Description
Book a children’s art class here.
SAFEGUARDING, CHILD PROTECTION and HEALTH & SAFETY POLICY PROCEDURES
Emma Blount – Artist, Art teacher
Teaching art to adults and children.
Venues:
Granary Cottage, Kings St, Hunworth, Norfolk, NR24 2EH (Emma’s home and garden)
Hunworth Village Hall, Kings Street, Hunworth, NR24 2EQ
Hunworth Common woods and Glaven River by Field Lane.
Emma’s contact details: 07790273519 emmablount@yahoo.co.uk
I am committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 years old.
Description of Business
Teaching art for a fee for the purpose of recreation, mental and physical well-being, improving artistic skills, portfolio building and socialising. Many different media and art forms are used including pencil drawing, charcoal drawing, painting, glass painting, glass painting, faux stained glass and clay. In their breaks during art classes the children have supervised play in the village hall car park and the Hunworth Common woods.
Clients
Children and adults. I do not teach children and adults in the same class room. My classes are all children or all adults. The exception is if a child attends my classes with their adult guardian.
Aim
The purpose of this safeguarding policy is to demonstrate the procedures in place to ensure that every child who attends my art classes and events is safe and protected from harm, and is provided with the best environment in which to thrive, learn and grow.
This means I will always work to:
Protect children from maltreatment
Prevent impairment of children’s health or development
Ensure that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
Take action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Ensure the children are safe from physical hazards
This policy will give clear direction to parents, staff and volunteers about the expected behaviour and my legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children who attend my classes.
Introduction
I, Emma Blount, fully recognise the contribution I can make to protect children from harm and support and promote the welfare of all children.
The elements of this policy are prevention, protection and support.
This policy applies to all children, parents, volunteer children’s workers and staff.
Emma Blount’s Ethos
Emma Blount’s business will establish and maintain an ethos where Emma and her staff and volunteers take an interest in the children’s lives, children feel secure, are encouraged to talk to each other and Emma and the staff, are encouraged to develop moral values, are encouraged to develop social skills, are listened to and are safe. Children will be able to talk freely to Emma or any staff or volunteer if they are worried or concerned about something.
Emma Blount completed a certificate of achievement in Child Protection in Primary Schools with the NSPCC on 19th July 2023.
Emma Blount obtained NSPCC’s Safer Recruitment certificate in September 2023.
Emma Blount completed a certificate in Paediatric First Aid with High Speed Training on 11th October 2023.
Emma Blount completed all the requirements for Common Core Skills and Requirements Level 2 with the London School of Childcare Studies on 21st October 2023.
This will help Emma recruit staff and volunteers that are safe.
Www.gov.uk issued Emma Blount with a clear basic Disclosure and Barring Services certificate 19th July 2023. Please email Emma on emmablount@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to request to view this governmental DBS proof that Emma Blount is clear of criminal offences.
Emma, through training, knows how to recognise a disclosure from a child and knows how to manage this. We will not make promises to any child and we will not keep secrets.
We will report a concern immediately to www.norfolklscb.org and Children’s Services 24 hours 03448008020
Emma Blount is the named Designated Child Protection Officer. But as such will not take any action to resolve the issue or make any decisions or judgement about it, but will immediately write everything down and report it to the Children’s Services.
Emma Blount will provide activities and opportunities that will equip the children with the skills they need to stay safe.
General Procedures
When new staff and volunteer children’s workers join Emma Blount’s business, they will be informed of the safeguarding arrangements in place and given a copy of Emma Blount’s safeguarding policy (this document) and told who the Designated Safeguarding Officer for Safeguarding is (Emma Blount). They will also be shown the recording format.
No adult will be alone with a child unless the adult is the child’s guardian.
Emma and staff will undertake safeguarding and paediatric first aid training every three years.
Emma is currently doing a paediatric first aid course.
All staff and volunteers will be checked by the Disclosure and Barring Services within three months of commencing work for Emma Blount and will be required to show proof to Emma that they are clear of offences and documents proving who they are.
All staff and volunteers will be asked to read this policy yearly after it has been reviewed and updated if necessary. They will sign to say they have read and understood the policy.
All staff will be given a copy of the reporting and referral flowchart.
Emma and staff will keep up to date with the most recent local and national safeguarding advice and guidance. This can be accessed via Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCB) website www.norfolklscp.org
The Designated Officer, Emma, should be used as the first point of contact for concerns and queries regarding any safeguarding concern connected with Emma’s classes.
