Malachi Specialist Family Support Services CIC:

Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

This Safeguarding Policy sets out our strong commitment to creating an environment where all individuals feel safe, valued and respected and outlines the frameworks we have in place that protect everyone, particularly children and vulnerable adults, from harm. This includes unborn children.

This document contains three sections. Section one provides information about the definitions and indicators of harm and abuse. Section two sets out the step-by-step process that all staff must follow when actioning any safeguarding concerns. Section three demonstrates how Malachi, with the full oversight of our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Safeguards everyone including staff and colleagues. It also sets out the Legal Framework that underpins this policy. A Quick Reference Guide can be found at the end of this document.

This document serves as both training resource for all staff and as a reference document to ensure consistent and effective safeguarding practices across our organisation.

It is vital to understand that Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility. No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances therefore if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

Every individual working with children and families must be aware of their role and the role of other professionals.

All staff must:

• Be familiar with this Safeguarding Policy.
• Understand their role in relation to safeguarding.
• Be alert to signs and indicators of possible abuse.
• Record concerns on Insight Safeguarding Incident Report on the same working day.

Roles, Responsibilities and Contact information

Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) are responsible for immediate response to safeguarding concerns. Full information about the role and training of DSOs is contained later in this document. For ease of reference, the contact details of each DSO can be found below. All DSOs should be contacted in order.

Company Directors are ultimately responsible for Safeguarding across the organisation. Dawn Carr, Operations Director, is Malachi’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and holds day-to-day responsibility for Safeguarding. Dawn can be contacted via dawn.carr@malachi.org.uk.

The Four Main Categories of Abuse

The Children Acts 1989 and 2004’s definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

Child Abuse: Children may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse within their family or harm outside of the family. There are four main categories of abuse, which are:

• Sexual
• Physical
• Emotional
• Neglect

1. The Definitions and Indicators of Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by rape and/or penetration or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

The following may be indicators of sexual abuse (this is not designed to be used as a checklist):

• Sexually explicit play or behaviour or age-inappropriate knowledge
• Anal or vaginal discharge, soreness or scratching
• Reluctance to go home
• Inability to concentrate, tiredness
• Refusal to communicate
• Thrush, persistent complaints of stomach disorders or pains
• Eating disorders, for example anorexia nervosa and bulimia
• Attention seeking behaviour, self-mutilation, substance abuse
• Aggressive behaviour including sexual harassment or molestation
• Unusual compliance
• Regressive behaviour, enuresis, soiling
• Frequent or openly masturbating, touching others inappropriately
• Depression, withdrawal, isolation from peer group
• Reluctance to undress for PE or swimming
• Bruises or scratches in the genital area

Harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour which is displayed by children and young people, and which may be harmful or abusive. It may also be referred to as sexually harmful behaviour or sexualised behaviour. HSB encompasses a range of behaviour, which can be displayed towards younger children, peers, older children or adults. It is harmful to the children and young people who display it, as well as the people it is directed towards.

HSB can include:

• using sexually explicit words and phrases
• inappropriate touching
• using sexual violence or threats
• sexual activity with other children or adults.

Sexual behaviour between children is considered harmful if one of the children is much older, particularly if there is more than two years’ difference in age or if one of the children is pre-pubescent and the other isn’t. However, a younger child can abuse an older child, particularly if they have power over them – for example, if the older child is disabled.

It’s normal for children to show signs of sexual behaviour at each stage in their development. Children also develop at different rates, and some may be slightly more or less advanced than other children in their age group. Behaviours which might be concerning depend on the child’s age and the situation.

2. The Definitions and Indicators of Physical Abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

The following may be indicators of physical abuse (this is not designed to be used as a checklist):

• Multiple bruises in clusters, or of uniform shape
• Bruises that carry an imprint, such as a hand or a belt
• Bite marks
• Round burn marks
• Multiple burn marks and burns on unusual areas of the body such as the back, shoulders or buttocks.
• An injury that is not consistent with the account given
• Changing or different accounts of how an injury occurred
• Bald patches
• Symptoms of drug or alcohol intoxication or poisoning
• Unaccountable covering of limbs, even in hot weather
• Fear of going home or parents being contacted
• Fear of medical help
• Fear of changing for PE
• Inexplicable fear of adults or over-compliance
• Violence or aggression towards others including bullying
• Isolation from peers

3. The Definitions and Indicators of Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse involves:

• humiliating, putting down or regularly criticising a child
• shouting at or threatening a child or calling them names
• mocking a child or making them perform degrading acts
• constantly blaming or scapegoating a child for things which are not their fault
• trying to control a child’s life and not recognising their individuality
• not allowing a child to have friends or develop socially
• pushing a child too hard or not recognising their limitations
• manipulating a child
• exposing a child to distressing events or interactions
• persistently ignoring a child
• being cold and emotionally unavailable during interactions with a child
• not being positive or encouraging to a child or praising their achievements and successes.

