Safeguarding Children Policy

The purpose of this policy statement is:
● To protect children and young people who receive Chandran Foundation’s services.
● To provide parents, staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy statement applies to anyone working on behalf of Chandran Foundation including
senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, agency staff and students.

2.1 We believe that:
● Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind.
● We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

2.2 We recognise that:
● The welfare of the child is paramount.
● All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have a right to equal 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.

2.3 We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
● Valuing, listening to and respecting them.
● Appointing a nominated safeguarding lead.
● Developing child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures which reflect best practice.
● Using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately.
● Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.
● Developing and implementing an effective online safety policy.
● Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
● Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support,training and quality assurance measures.
● Implementing a code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
● Using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately.
● Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
● Ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.
● Recording and storing information professionally and securely.

2.4 Related policies and procedures

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies and procedures,
including:
● Procedures for responding to concerns about a child or young person’s wellbeing
● Dealing with allegations of abuse against a child or young person
● Role of the designated safeguarding officer
● Managing allegations against staff and volunteers
● Safer recruitment policy and procedures
● Adult to child supervision ratios
● Code of conduct for staff and volunteers
● Anti-bullying policy and procedures
● Photography and image sharing guidance
● Child protection records retention and storage policy
● Whistle blowing policy

2.5 What is safeguarding?
Every child can be hurt, put at risk of harm or abused, regardless of their age, gender, religion or ethnicity.

Safeguarding legislation and government guidance says that safeguarding means:
● Protecting children from maltreatment.
● Prevent 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 and young people to have the best outcome.
● And “The action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from
harm – is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role of play.” Working together to safeguard children (HM Government 2015). Definitions of Abuse (As defined by the NSPCC)

Physical Abuse
Actual or likely physical injury to a child or young person under the age of 18, (however if a child is receiving care then it is up to the age of 21), or failure to prevent physical injury (i.e. hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child) – (Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child).

Sexual Abuse
Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, and whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (e.g. rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as: masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing, or encouraging a minor to watch sexually explicit material.

Emotional Abuse
Severe or persistent emotional ill treatment or rejection that is likely to cause adverse effects on the emotional and behavioural development of the child. This also covers psychological, mental abuse and emotional blackmail. All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment (i.e. telling or making children feel they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only by meeting the needs of another person, not giving the child opportunities to express views; deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation of corruption of children). Neglect The persistent or severe neglect of a child, or the failure to protect a child from exposure to any kind of danger, resulting in the significant impairment of a child’s health or development. This includes Non-Organic Failure to Thrive (NOFTT) which includes, but is not limited to: during pregnancy, maternal substance misuse, lack of nutrition – once a child is born, failing to provide food or water, clothing, shelter, failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people in a relationship. But it isn’t just physical violence – domestic abuse includes emotional, physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse.

Online Abuse
Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the web, whether through social networks, playing online game or using mobile phones. Children and young people may experience cyber bullying, grooming, sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or emotional abuse.

Historical Abuse
There may be occasions when an adult will disclose abuse (either sexual or physical) which occurred in the past, during their childhood. This information needs to be treated in exactly the same way as a disclosure or suspicion of current child abuse. The reason for this is that the abuser may still represent a risk to children now.

Child Trafficking
Child trafficking and modern slavery are child abuse. Children are recruited, moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Children are trafficked for child sexual exploitation, benefit fraud, forced marriage, domestic servitude such as cleaning, childcare and cooking, forced labour in factories or agriculture, criminal activity such as pick pocketing, begging, transporting drugs, working on cannabis farms, selling pirated DVDs and bag theft.

Honour Based Violence (HBV)
Is a crime or incident, which has or may have been committed to protect of defend the honour of the family and/or community (i.e. acid attacks, child marriage, rape, forced marriage, suicide, bride price, male child preference, female genital mutilation). In cases where there is concern that HBV may be present, normal Child Protection Procedures may need to be adapted to ensure that communication with the family does not place the child at increased risk (i.e. increased risk of being removed from the country to face forced marriage). Therefore, when disclosing to Social Services and/or Police, HBV must be disclosed.

Child Sexual Exploitation (also as NSPCC)
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.

Radicalisation and Extremism
Children and young people can be at risk of being drawn into terrorism both violent and non-violent extremism. The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 imposes a ‘Prevent’ duty on a list of specified authorities to have ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’.

Chandran Foundation is not a ‘specified authority’ for the purposes of the Prevent duty however, we will work with the specified authorities, such as local authorities, universities, the NHS and the police, in carrying out their Prevent duties.

Child Criminal Exploitation County Lines/Gangs
County lines is the police term for urban gangs supplying drugs to suburban areas using dedicated mobile phone lines or “deal lines”. It involves child criminal exploitation (CCE) as gangs use children and vulnerable people to move drugs and money. Gangs establish a base typically by taking over the homes of vulnerable adults by force or coercion in a practice referred to as ‘Cuckooing’.

One of the key factors found in most cases of CLE is the presence of some form of exchange (e.g. carrying drugs in return for something) – where it is the victim who is offered, promised or given something they need or want, the exchange can include both tangible (such as money, drugs or clothes) and intangible rewards (such as status, protection or perceived friendship or affection). It is important to remember the unequal power dynamic and to remember that the receipt by a young person does not make them any less a victim. It is also important to note that the prevention of something negative can also fulfil the requirement for exchange, for example, a young person who engages in county lines activity to stop someone carrying out a threat to harm his/her family.

Harmful Sexual Behaviour
Harmful sexual behaviour includes using sexually explicit words and phrases, inappropriate touching, using sexual violence or threats, full penetrative sex with other children or adults.

Self-Harm (NHS)
Self-harm is when somebody intentionally damages or injures their body. It’s usually a way of coping with or expressing overwhelming emotional distress. Self harm can also be a cry for help. Ways of self-harming can include cutting, poisoning, overeating or under-eating, biting themselves, picking or scratching at skin, burning skin, inserting objects into the body, hitting themselves or walls, overdosing, exercising excessively, pulling hair or getting into fights where the person will know they will get hurt.