Our Safeguarding Policy

RIVERBANK TRUST SAFEGUARDING POLICY

GUIDELINES FOR WORK WITH AND THE PASTORAL CARE OF YOUNG PEOPLE

(Under 18), ADULTS AT RISK, AND REFUGEE FAMILIES

This policy applies to all staff including the CEO and the board of trustees, trainee staff, volunteers, and occasional helpers, students, or anyone working on behalf of Riverbank Trust. Riverbank Trust believes that under no circumstances should a staff member or volunteer inflict physical or psychological harm on a child.

Riverbank Trust recognises that the legal definition of a vulnerable adult is defined by the NHS as any adult (person over the age of 18) unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from exploitation. Therefore, for the purposes of this document the term “adults at risk” will be used to describe the majority of women we support. However, Riverbank may also work with women who are vulnerable adults as defined by the NHS.

The aim and purpose of this policy is to:

• Provide procedures for promoting safeguarding, preventing abuse, and protecting children, adults at risk, and staff.

• Protect children, young people, and adults at risk of harm who are beneficiaries of Riverbank Trust. This also includes the children of adults who are beneficiaries of Riverbank Trust.

• Provide staff and volunteers with the arching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding.

• Provide staff and volunteers with clear procedures for taking appropriate action when safeguarding concerns are raised involving children and adults within our organisation, or those who attend our activities and events.

• Promote best practices in working with children and adults at risk.

Riverbank Trust believes that we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all young people and adults at risk to keep them safe. We are committed to practicing in a way that protects them.

GDPR:

‘The GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 place duties on organisations and individuals to process personal information fairly and lawfully; they are not a barrier to sharing information, where the failure to do so would cause the safety or well-being of a child to be compromised. Similarly, human rights concerns, such as respecting the right to a private and family life would not prevent sharing where there are real safeguarding concerns.’

1. A policy statement on safeguarding the welfare of children:

As a Christian Ministry committed to presenting the reality of God to families, we affirm our belief in the God-given value of each person with whom we work or have contact. In recognition of God's wholehearted commitment to them, we will also treat each individual with value and dignity and aim that none suffer physical, sexual, emotional, or spiritual abuse of any kind. It is the responsibility of each one of us to safeguard children, young adults, and people against physical, sexual, spiritual1 , and emotional abuse and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.

1 "Spiritual abuse happens when a leader with spiritual authority uses that authority to coerce, control or exploit a follower, thus causing spiritual wounds." Ken Blue: Healing Spiritual Abuse. IVP 1993.

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:

- Working Together to Safeguarding Children: A Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children; HM Government 2015 (revised 2018)

- Human Rights Act 1998 and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (ratified by UK government 1991)

- Protection of Children Act 1999

- Sexual Offences Act 1997, 2000, 2003 (Amendments)

- Data Protection Act 1998

- The Care Standards Act 2000

- Safe from Harm: Code of Practice for Safeguarding the Welfare of Children in voluntary organisations, published by the Home Office in 1993

- Every Child Matters Change for Children Programme

- No Secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect adults at risk from abuse.

- The Care Act 2014

- Human Trafficking & Exploitation Act (2015)

- Counterterrorism & Security Act (2015)

- PREVENT Strategy: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/individuals-at-risk-of-being-drawn-into-serious-and-organised-crime-a-prevent-guide

- After-school clubs, community activity, and tuition safeguarding guidelines for providers September 2023

We recognise that:

- The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989

- All children and adults at risk, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.

- Some children and adults at risk are additionally susceptible because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs, or other issues.

-SEND children can be at additional risk of harm due to communication difficulties. Staff and volunteers are to be aware of these risks.

- Working in partnership with our beneficiaries and other agencies is essential in promoting the person’s welfare.

We will seek to keep children and families at risk safe by:

• Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.

• Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer and a lead board member for safeguarding.

• Adopting safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for all staff and volunteers.

• Providing effective management for all staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training, and quality assurance measures.

• Ensuring that all staff and volunteers will have access to all relevant Riverbank policies and will adhere to the relevant policies and expectations laid out in them.

• Recruiting staff and volunteers robustly & safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.

• Recording and storing information professionally and securely and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff, and volunteers.

• Using our safeguarding procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately.

• Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

• Ensuring staff abide by the staff code of conduct.

• Ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our beneficiaries, staff, and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures by following the law and regulatory guidance.

2. Safe Recruitment - Appointment of staff and volunteers:

The appointment of staff and volunteers will follow the relevant Riverbank Trust robust recruitment, selection, and probationary procedures. These are available on request and include what to do about the application process, interviews, references, and proof of identity, etc. All staff and volunteers will have a written job description.

The necessary DBS details for all trustees, staff, and volunteers will be kept securely on the Riverbank database and will not be provided to external parties without seeking permission from the person first.

In cases where the role of a staff member, trustee, or volunteer involves regular direct contact with beneficiaries of Riverbank Trust, the Trust will require the satisfactory completion and return of an Enhanced Check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS check) before the commencement of the role.

All staff, trustees, and regular volunteers shall be given and explained this policy statement.

All staff and all regular volunteers will receive training according to these guidelines when they join Riverbank Trust and will receive a refresher and further training as part of their CPD. Riverbank Trust will ensure that all policies and procedures are available to view on request.

Riverbank Trust recognises that when its staff are visiting churches or running conferences, events, or training events, those attending may reasonably assume that such staff have been subject to appropriate safeguarding checks. Therefore, all staff visiting groups on behalf of Riverbank Trust and all those running or assisting at Riverbank Trust conferences, events, or training events where they could have unsupervised access to young people or adults at risk must be subject to checks as set out in these guidelines.

One-off volunteers undertaking tasks for Riverbank Trust will be subject to the same procedure as staff and regular volunteers. This requirement may be waived if the person is known to Riverbank Trust and will not have unsupervised access to children, young people, or adults at risk in the course of the task. ‘Known to Riverbank Trust’ means that at least two people who are staff, Board members, staff workers or people who have significant connections with Riverbank Trust could, if asked, provide references for the person. ‘One-off’ applies to volunteers giving not more than a day for their volunteering. One-off volunteers will include those who accompany staff on a speaking engagement or help at a Riverbank Trust event. Once someone is volunteering with Riverbank Trust on a regular basis, ‘regular’ meaning more than three times a year, then they will be subject to the Riverbank Trust guidelines for volunteers in this document.

Riverbank Trust is not responsible for the selection, approval, or appointment of those working with children, young people, or adults at risk in any affiliated church or organisation. These organisations and churches are responsible for appointing people to work with children, young people, and adults at risk according to their policies for protecting and safeguarding those children, young people, and adults at risk.

Riverbank Trust accepts a duty of care to ensure that in working alongside partner agencies, the said agency has an up-to-date safeguarding policy and procedure.

3. Management/Supervision:

There shall be a system of line management within Riverbank Trust to provide supervision and accountability. This will include monitoring ongoing work within the community where a staff member is based, and each staff member will be line-managed in accordance with Riverbank Trust policies and guidelines for staff and volunteers.

To ensure regular communication and supervision surrounding Riverbank Trust’s safeguarding policy, the DSL will meet twice yearly with the named lead board member for Safeguarding. These meetings will be recorded via written minutes and kept securely by Riverbank Trust.

Supervisors will keep a brief written record of each supervision meeting and of any things of note that are observed, and these will be shared with the DSL.

It is expected that notes of contact with families at risk of harm will be recorded in accordance with Riverbank policies.

4. Training:

Riverbank Trust will ensure that annual training is provided for all staff and volunteers regarding safeguarding issues and other areas relevant to their role. When joining Riverbank Trust, either as a staff member or as a volunteer, safeguarding training will be incorporated into the induction.

The Lead board member for safeguarding will work in conjunction with the designated safeguarding lead to keep them up to date with any changes made to these guidelines.

5. Procedures if abuse is suspected, discovered, or disclosed: What to do if there is a disclosure or allegation of abuse:

It is the responsibility of adults to report their concerns. It is not their responsibility to investigate or decide whether a child/adult has been abused it must be shared with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

The most important thing to remember is that when a young person or adult at risk discloses that abuse of any nature is taking (or has taken) place, they are divulging something that may have been a secret. It is not the place for this document to provide guidance for counselling in this scenario, but please make sure that the person knows that YOU believe them. Many situations have arisen where the first person to be told of such events failed to demonstrate that they believed the person in the first instance, and this led to the abuse being covered up for years.

If a person wants to talk to you about some form of abuse, follow the following guidelines as much as possible and appropriate to your situation. General points are

• accept what the person says

• keep calm

• be honest

• look directly at the person

• do not appear shocked

• let them know you may need to tell someone else

• assure them that they are not to blame for the abuse

• never ask leading questions

• never push for information

• do not fill in words, finish their sentences, or make assumptions

• be aware that the child or adult at risk may have been threatened

• At the next available opportunity write down what you have heard, under what circumstances, and what you have done, and keep this information in a secure place.

The following information is about the types of abuse which can occur and how to recognise them, including physical signs and symptoms as well as behavioural changes that you might observe. Bear in mind that children, young people, and adults may be subject to one type of abuse or a combination of types of abuse. Definitions are taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government, 2018)

NOTE: The lists of signs and symptoms below are not exhaustive – there may be other signs or symptoms that are not listed below which could be indicators of abuse. Similarly, some of these signs and symptoms will not always be indicators of abuse. The following lists under each category of abuse contain examples of possible indicators. The presence of one or more of these signs or symptoms does not necessarily confirm the abuse.

Types of abuse:

Physical Abuse

Physical abuse may or may not cause injury and includes physical ill-treatment, causing unjustifiable physical discomfort, for example, injury, pain, or impairment.

Abusive Actions Signs and Symptoms

• Hitting

• Slapping

• Kicking

• Shaking

• Inappropriate Restraint

• Withholding or misusing medication

• Biting

• Suffocating

• Poisoning

• Drowning

• Killing

• Fabricated or Induced Illness

• Cuts, lacerations, puncture wounds, open wounds, bruising, welts, black eyes, burns, bite marks, broken bones, and skull fractures

• Untreated injuries

• Broken eyeglasses or frames

• Physical signs of being subjected to punishment or signs of being restrained

• Inappropriate use of medication, overdosing, or under-dosing.

• Cowering and flinching

• Emotional distress, low self-esteem, untypical self-harm

• Telling you they have been hit, slapped, or mistreated

• Aggressive behavior or severe temper outbursts

• Depression

• Withdrawn behavior

Remember: Most children will collect cuts and bruises as part of the rough and tumble of daily life.

However, important indicators of physical abuse are bruises or injuries that are either unexplained or inconsistent with the explanation given, or visible on the ‘soft’ parts of the body where accidental injuries are unlikely, e.g., cheeks, abdomen, back, and buttocks.

Neglect:

Neglectful behaviour is any pattern of activity by another person, which seriously impairs an individual.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)

• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger

• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers)

• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Abusive Actions Signs and Symptoms

Neglect involves persistently failing to provide necessities, for example:

• Adequate food

• Clothing

• Shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment

• Personal Care

• Failure to protect a child or adult at risk from physical or emotional harm or

danger.

• Failure to ensure adequate supervision including the use of inadequate caregivers.

• Failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment

• Deliberately withholding essential aids – e.g. visual or hearing aids

• Lack of appropriate supervision

• Dirt, faecal or urine smell, or other health and safety hazards in the person’s living environment

• Rashes, sores, and lice on the person.

• Inadequate clothing

• Poor personal hygiene

• Unsanitary and unclean conditions

• Constant hunger

• Loss of weight or being constantly underweight

Changes in behavior that can also indicate neglect may include:

• Complaining of being tired all the time

• Having few friends

• Mentioning being left alone or unsupervised

Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, and touching outside of clothing.

A sexual act carried out without the informed consent of the other individual is abuse. Such behaviour includes contact and non-contact abuse, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet)

Contact abuse may include rape, indecent assault, being forced to touch another person, sexual intercourse, or being pressurised into consenting to sexual acts

No one should enter into a sexual relationship with someone for whom they have pastoral responsibility or who is in a position of authority/ responsibility where he/she is trusted by others.

It is also important to remember that it is not just adult men who sexually abuse children – there are increasing numbers of allegations of sexual abuse of children against women and sexual abuse can also be perpetrated by other children or young people. Trafficked children also experience sexual abuse. Please see

“Human Trafficking Act”.

Abusive Actions Signs and Symptoms

• Rape

• Sexual Assault

• Kissing

• Fondling/Caressing

• Involving children or adults at risk in looking at, or in the production of sexual

images, watching sexual activities

• Encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways

• Sending sexualised texts and emails or engaging in sexualised behaviour via other online routes, such as social media.

