Kidprovise Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy
Last reviewed: [9th august 2025]
Next review due: [9th august 2026]
1. Policy Statement
Kidprovise is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in our care.
We have a statutory duty under:
• Children Act 1989 & 2004
• Education Act 2002 (Section 175)
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024 (KCSIE)
• UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
We believe:
• Every child has the right to feel safe, valued, and respected.
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility — all staff, contractors, and volunteers must take action on concerns.
• All allegations, suspicions, or disclosures of harm will be taken seriously, recorded, and acted upon swiftly.
2. Key Safeguarding Roles
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
• Name: Edgar Fernando
• Contact: [edgarimprov@gmail.com]
The DSL and DDSLs:
• Are trained to Level 3 safeguarding and refreshed every 2 years.
• Have overall responsibility for safeguarding and child protection in the
organisation.
• Are available during all operational hours for advice and decision-making.
3. Our Safeguarding Objectives
We aim to:
1. Protect children from maltreatment.
2. Prevent impairment of health or development.
3. Ensure safe, caring environments.
4. Enable children to have the best life chances.
5. Take action where a child is at risk of harm.
4. Types of Abuse
(As defined in KCSIE 2024)
• Physical abuse — Causing physical harm or injury.
• Emotional abuse — Persistent emotional ill-treatment affecting development.
• Sexual abuse — Forcing or enticing a child into sexual activities.
• Neglect — Persistent failure to meet basic needs.
Staff must also be alert to:
• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)
• Domestic abuse
• Honour-based abuse (including FGM and forced marriage)
• Modern slavery and trafficking
5. Signs of Abuse
Possible indicators include:
• Unexplained injuries or frequent absences
• Significant changes in behaviour or emotional state
• Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviour
• Poor hygiene, malnutrition, or lack of supervision
• Disclosure by the child or a third party
6. Peer-on-Peer Abuse
We recognise abuse can occur between children, including:
• Bullying (including cyberbullying)
• Physical violence
• Sexual harassment and sexual violence
• Initiation/hazing-type violence and rituals
• Sexting and sharing inappropriate images
All incidents are treated as safeguarding matters and investigated appropriately.
7. Prevent Duty
Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, we have a duty to protect children from radicalisation and extremism.
We will:
• Be alert to behavioural changes indicating risk.
• Provide age-appropriate education on tolerance, respect, and online safety.
• Report concerns via the DSL to the Channel programme where appropriate.
8. Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers
If a safeguarding concern is raised about a member of staff:
• Immediately inform the DSL/Principal.
• DSL to contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within 24 hours.
• If the concern involves the DSL, contact the LADO directly.
• Follow LADO guidance — this may involve police, Ofsted, or suspension.
We follow Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 4 on handling allegations and low-level concerns.
9. Safer Recruitment
We ensure staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children by:
• Following safer recruitment procedures in line with KCSIE.
• Obtaining Enhanced DBS checks with barred list information.
• Conducting overseas checks where necessary.
• Taking up two verified references.
• Checking identity and right to work in the UK
• Keeping a Single Central Record of vetting checks.
10. Staff Training
• All staff complete Level 1 safeguarding training before starting.
• DSL/DDSL complete Level 3 training renewed every 2 years.
• Annual safeguarding updates are provided to all staff.
• Training covers: recognising abuse, handling disclosures, Prevent Duty, online safety, and safer working practice.
11. Mobile Phones, Cameras, and Social Media
• No personal phones used for photography.
• Parental consent obtained for any photos/videos.
• Only secure, approved devices and storage used.
• Social media content featuring children only with written parental consent.
12. Responding to Concerns or Disclosures
When a child discloses:
• Listen without interruption.
• Reassure, but do not promise confidentiality.
• Avoid leading questions.
• Record exact words, date, time, and your name.
• Pass to the DSL immediately.
Where there is immediate danger — call 999.
13. Record-Keeping
We keep detailed, accurate, and secure safeguarding records, including:
• Concerns
• Referrals
• Meeting notes
• Actions taken and outcomes
Records are stored in accordance with UK GDPR and only shared on a need-to-know basis.
14. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if statutory guidance changes.
The DSL is responsible for ensuring the latest version is available to staff, parents, and Ofsted inspectors.