Safeguarding policy.

This policy has been imported from our previous website and is being finalised. For the definitive version or any query, please write to hello@fses.org.

Sections overview:

1 - Policy Statement Key Principles

1 - Policy Statement

Roles and ResponsibilitiesSafer Recruitment and selectionRecognising and Responding to ConcernsConfidentiality and Information SharingAwareness and Review

2 - Statutory Guidance and Regulations Legal responsibilities 3 - Children and Young People

2 - Statutory Guidance and Regulations

3 - Children and Young People

4 - Elderly, Impaired, Disabled and Vulnerable students Reasonable Adjustments

4 - Elderly, Impaired, Disabled and Vulnerable students

5 - Mental Health Mental Health First Aid

5 - Mental Health

6 - Online Learning and Digital Communications Guidance on Procedures and Communication

6 - Online Learning

and Digital Communications

7 - Prevent Duty: Behaviour Management Legal duty for reporting concerns

7 - Prevent Duty: Behaviour Management

8 - Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) responsibilities

9 - Head of Stream and Branch Leaders Responsibilities

10 - Tutor Responsibilities

11 - Reporting Procedures and Record Keeping

12 - Policy Review

13 - Supporting policies and documents

14 - Appendices

• Permission and Admission form for Children and Young People
• Guidelines for Parents, Carers and Students
• Guidelines and Code of Conduct Concerning Student Behaviour
• Designated Lead Safeguarding Role
• Retreat Information and Personal Information Form
• Health and Safety Procedures
• Guidelines for Tutors working with Children Online
• Safeguarding Report Form

Policy Statement

The Safeguarding Policy outlines the commitment of the School of Philosophy and Economic Science (the School). The policy applies to Executive Committee members, students, staff and contractors associated with the School.

The School is committed to maintaining a safe, secure and respectful environment for all individuals involved in its activities. The School aims to protect the well-being of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to ensure that their rights, dignity, and privacy are always respected.

The School is respectful and non-discriminatory; is sensitive to the needs of individuals and is inclusive of all people for whom the teaching is appropriate. Accountability and review are the responsibility of the Executive Committee.

Our Key Principles:a) Prevention: Taking steps to prevent harm to individuals, particularly children, young people and vulnerable adults, through robust safeguarding procedures.

Our Key Principles

• b) Empowerment: Providing individuals with the knowledge and understanding necessary to safeguard themselves and report any concerns they may have. The School ensures that teachings and practices empower all students to make informed decisions.
• c) Responsibility: Everyone understands their responsibilities in ensuring a safe organisation.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• The Executive Committee: The Executive Committee has overall responsibility for safeguarding within the School.
• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): the DSL is responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing safeguarding practices. The role includes ensuring appropriate training where necessary, maintaining records, and acting as a point of contact for concerns or disclosures.
• Branch Leaders, Tutors, Students, Staff: all have a responsibility to familiarise themselves with the Safeguarding Policy and act in accordance with it. Concerns or disclosures should be reported to DSL, Head of Stream and Branch Leaders.

Safer Recruitment and selection

• The School will ensure that tutors working directly with children, in person and online, have obtained enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance and safeguarding training.
• Tutors will adhere to safeguarding procedures, and will operate within the guidance and direction of the policy.

Recognising and Responding to Concerns:

• All concerns and disclosures regarding the welfare or safety of individuals associated with the School will be taken seriously and responded to promptly, consistently and proportionately.
• Concerns should be reported to the DSL, Head of Stream and Branch Leaders.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

• The School will respect confidentiality in line with legal obligations. Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis. Personal data is stored and managed in a safe way that is compliant with data protection regulations.
• Confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained, signed, dated, and securely stored in line with GDPR on the School’s secure database.
• Issues are properly investigated and dealt with quickly, fairly and sensitively, and any necessary reporting to statutory authorities is undertaken.
• Information sharing should be carried out promptly and responsibly, with appropriate consent obtained, unless there are safeguarding concerns that require immediate action.

Awareness and Review

• Tutors will operate confidently and competently, being fully aware of the boundaries of their roles.
• Safeguarding Policy is reviewed on a yearly cycle, or at an earlier date in response to further statutory guidance, the result of monitoring performance or work with statutory agencies and partners.