Safer Staff and Volunteers
Emma Blount’s aim is to provide a safe and supportive environment which secures the well-being and very best outcomes for the children. Emma recognises that sometimes the behaviour of adults may lead to an allegation of abuse being made.
Emma Blount is committed to the fair treatment of her staff, potential staff or users of its services, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background. Emma has a written policy on recruitment of ex-offenders, and a copy of the British Government DBS code of practice, which are both available on request.
Allegations sometimes arise from a differing understanding of the same event, but when they occur they are distressing and difficult for all concerned. We also recognise that many allegations are genuine and there are some adults who deliberately seek to harm or abuse children.
Emma will take all possible steps to safeguard the children and to ensure that the adults working for and helping with Emma Blount’s classes and events are safe to work with children. We will always ensure that the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board’s procedures are followed.
All adults who come into contact with children who attend Emma’s classes and events will be made aware of the steps that will be taken if an allegation is made. We will seek appropriate advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within 24 hours of a concern or allegation being made. The LADO can be contacted via the referral/consultation forms under ‘How to raise a concern’ at www.norfolklscb.org or a message left on 03448008021
Neither Emma nor her staff will investigate these matters. We will seek and work with the advice that is provided. Should an allegation be made against Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer, this will be reported by the parent, staff member or volunteer raising the concern directly to the LADO.
There are sensible steps that every adult should take in their daily professional conduct with children. This can be found in the NSCB Safe Programme Safer Working Practice (this guidance is on the NSCB website and also included in our procedures).
Records and Confidentiality
If we are concerned about the welfare or safety of any child who attends Emma’s classes or events, we will record our concerns immediately on the agreed report form, which is signed and dated by the person with the concern. Then advise and discuss this with Emma the Designated Safeguarding Officer if it wasn’t Emma who wrote the report. Then Emma will give this report to the www.norfolklscp.org.uk ‘How to report a concern” Children’s Services 24 hours 03448008020(1). Information will only be shared between Emma and her staff and volunteers on a need to know basis for the protection of the child.
Any reports and safeguarding information will be kept on paper in a locked file and will be added to, and/or be kept in a password protected document on Emma Blount’s lap top. Copies of referrals will be stored in the file. Reports will not be emailed. The only online platform on which safeguarding information would be placed will be the www.norfolklscp.org.uk concern report online form.
All information is confidential. However if there is a safeguarding or child protection concern about a child, then information can be shared with other agencies, namely the Police.
Emma Blount’s Ethos
I will establish and maintain an ethos where children attending my classes feel secure, are encouraged to talk, are listened to, are taught good values and are safe. Children will be able to talk freely to Emma or any member of staff or volunteer if they are worried or concerned about something.
All staff and volunteers will, through training/induction, know how to recognise a disclosure from a child and will know how to manage this. We will not make promises to any child and we will not keep secrets. Every child will know what the adult will do with whatever they have been told.
We will provide activities and opportunities that will equip the children with the skills they need to stay safe.
At all times we will work in partnership and try to establish effective working relationships with parents, carers and colleagues from other agencies and organisations.
General Procedures
When new staff and volunteers begin helping in Emma’s classes, they will be informed of the safeguarding arrangements in place and given a copy of the safeguarding policy and told who the Designated Safeguarding Officer is (Emma). They will also be shown the recording format, given information on how to complete it and who to pass it on to.
No adult will be alone with a child unless the adult is the child’s guardian.
All staff will be asked to read this policy when they start working for Emma and then yearly after it has been reviewed and updated if necessary. They will sign to say they have read and understood the policy.
All staff will have a copy of the reporting and referral flowchart attached to this policy.
Emma and staff will keep up to date with the most recent local and national safeguarding advice and guidance. This can be accessed via www.norfolk.lscb.org.
As Designated Officer, Emma should be used as a first point of contact for concerns and queries regarding any safeguarding concern associated with Emma’s classes and events.
Safer Staff and Volunteers
Emma’s aim is to provide a safe and supportive environment which secures the well-being and very best outcomes for our children. We do recognise that sometimes the behaviour of adults may lead to an allegation of abuse being made.
Allegations sometimes arise from a differing understanding of the same event, but when they occur they are distressing and difficult for all concerned. We recognise that many allegations are genuine and there are some adults who deliberately seek to harm or abuse children.
We will take all possible steps to safeguard the children and to ensure that the adults in contact with them are safe to work with children. We will always ensure that the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board’s procedures are followed.
All adults who come into contact with children will be made aware of the steps that will be taken if an allegation is made. Emma will seek appropriate advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within 24 hours of a concern or allegation being made. The LADO can be contacted via the referral/consultation forms under ‘How to raise a concern’ at www.norfolklscp.org or a message left on 01603223473 for ongoing cases.
Emma and her staff will not investigate these matters. We will seek and work with the advice that is provided. Should an allegation be made against Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer, this will be reported by the staff ember, parent or volunteer raising the concern directly to the LADO.
There are sensible steps that every adult should take in their daily professional conduct with children. This can be found in the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCB) Safer Programme Safer Working Practice. (This guidance is on the NSCB website www.norfolklscp.org.uk and also included in our procedures.)
Records and Confidentiality
If we are concerned about the welfare or safety of any child we will record our concerns immediately on the agreed report form and give this to Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer, who will give it to www.norfolklscp.org 01603223473.
Any information recorded will be kept in a separate named file, in a secure cabinet and/or password-protected document on Emma Blount’s laptop. These files will be the responsibility of Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer and information will only be shared within the organisation on a need to know basis for the protection of the child.
Any safeguarding information will be kept in the file and will be added to. Copies of referrals will be stored in the file.
All information is confidential. However if there is a safeguarding or child protection concern about a child, then information can be shared with other agencies, namely the Police or Children’s Services.
Reports of a concern to Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer, must be made in writing and signed and dated by the person with the concern.
Roles and Responsibilities
Emma, our Designated Safeguarding Officer will liaise with Children’s Services and other agencies where necessary and make referrals to Children’s Services using the procedure below.
Any concern for a child’s safety or welfare will be recorded in writing and given to Emma, the Designated Safeguarding Officer, who will be responsible for ensuring that all staff members and volunteers are aware of the policy and the procedures they need to know. Emma the DSO will pass the form to ‘How to raise a concern’ on www.norfolklscp.org or call 0344 800 8021. If a member of the public or a staff member is concerned about a child and wishes to raise a concern, they can do so directly to that number or to 03448008020.
Emma, the DSO will ensure that all staff and volunteers have received appropriate Safeguarding information during induction.
At all times the DSO will ensure that safer recruitment practices are followed. Emma, the DSO undertook the NSPCC’s Safer Recruitment Course August 2023. This will help Emma recruit staff and volunteers that are safe.
Emma undertakes to remedy without delay any weakness in regard to safeguarding arrangements that are brought to her attention.
Procedures for Handling Disclosures
A child may decide to disclose information that may indicate they are suffering from abuse or neglect. A child chooses to speak to an adult because they feel that they will listen and that they can trust them. The adult needs to listen to what the child has to say, and be very careful not to ‘lead’ the child or influence in any way what they say.
It is important that the adult remembers to:
Stay calm
Listen and be supportive
Not ask any leading questions, interrogate the child, or put ideas in the child’s head, or jump to conclusions.
Not stop or interrupt a child who is recalling significant events.
Never promise the child confidentiality – it must be explained that information will need to be passed on to help keep them safe.
Avoid criticising the alleged perpetrator
Tell the child what must be done next (the safeguarding process must be followed)
Record what was said immediately as close to what was said as possible. Also record what was happening immediately before the child disclosed. Be sure to sign and date the record in ink.
Contact the Designated Safeguarding Officer (Emma) immediately. If it is Emma reporting the concern, Emma will contact NSCB www.norfolklscp.org.uk immediately.
Seek support (the person reporting the concern seek support for themselves)
We are clear that the Local Authority and Police must lead any investigation on any allegation regarding safeguarding.
If we have a concern about a child or children we will telephone the Children’s Advice and Duty Service (CADS) on 0344 800 8021 immediately. We will be put through to a Social Worker who will take all of the relevant details. We will make sure we are prepared with full details of the child and family, plus what our concerns are, details of any support we have provided to the child/family and what we would like to happen. We will ensure we gain consent from the parent/carer unless to do so would place the child at further risk of harm or undermine a criminal investigation. If we have not sought consent from the parent/carer we will inform the CADS worker of this and the reason for this.
The CADS worker will agree a way forward with us and keep us informed. They will send us a written record of our conversation within five working days. The outcomes could include a full referral to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) for further investigation, the Police, or for work with Early Help. We will not investigate and will be led by the Local Authority and/or the Police.
We will make careful records of all conversations, in ink, including the dates and times of who we spoke to, the information shared and the action agreed. We do not need to send a written referral.
