Safeguarding Policy

Contact Details

Designated 2022/23 Safeguarding Lead: Deborah Jones, Managing Director Jones Consulting

Email: deborah.jones@jonesconsulting.org.uk

 

Overarching purpose

We believe that Safeguarding is Everyone’s Responsibility. We want to help everyone to play a part in helping vulnerable people, learners, staff, friends, families, and communities to be safe by knowing the potential sources of harm, the signs to look out for, where to get help and how to report concerns.

 

Policy intent 

Jones Consulting is dedicated to providing a safe space in which to learn and thrive. We are  committed to safeguarding all our learners and protecting their right to live and learn in  safety, free from abuse and/or neglect. 

Jones Consulting has a moral duty to ensure that we promote the welfare of young people  and vulnerable adults receiving education and training with us and through our partners and  subcontractors. We have thorough and effective Safeguarding arrangements in place. As a  contractor / collaborator with Local Authorities, Education providers, the NHS and Police,  we consider it a responsibility to be compliant with the public sector duty for Prevent Duty. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance/revised-prevent duty-guidance-for-england-and-wales 

Jones Consulting works together with other agencies to ensure adequate arrangements  within the organisation to identify, assess, and support those young people and adults who  are suffering harm. 

Adult safeguarding is about preventing and responding to concerns of abuse, harm or  neglect of adults. We recognise that all staff have a full and active part to play in protecting  our learners from harm and that their welfare is our paramount concern. Jones Consulting promotes an ethos where everyone feels safe and secure, valued and  respected, is encouraged to talk and is listened to. 

We actively promote British Values and act responsibly and swiftly if we suspect that any  learner is or could be exposed to or involved in activities linked to terrorism or extremism. Staff and learners should all be aware of how they can raise concerns about themselves or  others and will know how their concerns will be dealt with. 

 

The aims of this policy 

That: 

• all reasonable steps are taken to make sure learners and staff are, and feel safe
• learners and staff have up to date knowledge of potential sources of harm and how  to take steps to keep themselves their families and their communities safe
• learners and staff recognise the signs of abuse, including radicalisation
• staff know how to respond to safeguarding concerns and disclosures with confidence
• learners and staff know how to report concerns within Jones Consulting and to  external agencies 
• learners and staff know how to find out more and get help 
• we meet our legal and statutory obligations.

 

How we will achieve our aims

By:

• professional, ethical and moral leadership and management of Jones Consulting and  programmes we deliver for clients 
• keeping safeguarding and welfare at the heart of planning and delivery
• encouraging a culture of respect, openness, vigilance and whistleblowing
• ensuring our policy and guidance is up to date and useful 
• following appropriate processes in the recruitment of staff and learners
• ensuring sound induction and training of staff and learners, supported by relevant  and local information and resources 
• promoting a culture of health, safety and wellbeing (policies and guidance, lone  working, activity, personal, venue risk assessments,) 
• appointing a trained safeguarding officer with strong links to external partners and  agencies 
• ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation, guidance, policies and procedures,  including for managing ‘Allegations against employees and volunteers’
• obtaining disclosure and barring service checks for staff in all roles with enhanced  checks for staff in specific roles, following assessment 
• working with subcontractors and employers so they understand their responsibilities  and alerting procedures 
• reviewing our safeguarding arrangements to support continual improvement
• maintaining up to date records of alerts to inform follow up and prevent issues being missed 
• working with external agencies and partners to understand when and how to refer, communication protocols and share best practice 
• risk assessing learners with unspent criminal convictions, referred by the probation  service, or identified by clients prior to acceptance.

 

Scope

This policy applies to Jones Consulting staff and learners including those who are learning with subcontracted partners.

 

Communication of the Policy & Guidance

Details of the Policy & Guidance will be made available to:

• all staff and volunteers by means of induction and training or when the policy & procedure has been reviewed and amended. Staff will confirm they have read and understood the policy through completion of the induction.
• all staff will as a minimum be expected to undertake Safeguarding and Prevent training and update their training in line with this policy & guidance.

