Under the terms of the Children Act 2004 all children and young people have a right to be safeguarded from a wide range of potential risks than previously identified. This involves the need for staff to be vigilant about dangers outside the home e.g., hotspots of busy traffic, unlit areas in the community. Staff also need to be vigilant against bullying within the home and externally. This includes the use of IT. Young people at the home have the right to a high level and standard of protection from harm. This includes the vetting of visitors to the home.
It is the responsibility of every adult to protect the young people in their care. We aim to provide an environment where the welfare of the young person is promoted; where young people are protected from abuse and bullying; and where appropriate responses are made both to allegations or suspicions of abuse, and to bullying.
Our duty is to keep the young person protected from harm whilst enabling the young person to learn how to keep themselves safe from harm. We follow clear written policies and Local Procedures on Child Protection and anti-bullying strategies, the former in line with ‘Gateshead safeguarding procedures. The home works in line with these policies that have been amended to reflect The Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) which sets out how organisations work together to safeguard children and young people in accordance with the Children’s Act 1989 revised in 2004.
Child Protection investigations are conducted within the remit of working together within a multi-disciplinary approach. This therefore will include investigations that are either or a combination of internal, criminal and/or external, in nature. A comprehensive Safeguarding Policy supports this process.
A comprehensive Safeguarding Policy is in operation. It is fully recognised that young people who are looked after and particularly those with higher needs are vulnerable and our responsibility as a caring organisation is to provide a safe and caring environment from which young people grow and develop. Therefore, our policy is that the young person should always be believed in cases where an allegation of abuse is made. Our priority in cases like this is to protect the young person from the alleged perpetrator. It is of paramount importance that the young person making the allegation is reassured by the team at the home and always supported.
Staff training is completed on an annual basis and is included in the induction programme for new staff. We only employ staff who are flexible, responsive, and innovative in meeting the needs of young people who can be challenging and need a systemic and multi-agency approach to their care.
We maintain good liaison with other agencies concerned with Child Protection including the young person’s placing authority, CAMHS and health professionals. Designated safeguarding professionals at KerryLynnCare Ltd are the Responsible Individual and the Registered Manager.
Staff must undergo an enhanced DBS check prior to appointment and be made aware of the homes Safeguarding Policy as part of the Induction. We will endeavour to foster a warm, home-from home caring atmosphere that embraces and respects the basic values of choice, privacy, dignity, diversity, independence, rights, and personal fulfilment.