Safeguarding Children

Policy Statement

Blossoming Communities provide activities and workshops for adults. Sometime children accompany parents, grandparents and carers to activities and workshops. As such there are no situations where Blossoming Communities are responsible for the care of any child. Blossoming Communities believes that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and abides by the principles, legislation and guidance that underpin the policy set out in Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board Procedures, ‘What to Do If you are Worried a Child is Being Abused, 2015’ and Working ‘Together to Safeguard Children’. This policy adheres to the Child Protection Laws of 1989, 2004 ad 2006.

Procedures

It is the duty of all facilitators and volunteers to abide by these policies to safeguard and protect all children regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion, culture, tradition and socio-economic background.
Sharon Stirling is our designated person for safeguarding.
All facilitators and volunteers will be made aware of Blossoming Communities safeguarding policies and procedures.
Facilitators receive training in child protection every 3 years and are expected to extend their knowledge via e-training and other courses made available to them annually. DPs are required to complete training every 2 years and also to extend their knowledge through further training opportunities.
Facilitators and Directors all have ‘enhanced disclosure’ checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service and reference numbers are stored with the date the disclosure was obtained; and details of who obtained it.

Recognising Signs of Abuse and responding to suspicions of abuse

Where a child makes comments to a facilitator or volunteer that give cause for concern (disclosure), or a member of staff observes signs or signals that give cause for concern, that person will:

listen to the child, offer reassurance and give assurance that she or he will take action;
not question the child;
makes a written record that forms an objective record of the observation or disclosure that includes: the date and time of the observation or the disclosure; the exact words spoken by the child as far as possible; the name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with the date and time; and the names of any other person present at the time.
The member of staff acting as the ‘designated person’ is informed of the issue at the earliest opportunity.
The designated person will then record and report as set down by our Local Safeguarding Children Board. Normal procedure is to call Northumberland Onecall on 01670 536400. Make a note of the time the call is put through and note the name of the person dealing with the concern on the ‘phone.

Review

This policy and procedures will be reviewed every 12 months. It will be reviewed in September 2025.