The Chitter Chatter Club Safeguarding Policy & Procedures 

Concerning Children, Young People & Adults at Risk 

1. Introduction 

The Chitter Chatter Club believes that every child and adult deserves to be safe and secure. We will ensure that our activities are safe for our staff, volunteers and users. Unfortunately people may pose a risk to children or adults at risk and may wish to harm them. Also accidents can happen unless steps are taken to minimise them. Therefore safeguarding children, young people and adults is everybody’s business. 

The Chitter Chatter Club has put in place safeguards to protect those who work and volunteer for us and our users including children, young people and adults at risk. The Chitter Chatter Club has also put in place safeguards to avoid putting their workers and volunteers in positions where harm might be alleged, and to ensure that all workers and volunteers know exactly what to do should harm be suspected. The Chitter Chatter Club believes it is important to not only protect the vulnerable from harm but to actively promote the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk - not just to protect, but to safeguard. Therefore we also have a responsibility to take action if we know, or suspect, that a child or adult at risk is at risk of harm. 

2. Definitions 

● A child/young person is defined as anyone under 18. 

● An adult at risk is defined in the ‘No Secrets’ government report as a person over 18 “who may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.” 

3. The Chitter Chatter Club Values for Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk ● All users including children, young people and adults at risk have the right to a friendly, secure, caring and safe environment whilst with The Chitter Chatter Club. ● The needs of the child/adult at risk are paramount and should underpin all safeguarding 

work, working to the policy and procedures agreed by the Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board. 

● The primary duty of staff and volunteers, whatever their nominated role, and organisations contracted by The Chitter Chatter Club is to protect children, young people and adults at risk from significant harm. 

● It is not The Chitter Chatter Club’s responsibility to investigate suspected abuse but to report concerns to the local contacts (see Section 8). 

● Responsibility for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk must be shared as they can only be protected effectively when all the relevant agencies and individuals accept responsibility and co-operate with one another. 

● The Chitter Chatter Club has a responsibility to inform children and young people, and adults at risk, and their parents and/or carers as appropriate, of its duty to follow up any safeguarding concerns and report suspected cases of harm when disclosed or observed.

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4.1 Preventing Opportunities for Harm 

The Chitter Chatter Club aims to: 

● Ensure we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of appropriate staff and volunteers to work with children, young people and adults at risk. Including the use of criminal record checks (DBS) were permitted to do so. 

● Ensure that our activities are safe for those who work and volunteer for us and those who use our services 

● Provide appropriate safeguarding training to our staff and volunteers ● Develop and then implement procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of harm ● Make our Safeguarding Policy available 

● Designate an appropriately trained and informed individual/s to be the person/s with whom safeguarding concerns are discussed initially 

4.2. Safer Practice in Direct Work 

● No member of staff or volunteer will be alone with a child or adult at risk without alerting others to the reason. 

● Members of staff or volunteers must not use inappropriate language or behaviour. ● Any concerns of harm or disclosure will be acted on IMMEDIATELY. ● All allegations of abuse against a worker/volunteer, however minor, are reported to the 

worker/volunteers line manager and the procedure to be followed will be in line with the Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership Bournemouth or the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board. 

● Safeguarding also means reducing the risk of injury. Therefore we will carry out appropriate risk assessments before undertaking events/activities. This will include balancing the danger of injury against the benefits for participants. 

● When undertaking events/activities we will arrange for appropriate first aid cover and other health and safety measures e.g. fire fighting. 

5. Types of Harm 

There are various forms of harm that can be evidenced by physical and behavioral indicators: ● Physical Harm 

● Neglect 

● Emotional Harm 

● Sexual Harm 

● Financial and Material Harm 

● Discriminatory Harm 

● Radicalisation 

Further information is available from Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership (https://pdscp.co.uk/children-young-people/abuse-what-is-it/) or Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board 

(www.bcpsafeguardingadultsboard.com/uploads/7/4/8/9/74891967/bpdsab_voluntary_sector_ info__may_15.pdf) and

www.scie.org.uk/safeguarding/adults/introduction/types-and-indicators-of-abuse 

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6. How to Report Suspected Harm 

Those working for The Chitter Chatter Club may suspect someone is being harmed, or is in danger of being harmed, by observing their appearance and/or behaviour or be told directly (i.e. a disclosure). If anyone involved with The Chitter Chatter Club has a suspicion or receives a disclosure then they MUST act. 

