Safeguarding Policy

Protecting the welfare of all young people, volunteers and staff who engage with LTSB programmes and activities.

INTRODUCTION

Leadership through Sport and Business (LTSB) is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive environment and accepts its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children, young people and adults in accordance with legislation.

The aim of the policy is to set out LTSB’s approach to safeguarding children and adults at risk or vulnerable adults.

This policy applies to staff, Trustees, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of LTSB. Therefore, this policy should be shared externally. We expect these groups to:

accept their responsibility to safeguard children, vulnerable adults and adults at risk from any form of harm.
follow and stay up to date with the Safeguarding Handbook, which outlines LTSB’s Policy and Procedures around reporting welfare concerns regarding children, vulnerable adults and adults at risk to appropriate authorities.
complete relevant safeguarding training, as and when required.

This policy should be applied to any activity delivered by LTSB or by its staff, Trustees, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of the charity in conjunction with other organisations (e.g. schools and colleges, other youth companies or employment partners).

LTSB often works with partner organisations to share programme delivery and management responsibilities. Each organisation must adhere to its own policies and procedures. All delivery partners will be actively involved in information sharing and decision-making processes, where appropriate. LTSB acknowledges that certain delivery partners may be best positioned to lead on safeguarding responses.

This policy is supported by Safeguarding Procedures, which provides information about action to be taken if a safeguarding concern is raised. You should refer to the Safeguarding Procedures in an emergency.

POLICY STATEMENT

LTSB believes that a child, young person or adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of everyone who encounters LTSB and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects children, young people and adults at risk or vulnerable adults.

CONTEXT AND DEFINITIONS

LTSB predominantly delivers social mobility programmes to young people aged 18 and above. In addition, through our FutureYOU programme, we also work with school-aged children under 18, supporting them through employability and aspiration-raising activities. While this policy outlines good practice and principles applicable to all our beneficiaries, it specifically addresses the safeguarding of children, young people, adults at risk, and vulnerable adults, reflecting the full range of individuals we support.

For the purposes of this policy, we define:

Safeguarding as the action that is taken to promote the welfare (or well-being) of individuals from harm.
A child or children as an individual(s) who is under the age of 18. In Scotland, the definition of a child varies dependent on the legal context, but statutory guidance which supports the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, includes all children and young people up to the age of 18. Where a young person is between the age of 16 and 18 requires support and protection, relevant services will need to consider which legal framework best fits each person’s needs and circumstances.
An adult at risk or vulnerable adult as ‘any person who is aged 18 or over and at risk of abuse or neglect because of their needs for care and support’ (Care Act 2014 [England]). This is broadly consistent with definitions across devolved nations. In Scotland, the definition of an ‘adult at risk’ or ‘vulnerable adult’ applies to those ages 16 or over.

Our policies and procedures concerning Safeguarding consider the following legislation:

England:

The Children and Social Work Act 2017
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
The Care Act 2014
Serious Crime Act 2015
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

Scotland:

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland

Northern Ireland:

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007
Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
Cooperating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland (2017

Cross-National Legislation and Guidance:

The Sexual Offences Act 2003
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
The Equality Act 2010
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018, updated 2020)7

POLICY PRINCIPLES

LTSB is dedicated to the following principles:

The safety and well-being of our beneficiaries is our top priority, and it must inform all decisions and actions. Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone within our organisation, and we place this at the heart of all our work.
All young people, regardless of age, ability, gender, ethnic origin, religion, race, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background, have an equal right to protection from harm and abuse. We are dedicated to fostering an environment that is not only safe but also inclusive and empowering.
The rights, views, and feelings of our beneficiaries must be respected and valued. We are committed to listening and ensuring their voices are integral to our safeguarding practices.
We will take all necessary steps to prevent harm, abuse, or discrimination and to protect our beneficiaries from any form of degrading treatment. Our safeguarding measures are proactive, with robust systems in place to identify and manage risks.
LTSB staff, Trustees, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of the Charity have a legal and moral duty to safeguard young people.
Any failure to adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal. All concerns, suspicions, and allegations of abuse or poor practice will be taken seriously and acted upon promptly, following our safeguarding procedures and in compliance with UK law.
Any form of intimate or inappropriate relationship with young people is strictly prohibited. We consider our staff to be in a position of trust, regardless of the beneficiary’s age.
Everyone working closely with our beneficiaries on a day-to-day basis will be thoroughly vetted and recruited, ensuring they are suitable for their roles. We are committed to providing ongoing training and support to maintain the highest safeguarding standards.
We understand that safeguarding is a shared responsibility and requires open communication and cooperation. Collaborating with parents, carers, and relevant statutory agencies is crucial for effective safeguarding.
Confidentiality and data protection will be strictly maintained in accordance with UK legislation. Information will only be shared when necessary to protect a beneficiary, and always on a need-to-know basis.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

LTSB’s Board of Directors holds ultimate responsibility for ensuring the effectiveness of the safeguarding policy and procedures framework. They have tasked the Governance Committee with maintaining and upholding appropriate safeguarding standards across LTSB. The Board of Directors will:

ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are relevant to LTSB’s objectives and compliant with legislation
assess the safeguarding risks that might arise from LTSB’s activities and operations

approve, monitor and review policies and procedures both periodically and following serious incidents, using their experience of previous incidents to manage and minimise the risk of something similar occurring again.

The Director of Programmes acts as LTSB’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and has overall responsibility for the administrative and communication systems which underpin the safeguarding policy and procedures. The Director of Programmes will:

develop, implement and review LTSB’s safeguarding policy and procedures
ensure that all issues concerning the safety and welfare our beneficiaries are properly dealt with through robust procedures and administrative systems • ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place so that all staff, Trustees, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of LTSB, and the charity’s beneficiaries are aware of the charity’s safeguarding procedures
Arrange training for staff members and Trustees and maintain training records
Act as the main contact with child protection services, local authorities and the police and handle and document concerns, making referrals, if needed
Stay updated on child protection practices and share knowledge.

The Head of Programmes and 1 x Senior Programme Manager acts as LTSB’s Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSO) in terms of safeguarding and are responsible for the day-to-day procedures which support LTSB’s safeguarding policy and procedures. The DSOs will:

generate and/or scrutinise risk assessments for all activities involving children, vulnerable adults and adults at risk
receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a child or adult at risk engaging with LTSB activities via telephone or via the [email protected] inbox
take the lead on dealing with information that may constitute a safeguarding concern. This includes assessing and clarifying the information, and taking decisions, where necessary, in consultation with the DSL and statutory child protection agencies
consult and communicate with statutory agencies, such as the local authority children’s social care department and the police. This includes making formal referrals to these agencies when necessary
consult with the NSPCC Helpline when such support is needed
be familiar with national legislation on child protection and abuse and keep up to date with new developments in this area
attend safeguarding training and share knowledge with colleagues
make arrangements with partner organisations to clarify procedures for specific projects.

All staff and volunteers have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in the safeguarding policy and procedures, and to pass on any welfare concerns. We expect all staff and volunteers to promote good practice by being excellent role models, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.

DATA PROTECTION

LTSB is committed to ensuring that all personal data related to safeguarding is handled in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Personal information collected and processed as part of safeguarding activities will only be shared when necessary to protect the welfare of children, young people, or vulnerable adults. Information will be stored securely, and access will be strictly limited to those who need it to perform their safeguarding duties. All data will be processed fairly and lawfully, and only for the specific purpose of safeguarding, in line with our data protection policies and UK legislation. Any breaches of data protection related to safeguarding will be taken seriously and handled promptly in accordance with LTSB’s data protection procedures.

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