Learners will be made aware of the Policy & Guidelines by means of a summary published on the Jones Consulting website and elsewhere as appropriate.

• sub-contracted partners will be made aware of the Policy & Guidelines by the relationship manager, through the induction process and regular contract review meetings.
• partner, commissioned, or freelance providers of activities and learning sessions will be asked by the relationship manager leading on the activity to provide their own safeguarding and prevent and safer recruitment operating procedures along with any supporting evidence and documentation.

 

Operating Arrangements

We will ensure that: 

1. All staff understand and fulfil their safeguarding including prevent responsibilities. 
2. The Managing Director will be the designated member of the leadership team for  Safeguarding including prevent. 
3. We have a member of staff who will act in the Designated Safeguarding Lead’s absence,  the Quality & Health & Safety Manager, who has also received multi-agency training and  who will have been briefed in this role. 
4. All new members of staff and volunteers will complete essential Safeguarding training  which includes Extremism and radicalisation training as part of their induction programme. 
5. All members of staff know how to respond to a learner or customer who discloses abuse  or a safeguarding concern and the procedure to be followed in appropriately sharing this  information. 
6. All staff (including temporary tutors and volunteers) new to Jones Consulting will be made  aware by their line manager of the service policy and procedures, the name and contact  details of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and safeguarding team and will be given a copy  of this policy. 
7. No staff will be able to work with learners without supervision until mandatory induction  training has been completed, satisfactory references are received, and a basic Disclosure  and Barring Check (DBS) check has been received. In exceptional circumstances, a risk  assessment process may be used by managers where one of these control measures is not  fulfilled. 
8. We have clear and visible policies in place covering, staff, learners, use of premises which  identify where learners or staff may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism. 
9. A safer recruitment policy is in place for staff and volunteers. Pre-employment checks to  determine staff and volunteer suitability will be undertaken for all staff recruited to work for  Jones Consulting and appointment will not be confirmed unless satisfactory checks have  been completed. These checks will include references and eligibility checks. 
10. A basic Disclosure and Barring Check will be made on all new entrants and staff working  with learner information. 
11. An Enhanced and Barred List check will be undertaken for any member of staff or  volunteer recruited to work in a regulated activity. Regulated activity at Jones Consulting will include:
    • Tutors on Family Learning programmes 
    • Tutors on programmes with 16–18-year-olds (19-25 vulnerable adults) 
    • Tutors on any other programmes which fall within the definition of regulated activity 
    • Line managers of tutors delivering on any of these programmes described 
12. All staff with a DBS will be required to declare with immediate effect annually whether  there has been a change in their circumstances relating to the background checks.
13. Our procedures will be reviewed and updated every 2 years or sooner in response to  new guidance and/or regulations.
14. The name of the Designated Safeguarding Lead will be clearly shown on the Jones Consulting website.
15. All learners new to Jones Consulting will be made aware of the Safeguarding policy and  procedures, the name and contact details of the Safeguarding Lead and be given access to  an electronic copy.
16. We are clear that there is a zero-tolerance approach to hate speech, sexual violence and  sexual harassment and it is never acceptable, and it will not be tolerated, and it will never  be passed off as “banter”, or “just having a laugh”.
17. We provide clear guidance on e-safety and online learning protocols.
18. We have a risk assessment process in place that is regularly reviewed to ensure we are  aware of the risks of radicalisation and extremism and that we comply with our  responsibilities as a sub-contractor to public sector organisations that must comply with the Prevent Duty.

