Safeguarding and code of conduct

CHild protection and Safeguarding policy & Code of conduct policy

Any safeguarding concern in relation to I Can Be’s activities should be immediately reported to the Charity by contacting the I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead, Anastasia de Waal:

The I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead is Claire Daley:

This policy underpins I Can Be’s commitment to protect and safeguard children and young people and applies to anyone working at or with I Can Be. The purpose of this policy is to:

  • protect all children and young people who participate in I Can Be programmes

  • provide Trustees, staff, volunteers and school partners with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.

I Can Be believes that children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind. We are committed to promoting the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to operate in a way that protects them.

Guiding legal framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:

  • Children Act 1989

  • United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991

  • Children Act 2004

  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

  • Children and Families Act 2014

  • Children and Social Work Act 2017

  • Data Protection Act 2018

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018

  • Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.

We recognise that:

  • the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989 and the Children Act 2004

  • all children and young people, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse

  • some children and young people are additionally vulnerable because of their previous experiences, level of dependency, communication needs and other factors

  • working in partnership with children and young people, their parents, guardians, carers and schools is essential in promoting children and young people’s welfare.

I Can Be’s role in supporting school partners’ safeguarding measures

Throughout I Can Be’s virtual visits programme, including virtual end-of-programme sessions, all children are supervised at all times by a member of their school staff. We are strongly committed to supporting schools, who are responsible for the children in their care at all times during the virtual visits programme, to ensure that no abuse occurs and that action is taken immediately should any abuse be suspected.

We seek to support schools to keep children safe by:

  • valuing children, listening to and respecting them

  • ensuring that the correct supervision of children participating in all I Can Be activities is strictly adhered to at all times

  • ensuring appropriate risk assessments are undertaken

  • being observant and vigilant in all interactions with children and reporting any concerns to the appropriate school immediately

  • providing a designated member of staff who anyone can contact quickly and easily in relation to any concerns: I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead, Anastasia de Waal – telephone: 07930 354 234 (I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead, Claire Daley – telephone: 07942 674 630)

  • recruiting I Can Be staff and Trustees safely, ensuring any necessary checks are undertaken

  • ensuring that everyone working at or with I Can Be puts the Child protection and safeguarding policy and the Code of conduct policy into practice, and understands their responsibilities including what to do if they have a safeguarding concern

  • providing appropriate training and support for I Can Be staff, Trustees and volunteers

  • ensuring that I Can Be staff, Trustees and volunteers do not engage in any activity that puts them at risk of being falsely accused

  • ensuring that any allegation against I Can Be staff, Trustees and volunteers is managed appropriately

  • ensuring the accurate and secure recording of any safeguarding concerns that are raised and any action taken by I Can Be

  • ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing procedures in place, in accordance with the I Can Be Complaint handling policy and the I Can Be Whistleblowing policy

  • following child protection and safeguarding best practice throughout our procedures and policies

  • ensuring that our safeguarding policy and procedures are consistent with the relevant legislation and guidance.

Reporting a safeguarding concern

I Can Be takes safeguarding and the protection of children and young people extremely seriously. Any person who is working at or with I Can Be, or who witnesses an incident, should immediately report any safeguarding concerns to I Can Be’s Designated Safeguarding Lead:

The I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead is:

If anyone thinks a child or young person is in immediate danger, they should:

  1. Call the police immediately.

  2. Report the concern to the person who is responsible for the child (i.e. the I Can Be School Ambassador if it is during the I Can Be virtual visits programme).

  3. Alert the I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead, Anastasia de Waal – telephone: 07930 354 234 (I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead, Claire Daley – telephone: 07942 674 630).

In all circumstances when I Can Be is made aware of a safeguarding concern, the I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead (or when applicable the I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead) will immediately report it to the relevant school (ensuring that the I Can Be School Ambassador, the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead and the head teacher are alerted). The I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead (or when applicable the I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead) will always follow up a safeguarding report and pursue the outcome with the school, including any appropriate liaison with the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or other agencies, as required.

To report a safeguarding concern about the I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead, individuals should contact the I Can Be Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead, Claire Daley.

The lead trustee for safeguarding is the Chair of Trustees, Brikena Muharremi.

For confidential advice and guidance, individuals can contact the NSPCC Helpline by telephone 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk.

Storing and sharing information

I Can Be is committed to securely recording, storing and sharing (when applicable) the details of any safeguarding concerns that are raised, including any action taken. Any information that I Can Be stores or shares is in line with the relevant safeguarding and data protection legislation and in accordance with the I Can Be Data protection policy, the I Can Be Confidentiality policy and the Privacy notice.

Staff safeguarding training

Upon their appointment, all staff must read and agree to abide by this Child protection and safeguarding policy and Code of conduct policy.

All staff members are provided with externally validated safeguarding training when they join I Can Be, and every 3 years thereafter. Designated safeguarding staff are required to undertake training that is specific to their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff members are also required to undertake internal annual child protection and safeguarding refresher training.

