Heeley City Farm Safeguarding Policy

 

 

Policy Statement

“It is the policy of Heeley City Farm to safeguard children, young people and adults from physical, sexual and emotional harm while participating in city farm activities.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that relevant procedures and training are implemented – thus ensuring that children, young people and adults are in a safe environment.

For the purpose of this policy a child/young person is defined as any person under the age of 18 years old, adult is defined as ‘A person aged 18 years or over who has need of care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs), is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect and as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either risk of or the experience of abuse and neglect'

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- Reviewed March 2024

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1. RECRUITMENT OF STAFF, WORKING WITH PERSONAL ASSISTANTS, VOLUNTEERS AND TRAINEES

All volunteers and placement persons are requested to attend an interview to arrange a try it session (staff should gather a person’s basic details on the enrolment form). All staff, volunteers and placement persons over the age of 18 must have a DBS (formerly criminal records bureau) check when they have completed a try it session/s and enrolled as a volunteer. No one is to work without supervision on a try it session and until his or her checks have been processed and verified.

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Personal assistants supporting young people and adults at the farm but employed by external agencies must have an up to date DBS check. Farm supervising staff must ensure that all agencies have robust safeguarding procedures and all staff sent to the farm has a DBS check

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The induction of all staff, volunteers and trainees must include explanations of their role in the safeguarding of young people and adults at farm sites

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All volunteers will undergo a provisional probationary period of 4 weeks to assess their suitability for being on site with a high proportion of young people and adults. Volunteers must not work unsupervised during this probationary period.

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Safeguarding (adults and children) and PREVENT training is a mandatory training requirement for all staff; volunteers will have access to safeguarding training, where it is available and applicable.

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Volunteers should be given clear job roles and responsibilities). Clear roles help provide a safe environment for young people and adults.

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Staff recruitment procedures should ensure that the following information is collected:

• Full chronological history of full or part time employment since leaving secondary school, including voluntary work, education and training. Reasons for leaving jobs should be requested, and any gaps should be clearly accounted for;

• A declaration of any family or close relationships to existing employees or employers, including voluntary workers;

• Two referees, one of which should be the current or most recent line manager. If an applicant is not currently working with children but has done previously, a reference should be obtained from their line manager from that employment. It should be made clear that references will not be acceptable from relatives or from people clearly writing as just a partner or friend. Personal references should be considered as a last resort;

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2. ORGANISING ACTIVITIES (FARM WORK AND EDUCATION) WITHIN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Written risk assessments must be prepared prior to all activities.

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The risk assessments must include the Health and Safety guidelines regarding E.Coli 0157

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Relevant medical and contact details for children/young people and adults must be placed on file /database and be accessible if required during activities (these are kept in the main office in locked filing cabinets and password protected volunteering database).

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The activity leader must ensure that all assisting volunteers and trainees are competent to look after children/young people and put child safety and protection policy into practice. Volunteers must not be left in sole charge of children/young people unless the volunteer is know to be competent and this has been organised and discussed and agreed with a manager

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Guidelines for worker and volunteer behaviour towards children/young people working or visiting the site are outlined in the farms code of conduct and Working with young people guidance.

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Staff, volunteers and trainees must be careful to use the correct vocabulary for the animal’s anatomy and sexual behaviour. Slang must be avoided.

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Farm staff must work to avoid the chance that any farm volunteers will spend time alone with a single child, young person or vulnerable person, out of view of the rest of the group. This includes situations where someone needs accompanying to the toilet, is taken sick or requires first aid treatment.

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Staff/supervisors must plan activities to minimise the potential for abuse to occur.

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Venues and times are to be chosen to minimise the risk of abuse.

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Children under eight years old must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

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Children/young people under the age of 18 must not be encouraged to smoke. All staff, volunteers and trainees are advised of this at induction.

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There is a safe adult to child ratio in accordance with the following recommendation given in the AS123 information sheet ‘Avoiding Ill Health at Open Farms

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1:1 for children under 1 year old

1:2 for children between 1 and 2 years old

1:3 for children between 2 and 3 years old

1:4 for children between 3 and 5 years old

1:8 for children between 5 and 8 years old

1:10 for children over 8 years old

1:5 for vulnerable people

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These ratios are to be met either by school/groups own means or through confirmation of assistance the Farm can provide.

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When children between the ages of 8 and 11 are working with tools the adult to child ratio should be no less than 1:8, with the group sharing the sharp tool. Leaders must also check that the insurance covers children/young people working with tools.

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Staff and supervisors working with volunteers under 16 must manage a safe going home procedure (letter sent out to parents/guardians of children/young people wanting to volunteer at the Farm or recording of travel arrangements organised for the young person.