• Bruises around the breasts or genital areas

• Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections

• Unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding

• Vaginal discharge or infection

• Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing

• The child or adult at risk telling you they have been sexually assaulted or raped

• Pain or itching in the genital area

• Sexually transmitted disease

• Pregnancy

Changes in behaviour that can also indicate sexual abuse include:

• Sudden or unexplained changes in behaviour e.g., becoming aggressive or

withdrawn

• Fear of being left with a specific person or group of people

• Running away from home

• Sexual knowledge that is beyond their age, or developmental level

• Sexual drawings or language

• Bedwetting

• Self-harm, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts

• Substance abuse

• Suddenly having unexplained sources of money

• Acting in a sexually explicit way, specifically children toward adults

• Being trafficked around the area. Adults outside of the child’s parents taking them for periods of time

The age of consent for both heterosexual and homosexual sex in England is 16.

Sexual activity with a child under the age of 13 is classed as rape under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. A child under the age of 13 is not legally capable of giving their consent.

Although it is an offence for any child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity with another child under the age of 16, the police would not seek to criminalise all 13–16-year-olds having underage sex.

Statutory agencies have agreed that if 13–16-year-old sexual activity is discovered then an assessment of risk should be carried out.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them, or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Abusive Actions Signs and Symptoms

• Threats and Verbal Abuse

• Humiliation

• Blaming

• Controlling

• Pressurising and Coercion

• Intimidation and causing fear

• Ignoring the person

• Not giving the person, a chance to express their views

• Making someone feel worthless

• Lack of privacy or choice

• Causing/forcing isolation/withdrawal from family/friends and support networks.

• This form of abuse can be in person or via online/ messaging services

For Children:

• Imposing developmentally inappropriate expectations

• Witnessing domestic abuse, seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another

person.

• Hesitation in talking openly

• Confusion or disorientation

• Anger without an apparent cause

• Sudden changes in behaviour

• Unexplained fear

• Telling you they are being verbally or emotionally abused.

Changes in a child’s behaviour that can indicate emotional abuse include:

• Being unable to play

• Fear of making mistakes

• Sudden speech disorders

• Self -harm

• Fear of parent being approached regarding their behaviour

• Developmental delay in terms of emotional progress.

Bullying, sexual, and racial harassment can also sometimes be referred to as emotional abuse.

Domestic Abuse

Children and young people are deemed victims of domestic abuse when they see, hear, or experience the effects of domestic abuse. The cross-government definition of domestic violence and abuse is: any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse perpetrated by those aged 16 or over who are or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:

• Psychological/Emotional: For example, shouting; swearing; frightening; blaming; ignoring or humiliating someone; blackmailing them; threatening harm to children or pets if they misbehave; ridiculing every aspect of their appearance and skills; keeping them deliberately short of sleep; being obsessively and irrationally jealous; keeping them isolated from friends and family; threatening suicide or self-harm.

• Physical: For example, hitting; slapping; burning; pushing; restraining; giving too much medication or the wrong medication; assault with everyday implements such as kitchen knives; kicking; biting; punching; shoving; smashing someone’s possessions; imprisoning them; or forcing them to use illegal drugs as a way of blackmailing and controlling them.

• Sexual: For example, forcing someone to take part in any sexual activity without consent, e.g., rape or sexual assault; forcing them or blackmailing them into sexual acts with other people; forcing children to watch sexual acts; sexual name calling; imposition of dress codes upon a partner; involvement in the sex trade or pornography; knowingly passing on Sexually Transmitted Infections; controlling access to contraception.

• Neglect: For example, a failure to provide necessary care, assistance, guidance, or attention that causes, or is reasonably likely to cause a person physical, mental, or emotional harm or substantial damage to or loss of assets.

• Financial: For example, the illegal or unauthorized use of someone’s property, money, pension book, or other valuables; forcing them to take out loans; keeping them in poverty; demanding to know every penny they spend; refusing to let them use transport or have money to pay for it.

• Spiritual: For example, telling someone that God hates them; refusing to let them worship (e.g., not allowing a partner to go to church); using faith as a weapon to control and terrorize them for the abuser’s personal pleasure or gain; using religious teaching to justify abuse (e.g., ‘submit to your husband’), or to compel forgiveness.

