HELPLINE 0808 808 3555 Fledglings Shop Search Contact Logo DONATE Click to toggle primary navigation menu Home About Contact Policies and ethics Safeguarding Safeguarding At Contact we take safeguarding very seriously and believe that protecting people from harm is everyone’s responsibility. Contact is committed to promoting the welfare and wellbeing of children and adults, protecting them from abuse or neglect, whether they are receiving services from us, are Contact staff and volunteers, or anyone else we meet through our work. Policy strategy Contact believes that all children and young people and vulnerable adults deserve to live happy, safe, and secure lives, and should be protected from abuse, harm, or neglect. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and vulnerable adults to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects and safeguards children, young people and vulnerable adults. We acknowledge our responsibilities to those who fall under statutory safeguarding definitions. Our safeguarding policies outline the practice and procedures for paid and voluntary staff in Contact so that they can contribute to the prevention of abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults through raising awareness and providing a clear framework for action when abuse is suspected. Our safeguarding policies are reviewed annually and are available on request. Please email info@contact.org.uk Our responsibilities are: To notify the appropriate agencies if abuse is identified or suspected. To support and if necessary help secure the safety of individuals and ensure that all referrals to services have full information in relation to identified risk and vulnerability. To check volunteers and employees who have access to or work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults through the official criminal record checking procedures. To ensure all staff and volunteers are aware of the relevant safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures for raising safeguarding concerns. To ensure that staff who are in regular contact or who provide services to parents of disabled children have had adequate training. Responsibilities of Contact employees and volunteers To be familiar with the safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adult’s policies and procedures. To take appropriate action in line with the safeguarding policies. To promote the principles and good practice to other voluntary organisations. To undertake mandatory safeguarding training. To declare any existing or subsequent convictions. Failure to do so will be regarded as gross misconduct, possibly resulting in dismissal. Accountability Contact’s Board of Trustees are accountable for ensuring that the organisation has appropriate structure, processes and resources in place to ensure safeguarding is central to everything it does. The Board also monitor compliance. The Director of Family Support is the senior individual accountable for all aspects of safeguarding across the organisation, including a strong culture of safeguarding. The Designated Safeguarding Officers support the workforce to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns. The safeguarding team are responsible for giving safeguarding advice and guidance across the organisation. To request copies of Contact’s safeguarding children and safeguarding vulnerable adults policies, please email info@contact.org.uk Lasted updated June 2021. Top About Contact Contact is a trading name of Contact a Family. Charity registered in England and Wales (284912) and Scotland (SC039169). Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (1633333). VAT registration GB 749 3846 82. © Contact 2021 Contact, 209 City Road, London, EC1V 1JN Tel: 020 7608 8700 Quick links Contact us Work for Contact Press office Privacy policy Cookies Terms Accessibility Safeguarding Join us on social media Facebook YouTube Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Helpline We run a free helpline for parents and carers with a disabled child aged from birth to 25, living in any part of the UK. Your child does not need a diagnosis for you to call our helpline. For more details about the helpline services and hours, please see our Helpline page. 0808 808 3555 Newsletter Keep up-to-date on all the latest disability news, Contact’s work and activities, and opportunities to get involved – sign up below. SIGN UP In 2020/2021 we helped 196,000 families with disabled children We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Cookie settings ACCEPT