Statutory Guidance and Regulations

The School will ensure that Executive Committee members, tutors and staff are suitable to act in their roles, through carrying out relevant checks, and references, and carrying out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) where necessary, managed and maintained by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Children and Young People

Children under the age of 16 years should only attend the School in person with a parent/guardian and with permission from Stream Leader/Branch Leader. Young people aged 16 and 17 years may attend with the permission of their parent/guardian and with permission from Stream Leader/Branch Leader. Any tutor of a young person under the age of 18 years should hold a DBS certificate. Online attendance by a child may only be undertaken with the permission of a parent/guardian.

Photography or images of children may be shared by the School, providing explicit permission is granted by parent/guardian, and is in the best interests of the child. No images should identify the child’s location or provide any means of making contact.

Appendix 1 Permission form for Children and Young People

Appendix 2 Guidelines for Parents, Carers and Students

Elderly, Impaired, Disabled and Vulnerable Students

Impaired, Disabled and Vulnerable:

The School will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments when information about an impairment is made known.

Mental Health

Tutors and other students of the School are not in the position of undertaking a diagnosis of a medical need; where there is concern about a student’s well-being, the School’s approach is to follow Mental Health First Aid Guidance which is:

• Approach the person, assess and assist with any crisis
• Listen and communicate non-judgementally
• Encourage the person to get appropriate professional help

Online Learning and Digital Communications

Online Learning

and Digital Communications

The School will ensure that it complies with GDPR legislation and follows safe online procedures.

Prevent Duty: Behaviour Management

The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, advises organisations to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and build resilience to radicalisation by promoting fundamental British values and enabling them to challenge extremist views. Prevent duty is not intended to stop discussion on controversial issues.

As with managing other safeguarding risks, tutors should be alert to changes in behaviour that could indicate a need for help or protection, and act proportionately.

Any form of disruptive behaviour should be managed according the School’s Guidelines and Code of Conduct concerning student behaviour likely to be disruptive to other students.

Appendix 3 Guidelines and Code of Conduct concerning student behaviour likely to be disruptive to other students

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The Designated Safeguarding Lead acts as a source of support, advice and expertise for safeguarding in the School, keeping up to date on safeguarding legislation, regulations, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission.

DSL will be alert to any safeguarding issues on a regular basis, this includes:

• with the Executive Committee, maintain a culture of respect, in which everyone feels safe and able to speak up;
• undertake an annual review of safety, with recommendations to the Committee;
• ensure that safeguarding requirements and responsibilities are reflected in job descriptions for employees, and in advice and instruction to all volunteers;
• ensure that personal data is stored and managed in a safe way that is compliant with GDPR, including valid consent to use any imagery;
• respond to any concerns sensitively, acting quickly to address them;
• ensure safeguarding risk assessments are carried out and appropriate action taken to minimise risk;
• check the School’s risk register reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans, sensible measures to take, including relevant insurance for trustees liability;
• learn from case reviews locally and nationally, to improve the School’s policies, procedures and practices;
• manage safeguarding concerns, allegations or incidents reported in liaison with the Principal.Appendix 4 Designated Safeguarding Lead Role

Heads of Stream and Branch Leaders Responsibilities

Heads of Stream and Branch Leaders will have an overview of group allocation and distribution of material for use with groups; they will monitor the work of the groups and provide guidance as appropriate. Leaders will ensure that all tutors:

• are experienced in the work of the School, are clear about role boundaries and demonstrate the ability to work safely and competently;
• treat all students with respect and conduct themselves in a friendly, professional manner;
• it may be helpful to suggest to students in Part 1 to communicate specific needs so that they may be accommodated where possible;
• are advised on protecting themselves by avoiding being alone with a student, particularly in relation to students who are junior in the School, keeping doors open if doing so, and informing others that a conversation is underway;
• allegations or suspicions are recorded and communicated to the DSL as appropriate;
• are instructed to write down the facts only, as are known and give a copy to Head of Stream/Branch Leader/DSL;
• ensure that no one else is placed in a position that could allow an allegation to occur until an investigation has taken place;
• challenge all unacceptable behaviour.

Student emergency contact details will be made available to tutors in charge of groups, and only used with the specific permission of the adult student where it is possible for that permission to be granted.

