Safeguarding Children Policy

1 Introduction

1. Ufulu Malawi is a not-for-profit organisation run by: 
2. Ufulu Malawi company number 11858727 
3. Ufulu Malawi is based at: 
4. 2 Heath Drive, Binfield Heath, Henley, Oxon RG9 4LX 
5. Ufulu Malawi is managed by a board of trustees (the Board). One of the trustees has  particular responsibility for safeguarding children – Mrs Nicola Crosbie. 
6. The Board has adopted this safeguarding children policy and expects every adult  working or helping at Ufulu Malawi to support it and comply with it. Consequently this  policy shall apply to all staff, managers, trustees, directors, volunteers, students or  anyone working on behalf of Ufulu Malawi. 

2 Purpose of the Policy 

1. This policy is intended to protect children, young people and persons at risk, who receive any service from us, including those who are the children of adults who may  receive services from us. 
2. As an organisation we believe that no child or young person should experience abuse  or harm and are committed to the protection of children and young people and this  policy is intended to provide guidance and overarching principles to those who  represent us as volunteers or staff, to guide our approach to child protection and  safeguarding. 

3 The risks to children 

1. Nearly every child grows up in a safe and happy environment and it is important not to  exaggerate or overestimate the dangers. Nevertheless, there are situations where  children need protection including: 

• Sexual abuse
• Grooming 
• Physical and emotional abuse and neglect 
• Domestic violence 
• Inappropriate supervision by staff or volunteers 
• Bullying, cyber bullying, acts of violence and aggression within our schools  and campuses 
• Victimisation 
• Self-harm 
• Unsafe environments and activities 
• Crime 
• Exploitation 

4 Universality of Protection 

We recognise that: 

1. The welfare of the child is paramount 
2. All children regardless of race, gender, religious belief, disability, age, sexual  orientation or identity have a right to equal protection from harm. 
3. Some children are more vulnerable to harm as a result of their circumstances,  prior experiences, communication needs or level of dependency. 
4. Working with children, young people, their parents and/or guardians, carers  or other agencies is essential to protecting their wellbeing. 

5 Safeguarding children at events / activities 

1. 1 There are three kinds of events/activities: 
   1. Those open to adults and children of all ages, 
   2. Those for children accompanied by a ‘parent’, 
   3. Those for unaccompanied children, which are sometimes run alongside other  events/activities. 
2. At events and activities open to all ages, children under 16 must be accompanied  throughout by an adult over the age of 18 who not only brings the child but also takes  the child home again afterwards. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend  unaccompanied if they bring the written consent of one of their parents. 
3. At events and activities for children accompanied by a ‘parent’, children under 16  must be supervised throughout the event by an adult over the age of 18 who not only  brings the child to the event but also takes the child home again afterwards. If a lone  adult brings more than one child, then the children will have to stay together, so that  the one adult can supervise them. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent (either by signing a consent form or  written acknowledgement of an explanation of the activity to be carried out) and  suitable contact details of one of their parents. 
4. At events and activities for unaccompanied children, children under the age of 16  must be enrolled by a responsible adult before being left with the event leader. The  enrolment must record the child’s name, age and address and the names and addresses  of the child’s parents. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they  bring the written consent of one of their parents. 
5. Both event and activities are to be defined broadly to include any occasions where  Ufulu Malawi will be providing a service. 

6 Disclosure and barring 

Ufulu Malawi offers the following activities for children: 

1. Introducing and providing sanitary products, specifically menstrual cups, to the  women and girls of Likoma Island, Malawi and other countries in sub-Saharan  Africa.  This will include guidance and instruction on how to use the cups safely and  hygienically. 
2. Some of our activities may therefore require adult participants or adult leaders to  undergo DBS and/or police checks under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.  The required level of checking (if any) will broadly reflect the degree and frequency of  unsupervised access given to other people’s children. 
3. The Board will take very seriously any allegation of impropriety on the part of any  member of Ufulu Malawi. A member of Ufulu Malawi who discovers anything amiss  should get in touch immediately with the following: 

• Ms Alexia Woolsey or Mrs Nicola Crosbie 

The Board will review the allegation and the likely risk to children and, if appropriate,  will consider banning the member from future events or revoking his or her  membership or both, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of Ufulu  Malawi. 

7 Health and safety aspects of safeguarding children 

1. Before starting any event for unaccompanied children, a representative of the Board  will carry out a risk assessment and then take steps to minimise all risks to health and  safety. Parents and children will be made aware of any particular risks and of the steps  to be taken to minimise those risks. The Board will keep a record of all risk assessments.
2. Sufficient adults must be present at any event for unaccompanied children to enable  one adult to deal with any emergency while another adult supervises the children not  directly affected by the emergency. 

9 Policy on the prevention of bullying 

1. We will not tolerate the bullying of children either by adults or by other children. If any  incident of child-on-child bullying should arise at a Ufulu Malawi event, those involved  will be separated immediately and the parents of the children involved will be asked to  
2. deal with the matter. The Board will review all incidents of child-on-child bullying and  assess the likely future risk to children. If appropriate, the Board will consider banning a  child from future events, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of  Ufulu Malawi. Allegations of adults bullying children will be dealt with under paragraph  6.3 above. 

10 Photographing children 

1. People may have their photograph taken at some of our events and we reserve the right  to publish suitable photographs of those attending, along with the names of members  involved.  If people attending one of our events do not want their photograph to be  used, they will be asked to let us know prior to the event starting. 

11 Managing behaviour, discipline and acceptable restraint 

1. Adults supervising children at Ufulu Malawi events must never use any form of  corporal punishment. If physical restraint is absolutely necessary to prevent injury to  any person or to prevent serious damage to property, then the minimum necessary  restraint may be used — but for that purpose only. 
2. Unacceptable behaviour at Ufulu Malawi events for unaccompanied children will  generally be stopped by separating the children from each other and from the group.  The miscreants will be suitably supervised and will be returned as soon as possible to  the care of their parents. 
3. Ufulu Malawi may apply a further disciplinary sanction; namely the banning of the  child from one or more future events over the following 18 months. Any such sanction  would be determined and applied by the following officer: 
   • Ms Alexia Woolsey 
4. A parent who is aggrieved by this ban may appeal to Ufulu Malawi who will hear the  views of all relevant persons. The decision of Ufulu Malawi is then final. 

12 Legal Framework 

This policy has been drawn up in accordance with the following: 

• Children Act 1989 
• United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991 
• General Data Protection Regulation 
• Human Rights Act 1998 
• Sexual Offences Act 2003 
• Children Act 2004 
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 
• Children and Families Act 2014 
• Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice – Guidance on  the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and  young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014 
• Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services o Working together to safeguard children (2017) 

NOTE: This Policy was approved by the following officer on 27/03/2019 and is due for review  every 1 year: 

Mrs Nicola Crosbie