Safeguarding and promoting

the welfare of children and adults at risk of harm or neglect

1. Purpose

This policy defines how Torch Help Hub (Torch) operates to safeguard children and adults at risk of harm or neglect. Torch believes in protecting an individual’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. We have a duty of care and are committed to the protection and safety of everyone who comes in to contact with Torch including children and adults at risk who are involved in the activities we provide within the community.  We also have a duty to safeguard and support our staff and volunteers.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. For our safeguarding policy to be effective every volunteer, and staff member who supports us whatever their role, will play their part in keeping people safe.

2. Persons Affected

  • All staff and volunteers, including Trustees.
  • All beneficiaries.
  • Any person’s contracted to conduct work on behalf of Torch.

3. Our Policy

Torch has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. Torch recognises that under the Care Act 2014 it has a duty for the care and protection of adults who are at risk of abuse. It also recognises its responsibilities for the safety and care of children under the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021.

Torch is committed to promoting wellbeing, harm prevention and to respond effectively to concerns raised.  We believe that:

  • Nobody involved in our work should ever experience abuse, harm, neglect, or exploitation.
  • We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all our beneficiaries, staff, and volunteers, to keep them safe and to work in a way that protects them.
  • We all have a collective responsibility for creating a culture in which our people not only feel safe but are also able to speak up if they have concerns.
  • All suspicions and allegations of abuse must be reported to the relevant internal and external authorities and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

Torch aims to demonstrate this by ensuring:

  • The culture of our organisation is one that understands there are no excuses for not taking all reasonable action to protect adults at risk and children from abuse, exploitation, radicalisation, and mistreatment.
  • Continued working with relevant agencies including social services, safeguarding teams, and the police to ensure the reporting of abuse is appropriate and in line with local, national and Charity Commission requirements, and information sharing guidance.
  • A clear line of accountability for the provision of safe services exists.
  • A Trustee Safeguarding Lead (TSL) is assigned to take leadership responsibility for safeguarding.
  • A Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is appointed.
  • Staff and volunteers are clear on appropriate behaviour and responses as set out in the Staff and Volunteer Handbook. Where appropriate, failure to maintain standards may be dealt with using Torch’s Disciplinary Procedures.
  • Clear whistleblowing procedures are suitably referenced in training and handbooks, and a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting welfare to be addressed.
  • All staff and volunteers are aware of the policy and procedures for the protection of children and adults at risk. This is done through appropriate safeguarding training, supervision and support for staff and volunteers and for creating an environment where staff and volunteers feel able to raise concerns and feel supported in meeting their safeguarding role.
  • All staff and volunteers are given a mandatory induction, which includes familiarisation with
    safeguarding responsibilities and procedures to be followed if anyone has any concerns.
  • All staff and volunteers, who may encounter adults or children and their families at risk of abuse as part of their Torch duties, will be alert to signs of abuse and consider whether there may be safeguarding concerns.
  • All staff and volunteers will discuss their concerns with the DSL to get appropriate support and advice.
  • All staff and volunteers will receive updates of Torch’s own practice to ensure they improve over time in their work with children, adults, and families at risk.
  • Safe recruitment practices are in place including policies on when to obtain a DBS check.
  • Clear policies for dealing with allegations against people who work with children are in place. Such policies make a clear distinction between an allegation, a concern about the quality of care or practice or a complaint. An allegation may relate to a person who works with children who has:
    • behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child.
    • possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
    • behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm.

Torch will equip staff and volunteers to understand the following:

  • The core legal safeguarding requirements and their responsibility to keep children and adults at risk safe.
  • That all staff and volunteers who encounter children and adults at risk are alert to their needs and any risk of harm that individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to children and adults at risk.
  • The requirement to share appropriate information in a timely way and the need to discuss any concerns about an individual with the DSL.
  • The issues of capacity, consent and decision making in relation to safeguarding adults.

This policy and related procedure will be monitored by the DSL and the Board of Trustees on a regular basis for compliance and will be reviewed at least annually.

 

THH03A Torch Safeguarding Policy v1