Full details on this process can be found at www.norfolklscp.org.uk under ‘How to raise a concern’.
We understand if we are unhappy about a decision made by CADS or MASH we can use the Resolving Professional Disagreements policy on www.norfolklscp.orge.uk and contact the Safer Programme for more advice on this process.
We will contact CADS immediately if we have concerns, it is important we do not delay.
Working Together 2018
A form of maltreatment of a child.
Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others (eg. Via the internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.
Physical Abuse
A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Emotional Abuse
The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse affects 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 participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), 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, though it may occur alone.
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. They may also include non-contact activities, 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. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
Neglect
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 care-givers) or
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Safeguarding and Promoting the Welfare of Children
Defined for the purpose of this guidance 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, and
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
Child Protection
Part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.
Relevant Guidance and Legislation
Working Together 2018
What to do if You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused 2015
Children Act 2004
Children Act 1989
Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families
Norfolk Threshold Guide www.norfolklscb.org
Useful contacts
Children’s Services 24 hours……………………………………03448008020
Children’s Advice and Duty Service……………………………03448008021
Norfolk Police………………………………………………………101
In an emergency……………………………………………………999
Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO) Team………….01603223473
Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB)………………..www.norfolklscp.org.uk
Safer Programme………………………………………………….01603228966
Named Designated Child Protection Officer for Emma Blount’s classes and events:
Emma Blount emmablount@yahoo.co.uk 07790273519
Policy Review
We will always make any changes immediately to our procedures in line with Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board’s guidance on www.norfolklscp.org.uk
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROCEDURES
Hazards: Unfenced woods, unfenced village hall car park, road, stream, lead in paints, paint on clothes, occasionally a friendly dog stays with me and jumps up onto the children, falling out of a tree and cutting themselves, falling and cutting themselves or being knocked unconscious during a game.
Risks: Children could wonder off in the woods and get lost, they could get hit by a car on the road, they could be coerced or forced away by a passing stranger, they could drown in the stream, they could get paint on their clothes, they could get mild scratches from the dog’s claws, they could get asthma if they are allergic to dogs. Cuts from twigs in the woods. They could fall out of a tree and break a leg or get a gash. Bee and wasp stings. Mosquito and horse fly bites. They could become unconscious if they fall.
Protective measures: All outside play will be supervised. The children will remain within sight of Emma or a staff member whenever possible. When playing hiding games out of sight of Emma or a supervising adult, the children will be required to stay in pairs at all times. Children will wear aprons and gloves when doing art work. The parents will be asked that the children dress in clothes that don’t matter if they get paint on them. They will wear long trousers when we play in the woods. Parents will be warned if the dog is expected to be present and the dog will not be present if a dog is potentially harmful or distressing for a child.
First Aid Kit and fire extinguisher are under the stairs in my home and in the cupboard in the village hall.
Emma is in the process of undertaking a paediatric first aid course which trains her in child CPR and how to handle any medical event.
Children’s Advice and Duty Service – CADS FLOW CHART
1. Can you evidence that the child is experiencing or likely to suffer significant harm?
⬇︎If YES go to 2.
⬇︎no NO to 6.
2. Do you have the consent of the parents/young person to make contact with CADS or have you informed them of your intention to do so?
If NO; go to 3. If Yes; go to 4.
6. Have you discussed the child’s needs with the DSL Emma Blount?
If NO, go to 7. If YES go to 8.
3. Inform the parents and/or gain their consent for you to make this contact unless doing so would put the child at immediate risk of harm.
7. Discuss the child with the DSL Emma Blount if available and follow their advice when providing support to the family.
4. Gather all the family’s details including dates of birth, current address, current and working contact details and family composition, along with the history and current worries.
Go to 5.
8. Have you considered setting up an EHAP with the child and their family?
If NO, go to 9. If YES go to 10.
5. Call CADS on the professionals only phone line – 03448008021. Have a discussion with a Consultant Social Worker. A copy of the discussion will be securely emailed to you.
Follow the advice given by the Consultant social worker.
Keep a record for your own agencies safeguarding recording process
9. Speak to the parents and the child about your worries and discuss with them how your agency can help and support the children and family. You could carry out an EHAP or seek Early Help support.
Follow the Early Help guidance on the NSCP website. www.norfolklscp.org.uk
10. Where you have carried out an EHAP which has been reviewed and amended as required – and the child’s needs are not being met or in fact have increased, gather the information requeseted in this form, seek consent from the parent/carer and then contact CADS.
This policy was updated 21st October 2023.