• Digital: For example, the use of technology (e.g., texting, and social networking) to bully, harass, stalk, or intimidate a partner. Though it is perpetuated online, this type of abuse has a strong impact on a victim's real life. For example, the ‘revenge porn’ offence i.e., disclosing private sexual photographs via digital media to cause distress

People experience domestic abuse regardless of their social group, class, ethnicity, age, disability, or sexuality.

Most abuse is carried out by men against female partners, but abuse can be inflicted by women on men, and can also occur in same-sex relationships and teenage relationships. Domestic abuse can also be inflicted within family settings, for example, a teenage child abusing his or her parents, or forced marriage. Incidents can be considered domestic abuse and abuse of an adult when the perpetrator is, for example, the daughter and the carer of the adult.

Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual Abuse is not covered by the standard statutory definitions of abuse but is of concern both within and outside faith communities.

Within faith communities harm can be caused by the inappropriate use of religious belief or practice; this can include the misuse of the authority of leadership or penitential discipline, oppressive teaching, or intrusive healing and deliverance ministries, which may result in people at risk of experiencing physical, emotional, or sexual harm. If such inappropriate behaviour becomes harmful it should be referred for investigation in the usual way. Careful supervision and mentoring of those entrusted with the pastoral care of adults should help to prevent harm from occurring in this way.

A particular aspect of Spiritual Abuse relating to children has been addressed in the Department of Health Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession (2007).

The term ‘belief in spirit possession’ is defined as the belief that an evil force has entered a child and is controlling him or her. Sometimes the term ‘witch’ is used and is defined as the belief that a child is able to use an evil force to harm others. There is also a range of other languages that is connected to such abuse.

This includes black magic, kindoki, ndoki, the evil eye, djinns, voodoo, obeah, demons, and child sorcerers.

In all these cases, genuine beliefs can be held by families, carers, religious leaders, congregations, and the children themselves that evil forces are at work. Families and children can be deeply worried by the evil that they believe is threatening them, and abuse often occurs when an attempt is made to ‘exorcise’, or ‘deliver’ the child. Exorcism is defined as attempting to expel evil spirits from a child. Whilst the number of identified cases is small, the nature of the child abuse can be particularly disturbing and the impact on the child is substantial and serious. (DoH Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession, 2007).

Additional Specialist circumstances:

Some of these circumstances include:

• Grooming: Grooming refers to actions deliberately aimed at establishing an emotional connection and trust with someone in order to increase the likelihood of them engaging in sexual behaviour or exploitation. Grooming may also include threats or bribes, which persuade the person that it would be impossible to ask for help. It may appear as an unhealthily close friendship that stretches or breaks approved boundaries.

• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE): Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts, and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g., food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities.

• Honour-Based Violence (HBV): The Forced Marriage Unit at the Home Office defines this as: ‘So-called honour-based violence is a crime or incident, which has or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of the family and/or community’ Honour Based Violence can manifest in many different ways and often presents with accompanying criminal offences, domestic abuse, or the civil offence of forced marriage. If incidents include domestic abuse, child abuse, or other serious crimes then it should be read in conjunction with the relevant policies and procedures on these subjects.

Honour Based Violence can include:

- Physical Abuse

- Sexual Abuse

- Emotional and Psychological Abuse

- Financial Abuse

- Forced Marriage

- Female Genital Mutilation

• Forced Marriage; Marriage without consent is not valid in UK law and a child under 16 years old is not considered to be competent to consent to marriage. The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats, actual physical violence, and sexual violence) or emotional and psychological (for example, when someone is made to feel like they are bringing shame on their family). Financial abuse (taking your wages or not giving you any money) can also be a factor.

• Female Genital Mutilation: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a collective term for illegal procedures that include the removal of part or all external female genitalia for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. The practice is not required by any religion and is medically unnecessary, painful, and has serious health consequences at the time it is carried out and in later life. The procedure is typically performed on girls of any age but is also performed on newborn infants and young women before marriage/ pregnancy. A number of girls die as a direct result of the procedure, from blood loss or infection. FGM may be practiced illegally by doctors or traditional health workers in the UK, or girls may be sent abroad for the operation. FGM is illegal in this country by the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, except on specific physical and mental health grounds. The victim may be seriously at risk if any knowledge of the disclosure is mishandled.

