This policy applies to all staff, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, students and anyone working on behalf of Bright Star.
The purpose of the policy is
- To protect children and young people and vulnerable adults who receive Bright Star services. This includes the children of adults who receive our services.
- To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.
- To allow clients to understand our standards
Bright Star believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to practise in a way that protects them.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
- The Children Act 1989
- United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
- Data Protection Act 1998
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Sexual Offences Act 2003
- Children Act 2004
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
- Protection of Freedom Act 2012
- Children and Families Act 2014
- Special Education needs and disability (SEND) code of practice.0-25years.
- Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities. HM Government 2014
- Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers. HM Government 2015
- Working together to safeguarding children: a guide to interagency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. HM Government 2015
- General Medical Council. Good Medical Practice. Confidentiality. Consent 2014
- International Coach Federation Code of Ethics 2019
The policy should be read alongside our policy on keeping information (GDPR)
We recognise that:
- The welfare of the child is paramount
- All children regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religious belief, sex or sexual orientation are to be treated under this guidance equally.
- Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs and other issues
- We are working in partnership with the children, young people and their parents, carers and other agencies and it is essential to promote young people’s wellbeing and welfare.
We seek to keep children and young people safe by:
- Valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
- Adopting child protection and safeguarding procedures according to professional guidelines of the General Medical Council (General Medical Council , 2019) and International Coach Federation. (code-of-ethics-overview, 2019)
- Seeking permission from parents or carers for any online contact and for meeting for coaching 1:1
- The location and time of 1:1 coaching of a child or young person will be made known to the parent or carer before the start of the event and their permission sought.
- Using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies on a need to know basis. Where appropriate the young person and parents will be made aware that information is being shared, except where additional harm to the young person and /or family may result by doing this.
- Allowing the parents or child to make a complaint in writing or verbally in line with the complaints policy.
Contact Details: Dr Fiona Schneider Fiona.Schneider@brightstarcentre.co.uk
References General Medical Council . (2019, February 23). Retrieved from Guidancce for Doctors : https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance
ICF code-of-ethics-overview. (2019, February 23). Retrieved from Coachfederation.org: https://coachfederation.org/code-of- ethics-overview