Signs of emotional abuse

There aren’t usually any obvious physical signs of emotional abuse, but you may spot changes in a child’s actions or emotions. Some children are naturally quiet and self-contained whilst others are more open and affectionate. Mood swings and challenging behaviour are also a normal part of growing up for teenagers and children going through puberty. Be alert to behaviours which appear to be out of character for the individual child or are particularly unusual for their stage of development.

Babies and pre-school children who are being emotionally abused may:

• be overly affectionate towards strangers or people they haven’t known for very long
• not appear to have a close relationship with their parents and care givers, for example when being taken to or collected from nursery
• lack confidence or become wary or anxious
• be unable to play
• be aggressive or nasty towards other children and animals.

Older children may:

• use language, act in a way or know about things that you wouldn’t expect for their age
• struggle to control strong emotions or have extreme outbursts
• seem to be isolated from their parents/care givers
• lack social skills or have few, if any, friends
• fear making mistakes
• fear their parent/care givers being approached regarding their behaviour
• self-harm.

4. The Definitions and Indicators of Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
• Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
• Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers) or
• Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

The following may be indicators of neglect (this is not designed to be used as a checklist)

• Constant hunger
• Stealing, scavenging and/or hoarding food
• Frequent tiredness or listlessness
• Frequently dirty or unkempt
• Often poorly or inappropriately clothed for the weather
• Poor school attendance or often late for school
• Poor concentration
• Affection or attention seeking behaviour
• Illnesses or injuries that are left untreated
• Failure to achieve developmental milestones, for example growth, weight
• Failure to develop intellectually or socially
• Responsibility for activities that are not age appropriate such as cooking, ironing, caring for siblings
• The child is regularly not collected or received from school
• The child is left at home alone or with inappropriate carers

Other kinds of abuse

It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within the four main categories.

These include but are not limited to:

• Bullying, cyberbullying and online abuse
• Child sexual exploitation
• Child criminal exploitation
• Radicalisation
• Child trafficking
• Domestic abuse
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
• Non-recent abuse

1. Bullying, cyberbullying and online abuse

Bullying may be defined as deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves (e.g. social media such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram, snap chat, Tik-Tok). It can take many forms, but the main types are:

• Physical (e.g. hitting, kicking, theft)
• Verbal (e.g. racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name-calling)
• Emotional (e.g. isolating an individual from the activities and social acceptance of their peer group)

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online. Unlike bullying offline, online bullying can follow a child wherever they go, via social networks, gaming and mobile phone.

The damage inflicted by bullying (including bullying via the internet) can frequently be underestimated. It can cause considerable distress to children, to the extent that it affects their health and development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm including self-harm.

2. Sexual exploitation

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. Young people may be coerced or groomed into exploitative situations and relationships. They may be given things such as gifts, money, drugs, alcohol, status or affection in exchange for taking part in sexual activities. CSE can involve violent, humiliating and degrading sexual assaults and involve multiple perpetrators.

Some children and young people are trafficked into or within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation can also happen to young people in gangs.

Signs of child sexual exploitation

• Sexual exploitation can be very difficult to identify. Young people who are being sexually exploited may:
• go missing from home, care or education
• be involved in abusive relationships
• hang out with groups of older people
• be involved in gangs or anti-social groups
• have older boyfriends or girlfriends
• spend time at places of concern, such as hotels or known brothels
• be involved in petty crime such as shoplifting
• have access to drugs and alcohol
• have new things such as clothes and mobile phones, which they aren’t able to easily explain
• have unexplained physical injuries

3. Child criminal exploitation

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity:
CCE is not defined in law but is a term that has come to be associated with ‘county lines.’

County lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas [within the UK], using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line’. This can also happen inside the lines of a borough. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.

