Safeguarding Procedures

Staff & Volunteers

Procedures to follow

These procedures have been designed to ensure that the welfare and protection
of any child and young person who accesses the services provided by Wood Street Walls CIC.

This procedure provides clear direction to staff and volunteers at the Archway
Project if they have concerns that a child is in need of protection.

Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse

Wood Street Walls CIC will ensure that all staff members whether paid or unpaid,
undertake training to gain a basic awareness of the signs and symptoms of child
abuse.

For example:

• a child or young person alleges that abuse has taken place and that they feel unsafe
• a third party or anonymous allegation is received
• a member of staff might be concerned about a child’s appearance or behaviour or about the behaviour of a parent or carer towards a child
• a parent or carer might make a disclosure about abuse that a child is suffering or at risk of suffering
• a child or young person reports an incident(s) of alleged abuse which occurred some time ago;
• a report is made regarding the serious misconduct of a worker towards a child or young person.

Stages to follow if you are worried about a child

Wood Street Walls CIC recognises that it has a duty to act on reports or suspicions
of abuse. It also acknowledges that taking action in cases of child abuse is never
easy. However Wood Street Walls CIC believes that the safety of the child should
override any doubts or hesitations. When worrying changes are observed in a
child’s or young person’s behaviour, physical condition or appearance staff will:

Stage 1
Listen carefully to what the child/young person has to say and take it
seriously.
Let the child/young person tell his or her whole story. Don’t try to
investigate or take sole responsibility for a situation. Don’t quiz the child,
but make sure that you are clear as to what he/she is saying.
Reassure the child/young person that telling someone about it was the
right thing to do. Always explain to child/young people that any
information they have given will have to be shared with others.
Notify the organisation’s Named Person for Child Protection
*Record the concern and how it is dealt with as soon as possible using
report form and ensure it is signed and dated.

If a child is in immediate danger or in need of emergency medical
attention:
If the child is with you, remain with him/her and call the police on 999.
If the child is elsewhere, contact the police and explain the situation to them.
If he/she needs emergency medical attention, call an ambulance and,
while you are waiting for it to arrive, get help from your first aider.
If the first aider is not available, use any first aid knowledge that you may
have yourself to help the child.
*You also need to contact your manager or named person for child
protection to let them know what is happening. A decision will need to be
made about who should inform the child’s family and the local authority
children’s social care department, and when they should be informed. If
you have involved the police and/or the health services, they should be
part of this decision. Consider the welfare of the child in your decision
making as the highest priority.

Stage 2
The Named person(s) will take immediate action if there is a suspicion
that a child has been abused or likely to be abused. In this situation the
Named Person will contact the police and/or the relevant Social Services
office.
The named person can also seek advice and clarity about a situation that
is beginning to raise concern via the relevant duty team from the local
Social Services or via the NSPCC National Child Protection Helpline on
0808 800 5000.

Keeping a record of your concerns
Use reporting form to record the concern and how it is dealt with. The relevant
sections of the form should be completed and signed at each stage of the
procedure. It can be used to forward information to the statutory child protection
authorities if a referral to them is needed.

The form should be signed and dated by all those involved in its completion and
kept confidentially on the child’s file. The name of the person making the notes
should be written alongside each entry.

Named responsible persons

Wood Street Walls CIC has an appointed individual who is responsible for dealing
with any child protection concerns. In their absence, a deputy will always be
available for workers to consult with. The named persons for Child Protection
within Wood Street Walls CIC are:

Named Person: Mark Clack
Work telephone number: 07867 786688
Email: mark@woodstreetwalls.co.uk

Deputy Named Person: Melissa Richards
Work telephone number: 07801 657644
Email: milli@woodstreetwalls.co.uk