Safeguarding Information

Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility, and every single person who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play in helping prevent harm to children. Voluntary, community and faith organisations make a huge contribution to supporting and enriching the lives of children and young people on the Isle of Wight. Working with voluntary and community groups allows us to widen our support network and helps spot the signs of abuse and neglect at an early stage.

The NSPCC defines safeguarding as:

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
preventing harm to children’s health or development
ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

Safeguarding Policies and Procedures

All organisations working with children, young people and their parents/carers should have robust policies and procedures in place to ensure children are safe, and workers/volunteers know and understand their roles and responsibilities and how to respond appropriately if they have concerns about a child or young person’s safety or wellbeing.

Policies and procedures should be frequently reviewed and updated to ensure they meet emerging requirements and challenges. Here are some resources to assist you in developing policies and procedures:

Gov.uk: Safegaurding and protecting people for charities and trustees

NSPCC: Keeping children safe in the voluntary and community sector

NCVO: Help and guidance with safeguarding

Gov.uk: Working Together to Safeguard Children

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How to write a safeguarding policy

All voluntary, community and faith organisations should have in place a safeguarding policy which explains the steps that are taken to keep children and young people safe and what to do if there are concerns. Here are some resources to assist you in developing a safeguarding policy:

NSPCC: Safeguarding standards and guidance

NSPCC: Writing safeguarding policies and procedures

Gov.uk: Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees

NSPCC: Safeguarding and child protection for charity trustees

NSPCC: Introductory guide to safeguarding and child protection

SCIE: Safeguarding and charities

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Safer recruitment

Safer recruitment means taking steps to make sure your staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children and young people. Here are some resources to assist you in undertaking safer recruitment processes:

IOWSCP: Guide to Safe Recruitment of Staff and Volunteers

Safer Recruitment for Voluntary Sector PDF

NSPCC: Safer recruitment

Gov.uk: DBS checks: Application process for volunteers

NSPCC: Young volunteers and safeguarding

Gov.uk: DBS Checks in Sport – Working with children

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Self-assessment of Safeguarding Arrangements

A self-assessment of your safeguarding arrangements will help your organisation or group to meet best safeguarding and child protection practices and identify any areas for development.

NSPCC: Safeguarding and child protection self-assessment tool

NSPCC and CPSU: Safeguarding tools in sports

IOWSCP Self-assessment tool for voluntary and community Groups – Coming Soon!

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Community Partnership Information Sharing Form (CPI)

The CPI form us a way to share non-urgent information with the police relating to children/adults at risk. It can be used for anything you feel the need to share with Police, providing it does not amount to a crime or a safeguarding issue.

Hampshire & IOW Police ‘Safe4Me’ website with CPI form

Hampshire & IOW Police presentation on CPIs

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Allegations against people in a position of trust

If you believe that a child has been harmed by a person in a position of trust, you should contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). A person in a position of trust includes anyone who works with children in the course of their employment or in a voluntary capacity.

The LADO should be advised of all cases where it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed, a child
Possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child
Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicated they are unsuitable to work with children

IOWSCP: Allegations against staff

Gov.uk: Digital portal to strengthen support to charities handling safeguarding concerns or allegations

Gov.uk: Strategy for dealing with safeguarding issues in charities

Gov.uk: How to report a serious incident in your charity

Gov.uk: Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees

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Information sharing and record keeping

Sharing information is essential for effective safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Poor information sharing has resulted in missed opportunities to take action to keep children safe. Here is some guidance around information sharing:

Information Commissioner’s Office: 10 step guide to sharing information to safeguard children | ICO

Child protection records retention and storage guidelines (nspcc.org.uk)

HIPS Procedures Guidance: 7.5 Information Sharing

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Additional information and resources

NSPCC: Safeguarding children and child protection

NSPCC: Safeguarding examples: issues and concerns

Gov.uk: What to do if you are worried a child is being abused

NSPCC: Safeguarding in faith communities

NSPCC: Culture and faith: learning from case reviews

Faith Action: Faith and domestic abuse – Recommendations for faith leaders

NSPCC: Child Protection in Sport Unit | CPSU (thecpsu.org.uk)

Sport England: Safeguarding

Charity Commission: Finding new trustees: what charities need to know

IOWSCP: Worried about a child?

NSPCC - What is child abuse

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Voluntary and Community Toolkit

The information in this toolkit has been researched and developed to support organisations in their duty to ensure they are able to keep children safe. The material is free to access and available to anyone working with expectant parents/unborn babies and children and their families across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Community and Voluntary Organisations

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Safeguarding Information

The NSPCC defines safeguarding as:

Safeguarding Policies and Procedures

How to write a safeguarding policy

Safer recruitment

Self-assessment of Safeguarding Arrangements

Community Partnership Information Sharing Form (CPI)

Allegations against people in a position of trust

Information sharing and record keeping

Additional information and resources

Voluntary and Community Toolkit

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