County lines is sometimes referred to as ‘going cunch‘, Birmingham Children’s Trust has created a leaflet on this topic, a link to which can be found on the last page of this document.  

4. Radicalisation and Extremism

Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces. Radicalisation is the process of a person legitimising support for, or use of, terrorist violence.

Children may become susceptible to radicalisation through a range of social, personal and environmental factors – it is known that violent extremists exploit vulnerabilities in individuals to drive a wedge between them and their families and communities. It is vital that Malachi staff are able to recognise those vulnerabilities.

Indicators of vulnerability include:

• Identity crisis – the child/young person is distanced from their cultural/religious heritage and experiences discomfort about their place in society
• Personal crisis – the child/young person may be experiencing family tensions; a sense of isolation; and low self-esteem; they may have dissociated from their existing friendship group and become involved with a new and different group of friends; they may be searching for answers to questions about identity, faith and belonging
• Personal circumstances – migration; local community tensions; and events affecting the child/young person country or region of origin may contribute to a sense of grievance that is triggered by personal experience of racism or discrimination or aspects of Government policy
• Unmet aspirations – the child/young person may have perceptions of injustice; a feeling of failure; rejection of civic life
• Experiences of criminality – which may include involvement with criminal groups, imprisonment, and poor resettlement/reintegration
• Special educational need – child/young person may experience difficulties with social interaction, empathy with others, understanding the consequences of their actions and awareness of the motivations of others.

This list is not exhaustive, nor does it mean that all children/young people experiencing the above are at risk of radicalisation.

More critical risk factors could include:

• Being in contact with extremist recruiters
• Family members convicted of a terrorism act or subject to a Channel intervention
• Accessing violent extremist websites, especially those with a social networking element
• Possessing or accessing violent extremist literature
• Using extremist narratives and a global ideology to explain personal disadvantage
• Justifying the use of violence to solve societal issues
• Joining or seeking to join extremist organisations
• Significant changes to appearance and/or behaviour; and
• Experiencing a high level of social isolation resulting in issues of identity crisis and/or personal crisis.

5. Child trafficking

Child trafficking and modern slavery are child abuse. Many children and young people are trafficked into the UK from other countries like Vietnam, Albania and Romania. Children are also trafficked around the UK.

What is child trafficking?

Trafficking is where children and young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Children are trafficked for: sexual exploitation; benefit fraud; forced marriage; domestic slavery like cleaning, cooking and childcare; forced labour in factories or agriculture; committing crimes like begging, theft, working on cannabis farms or moving drugs.

Trafficked children experience many types of abuse and neglect. Traffickers use physical, sexual and emotional abuse as a form of control. Children and young people are also likely to be physically and emotionally neglected and may be sexually exploited.

Types of Child Trafficking

Traffickers often groom children, families and communities to gain their trust. They may also threaten families with violence or threats. Traffickers often promise children and families that they’ll have a better future elsewhere.

Trafficking is also an economic crime. Traffickers may ask families for money providing documents or transport and they’ll make a profit from money a child “earns” through exploitation, forced labour or crime. They’ll often be told this money is to pay off a debt they or their family “owe” to the traffickers. Traffickers may:

• work alone or in small groups, recruiting a small number of children, often from areas they know and live in
• be medium-sized groups who recruit, move and exploit children and young people on a small scale
• be large criminal networks that operate internationally with high-level corruption, money laundering and large numbers of victims.

Signs of Child Trafficking:

It may not be obvious that a child has been trafficked, but you might notice unusual or unexpected things. They might: spend a lot of time doing household chores, rarely leave their house or have no time for playing; no time for playing; be orphaned or living apart from their family; live in low-standard accommodation; be unsure which country, city or town they’re in; can’t or are reluctant to share personal information or where they live; not be registered with a school or a GP practice; have no access to their parents or guardians; be seen in inappropriate places like brothels or factories; have money or things you wouldn’t expect them to; have injuries from workplace accidents; give a prepare story which is very similar to stories given by other children.

6. Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent behaviour between people who are or have been in a relationship. It can also happen between adults related to one another. It can seriously harm children and young people, and experiencing domestic abuse is child abuse.

It’s important to remember that both men and women can be abused or be abusers. Domestic abuse can happen: inside and outside the home; over the phone, on the internet and on social networking sites; in any relationship and can continue even after the relationship has ended.

