SL52-Safeguarding Children from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

Safeguarding Children from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy

1. Purpose

At {{org_field_name}}, we are committed to ensuring the safety, well-being, and protection of all children in our care. This policy sets out our approach to preventing, identifying, and responding to child abuse and improper treatment in line with CQC regulations, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, the Children Act 1989 & 2004, the Care Act 2014, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, and the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The purpose of this policy is to:

Prevent harm, abuse, and neglect by creating a safe and supportive environment.
Ensure staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities and act upon concerns effectively.
Ensure compliance with national and local safeguarding procedures.
Promote a child-centred approach where the best interests of the child are always the primary concern.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, contractors, and agency workers working with or coming into contact with children in our service. It covers:

Types of child abuse and signs to look out for
Safeguarding procedures and reporting concerns
Roles and responsibilities of staff and designated safeguarding leads
Working in partnership with multi-agency safeguarding teams
Confidentiality, record-keeping, and information sharing

3. Related Policies

SL13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy
SL34 – Confidentiality and Data Protection (GDPR) Policy
SL21 – Medication Management and Administration Policy
SL12 – Safe Care and Treatment Policy
SL07 – Person-Centred Care Policy
SL16 – Infection Prevention and Control Policy
SL08 – Dignity and Respect Policy

4. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

This policy aligns with:

CQC Regulation 13: Safeguarding Service Users from Abuse and Improper Treatment – Ensuring children in our care are protected.
The Children Act 1989 & 2004 – Establishing legal duties to safeguard and promote child welfare.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 – Providing statutory guidance on multi-agency safeguarding.
The Care Act 2014 – Reinforcing safeguarding responsibilities for vulnerable individuals.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 – Outlining responsibilities regarding DBS checks and barred lists.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 – Setting standards for safeguarding.

5. Recognising and Preventing Abuse

5.1 Types of Child Abuse

Staff must be aware of the following types of abuse:

Physical abuse – Hitting, shaking, burning, scalding, suffocation, poisoning, or any other action that causes physical harm.
Emotional abuse – Persistent criticism, humiliation, threats, bullying, isolating a child, or making them feel worthless.
Sexual abuse – Any form of sexual contact, grooming, exposure to sexual content, or exploitation of a child.
Neglect – Persistent failure to meet a child’s basic needs, including food, shelter, medical care, hygiene, and emotional support.
Child exploitation and trafficking – Forcing or coercing a child into illegal activities such as drug trafficking, theft, or sexual exploitation.
Online abuse – Grooming, cyberbullying, sharing explicit images, or exposure to harmful online content.
Institutional abuse – Inappropriate or harmful treatment within a care setting, including neglect, over-medication, or failure to safeguard.

5.2 Signs and Indicators of Abuse

Staff must be trained to identify signs of abuse, which may include:

Unexplained bruises, burns, fractures, or injuries.
Changes in behaviour, such as withdrawal, extreme aggression, anxiety, depression, or reluctance to be around certain individuals.
Fear of a particular person or environment.
Poor hygiene, malnutrition, or sudden weight loss.
Delayed speech, motor development, or regression in skills.
Unexplained school absences or sudden decline in academic performance.
Inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviour for the child’s age.
Flinching when approached or reluctance to go home.
Persistent hunger, hoarding food, or lack of suitable clothing for weather conditions.

5.3 Preventing Abuse

Preventing abuse is a shared responsibility across the organisation. Preventative measures include:

Recruitment and Safer Staffing – Ensuring all staff and volunteers undergo enhanced DBS checks and thorough recruitment vetting.
Code of Conduct – Ensuring all staff adhere to strict professional boundaries.
Education and Awareness – Training children (where appropriate) on staying safe, recognising abuse, and knowing how to report concerns.
Creating a Safe Environment – Implementing clear safeguarding policies, supervision, and whistleblowing procedures.
Empowering Children – Encouraging children to express their feelings and providing opportunities for them to talk about concerns in a safe setting.

