The RDA Centre in Cleveland Ltd
A member group of the Riding for the Disabled Association Tel: 01642 576222

The Unicorn Centre has a Safeguarding Team of designated senior members of staff and also a Designated Safeguarding Trustee, currently Joan Northend.

Please note: the term ‘adult at risk’ has been used throughout this policy to replace the term ‘vulnerable adult’. This is because the term ‘vulnerable adult’ may wrongly imply that some of the fault for the abuse lies with the abused individual.

Child Safeguarding Policy Statement

There has been an increasing awareness over recent years that some individuals, who want to harm and abuse children, will use charitable organisations, such as Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), of which the Unicorn Centre is a member group, as a vehicle to gain access to children.

In pursuit of this, the Unicorn Centre is committed to ensuring that:

• The welfare of children is paramount.
• All children are able to participate in a fun and safe environment.
• All children have the right to protection from physical, sexual and emotional harm and from neglect and bullying.
• All reasonable and practical steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment; respecting children’s rights, wishes and feelings.
• All suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• All Trustees, staff, learners and volunteers have a responsibility to report any concerns with regards to child protection matters. It is the responsibility of experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place, but it is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns.
• Designated Safeguarding Officers, Trustees, staff, learners and volunteers receive appropriate training and guidance on child protection.

As defined in the Children Act 2004, for the purposes of this policy, anyone under the age of 18 years should be considered a child. All organisations, which provide for children, should be able to demonstrate the existence, implementation and effectiveness of child safeguarding policies.

The practices and procedures within the Unicorn Centre are based on the principles contained within the UK and International legislation and Government guidance taking the following into account; Children Act 2004 and any further amendments. the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989, The Protection of Children Act 1999, The Human Rights Act 2000, Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2018) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2022).

Adults at Risk Safeguarding Policy Statement

Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights; it can take many forms. The Unicorn Centre is committed to practices which promote the welfare of Adults at Risk and safeguard them from harm and accepts, and recognises, its responsibilities to develop awareness of the issues that cause an Adult at Risk harm, and to establish and maintain a safe environment for them. The Centre will not tolerate any form of abuse wherever it occurs, or whoever is responsible. The Centre is committed to promoting an atmosphere of inclusion, transparency and openness and is open to feedback from the people who use our services, carers, advocates, Trustees, staff, learners and volunteers with a view to how we may continuously improve our services/activities.

In pursuit of this, the Unicorn Centre will endeavour to safeguard Adults at Risk by:

• Adhering to our safeguarding policy and ensuring that it is supported by robust procedures.
• Implementing clear procedures for raising awareness of, and responding to, abuse within the organisation and for reporting concerns to statutory agencies that need to know, while involving carers and Adults at Risk appropriately.
• Ensuring general safety and risk management procedures are adhered to.
• Ensuring all Trustees, staff and volunteers report any concerns with regards to the protection of Adults at Risk. It is the responsibility of experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place, but it is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns.
• Implementing a code of behaviour for all involved with the organisation;
• Ensuring appropriate training is completed by the Designated Safeguarding Officers, Trustees, staff and volunteers.

As defined by the 1997 Consultation “Who Decides” issued by the Lord Chancellors Department, an adult at risk is someone “Who is, or may be, in need of community care services by reason of disability, age or illness; and is or may be unable to take care, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”. This definition of an adult covers all people over 18 years of age.

The practices and procedures within the Unicorn Centre are based on the principles contained within the UK’s Equality Act 2010, Statement of Government Policy on Adult Safeguarding (DHS) and the Care Act 2014.

General Policy Statement

The policies and procedures apply to everyone within the Unicorn Centre, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, including Trustees. Everyone should be aware of the child protection procedures and best practices and ensure they are implemented.

Definitions/Types of Abuse

Definitions and types of abuse are detailed in Appendix A.

Safer Recruitment

Applicants are interviewed, and their references followed up. An enhanced check is made with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), including Barred List information if appropriate.

Volunteers complete an application form and sign to confirm that they have read, and agreed to follow these procedures. They will be interviewed and asked for references, which will be verified. An enhanced DBS check is also made.

In line with current RDA guidance, the Centre has a three-year rolling renewal process in place for all staff, Trustees and volunteer DBS checks. All volunteers will be issued a photo ID badge at induction and this must be worn and displayed on their person at all times when volunteering. The Staff are issued with named uniform, as are Learners.

All staff, Trustees and volunteers are made aware of the Centre’s safeguarding practices at induction and this includes:

• The Safeguarding Policy.
• The role of the Designated Safeguarding Team.
• The Code of Conduct (relevant to their role).

Training and Information

All Unicorn Centre staff and Trustees will receive appropriate safeguarding training which is regularly updated. In addition, all staff members will receive safeguarding updates via email, staff bulletins and staff meetings, as required, but at least annually to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children and adults at risk effectively.

The Designated Safeguarding Team will undergo further training to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills required to carry out their roles. This training will be updated annually.