Types of domestic abusee

Domestic abusee can be emotional, physical, sexual, economic, coercive or psychological, such as:

• kicking, hitting, punching, cutting or throwing objects
• rape (including in a relationship)
• controlling someone’s finances by withholding money or stopping someone earning
• controlling behaviour, like telling someone where they can go and what they can wear
• not letting someone leave the house
• reading emails, text messages or letters
• threatening to kill or harm someone
• threatening another family member or pet.

7. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

FGM is also known as female circumcision or female genital cutting, and in practising communities by local terms such as “tahor” or “sunna”. It is a form of abuse which can have devastating physical and psychological consequences for girls and women. Since 1985 it has become a serious criminal offence under the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act to perform FGM or to assist a girl to perform it on herself. In 2003, the FGM Act tightened this law to criminalise FGM being carried out on UK citizens overseas

The Home Office has identified girls from the Somali, Kenyan, Sudanese, Sierra Leonean, Egyptian, Nigerian, Eritrean, Yemeni, Kurdish and Indonesian communities as most risk of FGM (2014).

Risk Factors and signs:

• Coming from a community that is known to practice FGM
• Having a mother or sister or member of the family who has been subjected to FGM
• A child being taken back to her family’s country of origin at the beginning of the school summer holiday (this allows time for her to heal from the procedure)
• Girls ask to be excused from PE or swimming classes and who spend long periods of time in the bathroom (Khalifa 2013) may also be an indicator.

Non-recent abuse

Non-recent child abuse, sometimes called historical abuse, is when an adult was abused when they were under the age of 18,

Sometimes, adults who were abused in childhood blame themselves or were made to feel it’s their fault, which is never the case; there is no excuse for abuse.

This kind of abuse may come to light when completing a timeline with an adult. In the event that non-recent abuse is disclosed, the usual Malachi Safeguarding procedure must be followed.  

Recognising significant harm

Child abuse occurs in all races, social classes and religions. It can present in a variety of ways, sometimes as a suspicion, sometimes with clear physical signs or with an allegation or disclosure. The allegations/concerns might be to do with a risk of harm from their parents, other relatives, other people known to them (including those in a position of trust) or a stranger. The following indicators should alert all professionals to the possibility of abuse.

• Injuries which appear non-accidental
• Concerns about sexual abuse
• Allegations of possible abuse
• Physical symptoms of possible abuse
• Neglect of a child’s physical and emotional needs
• Unexplained failure to thrive
• Worrying changes in/disturbed behaviour
• Female Genital Mutilation and/or a risk of FGM
• Contact with someone convicted of an offence against a child
• Child Abuse and New Technologies i.e. online grooming
• Domestic abuse
• Forced Marriage
• Abuse linked to spirit possession or witchcraft
• Fabricated and induced illness
• Child Sexual Exploitation

Responses from parents/carers

Research and experience indicate that the following responses from parents may suggest a cause for concern across all five categories:

• Delay in seeking treatment that is obviously needed
• Unawareness or denial of any injury, pain or loss of function (for example, a fractured limb)
• Incompatible explanations offered, several different explanations or the child is said to have acted in a way that is inappropriate to her/his age and development
• Reluctance to give information or failure to mention other known relevant injuries
• Frequent presentation of minor injuries
• A persistently negative attitude towards the child
• Unrealistic expectations or constant complaints about the child
• Alcohol misuse or other drug/substance misuse
• Parents request removal of the child from home; or
• Violence between adults in the household
• Evidence of coercion and control. 

Disabled children

When working with children with disabilities, practitioners need to be aware that additional possible indicators of abuse and/or neglect may also include:

• A bruise in a site that may not be of concern on an ambulant child such as the shin, maybe of concern on a non-mobile child
• Not getting enough help with feeding leading to malnourishment
• Poor toileting arrangements
• Lack of stimulation
• Unjustified and/or excessive use of restraint
• Rough handling, extreme behaviour modification such as deprivation of medication, food or clothing, disabling wheelchair batteries
• Unwillingness to try to learn a child’s means of communication
• Ill-fitting equipment, for example, callipers, sleep boards, inappropriate splinting
• Misappropriation of a child’s finances; or
• Inappropriate invasive procedures.