6. Safeguarding Procedures and Reporting Concerns

6.1 Responding to a Child Safeguarding Concern

If a child is in immediate danger, staff must call 999 or 112 immediately and follow emergency protocols.
Staff must listen carefully and provide reassurance to the child, ensuring they feel safe and supported.
When listening to a child’s disclosure, staff must not ask leading questions but instead use open-ended questions to encourage the child to share at their own pace.
Staff must record the child’s exact words wherever possible and avoid paraphrasing.
Any safeguarding concern must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
The DSL must assess the level of risk and urgency of the concern and take appropriate action, which may include:
- Immediate referral to the Local Authority Safeguarding Team.
- Consultation with external safeguarding professionals or legal teams.
- Implementation of protective measures to ensure the child’s safety.
A written safeguarding report must be completed, including:
- Date, time, and location of disclosure or observation.
- Details of the concern, using factual and objective language.
- Actions taken, including whom the concern was reported to and any follow-up required.
Reports must be stored securely and accessed only by authorised personnel to maintain confidentiality.
If a staff member feels their concern has not been addressed appropriately, they must escalate it using the Whistleblowing Policy.

6.2 Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Responsibilities

The DSL ({{org_field_safeguarding_lead_name}}, {{org_field_safeguarding_lead_role}}, {{org_field_safeguarding_lead_phone}}, {{org_field_safeguarding_lead_email}}) is responsible for:

Ensuring all safeguarding concerns are handled correctly and efficiently, in line with CQC and statutory guidelines.
Acting as the first point of contact for staff, children, families, and external agencies regarding safeguarding matters.
Providing immediate guidance to staff on how to proceed with safeguarding concerns.
Escalating serious cases to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), particularly those involving allegations against staff members or concerns about institutional abuse.
Maintaining up-to-date safeguarding records, ensuring all reported concerns are accurately logged and followed up appropriately.
Conducting internal safeguarding audits to monitor compliance and identify areas for improvement.
Providing training and support to staff, ensuring that all team members are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and confident in their ability to act on concerns.
Engaging in multi-agency safeguarding meetings, advocating for the child’s best interests and ensuring they receive appropriate protection and support.
Ensuring all referrals to external agencies are made in a timely manner, with adequate information to facilitate swift intervention.
Monitoring the progress of ongoing safeguarding cases and ensuring appropriate follow-ups are conducted.

6.3 Reporting to External Agencies

Concerns must be reported to the Local Authority Children’s Safeguarding Team at {{org_field_children_safeguarding_local_authority_authority_name}}.
- Website link: {{org_field_local_authority_information_link}}
- The safeguarding team will assess the case and decide on necessary interventions, which may include social worker involvement or immediate protective measures.
If safeguarding concerns arise outside of standard working hours, staff must contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at {{org_field_children_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_authority_name}}.
- Website: {{org_field_children_multi_agency_safeguarding_hub_authority_information_link}}
- MASH teams operate with multi-disciplinary professionals, including social workers, police, and healthcare professionals, ensuring that urgent concerns are addressed swiftly.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) – For concerns about care standards or regulatory breaches. Call 03000 616161.
Ofsted – Use the online notification system on the Ofsted website. Call Ofsted at 0300 123 1231 (for urgent cases).
If a child is at risk of significant harm, staff must ensure that the safeguarding referral is made immediately, even if they are awaiting confirmation from the DSL.
The DSL must ensure that detailed records of all communications with external safeguarding agencies are maintained, including the date, time, agency contact details, and summary of the discussion.
If a safeguarding referral is made but there is no action taken by external agencies, the DSL must escalate the matter by following the Local Authority Escalation Policy, ensuring the child’s safety remains the priority.
Where necessary, legal advice may be sought to ensure that safeguarding actions comply with statutory obligations and best practice guidelines.

Steps to Report a Concern:

Verbally report the concern immediately to the Registered Manager or Safeguarding Lead.
Send an email detailing the concern to the Registered Manager at: {{org_field_registered_manager_email}}.
Call the office to inform the Registered Manager or Safeguarding Lead at {{org_field_phone_no}}.
If the concern arises out of office hours, call the out-of-hours safeguarding number: {{out_of_hours}}.