The first priority for all those working for The Chitter Chatter Club (trustees, staff, volunteers, contractors, etc.) should be to ensure the safety and protection of any child or adult at risk. Therefore if there is any concern it is an individual’s responsibility to act in a timely manner, if necessary immediately where there is an urgent need for medical treatment or immediate risk of harm. 

Where a worker or volunteer suspects a child or adult at risk has or is being harmed they will follow the process below: 

1. Person has concerns about a child or adult at risk’s welfare. If the child or adult at risk disclosed information you should: 

● Stay calm, treat them seriously, offer them support and listen to them but not press for more details 

● Explain that you cannot guarantee confidentiality and that you have a duty to report to your line manager (inform parent/carer unless it would increase risk of harm) ● Write down what they tell you using their own words as soon as possible ● Keep any evidence safe ● Do not attempt to discuss this with the person alleged to have caused the harm 

 

2. If the person believes the child or adult at risk is in immediate danger - call the police and /or an ambulance on 999. If not go to 3. 

 

3. Person discusses with Nominated Safeguarding Officer (NSO) as soon as possible and within the same working day and a decision is taken whether to take further action (if the person is unable to discuss with their line manager they should decide whether to take further action). If yes then go to 4. 

 

4. NSO records concerns using as much information as possible such as what was said, what was observed, when, where and who else was there, date, time and place of disclosure/concerns. 

 

5. NSO makes appropriate referral (see Contacts) within 24 hours of disclosure or concern raised.

 

6. Followed up in writing within 48 hours with copy kept in The Chitter Chatter Club Incidents file. Page 3 of 5 

7. Whistleblowing 

The Chitter Chatter Club is dedicated to the highest standards of operation, probity and accountability. In line with this commitment, employees, volunteers and others with serious concerns about any aspect of our work are encouraged to come forward and voice those concerns. In the first instance if you have safeguarding concerns, or want to complain about a lack of action on a safeguarding concern, speak to the Nominated Safeguarding Officer or to the Lead Trustee. However, if you have continuing concerns, e.g. your concerns are not acted on, you are encouraged to contact the appropriate authorities (the local safeguarding boards and/or Police). Advice is available from Protect - free confidential advice for people who witnessed wrongdoing in their workplace but are not sure how to raise their concerns (https://protect-advice.org.uk 020 3117 2520) and NSPCC National Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285. 

8. Contacts 

The Chitter Chatter Club Nominated Safeguarding Officer: Anne Anderson, Founder 

Trustee with safeguarding responsibilities: 

For concerns about an immediate risk or harm to a child/young person or adult at risk ring the Police on 999 

If you suspect that a child/young person is being abused or neglected then contact the BCP First Response Hub to request support, or to report a concern about a child or young person. Call 01202 735046 from 8.30am to 5.15pm, Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 4.45pm on a Friday. Or e-mail childrensfirstresponse@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 

Out Of Hours – 5pm to 9am from Monday to Friday, all day Saturdays and Sundays and all bank holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day: 01202 738256 ChildrensOOHS@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 

If you suspect that an adult is being abused or neglected then contact BCP Council Email: asc.contactcentre@bcpcouncil.gov.uk 

For Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: Telephone 01202 123654 

Or Dorset Police: Tel 101 

Out of Hours Service: Tel. 0300 1239895 Evenings and weekends, including Bank Holidays 

9. Other organisations that could help 

● Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership https://pdscp.co.uk , East Team: 01305 228558. 

● Keeping children and young people safe in the voluntary and community sector (NSPCC)

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/voluntary-community-group s 

● Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board 

https://www.bcpsafeguardingadultsboard.com , 01202 794300. 

● Ann Craft Trust www.anncrafttrust.org 

● NCVO Safeguarding https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/safeguarding/ 

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Created 4.5.2023 by Anne Anderson 

Founder 

Update due 4.5.2024