Working together to Safeguard Children

Safeguarding children: Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 as:

• providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
• protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
• preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• promoting the upbringing of children with their birth parents, or otherwise their family network through a kinship care arrangement, whenever possible and where this is in the best interests of the children
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes in line with the outcomes set out in the Children’s Social Care National Framework

Children are best protected when families and professionals are clear about what is required of them individually, and how they need to work together. This policy aims to help everyone understand what they need to do, and what they can expect of one another in order to safeguard children.

We recognise that effective safeguarding systems are those where:

• The child’s needs are paramount, and the needs and wishes of each child, be they an unborn baby, baby or infant, or an older child, are put first, so that every child receives the support they need before a problem escalates.
• All professionals who come into contact with children and families are alert to their needs and any risks of harm that individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to children.
• All professionals share appropriate information in a timely way and can discuss any concerns about an individual child with colleagues and local authority children’s services.
• High quality professionals are able to use their expert judgement to put the child’s needs at the heart of the safeguarding system so that the right solution can be found for each individual child.
• All professionals contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote a child’s welfare and take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for the child against specific plans and outcomes, including where a plan is in place (child protection plan/child in need plan/looked after child plan).
• LSCPs (Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships) coordinate the work to safeguard children locally and monitor and challenge the effectiveness of local arrangements; The Malachi service covers a number of different Local Safeguarding Children’s Partnerships – you must familiarise yourself with the relevant board for the area(s) in which you work.
• When things go wrong Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (previously called Serious Case Reviews) are published and are transparent about any mistakes which were made so that lessons can be learnt.

Ultimately, effective safeguarding of children can only be achieved by putting children at the centre of the system, and by every individual and agency playing their full part and working together to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.

PART TWO
Safeguarding Procedure

In all circumstances, safeguarding concerns must be reported: verbally, directly, and immediately to a Malachi Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO). DSOs should be called in the order listed on the first page of this document. It is not sufficient to leave a message. You must speak to the DSO directly. If you cannot get through to the DSO at the top of the list, you should call the next DSO listed. In the unlikely event that none of the designated leads are available, any concerns must be raised with area child protection team/SCASS team immediately. The contact details of these organisations appear in the Quick Reference Guide on the last page of this document.

What to do if you are worried about a child

In general, seek to discuss any concerns with the child. Under no circumstances should staff carry out their own investigation into suspicions or allegations of abuse, neither should they question children closely, as to do so may distort any investigation which may be carried out subsequently by Children’s Services Team or the Police.

Appropriate open questioning can be TED:
Tell me…..
Explain….
Describe…..

The appropriate DSO has the responsibility to act on behalf of Malachi in dealing with allegations or suspicions of abuse or neglect. This will include collating details of the allegation/suspicion and supporting the worker with referring the matter to the appropriate statutory authorities. It is the task of the local area team, not Malachi, to investigate the matter, under Section 47 of the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 (A section 47 is an investigation conducted by children services when there is reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm.)
If your concern is about a child you are supporting within a school environment you must immediately report the concern to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead. In addition, at the absolute earliest opportunity, you must report the concern to a Malachi DSO.

What to do if a child discloses abuse

If a child discloses abuse they have suffered or says something or acts in such a way that abuse is suspected (either to have happened in the past, is happening currently or there is a fear it will happen in the future), the person receiving the information should:

• Stay calm.
• Do not communicate shock, anger or embarrassment.
• Reassure the child. Tell her/him/them you are pleased that s/he/they is speaking to you.
• Never enter into a pact of secrecy with the child. Assure her/him/they that you will try to help but let the child know that you will have to tell other people in order to do this. State who this will be and why.
• Tell her/him/they that you believe them. Children very rarely lie about abuse; but s/he/they may have tried to tell others and not been heard or believed.
• Encourage s/he/them to talk but do not ask “leading questions” or press for information.
• Tell them that is not their fault
• Listen and remember.
• Check that you have understood correctly what the child is trying to tell you.
• Praise the child for telling you. Communicate that s/he has a right to be safe and protected.
• Do not tell the child that what s/he experienced is dirty, naughty or bad.
• It is inappropriate to make any comments about the alleged offender.
• Be aware that the child may retract what s/he has told you. It is essential to record in writing, all you have heard, though not necessarily at the time of disclosure.
• At the end of the conversation, tell the child again who you are going to tell and why that person or those people need to know.
• As soon as you can afterwards, make a detailed record of the conversation using the child’s own language (Malachi Safeguarding incident report on Insight). Include any questions you may have asked. Do not add any opinions or interpretations.
• If the disclosure relates to a physical injury do not photograph the injury but record in writing as much detail as possible. Do not ask a child to show you an injury.

