.png)
Safeguarding Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children, at risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with ASC. This includes harm arising from:
The conduct of staff or personnel associated with ASC
The design and implementation of ASC’s programmes and activities
The policy lays out the commitments made by ASC, and informs staff and associated personnel[1]of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
This policy does not cover:
Sexual harassment in the workplace – this is dealt with under ASC’s Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy[2]
Safeguarding concerns in the wider community not perpetrated by ASC or associated personnel
What is safeguarding?
In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect[3]
In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff, or courses.
Further definitions relating to safeguarding are provided in the glossary below.
Scope
All staff contracted by ASC
Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to ASC, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities and politicians
Policy Statement
ASC believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. ASC will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
This policy will address the following areas of safeguarding [as appropriate]: child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. These key areas of safeguarding may have different policies and procedures associated with them (see Associated Policies).
ASC commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.
Prevention
ASC’s responsibilities will:
Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy
Design and undertake all its coursesand activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with ASC. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated
Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel
Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization
Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process
Child safeguarding
ASC staff and associated personnel must not:
Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18
Sexually abuse or exploit children
Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking
Adult safeguarding
ASC staff and associated personnel must not:
Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults
Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
ASC staff and associated personnel must not:
Exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance
Engage in any sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics
Additionally, ASC staff and associated personnel are obliged to:
Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an ASCstaff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member
Enabling reports
ASC will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.
Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be protected by ASC’s Disclosure of Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistleblowing) Policy.
ASC will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.
How to report a safeguarding concern
Staff members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to their Safeguarding Focal Point [as appropriate] or line manager. If the staff member does not feel comfortable reporting to their Safeguarding Focal Point or line manager (for example if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other appropriate staff member.
Main contacts: Lydia Davey (07902410094 / lydia@autismsupportconsultancy.com) or Karen McGuiness (07538453999 / Karen@autismsupportconsultancy.com)
Response
ASC will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations (see Procedures for reporting and response to safeguarding concerns in Associated Policies).
ASC will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy.
ASC will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.
Confidentially
It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.