crime has been committed.
Recording and Record Keeping:
A written record must be kept about any concern regarding a child with safeguarding
needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern
and the actions taken, decisions made and why they were made.
All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially
stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Safer Recruitment & Selection:
Accelerate Empowerment Ltd is committed to safe employment and safe recruitment
practices that reduce the risk of harm to children from people unsuitable to work with
them or have contact with them.
Specific vetting prodcedures will be carried out to ensure that all those teaching on
behalf of Accelerate Empowerment are qualified and suitable as far as can be
reasonably ascertained. These include:
● Proof of photo ID
● Proof of relevant qualifications and experience
● An enhanced DBS check with Barring Check which is less than 12 months old,
or be signed up to the DBS Update Service
● Teachers who have taught or reside in Scotland, Wales, NI or abroad may be
subject to additional checks
● A minimum of 2 reference checks from previous employment
Social Media:
All employees and volunteers should be aware of Accelerate Empowerment Ltd
social media policy and procedures and the code of conduct for behaviour towards
the children we support.
Use of Mobile Phones and other Digital Technology:
All employees volunteers should be aware of Accelerate Empowerment Ltd policy
and procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and any digital technology and
understand that it is unlawful to photograph children and young people without the
explicit consent of the person with parental responsibilities.
Whistleblowing:
It is important that people within Accelerate Empowerment Ltd have the confidence
to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistle blowing
occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any
wrong- doing within their organisation. This includes concerns about another
employee or volunteer. There is also a requirement by Accelerate Empowerment Ltd
to protect whistleblowers.
If you require further information on our policies, please contact us at
hello@accelerateempowerment.com
Important Contacts:
Designated Safeguarding Officer
Name: Paula Sampson Lawrence
Email address: paula@accelerateempowerment.com
Telephone number: 0800 689 3416
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) : 01908 253169 or out of hours on
01908 265545
Email MASH via children@milton-keynes.gov.uk
Local Authority Designated Office (LADO) : 01908 254306
Email: lado@Milton-keynes.gov.uk
Milton Keynes Council Safeguarding Children –
https://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/children-young-people-and-families/childrens-socia
l-care/worried-about-child
Police
Emergency – 999
Non-emergency – 101
NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000
This policy was last reviewed on: January 2024
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.