Safeguarding Children in the Home of a Person Receiving Care Policy

Policy Statement

This policy shows how {{org_field_name}} safeguards children, for whom it has a duty of care for example the children in a household of someone receiving care. It should be linked to {{org_field_name}}’s overarching safeguarding policies for adults and children who are users of its services.

It should also be linked to the policies and procedures of the local safeguarding children’s board, which will reflect a commitment to the Government’s strategy as described in its current Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance.

Principles

This document is based on the conviction that:

the children we encounter in the course of providing services may be at risk of abuse or harm in various forms
abuse may be committed by the staff of agencies providing care or by others who could be in a trusting relationship with a child
as a care service we have a duty to do everything possible to prevent abuse, but also to report and address it wherever we meet it.

Procedures

Recognising abuse

It is the duty of all members of staff to be vigilant regarding the welfare of children with whom we have contact in the course of providing services. Staff likely to be in contact with children and their families will be trained to recognise the signs of abuse when they occur and to respond in accordance with national and local child protection policies and procedures.

Reporting abuse

Any member of staff who knows or believes that abuse of a child is occurring has a duty to report it as quickly as possible preferably to their manager, but if necessary, as a direct alert to the local children’s safeguarding authority, and where there is evidence of criminal abuse to the police. With any decision, the safety of the child must be the paramount consideration, and staff who report abuse of children will, in doing so, be protected by the service’s whistleblowing policy.

Action in emergency situations

If the situation is an emergency, with a child in immediate danger, staff should take urgent action to intervene and call for assistance as soon as possible. They should give any necessary first aid and contact appropriate emergency services if necessary. If the abuser remains present, staff should seek to calm the situation. Staff have a right to avoid putting themselves at risk of violence or other harm.

Immediate action to be taken by managers

When a manager receives a report of suspected, imminent or actual abuse of a child, it will make enquiries as soon as possible. In doing so it will be careful not to prejudice any police or social services actions.

If the suspected abuser is a member of staff, the manager will follow the service’s disciplinary procedures.

{{org_field_name}} expects its staff to co-operate with further enquiries by social services or the police.

Referral to Children’s Services/Local Safeguarding Children Board

Alongside any internal enquiry and action, {{org_field_name}} manager or safeguarding lead will report without delay to the local authority children’s services department and/or Safeguarding Children Board (or where in operation, Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)), which will carry out its own enquiries under local procedures, involving other agencies as necessary.

{{org_field_name}} will notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) where the child who is suspected of being harmed is a user of the services of the agency, which is registered with the CQC.

Reporting to the police

If it is suspected that a criminal act might have been committed, the situation should be reported to the police. Every effort should be made not to interfere with possible evidence.

Contact details

The contact details of relevant organisations are as follows:

Local Authority Children’s Services [insert details]
Local Safeguarding Children Board/MASH [insert details]
Police [insert details].

Action to be taken in the absence of further evidence

Where the local children’s safeguarding services, police or others are making enquiries about a member of staff, which are inconclusive, {{org_field_name}} manager or safeguarding lead could continue with an internal enquiry in line with the disciplinary policy. The purpose will be to ensure the safety of the child.

{{org_field_name}} will continue to keep the situation under review in case it becomes possible or necessary to take further action.

Keeping records

{{org_field_name}} will record all facts and details relating to the enquiry clearly and accurately. The record will be securely kept and the agency’s rules on confidentiality carefully followed. Reports will be made available as required to the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Recruitment

The service takes great care in the recruitment of staff, carries out all possible checks on recruits to ensure that they are of a high standard and will co-operate in all government initiatives regarding the sharing of information on staff who are found to be unsuitable to be involved in work which brings them into contact with children.

Government guidance

{{org_field_name}} is committed to working within current government guidance on multi-agency policies and procedures to protect children from abuse and its CQC registration requirements.

Training

All relevant staff will be trained in child protection and safeguarding and in carrying out their responsibilities under this policy. Training will be updated as required.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

Next review date: this policy is reviewed annually (every 12 months). When needed, this policy is also updated in response to changes in legislation, regulation, best practices, or organisational changes.

S162. Safeguarding Children in the Home of a Person Receiving Care