All children and young people have the right to lead lives free from neglect, exploitation, harm or abuse. Just for Kids Law has a responsibility to promote and protect the welfare of children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that ensures that this is the case.
Our safeguarding policy
This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of Just for Kids Law.
The purpose of this policy:
- To protect children (people aged up to and including 17 years) and young people (those aged 18 to 25 years) who receive Just for Kids Law’s services or engage with us in other areas of our work including through online interactions. This includes the children of adults who use our services
- To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and the protection of children and young people
We recognise that:
- The welfare of children and young people is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989.
- All children and young people, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
- Some children and young people are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, individual circumstances, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
- Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies are essential in promoting children and young people's welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
- valuing, listening to, and respecting them
- appointing a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for children and young people, a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL), and a lead board member for safeguarding (see Useful Contacts for details).
- adopting child and young person protection and safeguarding practices through procedures for staff and volunteers (see Appendix A alongside Responding to safeguarding concerns about a child or young person: A guide for Just for Kids Law staff and volunteers
- 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 information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practise with children, their families, staff and volunteers via leaflets, posters, one-to-one discussions
- 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
- 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