Recording information onto Insight

All safeguarding concerns must be logged via a Safeguarding Incident Report on Insight on the same day it is identified. In addition to supporting the immediate safeguarding process, these records are used to identify trends, gaps in service provision and any additional training needs.

The Safeguarding incident Report must include:

A summary of what happened including a verbatim (precise, word-for-word) record of the child’s disclosure. This may be used later in a criminal trial, and it is vital that what the child discloses is recorded as accurately as possible. Therefore, the record must be drafted in the child’s words and should not include the assumptions or opinions of others.

It must also include:

• The nature of the allegation or concern
• A description of any visible physical injury (clothing should not be removed to inspect the child)
• The child’s account of what has occurred
• Any dates, times or places and any other potentially useful information

It is usual process to inform parents that a referral to the Local Safeguarding Board is being made and gain their consent for this, however if the consent is not forthcoming and a worker deems the child to be at risk of significant harm, they must still report it but make it clear that consent was declined.

In the event of an alleged assault on a child by person with parental responsibility or if the worker deems that informing the parent of a referral will place the child at increased risk, then they must not discuss with the parent and inform a Malachi DSO of this information so they can seek further guidance and support. As per our procedure, the worker must also inform the school DSO.

Other incidents that must be reported to a DSO

If any of the following occur, you should report this immediately:

• If you accidentally hurt a child
• If he/she seems unduly distressed in any manner
• If a child seems sexually aroused by your actions
• If you are concerned that a relationship is developing that could represent an abuse of trust
• If you are concerned that a child is becoming attracted to you
• If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done
• If you have had to use reasonable physical restraint to prevent a child harming themselves, or another, or from causing significant damage to a property
• If a child reports an allegation of abuse regarding a member of an external organisation

It is also important to remember that sometimes children and young people may talk about historic abuse/domestic abuse. Sometimes they may even be referencing something from many years ago. It is imperative that the worker never assumes that the relevant authorities know about this and the matter has been dealt with just because it is historic or appears to be historic. Any disclosures of this nature must be reported to the DSO and treated in the same way as current concerns.

If any member of staff disagrees with any advice given by a DSO or DSL, Malachi endorse and encourage that member of staff to directly approach the Local Authority, or any other DSO within the organisation.

Information for the police and or children’s services when abuse is suspected

To ensure that this information is as helpful as possible, a detailed record should always be made at the time of the disclosure/concern, which should include the following:

• The reason for your concern
• Full name and date of birth of the child
• Names and dates of birth of the child’s family/household members
• Are parents aware you are making the call? If not, why not? You should always inform parents that you are making the call, unless that if by doing so would put the child at risk of immediate harm
• Other agencies/professionals involved with the family
• The child’s first language and any special needs
• The child’s developmental needs, family and environmental factors and parenting capacity
• Any work you may have already undertaken with the child and family
• Have you consulted the threshold document and at which level you consider it sits at.

Action to be taken in the event of a fatality of a child

In the event of the death of a child or young person you must contact both Malachi’s DSL, Dawn Carr, and A Child Death Review Coordinator (CDRC).

A CDRC is a role that facilitates the child death review process, ensuring a coordinated approach and supporting bereaved families. They are responsible for notifying relevant agencies, managing the review process, and ensuring that bereaved families are informed and supported.

A full list of CDRC contacts can be found on the government website, a link to which can be found on the last page of this document. In addition, a list of our local contacts is here:

Birmingham and Solihull
Mel McKenzie
Email: melisha.mckenzie1@nhs.net and nhsbsolccg.childdeathreviewteam@nhs.net
Phone: 07585 104 611
Link to notification form: Birmingham and Solihull eCDOP

Worcestershire
Polly Lowe
Email: plowe@worcestershire.gov.uk
Phone: 01905 843 199
Link to notification form: West Mercia eCDOP

Staffordshire
Faith Lindley-Cooke
Email: faith.lindley-cooke@staffordshire.pnn.police.uk
Phone: 0300 123 4455, extension 2724
Link to notification form: Stafford eCDOP