7. Staff Training and Competency

7.1 Mandatory Safeguarding Training

All staff must complete annual safeguarding children training.
The DSL must complete advanced safeguarding and multi-agency training.
Training will cover:
- Recognising abuse and neglect.
- Responding appropriately to disclosures.
- Recording and reporting safeguarding concerns.
- Multi-agency collaboration and information sharing.

7.2 Competency Assessments

Staff must undergo regular safeguarding competency assessments.
Any staff failing assessments will be retrained before working with children.

8. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

8.1 Record-Keeping

All safeguarding concerns must be documented in secure, confidential records.
Records should include:
- Date, time, and details of the concern.
- Child’s statement (if applicable).
- Actions taken and decisions made.
- Name and contact details of involved professionals.

8.2 GDPR and Data Protection

Information will be shared only on a need-to-know basis, in compliance with GDPR and SL34 – Data Protection Policy.
Consent is not required if sharing information to prevent harm or assist a safeguarding investigation.

9. Multi-Agency Collaboration

{{org_field_name}} works in partnership with social services, healthcare professionals, police, and education providers to protect children.
Regular safeguarding meetings will be attended by the DSL to ensure case updates and collaborative interventions.
Staff must comply with any Child Protection Plans or multi-agency safeguarding protocols.

10. Mental Capacity Act and Children

10.1 Application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to Children

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) applies to young people aged 16 and 17 who may lack the capacity to make specific decisions.
Children under 16 years old are assessed based on Gillick competence, which determines whether they have the maturity and understanding to make decisions about their own care and treatment.
If a young person aged 16 or 17 is deemed to lack capacity, decisions must be made in their best interests, following MCA principles.
The five key principles of the MCA must always be applied:
1. Presumption of capacity – A young person is assumed to have capacity unless proven otherwise.
2. Right to make unwise decisions – If they have capacity, they have the right to make their own choices, even if others disagree.
3. Support to make decisions – All reasonable efforts should be made to help them understand their options.
4. Best interests – Any decision made on behalf of a young person must prioritise their well-being.
5. Least restrictive option – Any intervention should be the least restrictive of their rights and freedoms.

10.2 Best Interest Decisions

If a young person aged 16-17 lacks capacity, a multi-agency best interests meeting should be held involving the child, parents/carers, healthcare professionals, and the Safeguarding Lead.
Parents or legal guardians cannot override a competent young person’s decision, but they may be involved in decision-making where appropriate.
If there is a dispute about a best interest decision, legal advice should be sought, and cases may need to be referred to the Court of Protection.

10.3 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and Children

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) do not apply to individuals under 18.
For children and young people who require restrictions on their liberty, legal authorisation may be required under the Children Act 1989 or through the Court of Protection.
Any restrictive practices must be carefully assessed, documented, and reviewed regularly to ensure compliance with human rights legislation.

11. Policy Availability

Availability to Staff Through Training and Documentation

All employees must be well-informed about the Safeguarding Children Policy and their responsibilities under it.

New Staff Induction: All new employees must be trained on safeguarding procedures as part of their induction.
Ongoing Training: Annual refresher training must be provided to ensure staff remain updated on best practices.
Access to Written Copies: The policy must be available in digital and printed formats at all workplace locations.
Regular Briefings: Safeguarding must be discussed in staff meetings, supervisions, and team briefings.

Availability to Advocates, Family Members, and Legal Representatives

Advocates, family members, and those lawfully acting on behalf of children must also have access to the Safeguarding Adults Policy to understand how concerns are managed.

Provide a copy of the policy upon request.
Direct them to the company website or printed materials where the policy is available.
Offer an opportunity to discuss safeguarding procedures with a Registered Manager or Safeguarding Lead.
Provide contact details of the Local Authority Adult Safeguarding Team, Ofsted and CQC for external safeguarding referrals.

12. Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

12.1 Monitoring Safeguarding Practices

Quarterly audits will assess safeguarding compliance.
Lessons learned from safeguarding cases will be used to improve procedures.
Feedback from children, families, and staff will be reviewed to enhance safeguarding approaches.

12.2 Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if required due to:

Changes in safeguarding legislation.
Updates from Local Safeguarding Partnerships or CQC guidance.
Findings from internal audits or external inspections.

Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}}{{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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