Safeguarding Policy

Update 6 March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children, at-risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with [Extraordinary or that those working for Extraordinary Links become aware of during sessions].  This includes harm arising from:

  • The conduct of staff or personnel associated with Extraordinary Links.
  • The design and implementation of Extraordinary Links’ programmes and activities
  • Anything outside the parameters of Extraordinary Links that staff become aware of during sessions

The policy lays out the commitments made by Extraordinary Links and informs staff and associated personnel[1] of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

What is safeguarding?

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting people’s health, well-being and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect[2]

In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.

 Further definitions relating to safeguarding are provided in the glossary below.

Scope

  • All staff contracted by Extraordinary Links
  • Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Extraordinary Links, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities and politicians

Policy Statement

Extraordinary Links believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation Extraordinary Links will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

This policy will address the following areas of safeguarding [as appropriate]:  child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.  These key areas of safeguarding may have different policies and procedures associated with them (see Associated Policies).

Extraordinary Links commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

Prevention

Extraordinary Links responsibilities

Extraordinary Links will:

  • Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy
  • Design and undertake all its programs and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Extraordinary Links. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated
  • Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel
  • Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization
  • Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process
  • If we believe that a vulnerable person is at risk from FGM we will contact the police in the first instance to report.
  • We will follow the PREVENT duty as laid out in the Revised Prevent duty guidance: for England and Wales [2019]

Staff responsibilities

Child safeguarding

Extraordinary Links staff and associated personnel must not:

  • Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18
  • Sexually abuse or exploit children
  • Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
  • Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking

Adult safeguarding

Extraordinary Links staff and associated personnel must not:

  • Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults
  • Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse

Extraordinary Links staff and associated personnel must not:

  • Exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance
  • Engage in any sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics

Additionally, Extraordinary Links 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 Extraordinary Links staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member
  • Report any concerns safeguarding, outside of the organisation of extraordinary links, that they become aware of in relation to any vulnerable adult or any child, through attending Extraordinary Links to the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
  • If the safeguarding concerns relating to the PREVENT duty, the person who is aware of the safeguarding concern should report to the police in the first instance, and then inform the DSO.

Enabling reports

Extraordinary Links will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.

Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be protected by Extraordinary Links Disclosure of Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistleblowing) Policy.

Extraordinary Links will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies. 

How to report a safeguarding concern

Our Designated Safeguarding Officer is Gillian Crea – extraordinarylinks1@outlook.com 07847582221

Our other Designated Safeguarding Officer is Katie Hales. Can be contacted via the Extraordinary Links facebook page or her personal email address on request from her.

All safeguarding concerns must be accompanied by a written report which will be used in any investigation and will be given to the relevant authorities.

Response

Extraordinary Links will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations

Extraordinary Links will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy and will inform the police of any safeguarding concerns if appropriate.

Extraordinary Links will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation).  Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.

Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality in 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.

However, FGM will be reported directly to the police.

If we observe any behaviour of concern under the Prevent duty, we will inform both First Response Tel 0117 9036444 and the local Prevent Team, also called the South West Counter-terrorism Team (SWCT) Tel 0117 9455536 or channelsw@avonandsomerset.pnn.police.uk

Glossary of Terms

Beneficiary of Assistance

Someone who directly receives goods or services from Extraordinary Links’s programme.  Note that misuse of power can also apply to the wider community that the NGO serves, and also can include exploitation by giving the perception of being in a position of power.

Child

A person below the age of 18

FGM

Female Genital Mutilation

Harm

Psychological, physical and any other infringement of an individual’s rights

PREVENT duty

Guidance for specified authorities in England and Wales on the duty in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Psychological harm

Emotional or psychological abuse, including (but not limited to) humiliating and degrading treatment such as bad name calling, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming, solitary confinement and isolation

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

The term used by the humanitarian and development community to refer to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of affected populations by staff or associated personnel.  The term derives from the United Nations Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13)

Safeguarding

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples’ health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect[3]

In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.  One donor definition is as follows:

Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring; to protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and to respond appropriately when harm does occur.

This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability, especially for sexual purposes.

Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our programmes, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having mature, accountable and transparent systems for response, reporting and learning when risks materialise. Those systems must be survivor-centred and also protect those accused until proven guilty.

Safeguarding puts beneficiaries and affected persons at the centre of all we do.

Sexual abuse

The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Sexual exploitation

The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.  This definition incudes human trafficking and modern slavery.

Survivor

The person who has been abused or exploited. The term ‘survivor’ is often used in preference to ‘victim’ as it implies strength, resilience and the capacity to survive, however it is the individual’s choice how they wish to identify themselves.

At risk adult

Sometimes also referred to as vulnerable adult.  A person who is or may be in need of care by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; 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.


[1] See ‘Scope’ for definition of associated personnel

[2] NHS ‘What is Safeguarding? Easy Read’ 2011

[3] NHS ‘What is Safeguarding? Easy Read’ 2011