Designated Safeguarding Team Roles

The Designated Safeguarding Team will:

• Ensure that the Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually and the procedures and implementation are reviewed regularly.
• Ensure that the Safeguarding Policy is adhered to by everyone at the Centre.
• Ensure that the Safeguarding Policy is publicly available and that parents/carers are aware of the fact that referrals about suspected abuse or neglect may be made, should they occur, and the role of the Centre in this.
• Provide a monthly Safeguarding Report for the Trustees, detailing any changes to the policy and procedures; any Safeguarding training undertaken and, should they occur, the number and type of any incidents/referrals made.
• Ensure the quality assurance of the provision of safeguarding information, advice and guidance and procedures.
• Act as a source of support, advice and expertise to staff on matters of safety and safeguarding and, when deciding to make a referral, by liaising with Trustees and relevant agencies such as RDA National Office to agree an action plan.
• Keep detailed, accurate, confidential and secure written records of concerns, disclosures and referrals. Ensure all such records are kept confidentially and securely.
• Liaise with the Designated Safeguarding Team and any other relevant staff to inform of any issues or ongoing investigations.
• Ensure they act as a key point of referral for participants, learners, volunteers, parents/carers, and offer advice, assess information promptly, take action or refer on to the Trustees, so that the Centre can respond swiftly and appropriately to any concerns, allegations, suspicions of abuse, referrals and disclosures, should they occur.
• Have access to resources and attend any relevant or refresher training courses annually.
• Ensure that a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team attends case conferences, core groups, or other multi-agency planning meetings, contributes to assessments and provides a report as required.
• Support new staff, Trustees and volunteers (in accordance with the Centre’s Policy on Secure Storage, Handling, Processing, Use, Retention and Disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure Information) through the disclosure checking process, acting as evidence checkers for I.D. validation and checking the forms for errors and omissions before submission.
• Deal with concerns, allegations, suspicions of abuse, referrals and disclosures, should they occur and liaise with the Trustees to agree an action plan.
• Promote safeguarding best practice to all staff, Trustees, participants and volunteers involved with the Centre.
• Raise awareness of the Team’s role to participants, volunteers, parents and carers.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct expected of all staff is detailed in Appendix B.

Reporting Allegations and Suspicions

• All concerns should be reported to a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team, or in their absence, to the Duty Manager on that day. Do not try to investigate the matter yourself.
• Listen to the child or adult and take the matter seriously. Reassure them, but do not promise to keep it secret. Try to distinguish between fact, hearsay and opinion.
• Treat the matter as confidential and do not discuss it with other staff or volunteers.
• A written record will then be made by a member of the Designated Safeguarding Team to whom the concern was reported to and when the child/adult at risk comes with a group, the teacher or support worker in charge will be informed.
• All allegations and strong suspicions of abuse will then be referred to Middlesbrough Social Services by the appropriate Manager using the referral procedure in Appendix C.
• The Designated Safeguarding Team member will then inform RDA National Office, the Charity Commission and any other relevant body.

Concerns about Safeguarding Practices

Any Unicorn Centre member of staff, Trustee or volunteer should feel able to raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice and potential failures in the Centre’s safeguarding practices and that such concerns would be taken seriously by the Unicorn Centre. If no immediate action is taken, then appropriate whistle-blowing procedures are in place for such concerns to be raised with the Centre’s Trustees.

Where a member of staff, Trustee or volunteer feels unable to raise an issue with the Centre or feels that their genuine concerns are not being addressed, other whistleblowing channels may be open to them.

The NSPCC whistleblowing helpline is available for staff who do not feel able to raise concerns regarding child protection failures internally on 0808 028 0285 or via email at help@nspcc.org.uk

Exceptional Circumstances

The Centre has contact plans in place for supported volunteers to ensure that during a period when the Centre is inaccessible due to pandemic or other quarantine restrictions (e.g. Covid-19 lockdown), study programmes can continue.

Where staff/Trustees are interacting with supported volunteers, they will follow the Centre’s staff code of conduct policy and IT acceptable use policy. Staff/Trustees will continue to be alert to signs that a supported volunteer may be at risk of harm online, and act on any concerns immediately, following our reporting procedures in our Safeguarding policy.

Our aim is to ensure that supported volunteers can continue to work towards their study goals. The health and well-being of supported volunteers is paramount and our plans set out the following:

• How often the Centre will make contact and when this will take place.
• Which staff members or Trustees will make contact.
• How they will make contact – telephone or email (or both). Staff should ensure that Line Managers are copied into email correspondence with supported volunteers, and when speaking to supported volunteers, staff should ensure that another adult is able to witness the conversations.
• How staff/Trustees will document outcomes from the contact made.

The documented outcomes will be filed in the supported volunteer’s file and any issues raised should be drawn to the attention of the appropriate Manager/Duty Manager immediately. If we are unable to make contact with any supported volunteer, we will utilise the emergency contact details we hold for that individual.

Appendices A, B and C refer

This Policy was approved on 20 September 2022 by the Board of Trustees

Reviews (As needed or annually)

Reviewed Date: 21 June 2024

Approved by: Board of Trustees

Registered in England No.03340120 - Registered Office: The Unicorn Centre, Stainton Way, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, TS8 9LX Registered Charity No.1062577

© RDA Centre in Cleveland Ltd