Safeguarding Policy - Children and Young People

Date of publication: January 2024

Contents

• What is the goal of the policy?
• Who and what does the policy impact?
• How does the policy comply with the law and other requirements?
• Supporting policies or procedures
• EDI statement
• Policy statement
• Policy content - definitions
• Roles and responsibilities
• Compliance
• Review
• Accessibility

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Dacorum Borough Council (DBC) is committed to working in partnership to create a borough which enables the communities of Dacorum to thrive and prosper. We want our residents, the people we work with and provide services to, to live their lives free from harm, exploitation and abuse and to support them to live in an environment where they can realise their full potential.

Our council recognises the key role it plays within the borough, working alongside other agencies, to ensure the wellbeing of residents. We will be proactive and inclusive in encouraging and supporting local public services and partner agencies in safeguarding our children and our adults at risk.

DBC supports Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (HSCP) multi-agency policy, procedure and practice guidance to safeguard children and young people. This is a commitment which meets the full requirements of Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) who are the lead safeguarding authority in Hertfordshire.

This policy applies to all employees, members, volunteers, agency staff, work placements, contracted and grant funded organisations delivering services on behalf of the council. It should be read in conjunction with the safeguarding procedures.  This also covers the safe working practices which should be followed where these individuals come into contact with children and young people.

This is of particular importance to those working in and around the areas below:

• Adventure Playgrounds
• Front line staff who conduct home visits in connection with their role such as:-
• Tenancy management officers
• Supporting housing officers
• Tenancy enforcement and ASB officers
• Tenancy/welfare sustainment officers
• Private sector housing officers
• Homeless prevention and temporary accommodation officers
• Environmental and community protection officers
• Revenue and Benefits officers
• School talks and events
• Work experience placements
• Community engagement including working with youth councils, diversionary activities and events.
• Visits to any home for inspections.  This will include all visits eg: Planning, housing repairs, and grant applications.
• Volunteers training and knowledge as required
• Parks and grounds maintenance
• Planning and assisting in VIP visits

This list is indicative only and there may be other occasions when particular importance should be paid to safe working practices.

Commissioned, contracted or grant funded organisations will be expected to have policies and procedures in place commensurate with the level of contact and involvement with children and adults at risk.   As a minimum, any organisation receiving funding from the Council, will be expected to have a statement of policy and procedure regarding safeguarding in place. 

This needs to be understood by employees and volunteers and available to service users.  Commissioned, contracted or grant funded organisations with minimal contact with children and young people may wish to adopt the Council’s template policy.  

The Children’s Act 1989 and 2004 requires a local authority to establish a local safeguarding children partnership.  In our county this is known as the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSCP) who co-ordinate what is done by each person or body represented on the partnership for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the area. 

Working together to Safeguard Children 2023 

This requires the local authority and its social workers to lead the statutory assessment of children in need (S17 Children Act 1989) and child protection enquiries (S47 Children Act 1989). 

Housing

In addition to these obligations the Housing Act 1996 as amended by the Homelessness Act 2002 sets out requirements in duties around homelessness decisions involving families with children and vulnerable adults. The Housing Act 2004 requires consideration of safeguarding children as part of assessments of health and safety hazards in housing conditions.

Disclosure and Barring Service Checks

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check are necessary for certain employees. This includes employees engaged in regulated activity, or regular unsupervised contact with children and young people such as adventure playground staff.   All posts are reviewed regularly. A list of the relevant posts are maintained and reviewed by Human Resources and, where necessary, the application of a DBS check forms part of the safe recruitment process. 

It is a requirement of the Licensing of Hackney Carriages and for Personal Licenses that an enhanced DBS check forms part the application process.  Details regarding this are contained within the relevant licensing policies and contain a range of safeguarding measures.

Contracted, commissioned and grant funded organisations will need to undertake any checks commensurate with the level of their involvement with children and young people and have their own safe recruitment procedures. 

Information sharing

Effective information sharing underpins integrated working and is a vital element of both early intervention and safeguarding. We will comply with current and relevant legislation at all times when processing information about children and young people. This includes (but not limited to) the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

• Whistle Blowing Policy
• Domestic Abuse Policy Residents, Tenants, Leaseholders and Members
• Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC)

The Council is committed to promoting equality of opportunity. The Council has procedures in place to ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and without unlawful discrimination.

We will ensure that this policy is applied fairly and consistently to all our customers. We will not directly or indirectly discriminate against any person or group of people because of their race, religion, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or any other grounds set out in our Equality Diversity and Inclusion policy. When applying this policy, we will act sensitively towards the diverse needs of individuals and communities. When applying this policy, we will take the necessary positive action to reduce discrimination and harassment in local communities

Dacorum Borough Council is committed to safeguarding children and young people and protecting them from abuse. This supports the strategic priorities of a clean, safe and enjoyable environment and building strong and vibrant communities.

We will endeavour to respond to all reports promptly and appropriately. We will act in the best interest of the child and we will proactively seek to promote the welfare and the protection of all children and young people in the community at all times.