Procedure in the event of a concern of abuse:

If there is an immediate threat of harm, the Police should be contacted without delay.

Where it is deemed that there is no immediate threat of harm, the following will occur:

• The concern should be discussed with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and a decision made as to whether the concern warrants a referral to the statutory authorities - you can ask for a professional conversation at the Single Point of Access (SPA) to discuss if unsure.

• A confidential record will be made of the conversation and the circumstances surrounding it using the template. This record will be kept securely, and a copy shared with the statutory authorities if a referral is made.

• The person about whom the allegation is made must not be informed by anyone in Riverbank Trust if it is judged that to do so could place a child or adult at increased risk. If the statutory authorities are involved, they should be consulted beforehand.

Team/Project/Volunteer/Holiday Leaders must inform a Riverbank Trust staff member/LineManager/Coordinator.

The disclosure should then be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) in Riverbank Trust.

Where necessary, the issue will be escalated without delay from the DSL to the CEO.

A ‘Cause for Concern Form’ can be found in the Safeguarding Folder under the Riverbank Staff Team shared area. This must be completed when any disclosures or concerns are raised and brought to the attention of the DSL and CEO. A copy of the form must be emailed over to discern whether any immediate action must be taken. This will be stored securely. A decision will then be taken between the

DSL and CEO as to whether to escalate the disclosure and for it to be reported to the relevant authorities.

The Board will be informed via the Lead Safeguarding Trustee. Any cause for concerns that have not been escalated to involve other relevant agencies will be reviewed by the DSL, CEO, and Trustee responsible for Safeguarding on a termly basis.

It is important to keep reporting channels as short as possible and this should not prevent or delay any reporting to relevant authorities. If the person to whom the abuse was disclosed believes that the relevant Line manager has not taken appropriate action, they may speak to the authorities themselves.

To ensure confidentiality, information must only be shared on a ‘need to know’ basis, and NOT discussed with other staff members or professionals unless agreed necessary by the CEO or other relevant authorities.

The young person or adult must be kept informed at all times of what is being done, and what is likely to happen, and should, as far as is possible, be prepared for such an eventuality before they disclose such information. When the situation is reported to the authorities then it is likely that the following may be included: A strategy discussion involving Social Services, the Police child protection team, other significant

professionals, and the person suspecting abuse or to whom the young person has talked. A decision by the authorities will be taken as to whether an investigation is warranted; if so, it will then be planned.

If the disclosure is made whilst working within a school setting, the worker or volunteer must inform the lead safeguarding officer in the school as well as the Riverbank DSL. Riverbank Trust will comply with the Safeguarding Policy of the relevant school.

If a discloser is made abut the DSL then staff are required to contact the designated safeguarding board member (DSBM) to raise this, The DSBM will then lead an investigation and inform those necessary.

6. Allegations of abuse against Riverbank Trust staff or volunteers

If there is an allegation of abuse by a member of staff or volunteer, then Riverbank Trust will cooperate with the police and statutory agencies in the enquiry. For any concerns relating to children, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) will be contacted. The LADO will give helpful advice. The timing and method of any action to be taken will be discussed and agreed upon with the LADO. You can contact the LADO service on 0208 8917370 or 07774 332675.

During the course of the enquiry, it is recommended that the staff or volunteer concerned is not involved in face-to-face work and that they take a period of special leave during which salary continues to be paid. If the enquiry is not concluded within a month this action may need to be reassessed.

Riverbank Trust staff and volunteers must report any allegation made about themselves or others to their supervisor or his/her delegated representative.

7. Contact Details and Roles of Responsibility

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Anke (anke@riverbanktrust.org)

Riverbank Trust CEO: Laura (laura@riverbanktrust.org)

DBS Coordinator: Reni (reni@riverbanktrust.org)

Designated Safeguarding Board Member: Katie (Safeguarding@riverbanktrust.org)

Front door to Children Social Care operated by Achieving for Children (AFC)

Single Point of Access (SPA): 020 8547 5008 (Monday – Friday 8-6 pm)

020 8770 5000 (Out of Hours)

If you have any safeguarding concerns, please make a referral to our Single Point of Access by using the following link SPA referral form;

https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/children_and_family_care/single_point_of_access/single_point_of_access_for_professionals/make_a_referral_to_spa

Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT): 020 8247 5847

This Policy will be reviewed and updated regularly..