Safeguarding Policy

Children’s Safeguarding Policy for BeLifted

BeLifted abides by the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to safeguarding practice that reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice requirements.

We recognise the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

Purpose:

BeLifted will:

Protect children and young people who receive BeLifted’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services
Provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of BeLifted including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students. Failure to comply with the policy and related procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.

Definitions:

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

Adult at Risk:

An adult who has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs),
is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

Child and Adult Abuse:

Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

Bullying and cyberbullying
Child sexual exploitation
Child Criminal exploitation
Child trafficking
Domestic abuse
Female genital mutilation
Grooming
Historical abuse
Online abuse

Safeguarding children:

Safeguarding children is defined as:

protecting children from maltreatment.
preventing impairment of children’s health or development.
ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Legal Framework:

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.

BeLifted should have in place arrangements that reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as vulnerable adults.

The Prevent duty

Some organisations in England, Scotland and Wales have a duty, as a specified authority under section 26 of the Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015, to identify vulnerable children and young people and prevent them from being drawn into terrorism. This is known as the Prevent duty. These organisations include:

Schools
Registered childcare providers
Local authorities
Police
Prisons and probation services
NHS trusts and foundations.
Other organisations may also have Prevent duties if they perform delegated local authority functions.

Children can be exposed to different views and receive information from various sources. Some of these views may be considered radical or extreme.

Radicalisation is the process through which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. It can result in a person becoming drawn into terrorism and is in itself a form of harm.

Extremism is vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.

Training and Awareness:

BeLifted will ensure an appropriate level of safeguarding training is available to its Trustees, Employees, Volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation who requires it (e.g. contractors).

For all employees who are working or volunteering with children, this requires them as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to:

Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children.
Recognise a child potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.
Understand how to report a safeguarding Alert.
Understand dignity and respect when working with children.
Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Children Policy.

Similarly, employees and volunteers may encounter concerns about the safety and wellbeing of an adult at risk of abuse. For more information about adults safeguarding, refer to BeLifted Adults Safeguarding Policy.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing:

BeLifted expects all employees, volunteers and trustees to maintain confidentiality. Information will only be shared in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection.

However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if a child is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed.

Recording and Record Keeping:

A written record must be kept about any concern regarding an adult with safeguarding needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made and why they were made.

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Safe Recruitment & Selection:

BeLifted is committed to safe employment and safe recruitment practices, that reduce the risk of harm to children from people unsuitable to work with them or have contact with them.

BeLifted has policies and procedures that cover the recruitment of all Trustees, employees and volunteers.

Social Media:

All employees and volunteers should be aware of BeLifted’s social media policy and procedures and the code of conduct for behaviour towards the children we support.

Use of Mobile Phones and other Digital Technology:

All employees, trustees and volunteers should be aware of BeLifted policy and procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and any digital technology and understand that it is unlawful to photograph children and young people without the explicit consent of the person with parental responsibilities.

Whistleblowing:

It is important that people within BeLifted have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. BeLifted encourages people to come forward and will protect all whistle blowers.

Senior Lead for Safeguarding

Name: Jennifer McCall

Email address: beliftednow@gmail.com

Police

Emergency – 999

Non-emergency – 101

NSPCC Helpline

0808 800 5000

Adult Safeguarding Policy for BeLifted

Aims

We are a grass roots community led organisation with a vision to uplift women through the power of positive music, fitness and community led interaction projects.

We reach out to women in the North West London area, with a key focus on

Brent
Camden
Barnet

We focus on the following groups of women

Women from the age of 16-70 years old
Black and ethnic minority women
Domestic Violence survivors
Single mothers
Women living in poverty
At risk women and women ex-offenders

BeLifted will not tolerate the abuse of adults in any of its forms and is committed to safeguarding adults with care and support needs from harm.

This policy outlines the steps BeLifted will make to safeguard an adult with care and support needs if they are deemed to be at risk. This policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of BeLifted in working together with other professionals and agencies in promoting the adult’s welfare and safeguarding them from abuse and neglect.

BeLifted will ensure that decisions made will allow adults to make their own choices and include them in any decision making. BeLifted will also ensure that safe and effective working practices are in place.

This policy is intended to support staff and volunteers working within BeLifted to understand their role and responsibilities in safeguarding adults. All staff and volunteers are expected to follow this policy.