Meditation Checks:

Tutors undertaking individual meditation checks with students will: 1. Ensure that the student is comfortable being in a one-to-one situation with the tutor 2. Give the student a choice on the gender of tutor available to them 3. Take place in a School area where other students and tutors are nearby 4. Have a current DBS if engaging with child (under 18 years).

Appendix 5 Risk Assessment, Retreat Information and Personal Information Form

Appendix 6 Health and Safety Requirements

Tutor Responsibilities

Tutors maintain professional standards at all times, establishing an environment in which students feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are listened to and respected; tutors will adhere to the following:

• Be clear about the boundaries of the role, undertaking the role safely and effectively;
• May provide guidance and support within the remit of the role, and where appropriate, may direct a student to other organisations to receive appropriate advice and support;
• Discussions with and amongst students take place at group meetings;
• Meetings with individual students take place as openly as possible. If privacy is needed, it is recommended that a door be left partly open, particularly in relation to students who and junior in the School, and other adults informed of the meeting and its location;
• Physical contact should be avoided; a student may misunderstand or have had previous experiences that may cause misunderstanding or distress. Actions may be interpreted negatively, however well-intentioned;
• Ground rules established for each group that includes expectations for student behaviour, interaction and use of non-discriminatory language. Any concerns about student behaviour should be discussed with the Steam Lead/Branch Leader who may challenge all unacceptable behaviour;
• Where first aid is necessary, another adult should assist.

Communications between Tutors and students outside group sessions are:

• made for the purpose of supporting the student’s attendance at and participation within the School and for making the teaching available to students;
• private communications with individual students respect the nature of the tutor-student relationship; if a personal matter is raised by a student the response must be maintained in the context of this relationship and must not become personal;
• communication to groups of students are controlled by the tutor or delegated to the assistant tutor conversant with these principles; copying in the tutor;
• control of communication is not delegated to students in the group;
• individuals student’s personal data including contact details, and other data held, are not published or made available to any persons within or outside the School, including tutors, without the consent of student;
• students are entitled to copies of personal data held on them by the School;
• database is updated routinely and data of students who no longer attending is removed;
• email communications, telephone conversations, text messages and WhatsApp conversations may take place between adult students and tutors who have given permission for these communications to take place;
• where tutors set up WhatsApp groups, they must be a part of the groups to monitor content, if an inappropriate message is sent, the tutor will address this individually.

Appendix 7 Guidelines for Tutors working with Children online.

Reporting Procedures and Record Keeping

Concerns should be handled sensitively; make verbatim records of what is said, date, sign and store securely, ensuring data protection compliance.and

• Take immediate steps to ensure safety and well-being for the individual, preserve any evidence, date and sign.
• Report to Stream Lead/Branch Leader, who will liaise with DSL who may collaborate with relevant agencies, such as law enforcement or child protection services, co-operating fully with any subsequent investigations.
• Stream Lead/Branch Leader /DSL should collaborate on creating a timeframe, communicating with the person making an allegation; making the necessary enquiries into the allegations, liaising where appropriate with other authorities, including the Charity Commission where necessary.
• Response will be made from a senior member of the School, in liaison with Stream Lead/Branch Leader/DSL to the allegations, to confirm, or dismiss allegation, and stating any action to be taken, including any disciplinary action or procedural change. The individual will be informed of any further action they may take.
• All papers related to the allegation to be filed securely.
• A full review should take place, identifying any procedural/organisational changes required on policy implementation and improvements.

Appendix 8 Safeguarding Report Form template.

Policy Review

Designated Safeguarding Lead Contact details:

Name: Elizabeth Mazzola email: safeguarding@fses.org

The Policy and Guidelines for the Safeguarding of Children and Young People, and Vulnerable Adults was put into place on ……………………………………………….

The Policy and Guidelines for the Safeguarding of Children and Young People, and Vulnerable Adults

This Safeguarding Policy is reviewed on a yearly basis as required by the Local Safeguarding Board, UK, or at an earlier date in response to further statutory guidance, the result of monitoring performance or work with statutory agencies and partners, external reviews.

Date

Supporting policies and documents

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents:

• FSES Code of Conduct 2024
• General Data Protection Regulation 2024
• Whistleblowing Policy 2024
• Health and Safety Policy, First Aid, Fire Safety 2023
• Complaints Policy May 2024
• Insurance and Liability 2024