The purpose and scope of this policy statement

The purpose of this policy statement is:

• to protect children, young people and adults at risks from harm, including staff, volunteers and members of Hidden Keileon CIC.
• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children, young people and adults at risks, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Hidden Keileon CIC, including the six core members, the board of advisors, collaborators, programme contributors, colleagues and volunteers.

Legal framework

There are several key pieces of legislation and guidance that inform the principles underpinning this policy, and our practice in relation to safeguarding children and adults, these include:

• The Children Act 1989/2004 and 2007
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
• Working Together 2018 – 2022
• The Care Act 2014
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022
• FCDO Safeguarding Strategy Against Sexual Exploitation & Abuse 2020

We recognise the above policy frameworks were made from a colonial perspective where racial bias and xenophobia, with capitalism and the carceral system playing a main role. We are highly aware of the problematic legacy of this language and framework.

As a migrant and queer-focus CIC, we continue to question this through our trauma-informed practice and care building processes and structures.

Values:

We believe:

• children, young people and adults at risks should never experience abuse of any kind
• everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risks, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.
• in decentralised decision-making, and community and restorative justice

Principles:

We recognise that:

• the welfare of children, young people and adults at risks is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
• everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
• some children, young people and adults 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, adults at risks, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting children, young people and adults at risks’ welfare
• at all moments of harm and conflict, the first priority is always to de-escalate and reduce harm

Actions:

We will seek to keep children, young people and adults at risks safe by:

• valuing, listening to and respecting them
• appointing a nominated safeguarding lead (usually Bonnie Chan) and an advisor (usually Joyce Lee) for children, young people and adults at risks for each event
• adopting protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers:
  • For example: running regular meetings, having a debriefing practice after each event, as well as prioritising relationships in our strategies
• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures:
  • For example, ‘no-photo’ stickers are available at events so photos of children, young people and adults at risks are not published online without consent; data is collected with consent at live events through written or digital means; and data collected with consent are not shared with third parties
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently:
  • This is achieved through sharing this policy statement, having open conversations and ensuring our partners and colleagues understand our safeguarding best practice before each event
• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• making sure that children, young people and adults at risks, and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern, usually by contacting our safeguarding lead
• using our safeguarding and protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with partners and colleagues who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families, adults at risks, and carers appropriately

• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, adults at risks, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and adults at risks, and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Hidden Keileon CIC will further protect and safeguard participants' safety and personal data by recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding safeguarding please contact Bonnie Chan, our Safeguarding Lead at Hidden Keileon CIC at [email protected].

Last updated: June 5, 2024