Warwickshire
Leannda Lawrence
Email: leannda.lawrence@nhs.net or cwicb.cdop@nhs.net
Phone: 07350 440 828
Link to notification form: Coventry and Warwickshire eCDOP

Procedure in relation to multi-agency concerns

Where safeguarding issues are raised by a multi-agency partner within their setting, e.g. schools, nurseries, or children’s centres, the agency’s own safeguarding procedures will apply and it will be the responsibility of the agency to raise concerns with Children’s Services directly as deemed appropriate by the lead child protection coordinator of the agency. If a Family Support Worker from Malachi is involved with the family, the relevant agency will notify that Family Support Worker and/or a DSO of the concerns raised and any outcomes using the agencies relevant protocols within 24 hours. For the avoidance of doubt, Malachi will not undertake a referral to Children’s Services on behalf of another agency. 

Malachi’s Safeguarding Process Overview

Part Three: Safeguarding and Malachi

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The DSL is responsible for Safeguarding across the organisation. The DSL will:

• Ensure that Safer Recruitment Practices are followed, which includes taking all reasonable steps to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. This is done through Disclosure and Barring recruitment practices, and by checking references from new recruits’ previous two employers.
• Familiarise themselves with the relevant authorities’ Children’s Safeguarding Partnership procedures ensuring staff are aware of the responses required by the Local Authority
• Attend training as required.
• Ensure all staff are aware of procedures within their settings/projects.
• Organise training for staff as necessary.
• Ensure that all staff are up to date with Safeguarding training.
• Receive suspicions of abuse and determine an appropriate response in accordance with this policy.
• Support front line workers with attendance at case conferences, compiling reports for case conferences/court and other inter-agency meetings as appropriate.
• Oversee the implementation of relevant aspects of a child protection plan.
• Ensure effective channels of communication are in place with other agencies including health, education, children’s services and families.

Safeguarding and Recruitment

All employees and casual workers will be recruited in line with Malachi’s Safer Recruitment Policy which includes a fully enhanced DBS check for all staff. This includes staff who have access to client records regardless of whether they have direct contact with children or vulnerable adults. All staff who are recruited must have verified references from their previous two employers and must complete a self-disclosure form. Social media searches are undertaken as part of Safer Recruitment.

All employees will receive an induction during which:

• The job requirements and responsibilities will be clarified.
• Ensure they have completed both internal and external Safeguarding training. 

Employee support and training

Malachi is committed to ensuring that it meets its responsibilities in respect of Safeguarding through the provision of support and training to staff. Therefore, Malachi will ensure that:

• All staff receive regular training and case supervision in Safeguarding procedures and child protection issues, are aware of the main indicators of child abuse and are provided with any relevant information and guidance.
• This Safeguarding Policy is delivered as part of staff induction and then at least quarterly in interactive sessions.
• Staff have read and understand this policy and procedures.
• All staff are provided with 121 case management support that is in line with their responsibilities in relation to child protection. They are also required to maintain caring and safe relationships with children.