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No staff, volunteer or trainee must offer a lift to a lone child unless prior consent from parents/guardian is given or in the case of an emergency where senior farm staff have been informed and a farm member of staff has been nominated to accompany the young person / adult i.e. to seek medical attention / care

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Staff and volunteers must not communicate with young people (aged 15 and below) or vulnerable adults by mobile phone, social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc) or email. Staff who need to text or phone using a mobile must only do so in emergency situations with prior consent from a senior manager who must be later informed of the contact which should be recorded by them. In the course of day to day business contact by mobile phone should be avoided, if it is necessary to contact using mobile phones (trips, special events etc) consent from a senior manager must be obtained and recorded.

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3. TRIPS AND EVENTS OFF-SITE

Written risk assessments must be prepared prior to all events and trips

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Written information about trips must be sent out to parents/guardians/carers in advance.

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Staff/supervisors must ensure that everyone knows about any special clothing required.

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All must return a signed medical/consent form before leaving for the trip. This must include details of special dietary requirements and allergies.

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There must be at least 2 adults for every group of 10 young people/vulnerable people, preferably one male and one female if the group is mixed.

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Qualified and approved instructors must lead any outdoor activities.

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Ground rules must be agreed to in advance.

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A farm worker must act as a contact for the group for the period of the trip. This person should be contactable by telephone while the group is off site and able to give information to parents/guardians/carers if the group’s plans need to be changed.

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Staff/supervisors must ensure that the group’s insurance provides adequate cover for off site activities.

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Staff/supervisors must carry a travel first aid kit and at least one leader must have an up to date first aid certificate.

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4. COMPETENCY DURING AN ACCIDENT AND/OR EMERGENCY

There is to be a qualified first aider on site at all sites.

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A first aid kit is present, accessible and regularly checked.

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All workers and activity leaders must be aware of the accident and emergency procedure.

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All accidents are to be reported in the accident book, if the accident requires hospital treatment the parent/guardian/carer must be notified immediately a member of staff is to go to accompany them to the hospital and wait until the appropriate person arrives.

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DEALING WITH SIGNS OR ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE

Safeguarding guidance

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An adult is someone who is defined as:

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‘A person aged 18 years or over who has need of care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs), is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect and as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either risk of or the experience of abuse and neglect’

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For staff and volunteers working at the farm this is most likely to be an adult with learning difficulties attending the farm on supported placement, but could also include a volunteer with mental health problems, older people especially those who may have dementia or any volunteer who has health difficulties such as a physical or sensory impairment, a long term health condition or an adult who misuses substances or alcohol

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A Child is defined as:

Any child under 18, this can be babies, school children, and college students.

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For staff and volunteers working at the farm this is most likely to be young people working with the animals, café or garden centre, young people on work experience from school or collage, younger children on play scheme / attending during school holidays and weekends. It could also include children visiting with parents, schools or children visiting unaccompanied.

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What is abuse?

A violation of an individual’s human or civil rights by any other person or persons. (No secrets DH 2000)

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Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts – it may happen intentionally or unintentionally, it can also in some cases involve an accumulation of events as opposed to a single act. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may happen when an adult is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent.

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Types of abuse:-

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Physical abuse - this includes hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, poisoning, shaking, burning, weight loss, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.

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Neglect or acts of omission – this includes ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

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Psychological abuse – this includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, fear or bribes to negate choice, forced marriage, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal services or supportive networks.

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Sexual abuse – this includes rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented, or could not consent or was pressurised into consenting, looking at or being forced to take part in pornographic material / watching sexual activities

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*Financial or material abuse – this includes theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property i.e. missing belongings, inappropriate gifts, debts, distraction burglary, and unrequested building/household services

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*Discriminatory abuse – this includes abuse on the basis of prejudice including racism, sexism, or based on a person’s disability. It can be harassment, slurs by hate mail, verbal or physical abuse, and damage to property

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*Organisational abuse – happens when rituals and routines in use force residents or service users to sacrifice their own needs, wishes, or preferred lifestyle to the needs of the institution or service provider. Abuse may be by an individual or by a group of staff and may include lack of personal freedom, lack of control over personal finances, poor clothing, poor personal hygiene, low quality diet, lack of stimulating activities

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*Self-Neglect is any failure of an adult to take care of himself or herself that causes, or is reasonably likely to cause within a short period of time, serious physical, mental or emotional harm or substantial damage to or loss of assets. This can be when a person refuses or fails to provide himself/herself with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated), and safety precautions.

