Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children and at-risk adults, from harm that may be caused due to their contact with the ATT/CIOT.

Children are defined as those who are under 18 years of age. An at-risk or potentially vulnerable adult is one who is, or may be in need of care by reason of mental or other disability, age or illnes; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation either temporarily or permanently.

This includes harm arising from:

  • The conduct of staff, volunteers, members, students and contractors acting on behalf of the ATT/CIOT.
  • The design and implementation of ATT and CIOT's programmes and activities.

The policy lays out the commitments made by the ATT and CIOT and informs staff and ATT/CIOT's member, volunteers, students, consultants and contractors (who are our associated personnel) of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

This policy does not cover:

  • Sexual harassment in the workplace - this is dealt with under the Bullying and Harassment Policy.
  • Safeguarding concerns in the wider community not perpetrated by ATT/CIOT or associated personnel.
  • Routine Health and Safety arrangements.
  • Members of the ATT/CIOT who are not acting on behalf of the ATT/CIOT.

This policy will address both child safeguarding and adult safeguarding.

2. What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live in safety and free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is a preventative and precautionary approach to planning and the procedures needed to protect individuals from any potential harm.

In our organisation we undertand it to mean protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from contact with our staff and associated personnel, or activities.

3. Scope

This policy is concerned with actions and omissions by:

  • All staff employed by the ATT/CIOT.
  • Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to the ATT/CIOT, including but not limited to the following: consultants, volunteers, contractors, members and students.

It is appreciated that the level of direct control over the actions of those above will vary with the nature of the relationship that they have with the ATT/CIOT but nevertheless the ATT/CIOT will seek to either directly control, or to influence, the behaviour of those associated with it and acting on its behalf to achive its safeguarding aims.

4. Policy Statement

ATT/CIOT believe that everyone we come into contact with, regarless of age, gender identity, disabilty, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. ATT/CIOT will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

ATT/CIOT commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

5. Prevention

5.1 ATT/CIOT Responsibilities

ATT/CIOT will:

  • Ensure all staff and associated personnel have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
  • Design and undertake all its activities in a way that protects people from the risk of harm that may arise from their contact with ATT/CIOT. This includes the way in which information about individuals on our programmes and activities is gathered and communicated.
  • Implement safeguarding procedures proportionate to the risk when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel who will come into contact with children and/or potentially vulnerable adults.
  • Ensure staff and associated personnel receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organisation.
  • Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.
  • Conduct safeguarding risk assessments and maintain a managed risk register.
  • Review policies and safeguarding practices for effectiveness annually.

5.2 Staff and associated personnel responsibilities

5.2.1 Child Safeguarding

ATT/CIOT staff and associated personnel must not:

  • Ignore safeguarding practices.
  • Subject anyone to physical, emotional, financial or psychological abuse or neglect.
  • Use ATT/CIOT sanctioned activities to develop unauthorised personal relationships with children.
  • Compromise child safety by the provision of alcohol/drugs or by placing them in unsafe settings.
  • Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking.
  • Engage in sexual activity (paid or unpaid) or sexting (or pressuring others to do so) with anyone under the age of 18 if you are in a position of authority or trust over them as a result of your role for ATT/CIOT.
  • Engage in any sexual activity of any type, including sexting, with children under the age of 16.

5.2.2 Adult Safeguarding

ATT/CIOT staff and associated personnel must not:

  • Ignore safeguarding practices.
  • Subject anyone to physical, emotional, financial or psychological abuse or neglect.
  • Refuse to access and possibly adapt processes to enable potentially vulnerable adults to participate.
  • Use ATT/CIOT activities to develop relationships with potentially vulnerable adults for personal gain.
  • Place potentially vulnerable adults in unsuitable or unsafe settings.
  • Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with potentially vulnerable adults including trafficking.
  • Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults.

Additionally ATT/CIOT staff and associated personnel are obliged to:

  • Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy.
  • Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an ATT/CIOT staff member or associated personnel to the Head of HR.

6. Enabling reports and complaints

ATT/CIOT will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and associated personnel including volunteers, members and members of the public.

Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be protected by the ATT/CIOT's Whistleblowing Policy.

ATT/CIOT will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.

6.1 How to report a safeguarding concern

6.1.1 Employers and contractors

Staff members and associated personnel who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to the Head of HR. If the individual does not feel comfortable reporting to their Head of HR or line manager (for example if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any Director.

The Head of HR is Annette Hutchinson and can be contacted on 020 7340 0559 or by email.

6.1.2 Members, Volunteers, Students and members of the public

Members, volunteers, students and members of the public may either use the online complaints form or write to the Head of HR at 30 Monck Street, London SW1P 2AP or by email. 

7. Complaint Response

ATT/CIOT will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations. ATT/CIOT will notify statutory authorities and cooperate with any investigation. ATT/CIOT may collate information but will not attempt to investigate allegations or formally interview witnesses or complainants or take independent action so as not to hinder statutory body investigations unless permitted to do so.

ATT/CIOT will apply appropriate disciplinary measures and action may be taken against a member or any associated personnel who is found to be bringing the profession into professional disrepute.

ATT/CIOT will offer appropriate support to enable comlainants to engage with the complaints process and will consider how best to communicate with them in a way that meets their needs. Discussions and decisions regarding the nature of the support needed to enable participation will involve the complainant or survivor.

8. Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only and should be kept secure at all times.

9. Safeguarding lead personnel and associated policies

9.1 Safeguarding lead personnel

  • Safeguarding Officer: Annette Hutchinson, Head of HR
  • Deputy Safeguarding Officer: Heather Brehcist, Head of Professional Standards, CIOT

The Safeguarding Focus Group that leads this work includes Emma Barklamb, Head of Member Services and Louise Liscott, Student Services Officer.

9.2 Associated Policies

  • Code of Conduct
  • Fundamental Principles as set out in Professional Rules and Practice Guidelines
  • Bullying and Harassment policy
  • Whistleblowing policy
  • Complaints policy
  • Recruitmenet policy

20 January 2020