‘Safeguarding on a session’ is an essential part in helping to keep members of the group safe from themselves, their team, and others external to the group. Every adult has to understand and be aware of what issues young or older people can be faced with. This page focuses on the leader having a responsibility in relation to child protection and also knowing the aims and how to approach the situation.
The leader is committed to:
- Taking all reasonable measures to safeguard and help promote the welfare of each member of the group
- The practice of safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with groups
- Protecting each member from any form of abuse, whether from an adult or another member
The leader’s aims are:
- To raise awareness of individual responsibilities in identifying and reporting possible cases of abuse
- To provide systematic means of monitoring, recording and reporting of concerns
- To provide guidance on recognising and dealing with suspected child abuse
- To provide a framework for inter-agency communication and effective liaison
- To ensure that any deficiencies or weaknesses in child protection arrangements are remedied without delay
- To ensure that safe recruitment procedures are operated
- To design and operate procedures that promote this policy and which, so far as possible, ensure that teachers and others who are innocent are not prejudiced by false allegations
- To contribute to the operation of appropriate health and safety procedures
- To have regard to and be consistent with relevant statutory and regulatory requirements and guidance
Do you know what to do?
In addition, adults working within natural spaces need to appreciate that when children feel comfortable and content, when their instinct to trust and risk take is encouraged, they may be moved to disclose information that they might have otherwise kept to themselves.
Any adult or volunteer, who finds that a child is telling them something that concerns them should follow the course of action set out below in simple steps:
- Listen to the pupil but don’t ask leading questions
- Keep calm & offer reassurance
- Make NO promises
- Inform the Safeguarding team
- Record all details of conversation (e.g. Behaviour Watch )