Safeguarding Policy

All users, hirers and sections must comply with this policy and must provide the Centre, in writing,
with adequate evidence to demonstrate compliance. This includes formal adoption of this policy.
Safeguarding Policy Officer – Stuart Gray

Statement of Intent
Ketton Sports and Community Centre wants every child and vulnerable adult who uses the centre,
regardless of age, to develop their potential and to enjoy and benefit from the services and facilities
we have to offer. We therefore believe that at all times and in all situations they have a right to feel
safe and protected from any situation or practice that might lead to their being physically or
psychologically damaged. This policy is our commitment to provide systems for recognising and
reporting any such risk, and outlines our duty of care to safeguard all children and vulnerable adult
involved in activities at the centre.

Aim
The aim of the policy is to promote good practice and allow all staff and volunteers to make
informed and confident responses to specific child and vulnerable adult protection issues.

Staff involvement and policy application
1. Staff and volunteers working directly with Ketton Sports and Community Centre do not
have regular or extensive involvement with children; the majority of contact is indirect
through the use of the premises by external groups or clubs.
2. This policy applies to all trustees, staff, volunteers, members, hirers and their associated
users, and members of the public using any premises operated by Ketton Sports and
Community Centre.
3. It is the responsibility of all staff, volunteers, trustees, members and Centre users to follow
the policy guidelines and to work together to maximise the protection we can offer children
who use our facilities.
4. Whilst all staff are aware of, and have agreed to comply with, this policy, there will be many
events and activities at the centre where parents are present and must accept full
responsibility the activities and behaviour of their children.

Managing incidents
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to another colleague and record the
incident. You should also ensure the parent/carer of the child or vulnerable adult are informed:
• If you accidentally hurt a child
• If he/she seems distressed in any manner
• If a child appears to be sexually aroused by your actions
• If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done.

Good practice guidelines
1. Always work in an open environment avoiding private or unobserved situations and
encourage open communication.
2. Treat all young people/disabled adults equally with respect and dignity.
3. Always put the welfare of each young person first. Making activities fun, enjoyable and
promote fair play.
4. Maintain a safe and appropriate distance.
5. Build balanced relationships based on mutual trust and empowering children to share in
decision making.
6. Ensure that if any form of manual/physical support is required, it should be provided openly.
7. Involve parents/carers wherever possible.
8. Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.
9. Secure parental consent in writing, in case the need arises to administer emergency first aid
and/or other medical treatment.
10. Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment
given. This should be recorded in the accident book located in the building.
11. Request written parental consent if officials are required to transport young people in their
cars (though this should be avoided).

Practices to be avoided
The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If a case arises where these situations are
unavoidable (e.9. the child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive
to pick a child up at the end of a session), it should be with the full knowledge and consent of
someone in charge of the group or the child’s parents.
Otherwise, avoid:
l. Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
2. Taking or dropping offa child to an event or activity, without written parental consent.

The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:
1. Engage in rough physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay.
2. Share a room with a child.
3. Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.
4. Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
5. Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun.
6. Reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
7. Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
8. Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults that they can do for
themselves.
9. Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised.

Use of photographic/filming equipment
1. Evidence suggests that some people have used some activities as an opportunity to take
inappropriate photographs or film footage of young and disabled people in vulnerable
positions. Any concerns should to be reported to the responsible trustee.
2. Video as a training aid: there is no intention to prevent appropriate groups using video
equipment as a legitimate training/teaching aid. However, children and their parents/carers
should be made aware that this is part of the programme and give written consent. Such
films should be stored safely.

Confidentiality
Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned.
Information should be handled and only discussed on a need to know basis only (with need being
defined as need to ‘have access in the course of their duties’). This includes the following people:
• Child Protection Officer of the Ketton Sports and Community Centre
• The Chairperson of the Ketton Sports and Community Centre
• The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused
• The person making the allegation
• Social Services or Police
No confidentiality agreement should be offered to children in a disclosure situation.

Responding to allegations or suspicions
It is not the responsibility of anyone working in Ketton Sports and Community Centre, in a paid or
unpaid capacity, to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a
responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities. Contact
should be made with the Child Protection Officer who will support you in following the reporting
procedures.
Ketton Sports and Community Centre will assure all staff/volunteers; that it will fully support and
protect anyone who in good faith reports his/her concern that a centre user is, or may be, abusing a child or vulnerable adult.
Where there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of investigation:
• A criminal investigation
• A child protection investigation
• A disciplinary or misconduct investigation.
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary
investigation, but not necessarily.

Concerns about suspected abuse
l. Any suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult has been abused by either a member of staff
or a volunteer should be reported to the Child Protection Officer of the Centre, who will take
such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other
child who may be at risk.
2. The Officers will refer the allegation to the Social Services department which may involve
the police, or go directly to the police if out-of-hours.
3. The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice
from the Social Services Department.
4. The Officer should also notify the Chair who will deal with any media enquiries.
5. If the Officer is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to an
alternative officer or Trustee, who will refer the allegation to social services.

Disclosure of abuse
In cases where a child or vulnerable adult makes a disclosure of abuse or where there is strong
suspicion of abuse, the precedent is slightly different:
1. STAFF MUST NOT TRY TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER THEMSELVES, or question
a child for further information. This is a specialist task and is the responsibility of the Social
Services Department who work in conjunction with the Police Child Protection Team.
Inappropriate questioning, i.e. asking leading questions, can lead to vital evidence being
inadmissible in court. It is also essential that where a child’s clothing may be used as
evidence, it is not tampered with, and that any evidence, such as a child’s drawing, is not
discarded.
2. The centre user must immediately report the concerns/incident to the Duty Social Worker at
the Social Services Department who will decide what action to take. In cases where the
parents/carers are the alleged abusers, the centre user/group leader must not infomr
parents/carers before reporting it the Duty Social Worker.

Action if bullying is suspected
If bullying is suspected, the following procedure should be followed:
1. Talk with the bully (ies), explain the situation, and try to get the bully (ies) to understand the
consequences of their behaviour. Seek an apology to the victim(s).
2. Inform the bully (ies)’s parents.
3. Provide support for the victim and there parent/carers.
4. Impose sanctions as necessary. (see behaviour policy)
5. Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour.
6. Hold meetings with the families to report on progress.
7. Inform all organisation members of action taken.
8. Keep a written record of action taken.