Good Practice Requirements

• Malachi is committed to providing ongoing Safeguarding training. All staff, including any casual staff with access to family information must complete Level 2 Safeguarding training during induction. This must be renewed every two years and will be tracked via Breathe and monitored by Line Managers.
• Social Networking – Malachi employees will adhere to social media best practice that reinforces appropriate professional boundaries with children, namely any staff member using social networking websites such as Facebook should ensure their personal settings are set to private and they do not accept friend requests from service users past or present.
• All staff should always wear their ID badges when client facing and when representing Malachi.
• When staff are visiting parents/carers in their home they must ensure they are wearing their ID badge and have their work mobile phone switched on. Visits must be logged in outlook diaries and set as an activity on PeopleSafe.
• Staff members must NEVER give clients a lift in their car.
• Staff members should not ask to see bedrooms or bathrooms in a family home. If there are any Safeguarding concerns about home conditions, a Home Conditions Checklist Tool should be used in conjunction with a discussion with a DSO. This may then lead to completion of a GCP2 and call to SCAS/CASS/Local Safeguarding Partnership Board.
• If at any time a staff member believes that their circumstances have changed which may affect their DBS Disclosure, this must be raised immediately with their Line Manager.
• Those in a position of trust should have a clear understanding of the responsibilities this carries and should not abuse their position or put themselves in a position where allegations of abuse, whether justified or unfounded, could be made.
• All sessions must be Risk Assessed and due care should be given. Where sessions are held in school, doors must be left open if there is no window where the session can be visible from the outside. In the family home, sessions with children must take place in a family room which is always clearly visible. This is to safeguard against any allegations of impropriety. Any concerns about the space you are allocated in a school or family home must be raised with your Line Manager.
• Physical contact should be exceptionally minimal between a worker and child. Sometimes vulnerable children will crave physical contact or may not be aware of appropriate boundaries, a worker must be alert to this and manage attempts for physical contact sensitively but firmly. There must be no attempt to hug, tickle, playfight etc. with a child, at any time. All Malachi employees MUST ALWAYS demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to promote welfare and reduce the likelihood of allegations being made.
• All Malachi employees have a duty to raise concerns, without prejudice to their own positions, about behaviour by managers, or staff, which may be harmful to those in their care. Malachi Whistleblowing Policy gives guidance on this.
• No Photographs may be taken of clients.
• If a photograph or video is sent to a Malachi worker by a client, this must be deleted without forwarding or opening and your Line Manager informed. A record of the incident should be included in Insight notes.
• Mobile phones fitted with camera devices should not be used in a group activity or during a home visit and/or session except for a photograph of an activity. This should then be uploaded to Insight and deleted from the phone
• Staff must not give parents/carers their personal mobile or home telephone numbers so as to maintain a professional boundary.

Monitoring

Malachi DSL and DSOs meet weekly to discuss and monitor all safeguarding incidents. A report is created to ensure that themes and issues are identified which feeds into the training schedule for all staff.

Whistleblowers

In accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013, Malachi will support and protect those staff, who in good faith and without malicious intent, report suspicions of abuse or concerns about colleagues and their actions. Please see Malachi’s Whistleblowing Policy for full details.

Allegations against Staff

Inappropriate behaviour by staff could take the following forms:

• Physical – For example, the intentional use of force as a punishment, slapping, use of objects to hit with, throwing objects, or rough physical handling.
• Emotional – For example, intimidation, belittling, scapegoating, sarcasm, lack of respect for children’s rights, and attitudes that discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, disability or sexuality.
• Sexual – For example, sexualised behaviour towards pupils, sexual harassment, inappropriate phone calls and texts, images via social media, sexual assault and rape.
• Neglect – For example, failing to act to protect children/young people, failing to seek medical attention or failure to carry out an appropriate Risk Assessment.
• Spiritual Abuse – For example, using undue influence or pressure to control individuals or ensure obedience, follow religious practices that are harmful such as beatings or starvation.

Any allegations about a member of Malachi staff must be reported directly to the DSL immediately. The DSL will conduct an urgent investigation and determine whether the staff member/s concerned should be temporarily removed from contact with children and/or have their access to information paused pending the outcome of the investigation. The DSL will also decide whether LADO should be contacted. If the actions of the member of staff, and the consequences of those actions, do not raise credible child protection concerns, but do raise other issues in relation to the conduct of the member of staff, these should be addressed through Malachi internal procedures.

Where an allegation has been made against the DSL, then the Managing Director takes the role of investigator

Legal Framework and Guidance

Effective safeguarding systems are child centred. Anyone working with children should see and speak to the child; listen to what they say; take their views seriously; and work with them collaboratively when deciding how to support their needs. A child-centred approach is supported by:

The Children Acts 1989 and 2004, The Equality Act 2010 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1991
The legal framework and guidance underpinning this policy is explained in Working together to safeguard children: statutory framework and includes reference to:

• Children Acts 1989 and 2004
• Provision of services for children in need, their families and others
• Provision of accommodation for children
• Co-operation between authorities
• Care and Supervision Orders 6 Child Protection
• Emergency protection powers
• Exclusion requirement
• Police protection powers
• Children Act 2004
• Children and Social Work Act 2017
• Education Acts
• Childcare Act 2006
• Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012
• Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
• Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Housing Act 1996
• Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) 1

Quick Reference

Working together to safeguard children – GOV.UK

Welcome to the West Midlands Regional Safeguarding shows ALL West Midlands Partnership websites

GOING CUNCH – County Line Information Leaflet

What do to in the event of a death of a child

Information in relation to Local Safeguarding Partnerships: