Safeguarding Policy Statement

Halo has a duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults. This document states Halo’s policy on safeguarding and describes the arrangements for carrying out the policy.

Halo upholds the principle that the welfare of all children and adults is paramount and regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation have the right of protection from abuse.

Everyone in Halo has a duty to “Notice, Check, Share” concerns about behaviour of colleagues, volunteers, managers and others, which may be harmful to those in their care, without prejudice to their own position. The safeguarding policy and procedure applies to all those working for Halo, whether paid or unpaid.

The Halo Board of Trustees will ensure that the Safeguarding Policy is reviewed on a regular basis and that performance and compliance of procedures is reviewed on a regular basis.

Halo’s safeguarding procedures are intended to:

• Offer safeguards to the children and adults with whom we work, and to our colleagues and volunteers.

• Help to maintain professionalism and high standards of practice and give confidence to our employees and customers.

To meet our safeguarding responsibilities Halo will:

• Ensure that independence, privacy and dignity are at the heart of everything we do.

• Appoint a designated lead safeguarding officer who will oversee the implementation of the policy.

• Recruit employees safely, ensuring all reasonable steps are taken and checks are made, in line with best practice recruitment and vetting procedures.

• Provide a code of conduct for staff and volunteers to promote best practice.

• Train and supervise all staff to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children and adults against abuse, and themselves against allegations being made against them.

• Take all suspicions or allegations of abuse or risk seriously, and respond to these swiftly and appropriately.

• Share information about concerns with relevant agencies that have a legal duty to act, involving parents, carers and children where appropriate.

• Provide wellbeing support to Halo colleagues where necessary following their involvement in a safeguarding matter.

• Store information and correspondence relating to safeguarding matters securely.

• Ensure that all hirers, including clubs, have relevant safeguarding measures in place and are aware of Halo safeguarding policy and procedures.