The key objectives of this policy are for all employees and volunteers of BeLifted to:

have an overview of adult safeguarding
be clear about their responsibility to safeguard adults
ensure the necessary actions are taken where an adult with care and support needs is deemed to be at risk

This policy is based on:

The Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support statutory guidance
London Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures

Under the Human Rights Act 1998, everyone has the right to live free from abuse and neglect.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/human-rights-act

Copies of this policy should be available within BeLifted and BeLifted will not tolerate the abuse of adults in the organisation and staff and volunteers should be made aware of how this policy can be accessed.

What is Safeguarding adults?

‘Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.’ Care and Support Statutory Guidance, Department of Health, updated February 2017

All adults should be able to live free from fear and harm. But some may find it hard to get the help and support they need to stop abuse.

An adult may be unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation due to many reasons, including their mental or physical incapacity, sensory loss or physical or learning disabilities. This could be an adult who is usually able to protect themselves from harm but may be unable to do so because of an accident, disability, frailty, addiction or illness.

BeLifted adheres to the following six key principles that underpin safeguarding work (see Care Act guidance):

Empowerment
Prevention
Proportionality
Protection
Partnership
Accountability

BeLifted will not tolerate the abuse of adults; staff and volunteers should ensure that their work reflects the principles above and ensure the adult with care and support needs is involved in their decisions and informed consent is obtained. BeLifted should ensure that the safeguarding action agreed is the least intrusive response to the risk. Partners from the community should be involved in any safeguarding work in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse. BeLifted should be transparent and accountable in delivering safeguarding actions.

What is Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)?

MSP means a case should be person-led and outcome-focused. The individual should be involved in identifying how best to respond to their safeguarding situation by giving them more choice and control as well as improving quality of life, wellbeing and safety.

BeLifted will not tolerate the abuse of adults. BeLifted will ensure that adults are involved in their safeguarding arrangements and each individual is dealt with on a case by case basis. As adults may have different preferences, histories and lifestyles, the same process may not work for all.

Who do adult safeguarding duties apply to?

The Care Act 2014 sets out that adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:

has care and support needs, and
is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse and neglect, and
is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect, because of those needs.

Who do I go to if I am concerned?

The named responsible person for safeguarding duties for BeLifted is beliftednow@gmail.com / 07507312312.

All staff and volunteers should contact Jenny McCall for any concerns/queries they have in regard to safeguarding adults. A log of the concern must be kept.

Jenny McCall and Fanta Sheriff will be responsible to make decisions about notifying adult social services if required and consider alternative actions, where necessary.

Jenny McCall and Fanta Sheriff will also ensure that the safeguarding adults policies and procedures are in place and up to date. They will ensure a safe environment is promoted for staff and volunteers and adults accessing the service. Jenny McCall will ensure they are up to date with their safeguarding adults training.

What should I do if I am concerned?

Staff and volunteers at BeLifted who have any adult safeguarding concerns should:

Respond

Take emergency action if someone is at immediate risk of harm/in need of urgent medical attention. Dial 999 for emergency services
Get brief details about what has happened and what the adult would like done about it, but do not probe or conduct a mini-investigation
Seek consent from the adult to take action and to report the concern. Consider whether the adult may lack capacity to make decisions about their own and other people’s safety and wellbeing. If you decide to act against their wishes or without their consent, you must record your decision and the reasons for this.

Report

Name the person to whom staff/volunteers need to report any potential safeguarding concerns. This will usually be the organisation’s designated safeguarding lead (see above)

Record

The information should be emailed immediately as a Word document and trustees and directors will have access to the information. We have an incident form, this must also be completed immediately.
As far as possible, records should be written contemporaneously, dated and signed.
Keep records about safeguarding concerns confidential and in a location where the alleged abuser will not have access to the record. Access should not be given to any unauthorised person for accessing confidential information including the sharing of passwords

Refer

In making a decision whether to refer or not, the designated safeguarding lead should take into account:

(1) the adult’s wishes and preferred outcome
(2) whether the adult has mental capacity to make an informed decision about their own and others’ safety
(3) the safety or wellbeing of children or other adults with care and support needs
(4) whether there is a person in a position of trust involved
(5) whether a crime has been committed

This should inform the decision whether to notify the concern to the following people:

the police if a crime has been committed and/or
Camden, Barnet or Brent council Access & Advice Team (part of adult social services) for possible safeguarding enquiry
relevant regulatory bodies such as Care Quality Commission, Ofsted, Charities Commission
service commissioning teams
family/relatives as appropriate (seek advice from adult social services)

The designated safeguarding lead should keep a record of the reasons for referring the concern or reasons for not referring.

Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple and may affect one person or more. Staff and volunteers should look beyond single incidents to identify patterns of harm. Accurate recording of information will also assist in recognising any patterns.

As soon as Adult Social Services becomes involved, a 4-stage safeguarding adults process is followed. For more information about this 4-stage safeguarding adults process, refer to the London Safeguarding Adults Procedures.

What are your roles and responsibilities?

All staff, management, trustees and volunteers at BeLifted are expected to report any concerns to the named person for safeguarding. If the allegation is against one of BeLifted’s members, volunteers, trustees or directors, seek advice from BeLifted safeguarding lead Jenny McCall. If the allegation is against the safeguarding lead, seek advice from the police or council.

The designated safeguarding adults lead should be responsible for providing acknowledgement of the referral and brief feedback to the person raising the original concern. Feedback should be given in a way that will not make the situation worse or breach the Data Protection Act. If the police are involved, they should be consulted prior to giving feedback to the referrer to ensure any criminal investigation is not affected.

The local authority will decide on who will lead on a safeguarding enquiry should it progress to that stage. The named organisation should not conduct its own safeguarding enquiry unless instructed to do so by the local authority.

Staff and volunteers should ensure that the adult with care and support needs is involved at all stages of their safeguarding enquiry ensuring a person-centred approach is adopted.

Complaints procedure

BeLifted promotes transparency and honesty when things go wrong. All staff and volunteers should apologise and be honest with service users and other relevant people when things go wrong.

If a staff or volunteer or any other member of the organisation is unhappy with BeLifted’s decision about the safeguarding concern, refer them to Jenny McCall, who will outline the complaints policy.

BeLifted is committed to ensuring that staff and volunteers who in good faith whistle-blow in the public interest, will be protected from reprisals and victimisation.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is to be used when decisions on behalf of those adults with care and support needs who are unable to make some decisions for themselves. Refer to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice. You will need to involve an advocate if the person lacks capacity to make decisions about the safeguarding concern.

Why is it important to take action?

It may be difficult for adults with care and support needs to protect themselves and to report abuse. They rely on you to help them.

Confidentiality and information sharing

BeLifted expects all staff, volunteers, trustees to maintain confidentiality at all times. In line with Data Protection law, BeLifted does not share information if not required.

It should however be noted that information should be shared with authorities if an adult is deemed to be at risk of immediate harm. Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people can make all the difference to preventing harm. For further guidance on information sharing and safeguarding see: https://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults/sharing-information/key-messages.asp

Recruitment and selection

BeLifted is committed to safe employment. Safe recruitment practices, such as Disclosure and Barring checks, reduce the risk of exposing adults with care and support needs to people unsuitable to work with them. Refer to the council’s guidance on Safer Recruitment (please note this guidance is currently being updated).

Training, awareness raising and supervision

BeLifted ensures that all staff and volunteers receive basic awareness training on safeguarding adults as they may come across adults with care and support needs who may be at risk of abuse. Those adults may report things of concern to staff or volunteers who should be equipped with the basic knowledge around safeguarding adults and be confident to identify that abuse is taking place and action is required. All staff and volunteers should be clear about the core values of BeLifted and commitment to safeguarding adults.

It is also useful to discuss training with staff who have attended training sessions to ensure they are embedding this in practice.

Similarly, staff and volunteers may encounter concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children. For more information about children’s safeguarding, refer to BeLifted’s Children’s Safeguarding Policy.

Prevent

Radicalisation and extremism of adults with care and support needs is a form of emotional/psychological exploitation. Radicalisation can take place through direct personal contact, or indirectly through social media.

If staff are concerned that an adult with care and support needs is at risk of being radicalised and drawn into terrorism, they should treat it in the same way as any other safeguarding concern. For more information about Prevent see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

Online Safeguarding Policy for Children and Adults

Introduction

This Online Safeguarding Policy outlines the responsibilities and practices of BeLifted to protect children and adults when engaging in online activities. The policy is based on UK and European safeguarding laws, including the Children Act 1989, the Care Act 2014, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), and the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that BeLifted provides a safe, inclusive, and respectful online environment for all participants, particularly vulnerable individuals such as children and adults at risk. This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, contractors, and users of our online platforms.

Scope

This policy applies to:

Online communication platforms such as video conferencing tools, social media, and messaging services.
Educational and recreational activities delivered online.
The use of any technology or digital tools provided by or associated with BeLifted.