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The definition of self-neglect excludes a situation in which a mentally competent adult person, who understands the consequences of his/her decisions, makes a conscious and voluntary decision to engage in acts that threaten his/her health or safety as a matter of personal choice.

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* defined as abuse for vulnerable adults

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The ‘Prevent’ duty:

From 1 July 2015 all schools, FE & HE Institutions must have “due regard’ to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism & extremism.

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This means placing an appropriate amount of weight on this need when considering other factors that are relevant to carrying out your usual functions.

Extremism is defined as:

• Far right views, animal rights activism, & various forms of religious fundamentalism

• Opposition to fundamental values, e.g. democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, respect & tolerance of different faiths & beliefs.

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Protecting students from these risks is similar to protecting them from harm and abuse. However the Prevent programme must not involve any covert activity against people or communities, but specified authorities may need to share personal information to ensure, for example, that a person at risk of radicalisation is given appropriate support.

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Factors that make a student vulnerable include:

• Pressure from peers, other people or the internet

• Crime against them or their involvement in crime

• Anti-social behaviour and bullying

• Family tensions

• Race or hate crime

• Lack of self-esteem or identity

• Personal or political grievances

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Education settings should ensure that:

• They are alert to changes in behaviour which could indicate that a student needs help or protection

• They discuss & challenge ideas through the curriculum, student debates, outside speakers, etc.

• Students are safe from terrorist & extremist material when accessing the internet

• They give a proportionate response to this risk – all concerns must be reported to the safeguarding lead / deputy

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What has this got to do with me?

All staff working for the farm have a ‘duty of care’ to report any worries or concerns of abuse, but also in in order to protect and keep a safe and supportive environment for the adults and children using the farm, worries / concerns of abuse must be reported by any person who becomes aware of concerns; this may include volunteers, students, service users and members of the public. It is a person’s responsibility to report a concern, a person does not have to judge the truth of, or investigate a concern, just pass it on. A concern must be reported even if the adult / child asks you not to – you should always tell the them that you will respect their right to confidentiality as far as you are able to, but that you are not able to keep the matter secret. An adult should be involved as much as possible about how it is best to respond to their safeguarding concern – the safe guarding should be person-led and outcome focused.

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‘Prevent’ does not:

• Stop students from debating ‘risky’ issues

• Require staff to intrude unnecessarily into family life

• Override your legal duties of ensuring freedom of speech within legal boundaries

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What do I do if I suspect abuse?

If you work / volunteer for the farm, the concern must be passed on the same day as it is discovered / disclosed to you to the safe guarding officer Aloysius Lalloo (if it is a safe guarding concern Aloysius can be contacted by phone even if it is her day off), if Aloysuis is unavailable then pass the concern to Julie Blacker failing this your supervisor / line manager. The concern will then be this passed on to the appropriate designated referral agency or the police by the safe guarding officer (or *substitute person).If the source of concern is Aloysius or Julie or they are both absent the concern should be passed on to a senior manager at the farm (*Gloria Ward,*Stuart Gillis,*Nick Horne, *Lee Pearse).

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What is the best way to report / deal with a concern / abuse?

• Remember it is not the our role to carry out an investigation, only clarify the bare facts do not ask leading questions let the person speak, do not interrupt/ make comments, don’t question just clarify the bare facts

• Ensure the safety of the adult or child, you may have a role in addressing any immediate safety or protection needs of the adult / child i.e. making sure that as far as possible they will not be at further risk from the source of concern – this should be balanced with avoiding alerting the alleged person of concern. You are not allowed to stop a child leaving with their parent / carer

• If medical treatment is not immediately required, medical examinations should not be arranged until the investigation is planned

• Record the incident as soon as possible while it is still fresh in your mind, the report must be factual and from observation – not opinion and conjecture, also record observations of how the person was i.e. upset, angry. Handwritten originals must be kept for evidential purposes

• If recording a disclosure or witness statement, record the person’s own words, record their address and contact details as the police and/or safeguarding workers will need to contact them. If you have received a concern from a member of public, you need to tell them that you will need to pass this information pass on to the referral agency

• The record must be signed and dated including the time and your job role as these records may be used in evidence in criminal or other investigations.

• Preserve forensic evidence – disturb the ‘scene as little as possible (seal off the area if possible), do not remove the victims clothing, discourage them from washing or bathing, put bedding, clothing weapons etc that have been removed in a safe dry place, do not destroy or contaminate DNA evidence.

 

Do not discuss this incident with anyone, details should be kept to as smaller group of people as possible on a need- to- know basis, ideally just the safeguarding officer

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