Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

The purpose and scope of this policy statement

Base Camp aims to offer children and young people an active learning and adventure experience in 90 acres of country parkland. Through being outdoors, participating in Forest School activities, archery and other outdoor activities, participants will learn new skills and gain greater knowledge about and connection with nature. They will also find challenge in the activities they do, which will develop their own personal skills such as communication, problem solving and resilience.

The purpose of this policy statement is:

• to protect children and young people who receive Base Camp's services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services.
• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Base Camp, including paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers and students.

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/childprotection.

Supporting documents

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents:

• role description for the designated safeguarding officer
• dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
• managing allegations against staff and volunteers
• recording concerns and information sharing
• child protection records retention and storage
• code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• behaviour codes for children and young people
• photography and sharing images guidance
• health and safety
• food safety and handling

We believe that

• children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
• we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

We recognise that

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take.
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people's welfare.
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.
• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
• extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by

• valuing, listening to and respecting them.
• appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people.
• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures, so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently.
• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
• recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance (more information is available from the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk/for-organisations).
• sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets and one-to-one discussions.
• making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern.
• using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately.
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately.
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment, and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.
• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.
• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Designated Safeguarding Officer

Name: Hannah Secouet Contact: hannah@basecamplearning.co.uk · 07979 526883

If a child is in immediate danger or is at risk of harm, telephone the Customer Contact Centre on 01609 780780 and/or the Police (101 or 999) immediately.

Anyone can make a referral. Where referrals are not made by the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO), the DSO should be informed as soon as possible that a referral has been made.

If, at any stage, a child's situation does not appear to be improving, alert the DSO and contact the Customer Contact Centre to press for action.

Allegations against staff and volunteers procedure

These procedures should be used in respect of all cases, in connection with the person's employment or voluntary activity, where it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child
• possibly committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children
• behaved, or may have behaved, in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children. (This includes any behaviour that may have happened outside of Base Camp that might make the individual unsuitable to work with children. This is known as transferable risk.)

The DSO should telephone the duty LADO on 01609 533080 within 1 day.