Safeguarding

Hope’s Therapy Dogs strives to ensure that the way we engage with children and vulnerable adults keeps them safe and does not place them at risk of harm. All staff are committed to working in partnership with families, schools, and other agencies so that children can be kept safe. It is also the responsibility of Hope’s Therapy Dogs to ensure that any employees who come into contact with children who use our services are protected and understand the procedures to follow if there are any concerns.

The Department for Education’s (DfE) ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2022), defines safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children as: 

• Protecting children from maltreatment; 

• 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; and 

• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. 

The term ‘children’ includes everyone below the age of 18. We believe that all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse. The commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children will extend to all children who use the services of Hope’s Therapy Dogs.

Scope

This policy covers all employees and anyone who uses the services of Hope’s Therapy Dogs. This policy will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis, or before if there is a change in safeguarding protocols.

Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in the UK. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from www.nspcc.org.uk/childprotection 

What is Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the approach that we take to ensure that anyone using our services is safe. Safeguarding means putting processes in place and following individual school procedures to ensure that children or vulnerable adults are not abused in any way.

Here are some of the safeguarding issues that we need to be aware of:

  • Child on Child Abuse: This can occur in many forms, such as sexual assault or acts of violence

  • Neglect: The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic needs. These can include dirty clothes, poor hygiene and malnourishment.

  • Self-Harm and Self-Neglect: Signs of self-harm might not always be visible but changes in mood and behaviour might be a sign of depression.

  • Bullying: Bullying isn’t always confined to the classroom. It can happen in playgrounds or anonymously online which can have damaging effects on a child.

  • Serious Violence: Signs include an increased absence from school, a change in friendships with older individuals and groups, a significant decline in performance, unexplained injuries and more.

  • Emotional and Physical Abuse: These forms of abuse can damage a child physically and emotionally. Physically, you need to look out for signs which suggest they’re a victim of hitting, shaking, throwing, burning, suffocating and other forms of physical harm. Emotional abuse can come in several forms, such as conveying to another child that they’re worthless, unloved and not valued. Look out for signs such as slow development, being distant from others and sudden changes in behaviour.

  • Grooming: In some cases, older children might behave in a way which can be considered ‘normal’ to mask underlying problems. It’s your responsibility to look out for such signs, including noticing secretive behaviour, being upset, withdrawn or distressed, going missing for periods of time and more.

  • Child Sexual Exploitation: The signs of child sexual exploitation can be difficult to spot. However, possible signs include going missing for periods of time, skipping school, being disruptive, having mood swings or changes in temperament, unexplained physical harm or even appearing with gifts that can’t be accounted for.

  • Forced Marriage: This is a violation of human rights and also a criminal offence. A child may be too afraid to raise this with you directly so look out for sudden changes in behaviour.

  • Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): You have a legal duty to report this illegal procedure to the police if you think it may happen or has already taken place. Signs to look out for include a girl confiding that she’s going to have a ‘special procedure,’ attending a special occasion to ‘become a woman’ and talking about a long, upcoming holiday to a country where the practice is common. Indicators you must be aware of include difficulty walking, looking uncomfortable when sitting down, taking a long time in the bathroom and any sudden changes in behaviour or becoming withdrawn.

  • Prevent Radicalisation: It’s your duty to recognise when a child or young adult is vulnerable, at risk of radicalisation and a target for extremist groups.

Spotting these signs is the responsibility of all adults.

Prevention

Hope’s Therapy Dogs will:

  • Appoint a nominated safeguarding lead (Alison Colley)

  • Ensure the nominated child protection/safeguarding lead of the school is known and a relationship developed

  • Develop child protection and safeguarding policies and procedures that reflect best practice - we will follow school-specific procedures

  • design and undertake all activities in a way that protects children from any risk of harm when using Hope’s Therapy Dogs services

  • recruit staff safely and ensure all staff DBS checks are up to date and monitored

  • ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level appropriate to their role

  • ensure effective reporting procedures  - we will follow school-specific procedures

  • share concerns with relevant authorities who need to know, and involve children, vulnerable adults, parents, families, and guardians/carers as appropriate following the school's procedures.

How to raise a concern

It is not our responsibility to diagnose a type of abuse or decide what kind of help a child or vulnerable adult needs. It is our responsibility to share our concerns, no matter how small, with the identified safeguarding lead within the school. We will always report it to the school-designated safeguarding officer as soon as safe and appropriate to do so and follow the school protocols.

If a student tells us that they or another child is being abused, we will:

  • Show that we have heard them and that we take their allegations seriously; 

  • Encourage the child to talk, without prompting them or asking them leading questions. We will not interrupt when a child is recalling significant events and will not make a child repeat their account; 

  • Reassure the child that they can tell us anything that is worrying them, but that we cannot promise not to tell anybody because some things have to be passed on in order to keep them safe; 

  • Explain what actions we must take, in a way that is appropriate to the age and understanding of the child; 

  • Record what we have been told ASAP, using exact words where possible; 

  • Make a note of the date, time, place, and people who were present during the disclosure. 

Contact the Safeguarding Lead for the relevant school and share information. 

Confidentiality

We recognise that all matters relating to child protection are confidential. All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. 

External Disclosure

The law recognises that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for us to report our concerns to an external body. We will follow school policies and procedures.

Protection and Support

We aim to encourage openness and will support anybody who raises safeguarding concerns under this policy. Individuals must not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result of raising safeguarding concerns. You must not make false allegations of such detrimental treatment maliciously or with a view to personal gain. You must not threaten or retaliate against individuals who raise safeguarding concerns in any way. 

How to contact us

If you have any questions about our Safeguarding policy, please do not hesitate to contact us. Email us at: ali@hopestherapydogs.co.uk

Last reviewed January 2023