Safeguarding Policy
Our Safeguarding policy
This policy applies to all staff, including MAMA.codes central team, Reps in local areas, Freelance Tutors, Teaching assistants, sessional workers, students, volunteers, agency staff and anyone working on behalf of MAMA.codes.
The purpose of this policy:
● To protect children and young people who receive MAMA.codes services.
● To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.
● We want to train our staff and volunteers to behave in an appropriate, respectful and safe manner around the attending children whilst also ensuring that we are keeping attending children safe from abuse from home carers and our staff/volunteers.
MAMA.codes believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have the responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
● The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989
● All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, racial heritage, religious belief, sex, sexual orientation, have a right to equal 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
● Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
● Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
● Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people, a deputy and a lead board member for safeguarding.
● Adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
● Developing and implementing an effective e‑safety policy and related procedures
● Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures
● Recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
● Recording and storing all information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with staff, contractors, volunteers and ad hoc helpers via one-to-one discussions and policies.
● Using our safeguarding 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.
Contact details:
Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) Name: Liane Katz; Phone / Email: 07796 682 368 / liane@mama.codes
Senior Lead for Safeguarding Name: Rumbi Pfende; Phone: 07952 233008 / Email: rumbi@mama.codes
CEOP (Child exploitation and online protection command) www.ceop.police.uk
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
This policy was last reviewed on September 4 2024
Signed
LIANE KATZ
Liane Katz
Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
Children Act 1989; United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991; Data Protection Act 1998; Human Rights Act 1998; Sexual Offences Act 2003; Children Act 2004; Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; Protection of Freedom Act 2012; Children and Families Act 2014; Special Educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice HM Government 2014; Information sharing HM Government 2015; Working together to safeguard children HM Government 2015.
Reporting Concerns
Is there an immediate risk of harm to a child or young person?
Yes – Inform the emergency services (police) – dial 999
No – Contact the Designated Safeguarding Officer to discuss your concerns
Complete a written report and share by email to liane@mama.codes and rumbi@mama.codes or by calling the Designated Safeguarding Officer or Senior Safeguarding Lead’s mobile number (as listed above) to inform the MAMA.codes Central team
Reporting a concern
Be alert and notice anything unusual in behaviour or appearance
Discuss your concerns with another member of MAMA.codes (TA , Rep, Central Team) if
appropriate
Report your concerns to NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk
Or contact the safeguarding lead at your local council to discuss your concerns — find out who this is for the child’s home address via the Central Team, who will have this as part of their booking.
More information about NSPCC and reporting concerns can be found here: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/report-abuse/