 

Responsibilities

Jones Consulting recognises that it is an agent of referral and not of investigation. It is not Jones Consulting’s responsibility to investigate abuse.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead is responsible for the following:

• Referring a vulnerable learner if there are concerns about their welfare, possible abuse or neglect to the Local Adult or Children’s Safeguarding Board (whichever is relevant to the case) using the stipulated referral procedure as soon as possible within the working day.
• Any person identified as being at risk of radicalisation is referred to the local Prevent team (in Leicester it is the Leicester Safeguarding Adults Board LSAB).
  https://www.leicester.gov.uk/contact-us/concerned-about-a-child-or-an-adult
• Ensuring that detailed and accurate written records of concerns about a vulnerable learner are kept even if there is no need to make an immediate referral.
• Ensuring that all such records are kept confidentially and securely and are separate from other records with a front sheet listing dates and brief entry to provide a chronology.
• Acting as a focal point for staff concerns and liaising with other agencies and professionals.
• Ensuring that either they or another appropriately informed member of staff attends case conferences, core groups, or other multi-agency planning meetings.
• Keeping themselves up to date with knowledge to enable them to fulfil their role, including attending all required essential training provided by the appropriate body.

 

The Roles and Responsibilities of the Safeguarding Officers (Designated Persons)

The roles and responsibilities of the Safeguarding Officers fall into 3 areas.

 

Referrals

• Refer cases of suspected abuse or allegations to relevant statutory agencies
• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff when deciding whether and when to make a referral
• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to all learners and staff affected by a safeguarding incident
• Ideally seek advice from and share information with relevant statutory agencies after seeking consent or informing parents or carers of a referral, unless to do so would place the person at increased risk of harm
• Report hate crime https://www.leics.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/hco/hate-crime/how-to-report-hate-crime/

 

Training

• Recognise how to identify the signs of abuse, neglect, and radicalisation and when it is appropriate to make a referral to other agencies.
• Ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the safeguarding policy and procedures, especially new or part-time staff who may work at different establishments and or location.
• Ensure all learners have access to and understand the organisations safeguarding policy and procedures.
• Ensure all learners and staff have induction training covering safeguarding and can recognise and report any concerns about safety and welfare immediately they arise.
• Be able to keep detailed, accurate, secure written records of referrals and or concerns.
• Obtain access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses.

 

Raising awareness

• Ensure the safeguarding policy and procedures are updated and reviewed annually.
• Ensure learners know that disclosures or concerns about suspected abuse or neglect  may be referred to the police or social services.

 

Allegations against Staff

All staff should take care not to place themselves in a vulnerable position with a child or learners. It is always strongly recommended that interviews, tutorials or work with individual young people or learners to be conducted in view of other adults.

We understand that a child or learner may make an allegation against a member of staff. If such an allegation is made, the member of staff receiving the allegation will immediately inform the Managing Director.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead on all such occasions will discuss the content of the allegation with the Leicester Local authority designated officer (LADO) for children, see https://www.lcitylscb.org/about-the-lscpb/local-authority-designated-officer-lado/ or the Designated Adult Safeguarding Manager (DASM) for adults, see https://www.leicester.gov.uk/contact-us/concerned-about-a-child-or-an-adult/

If the allegation made to a member of staff concerns a member of the SMT, the person receiving the allegation will immediately inform the Quality & Health & Safety Manager, who will consult as above, without notifying the SMT member first. Jones Consulting (which is based in Leicester city) will follow Leicester City Council’s procedures for managing allegations.

 

Whistleblowing

We recognise that learners cannot be expected to raise concerns in an environment where staff fail to do so. All staff should be aware of their duty to raise concerns about the attitude or actions of colleagues. If necessary, they should speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

 

Process for learners

Any learner who has concerns about themselves, other learners, staff, or their apprenticeship/work placement employer should initially talk to/email their tutor if appropriate or directly contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead on any of the published phone numbers or by email to deborah.jones@jonesconsulting.org.uk

We recognise that all matters relating to safeguarding and child and learner’s protection are confidential. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will disclose personal information about a child or learner to other members of staff on a need-to-know basis only. However, all staff have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies to safeguard children and vulnerable learners. All staff are aware that they cannot promise a child, young person, or learner to keep secrets which might compromise safety or well-being or that of another.

We will always undertake to share our intention to refer a learner to other services.