Code of conduct policy

Scope

This policy outlines the conduct that I Can Be expects from all our Trustees, staff, volunteers and school partners. We expect all people who work with or for I Can Be to display appropriate behaviour at all times.

Principles

Any adult working at or with I Can Be – whether as a Trustee, member of staff, volunteer or school partner – has a responsibility to ensure that everyone who takes part in I Can Be’s activities, particularly children and young people, is protected from harm. It is the responsibility of each adult working at or with I Can Be to ensure that:

  • they prioritise the welfare of children and young people

  • they help I Can Be to provide a safe environment for all children and young people who take part in our programmes by observing any rules established for the safety and security of children and young people

  • they recognise the position of trust in which they have been placed

  • they model good behaviour for children and young people to follow

  • their behaviour is appropriate at all times

  • they challenge all inappropriate behaviour and report any breaches of this Code of conduct policy to the Charity

  • they stay within the law at all times

  • in every respect, the relationships they form with the children and young people in their care are appropriate

  • they report all concerns about abusive behaviour by using the procedures in the I Can Be Child protection and safeguarding policy following any suspicion, disclosure or allegation of child abuse. If a child is in immediate danger the police should be contacted in the first instance. This should be followed by reporting the concern to the person responsible for the child (the I Can Be School Ambassador if it is during the I Can Be virtual visits programme). The I Can Be Designated Safeguarding Lead, Anastasia de Waal (telephone: 07930 354 234) must then be alerted. (The Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead is Claire Daley – telephone: 07942 674 630.)

All persons who wish to work at or with I Can Be, must accept and understand this policy. They must also agree to put I Can Be’s Child protection and safeguarding policy and Code of conduct policy into practice.

The required supervisory arrangements for all children who participate in I Can Be activities must be strictly adhered to at all times by any person working at or with I Can Be.

Meeting your responsibilities

To give positive guidance, the code of behaviour (below) provides a list of ‘dos and don’ts’ to help you ensure that:

  • the welfare of the children and young people for whom you have a duty of care is safeguarded

  • you avoid compromising situations or opportunities for misunderstandings or allegations.

Code of behaviour

DO put this code into practice at all times

DO treat everyone with dignity and respect

DO be courteous and patient with others

DO set an example you would wish others to follow

DO treat all children and young people equally and without prejudice or discrimination

DO listen to and respect children and young people at all times

DO value and take children and young people’s contributions seriously

DO respect the right to personal privacy of a child or young person

(if you need to break confidentiality in order to follow child protection procedures, it is important to explain this to the child or young person at the earliest opportunity)

DO exercise caution if you discuss any sensitive issues with children or young people

DO allow children and young people to talk about any concerns they may have

DO remember this code even at sensitive moments

DO keep an I Can Be staff member informed of where you are and what you are doing when you are working at or with I Can Be

DO remember that someone else might misinterpret your actions, no matter how well-intentioned

DO challenge discrimination and prejudice

DO take any allegations or concerns about abuse seriously and report them immediately

DO NOT trivialise abuse

DO NOT form a relationship with a child or young person that is an abuse of trust

DO NOT allow any unacceptable situations within a relationship of trust

DO NOT let children and young people have your personal contact details (mobile number, email or postal address), or have contact with them via a personal social media account

DO NOT permit abusive peer activities

DO NOT engage in inappropriate behaviour or contact (including but not limited to physical or verbal)

DO NOT smoke, drink alcohol or consume illegal substances when working at or with I Can Be

DO NOT be drawn into inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour

DO NOT make inappropriate promises to children and young people

DO NOT play physical contact games with children or young people

DO NOT act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive

DO NOT patronise or belittle children and young people, or make sarcastic, insensitive or derogatory comments or gestures

DO NOT take unnecessary risks

DO NOT use inappropriate language – verbal or written

DO NOT let any allegations, suspicions or concerns about abuse go unreported

DO NOT act fraudulently or dishonestly or do anything that brings, or is likely to bring, I Can Be into disrepute.


If you become aware of any breaches of this Code of conduct policy, you must report them to I Can Be. If necessary, you should follow the I Can Be Whistleblowing policy.

Any failure to comply with this policy could be a disciplinary issue for staff, a breach of the code of conduct for Trustees, or a breach of the agreement between I Can Be and a volunteer or school partner. See the I Can Be Disciplinary and grievance policy, the I Can Be Trustee code of conduct policy, and the I Can Be Volunteer Agreement, the I Can Be School Agreement and the I Can Be School Ambassador Agreement.

Depending on the seriousness of the situation and subject to any applicable disciplinary procedures, if any person behaves inappropriately they may be asked to leave I Can Be. We may also make a report to statutory agencies such as the police and/or the relevant local authority child protection services.

I Can Be takes safeguarding and the protection of children and young people extremely seriously. Any person who is working at or with I Can Be should immediately report any safeguarding concerns to I Can Be’s Designated Safeguarding Lead:

The Back-up Designated Safeguarding Lead is: