Safeguarding Children Procedures

​ Safeguarding Children Procedures

​

These Procedures sit alongside Northern Heartlands' Safeguarding Children Policy.

​

These Procedures are intended to ensure that all activities involving children are delivered in a safe, supportive and inclusive environment.  They apply to anyone working on behalf of Northern Heartlands who may come into contact with children and young people including freelancers and volunteers.  Key definitions for safeguarding are within the Safeguarding Children Policy.

 

If you suspect a child is being abused or receive a disclosure from a child, follow our Child Protection Flowchart above.

​

Safeguarding Commitment and Responsibilities

Northern Heartlands recognises that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The organisation is committed to:

• Protecting all children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and harm.

• Ensuring all children, regardless of their background, disability, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or identity, receive equal protection.

• Listening to and respecting children and young people.

• Maintaining clear safeguarding procedures and reporting pathways.

• Providing appropriate training and guidance for staff and volunteers.

• Appointing designated safeguarding leads with responsibility for responding to concerns.​

​​

Key Safeguarding Contacts:

• Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSL) – Lyndsey Middleton: 07948 349369/ 01833 200220

• Deputy Safeguarding Lead – Katy Milne: 07951 939830/ 01833 200220

• Trustee responsible for safeguarding – Ben Tinkler ben@bridgecreative.org

​

The NSPCC Helpline is also highlighted as a source of advice and support for safeguarding concerns.

​

Understanding and recognising signs of abuse and neglect 

Children may experience abuse in many different settings, including at home, in educational environments, community activities, online, or through exploitation.

 

Abuse can occur through a single incident or as an ongoing pattern of behaviour. The policy recognises a wide range of abuse types.

​

Recognising signs of abuse

We expect those working with children to remain vigilant for indicators that may suggest a child is experiencing harm. Common warning signs include:

• sudden changes in behaviour or personality,

• signs of anxiety or distress,

• aggressive or challenging behaviour, 

• trying to hide or cover up injuries or marks.

 

The policy stresses that these signs do not automatically indicate abuse but should prompt concern and further consideration.

​

Responding to disclosures and reporting concerns

If you suspect a child is being abused or receive a disclosure from a child, follow our Child Protection Flowchart above.

​

The policy emphasises that safeguarding concerns should always be shared rather than ignored. The policy explains how adults working on behalf of Northern Heartlands should respond if a child discloses abuse or neglect.

 

Good practice includes:

• listening carefully without interruption,

• remaining calm and supportive,

• allowing the child to speak at their own pace,

• reassuring the child that they have done the right thing,

• explaining that information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.

​

This includes recording information accurately using the child's own words whenever possible. Detailed, factual records should be passed to the Designated Safeguarding Officer (Lyndsey Middleton) in line with the reporting procedure. Importantly, colleagues are not expected to investigate concerns themselves. Their responsibility is to record and report concerns promptly.

​

Keeping Children Safe During Activities and Events:

• Risk Assessments: All activities involving children must be properly risk assessed, regularly reviewed, planned jointly with partner organisations where appropriate and adapted when new risks emerge. Safeguarding considerations should form part of every event plan.

• Supervision and staffing: The policy follows NSPCC guidance on minimum adult-to-child ratios and recommends that, wherever possible, at least two responsible adults are present during activities. Additional supervision may be required where children have special educational needs, disabilities, or other vulnerabilities. The organisation seeks to avoid lone working or one-to-one situations between adults and children wherever possible. Where unavoidable: other staff should be aware of the situation, the interaction should remain open and accountable, the child's safety and wellbeing should remain the priority.

• DBS checks: Appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are required based on the role and level of contact with children. Enhanced DBS checks are expected where NH employees/contracted staff or volunteers may work unsupervised with children.

​

Consent, data protection and media

• Consent: Northern Heartlands obtains consent for activities involving children and young people and ensures parents, carers, schools, or partner organisations have sufficient information to make informed decisions about participation.

• Participant information: Where children attend activities without a parent, carer, or supervising organisation present, emergency contact details, medical information, and relevant health information should be collected, securely stored and available for staff should an emergency arise.

• Photography and filming: The organisation recognises that photographs and videos may create safeguarding risks for some children. As a result – written or verbal consent should be obtained by parents/carers before images are taken and used. Parents and carers should understand how images may be published. Appropriate signage should be displayed at public events where filming is taking place.

​​

Safe practice and professional behaviour

The policy sets clear expectations that anyone working on behalf of Northern Heartlands should treat all young people fairly and respectfully, promote inclusion, act as positive role models, maintain professional boundaries and encourage mutual respect and positive behaviour.

​

Anyone working on behalf of Northern Heartlands must not engage in inappropriate relationships with children, share personal contact details, communicate through personal social media accounts, use threatening, offensive, discriminatory, or sexually suggestive behaviour or take unnecessary risks that could compromise a child's safety.

​

Physical contact should only occur where necessary, appropriate, and in the child's best interests, such as preventing injury, providing emergency care or supporting participation in planned activities (such as drama or dance activity).

 

Children's boundaries and preferences must always be respected, and contact should never occur in secret or involve intimate areas of the body.

​

Any concerns regarding conduct must be reported immediately through safeguarding procedures.