DBC will be vigilant in preventing unsuitable people working with children and young people through its safe recruitment procedures. We will take any concern reported by a member, employee, volunteer grant funded or contracted service provider or child seriously and deal with it sensitively. 

This is a safeguarding policy, and we recognise that there are a wide spectrum of concerns impacting children and young people which, in the broadest sense, could be described as safeguarding.

The policy applies to the statutory definitions of safeguarding for children. We will guide our staff to recognise and use the necessary referral pathways so that those in need of safeguarding receive the appropriate level of support. Where concerns arise that fall outside of the statutory definition of safeguarding, we will encourage and guide our staff to work in partnership to identify appropriate support to address the concerns raised.

This policy applies to all employees, members, volunteers, agency staff, work placements, contracted and grant funded organisations delivering services on behalf of the council.

For the purpose of this policy, a child or young person is any person under the age of 18 years, this also includes unborn babies.

When using the term ‘parents’ in the context of this policy, it will be in the broadest sense, to include parents, carers and guardians.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of children’ mental and physical health or development, ensuring that children and young people grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

"Members, employees, volunteers and grant funded or contracted service providers" is used to refer to all Dacorum Borough Councillors, employees and people working on behalf of DBC either paid or in voluntary capacity.

The phrase ‘contracted service provider’ used subsequently in this document will refer to those organisations that have appropriately adopted this policy. 

What we will do

• Work in partnership to prevent abuse of children and young people.
• Promote the welfare of children and young people who access our services and live in our Borough.
• Respond to any allegations relating to children and young people appropriately and implement the appropriate reporting, disciplinary and appeals procedures. 
• Support and promote HSCP initiatives to improve outcomes for children and young people.
• Conduct regular audits of safeguarding practice and identify and action gaps in service or areas for improvement. 

How we will do it

• Initiate, participate and contribute to partnership meetings where there are concerns for the safety or wellbeing of children and young people.
• Share information both internally and externally within the scope of relevant legislation to allow decisions to be made to reduce risks for children and young people.  
• Create a safe environment in our adventure playgrounds and where events involving children are planned.
• Maintain safe working practice at all times to minimise risks to children and young people that come into contact with members, employees, volunteers and grant funded and contracted service providers. 
• Ensure that training appropriate to the level of involvement with children and young people is available for members, employees and volunteers and where appropriate contracted service providers.
• Embed designated safeguarding officers and champions across the council.
• Develop and implement effective procedures for recognising, responding, recording and referring any allegations or suspicions of abuse to Hertfordshire County Council’s respective portals for safeguarding children and young people.
• Support county and national initiatives to promote the safeguarding of children and young people.

As a statutory agency Dacorum Borough Council has specific responsibilities and duties as set out in the Children Act 2004 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The Council has accepted its duty to co-operate with Hertfordshire County Council’s Children’s Services and it will ensure that it meets the requirements set out by the Hertfordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.

• Having a senior officer with responsibility for safeguarding children and young people who is the Head of Safe Communities and is supported by the Safeguarding Lead Officer.
• An elected Member to champion safeguarding – Dacorum Borough Council’s champion is the portfolio holder for Housing Operations and Safe Communities.
• To have across the whole organisation, designated safeguarding officers and designated safeguarding champions through which there is a structure to deal with safeguarding issues. 
• Safeguarding information prominently accessible on the intranet site Dennis.
• All corporate, community and team plans are to ensure that safeguarding is a key priority.
• A clear policy on safeguarding children and young people exists and is supported by procedures.
• Having a clear statement on information sharing with partners with regard to safeguarding.
• Have an appropriate programme of training for all staff relevant to role and a full record of training undertaken should be maintained.
• Safe recruitment procedures/guidance in place for the recruitment of all staff. 
• A whistle blowing policy in place which is available to staff who are aware of it.
• Records relating to children and young people are stored in a safe and secure place and only named persons have access to these files.
• Each service area responsible for contracting work externally on behalf of the Council ensures that via the service level agreements or contract that the above provisions of section 11 of the Children Act 2004 are complied with.
• Each service area and contract manager is responsible for monitoring compliance by contractors of section 11 provisions and an annual review is undertaken and reported to Head of Service Safe Communities.
• It is not always easy to recognise a situation working within safeguarding.  Dacorum Borough Council acknowledges its members, employees, volunteers, grant funded and contracted services are not experts at such recognition.
• The procedures that accompany this policy contain more detailed information about the recognition of certain types of abuse, the pathways to follow and the links to relevant guidance.
• Dacorum Borough Council has Designated Safeguarding Officers supported by the Safeguarding Lead who will support and advise council employees about possible safeguarding issues for children and young people. 
• All allegations of abuse will be centrally recorded and the named officers above will be responsible for collating and monitoring referrals and reporting these to the Housing Community and Overview Scrutiny Committee.

• Depending on the individual’s needs, these might include:
• Using larger print, or a specific colour contrast
• Giving more time than usual to provide information or comments on a complaint
• Using the telephone rather than written communication
• Communicating with a person through their representative or advocate
• Arranging a single point of contact
• Having an ‘easy read’ version of the document.