Safeguarding Children Policy

CHOLSEY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRUST

Safeguarding Children Policy

Cholsey Community Development Trust believes that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people, by a commitment to practice which protects them.

We recognise that:
• the welfare of the child/young person is paramount
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

The purpose of the policy is to provide:
• protection for the children and young people who use or receive any of the Trust’s services or facilities, including the children of adult members or users.
• staff and volunteers with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child or young person may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.

This policy applies to all paid staff, the board of trustees, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of The Trust.

We will seek to safeguard children and young people by:
• valuing them, listening to and respecting them
• adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
• sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.

We are also committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually, and to refer to and draw upon guidelines from Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board as appropriate.

Approved by Cholsey Community Development Trust Board, 8th May, 2012