Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC makes a positive contribution to a strong and safe community and recognises the right of every individual to stay safe.

Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC comes into contact with children and / or vulnerable adults through the following activities: Hire of space to groups.

The types of contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will be providing space to groups and is regulated/controlled.

This policy seeks to ensure that Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC undertakes its responsibilities with regard to protection of children and / or vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support paid and unpaid staff in their practices and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.

I confirm that I have been made fully aware of, and understand the contents of, the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for (insert name of organisation).

Please complete the details below and return this completed form to  Elaine McGinty.

Employee Name :

Employee Signature:

Date:

The principal pieces of legislation governing this policy are:

• Working together to safeguard Children 2010

• The Children Act 1989

• The Adoption and Children Act 2002: 

• The Children act 2004 

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

• Care Standards Act 2000

• Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

• The Police Act – CRB 1997

• Mental Health Act 1983

• NHS and Community Care Act 1990

• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the organisation to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.

Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.

It can take a number of forms, including the following:

• Physical abuse

• Sexual abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Bullying

• Neglect

• Financial (or material) abuse.

Definition of a child:
A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

Definition of Vulnerable Adults:
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. 

This may include a person who:

• Physical abuse

• Sexual abuse

• Emotional abuse

• Bullying

• Neglect

• Financial (or material) abuse

All staff (paid or unpaid) have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures. 

We expect all staff (paid or unpaid) to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.

Additional specific responsibilities
Trustees have responsibility to ensure there is a policy in place.
SMT have responsibility to ensure all staff paid and unpaid are given a copy of this policy and sign to confirm that has been read and adherence to its content is required by law and is a condition of working within the Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC or any of its subsidiaries or outreach activities.

The Designated Senior Manager /lead officer is Elaine McGinty/Joe Buckley These people’s responsibilities are implementing safeguarding and equality policies across the organisation and staff and trustees have access to appropriate training and information to carry out their duties in accordance with the policies. To receive staff concerns about safeguarding and respond to all seriously, swiftly and appropriately. To keep up to date with local arrangements for safeguarding and DBS. To develop and maintain effective links with relevant agencies. To take forward concerns about responses.

The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:

• Whistleblowing –ability to inform on other staff/ practices within the organisation.

• Grievance and disciplinary procedures – to address breaches of procedures/ policies.

• Health and Safety policy, including lone working procedures,  mitigating risk to staff and clients.

• Equal Opportunities policy– ensuring safeguarding procedures are in line with this policy, in particular around discriminatory abuse and ensuring that the safeguarding policy and procedures are not discriminatory.

• Data protection (how records are stored and access to those records).

• Confidentiality (or limited confidentiality policy) ensuring that service users are aware of your duty to disclose.

• Staff induction.

• Staff training.

Service delivery contracting and sub contracting:
Recruitment – the following good practice recruitment processes are taken from Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board.  

• Providing the following safeguarding statement in recruitment adverts or application details –‘recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices.’

• Job or role descriptions for all roles involving contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will contain reference to safeguarding responsibilities.

• There are person specifications for roles which contain a statement on core competency with regard to child/ vulnerable adult protection/ safeguarding.

• Shortlisting is based on formal application processes/forms and not on provision of CVs.

• Interviews are conducted according to equal opportunity principles and interview questions are based on the relevant job description and person specification.

• CRB checks will be conducted for specific roles for all staff (paid or unpaid) working with children and vulnerable adults. Portable/ carry over CRB checks from another employer will not be deemed to be sufficient. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred by the ISA to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts.

• No formal job offers are made until after checks for suitability are completed (including DBS and 2 references).Unless at an event under the supervision of a Phoenix CIC member.

Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC commits resources for induction, training of staff (paid and unpaid), effective communications and support mechanisms in relation to Safeguarding

Induction will include:

• Discussion of the Safeguarding Policy (and confirmation of understanding)

• Discussion of other relevant policies

• Ensure familiarity with reporting processes, the roles of line manager and Designated Senior Manager (and who acts in their absence)

• Initial training on safeguarding including: safe working practices, safe recruitment, understanding child protection and the alerter guide for adult safeguarding.  

New Staff will be assessed for competence in applying safe practices during probation periods.

Training
All staff who, through their role, are in contact with children and /or vulnerable adults will have access to safeguarding training at an appropriate level. Sources and types of training will include workshops, one to one mentoring, training guides.
A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

Communications and discussion of safeguarding issues
Commitment to the following communication methods will ensure effective communication of safeguarding issues and practice: 

• team meetings

• SMT meetings

• Board meetings 

• One to one meetings (formal or informal),
  clinical supervision

Support:

• We recognise that involvement in situations where there is risk or actual harm can be stressful for staff concerned. The mechanisms in place to support staff include: Debriefing support for paid and unpaid staff so that they can reflect on the issues they have dealt with.

• Seeking further support as appropriate e.g. access to counselling. 

• Staff who have initiated protection concerns will be contacted by line manager /DSM within a certain timescale e.g. 1 week).

Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between a support worker and a client. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that allows this necessary and often close relationship to exist while ensuring the correct detachment is kept in place. Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC expects staff to protect the professional integrity of themselves and the organisation.

The following policies also contain guidance on staff (paid or unpaid) conduct: 

If the professional boundaries and/or policies are breached this could result in disciplinary procedures or enactment of the allegation management procedures:

• Use of abusive language

• Response to inappropriate behaviour / language

• Use of punishment or chastisement

• Passing on service users’ personal contact details

• Degree of accessibility to service users (e.g. not providing personal contact details)

• Selling to or buying items from a service user

• Accepting gifts/ rewards or hospitality from organisation as an inducement for either doing/ not doing something in their official capacity.

The process outlined below details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at The Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC

Communicate your concerns with your immediate manager

• Communicate your concerns with your immediate manager.

• If the immediate manager is implicated, then refer to their line manager or peer.

Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against its staff (paid or unpaid) within the organisation or by a professional from another organisation.

The process for raising and dealing with allegations is as follows:

First step: Any member of staff (paid or unpaid) from (insert name of organisation) is required to report any concerns in the first instance to their line manager/ safeguarding manager/ peer.  [You may refer to making a written record at this stage e.g. ‘A written record of the concern will be completed by (insert - the individual /line manager/ safeguarding manager/ peer)].

The Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC recognises its legal duty to report any concerns about unsafe practice by any of its paid or unpaid staff to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), according to the ISA referral guidance document http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/PDF/ISA%20Referral%20Guidance%20%20V2009-02.pdf

The organisation will monitor the following Safeguarding aspects: 

The safeguarding aspects which would typically be monitored would include:

• Safe recruitment practices 

• DBS checks undertaken

• References applied for new staff

• Records made and kept of supervision sessions 

• Training – register/ record of staff training on child/ vulnerable adult protection

• Monitoring whether concerns are being reported and actioned

• Checking that policies are up to date and relevant

• Reviewing the current reporting procedure in place

• Presence and action of Designated senior manager responsible for Safeguarding is in post

Information will be gathered, recorded and stored in accordance with the following policies e.g. Data Protection Policy, Confidentiality Policy).

All staff must be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. The public interest in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults may override confidentiality interests. However, information will be shared on a need to know basis only, as judged by the Designated Senior Manager.

All staff must be aware that they cannot promise service users or their families/ carers that they will keep secrets.

The Phoenix Cultural Centre CIC will make clients aware of the Safeguarding Policy through the following means – website/notices.

This policy will be reviewed by senior management every year and when there are changes in legislation.