Key Principles

Protection of Vulnerable Individuals:

All children and adults at risk have the right to feel safe and protected online.
Online activities must be conducted in ways that prevent harm, exploitation, or abuse.

Transparency and Accountability:

All online interactions must be open, honest, and recorded when appropriate.
Clear guidelines for communication and behaviour will be shared with staff, participants, and parents or carers.

Data Protection and Privacy:

Personal data will be handled in compliance with GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
Confidentiality will be maintained unless a safeguarding concern necessitates disclosure.

Legislative Framework

This policy is informed by the following laws and regulations:

Children Act 1989 and 2004 (UK)
Care Act 2014 (UK)
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (UK)
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU/UK)
European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
Prevent Duty (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015)
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance

Responsibilities

Management Team:

Ensure this policy is regularly reviewed and updated.
Provide training for staff and volunteers on online safeguarding procedures.
Monitor compliance with safeguarding practices.

Staff and Volunteers:

Follow this policy and report any concerns promptly.
Use approved communication channels for online interactions.
Maintain professional boundaries at all times.

Participants and Families:

Abide by the agreed Code of Conduct.
Report any incidents or concerns to the designated safeguarding lead (DSL).

Guidelines for Online Safety

Safe Communication:

Use only authorised platforms and accounts for online communication.
Obtain parental or carer consent for children’s participation in online activities.
Record sessions or maintain written records where necessary, ensuring GDPR compliance.

Code of Conduct for Online Behaviour:

Respect the privacy and dignity of all participants.
Refrain from sharing personal information or contact details.
Report any inappropriate or harmful behaviour immediately.

Risk Assessments:

Conduct risk assessments for online platforms and activities.
Ensure secure settings for video conferencing (e.g., passwords, waiting rooms).

Reporting Concerns:

Any safeguarding concerns must be reported to the DSL or deputy DSL within 24 hours.
The DSL will follow the procedures outlined in BeLifted’s Safeguarding Policy, including liaising with external agencies such as local authorities or the police where necessary.

Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

Recognising Abuse:

Be vigilant for signs of online abuse, including cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, or radicalisation.

Reporting:

All concerns must be reported to the DSL, who will document and act on the concern appropriately.

Support:

Provide appropriate support to those affected, including referral to specialist services if needed.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Jenny McCall, BeLifted — beliftednow@gmail.com — 07507312312

Monitoring and Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or following any significant incidents, changes in legislation, or updates in safeguarding practices. Staff, volunteers, and participants will be consulted during the review process.

Policy Approval

Approved by: Jennifer McCall

Useful contacts

Jenny McCall, BeLifted — beliftednow@gmail.com — 07507312312

Useful links

Care Act: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents/enacted

London Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures: http://londonadass.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/LONDON-MULTI-AGENCY-ADULT-SAFEGUARDING-POLICY-AND-PROCEDURES.pdf

Care and Support Statutory Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/506202/23902777_Care_Act_Book.pdf

Prevent: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance

Information sharing: https://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults/sharing-information/key-messages.asp

Appendix 1

What are the types of safeguarding adults abuse?

The Care and Support Statutory Guidance sets out the 10 main types of abuse:

Physical abuse
Neglect
Sexual abuse
Psychological
Financial abuse
Discriminatory
Organisational
Domestic violence
Modern Slavery
Self-neglect

However, you should keep an open mind about what constitutes abuse or neglect as it can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual case should always be considered. For more information, read section 14.17 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance.

What are the possible signs of abuse?

Abuse and neglect can be difficult to spot. You should be alert to the following possible signs of abuse and neglect:

Depression, self-harm or suicide attempts
Difficulty making friends
Fear or anxiety
The person looks dirty or is not dressed properly
The person never seems to have money
The person has an injury that is difficult to explain (such as bruises, finger marks, ‘non-accidental’ injury, neck, shoulders, chest and arms)
The person has signs of a pressure ulcer
The person is experiencing insomnia
The person seems frightened, or frightened of physical contact
Inappropriate sexual awareness or sexually explicit behaviour
The person is withdrawn, changes in behaviour

You should ask the person if you are unsure about their well-being as there may be other explanations to the above presentation.

Who abuses and neglects adults?

Abuse can happen anywhere, even in somebody’s own home. Most often abuse takes place by others who are in a position of trust and power. It can take place whether an adult lives alone or with others. Anyone can carry out abuse or neglect, including: