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Safeguarding Policy

Purpose

The principal purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children, young people under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults, from any harm.

A further purpose of this policy is to assist me, Susan Collini, to identify, and provide support to, any children, young people under the age of 18 or vulnerable adults who are participating in therapy sessions who are being sexually, physically, emotionally or psychologically abused, or are at risk of such abuse.
The policy lays out the commitments made by Susan Collini in her role as a Therapist.

What is safeguarding?

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

I understand it to mean protecting people, including children, young people under 18 and vulnerable adults, from harm that  arises from contact with myself Susan Collini during therapeutic interventions or in relation to other persons the child or vulnerable adult has contact with or has had contact with in the past.

Policy Statement

I, Susan Collini, believes that everyone I 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 and neglect.

This policy will address the following areas of safeguarding: child safeguarding and adult safeguarding.
I, Susan Collini, commit to addressing safeguarding throughout my work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

Prevention

I, Susan Collini, will

  • Create and maintain an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of this Safeguarding Policy.
  • Ensure that children and vulnerable adults are chaperoned during sessions and I am not left alone with a child or vulnerable adult.
  • Ensure that I receive permission for making physical contact with the child or vulnerable adult, either from the child or vulnerable adult themselves, as the need arises, or from their parent/carer in advance of therapy sessions commencing.
  • Design and undertake all therapy sessions (including online programmes) in a way that protects people, as far as is reasonably practicable, from risk of harm that may arise from them coming into contact with myself, Susan Collini. This includes the way in which information about individuals taking part in therapy sessions is gathered and stored, as set out by the ICO (of which I am a member). In online interactions, delivered on zoom, secured password links are provided to ensure end-to-end privacy and confidentiality is protected.
  • I, Susan Collini, will follow up on any safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.

Child and vulnerable adult safeguarding

  • I, Susan Collini, have a legal responsibility to report concern about physical, emotional or sexual abuse of any young person or vulnerable adult. This also relates to concern over neglect.
  • I, Susan Collini, will exercise vigilance in respect of  any child or young person under the age of 18 or vulnerable adult, participating in or otherwise involved with my therapy sessions, if they demonstrate  a need that gives rise to reasonable grounds for suspecting that they are being sexually, physically, emotionally or psychologically abused or at risk of such abuse. Where necessary, I will follow appropriate protection procedures in respect of the child or young person and (if present) the suspected abuser.
  • I, Susan Collini, will take seriously any allegation made, or which may come to my knowledge, that any child or young person under the age of 18 or vulnerable adult, participating in or otherwise involved in my therapeutic interventions, has been sexually, physically, emotionally or psychologically abused or is at risk of such abuse.
  • I, Susan Collini, will take immediate action, if necessary, in respect of the victim and the alleged abuser following the appropriate safeguarding protection procedures.
  • I, Susan Collini, will make a careful written record of all relevant details (including times, dates, etc) of the concern/allegation and of all actions taken and pass these to professional service provides if required.

Reporting a safeguarding concern

If I, Susan Collini, have a concern  (whether originating from the person receiving therapy or received from some other person) relating to safeguarding I will write a report and consult my Supervisor for guidance on suitable ‘next steps’. If it is felt necessary I will refer the matter to  the designated Adult and Child Protection Officer at East Northamptonshire Council (or other relevant Local Authority if working outside East Northamptonshire).

Confidentiality

In order to protect the victim and the alleged abuser, it is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when I, Susan Collini, am dealing with any safeguarding concern/complaint. Other than when referring it to the Police or the Local Authority, information relating to a concern/complaint and to the subsequent management of the concern/complaint will be shared on a strict ‘need to know’ basis only and will be kept secure at all times.

No child or young person under 18 or vulnerable adult (nor any person attending with them) can be given an absolute guarantee of confidentiality in relation of information shared with me, even if the giving of such a guarantee is stated to be a pre-condition of the disclosure of information. I will explain to the victim (or a person attending with them) that although I, Susan Collini, treat information shared with me with strict confidentially, I am under a legal obligation to share information with certain other organisations, such as the Police or the Local Authority, to ensure necessary steps are taken to protect any child, vulnerable adult or any individual who I become aware of as being abused by another person or persons.

Policy updated 2023