FIRST KLASS FOUNDATION

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Review annually by the renewal of this website.

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1. Purpose

First Klass Foundation is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who participates in its activities.

We recognise our responsibility to safeguard:

• Children and young people under the age of 18.

• Adults who may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.

• Staff, volunteers, beneficiaries and members of the public who come into contact with the Foundation.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

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2. Our Commitment

First Klass Foundation will:

• Treat every person with dignity, respect and fairness.

• Take all safeguarding concerns seriously.

• Respond promptly to concerns, disclosures or allegations.

• Recruit and supervise staff and volunteers safely.

• Provide appropriate safeguarding information and training.

• Maintain clear professional boundaries.

• Work with the police, local authority and other safeguarding agencies when necessary.

• Keep safeguarding information secure and confidential.

• Never allow a concern to be ignored, concealed or handled informally when a person may be at risk.

3. Types of Abuse

Abuse may include:

• Physical abuse.

• Emotional or psychological abuse.

• Sexual abuse.

• Neglect.

• Financial or material abuse.

• Domestic abuse.

• Discriminatory abuse.

• Organisational abuse.

• Online abuse.

• Bullying, harassment or exploitation.

• Modern slavery.

• Self-neglect.

Abuse may happen in person, online, at home, within an organisation or in the wider community.

4. Expected Behaviour

All trustees, employees, volunteers and representatives of First Klass Foundation must:

• Behave respectfully and professionally.

• Listen to people and take their concerns seriously.

• Avoid inappropriate physical contact, language or relationships.

• Never use their position to exploit, intimidate or harm another person.

• Obtain appropriate consent before taking or publishing photographs or recordings.

• Follow the Foundation’s rules for online communication and social media.

• Report any safeguarding concern immediately.

Where possible, staff and volunteers should avoid being alone with a child or adult at risk in an isolated or unobservable place.

5. Responding to a Concern or Disclosure

When someone shares a safeguarding concern, the person receiving the information must:

1. Remain calm and listen carefully.

2. Take the person seriously.

3. Reassure them that they were right to speak.

4. Not promise to keep the information secret.

5. Not investigate or ask leading questions.

6. Record what was said using the person’s own words.

7. Record the date, time, location and people present.

8. Report the concern immediately to the Safeguarding Lead.

Information should only be shared with people who need it to protect the person concerned.

6. Reporting a Concern

Safeguarding concerns must be reported to:

Safeguarding Lead: [Name]
Telephone: [Number]
Email: [Email]

Where the concern involves the Safeguarding Lead, it must be reported to:

Chair of Trustees: [Name and contact details]

Where someone is in immediate danger or a crime is taking place, call 999.

For a non-emergency police concern, call 101.

Concerns may also be referred to the relevant:

• Local authority children’s safeguarding service.

• Local authority adult safeguarding service.

• Local Authority Designated Officer where an allegation concerns someone working with children.

• Police.

• Charity Commission, where the matter may be a serious incident.

No person will be disadvantaged for reporting a genuine safeguarding concern in good faith.

7. Safeguarding Lead

The Safeguarding Lead will:

• Receive and record safeguarding concerns.

• Decide whether external safeguarding agencies should be contacted.

• Ensure immediate risks are addressed.

• Maintain secure safeguarding records.

• Support staff and volunteers involved in reporting concerns.

• Report serious matters to the Board of Trustees.

• Help ensure safeguarding training and procedures remain up to date.

The Safeguarding Lead must not conduct their own criminal or formal safeguarding investigation.

8. Safer Recruitment

First Klass Foundation will use safer recruitment procedures appropriate to each role. These may include:

• Application forms or written expressions of interest.

• Interviews or suitability discussions.

• Identity checks.

• References.

• Right-to-work checks where applicable.

• Disclosure and Barring Service checks for eligible roles.

• Safeguarding declarations.

• Induction, training and supervision.

No person will be allowed to undertake regulated or unsupervised work with children or adults at risk until the appropriate checks have been completed.

9. Confidentiality and Record-Keeping

Safeguarding records will be:

• Accurate, factual and dated.

• Stored securely.

• Kept separately from general personnel or beneficiary records where appropriate.

• Accessible only to authorised people.

• Retained and disposed of in accordance with legal and organisational requirements.

Confidential information may be shared without consent where this is necessary to prevent serious harm, protect a person at risk or comply with the law.

10. Photography, Online Activities and Communication

First Klass Foundation will take reasonable steps to keep people safe during online and in-person activities.

Staff and volunteers must:

• Use approved communication methods.

• Avoid private or inappropriate online conversations.

• Obtain consent for photographs, videos and publicity materials.

• Avoid publishing unnecessary personal information.

• Report harmful, abusive or suspicious online behaviour.

• Maintain appropriate boundaries when using social media.

11. Responsibility of the Board

The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for safeguarding within First Klass Foundation.

The Board will:

• Ensure that suitable safeguarding arrangements are in place.

• Appoint a Safeguarding Lead.

• Review serious safeguarding concerns.

• Ensure that necessary reports are made to external authorities.

• Review this policy at least annually or following a serious incident or significant legal change.

12. Related Procedures

This policy should be read alongside the Foundation’s:

• Staff and Volunteer Code of Conduct.

• Safer Recruitment Procedure.

• Complaints Procedure.

• Whistleblowing Policy.

• Data Protection and Confidentiality Policy.

• Health and Safety Policy.

• Online Safety and Social Media Guidance.

13. Approval

This policy was approved by the Board of Trustees of First Klass Foundation.

The Chair of Trustees & the Safeguarding Lead