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Safeguarding Policy

This Policy applies to all trustees, employees and volunteers as referred to collectively as “staff” for the purposes of this Policy. This Policy will made available to all staff and visitors and will be published on Hackney Children & Baby website. 


Breaches of this Policy will be taken seriously and may require disciplinary procedures to be applied and/or a
referral to the police, local safeguarding partnership or other regulatory or statutory agencies. As a charity supporting those in need, Hackney Children & Baby Bank recognises that the people we come into contact 
are may be living in poverty, may have had difficult life experiences, may be vulnerable, and may be at risk of harm. 

 

Under the Charities Act 2011, Hackney Children & Baby Bank operates under two sections of the Charity 
Commissioners guidelines. 


3) The relief of poverty, by providing essential items, including but not limited to,

  • Provide baby equipment: stroller, crib/cot/toddler bed, and appropriate bedding, baby bath, baby-carriers, bouncy chairs, feeding bottles, cold water sterilisers.

  • Provide toiletry packs for babies and children, adult and maternity packs, nappies and wet wipes.

  • Provide clothing packs for children , along with seasonal coats and shoes. 

  • Toys, stationery, and books 


11) The relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, or some other 
disadvantage. 

 

Hackney Children & Baby Bank will support those referred to us, who fall into these categories, in the ways listed 
above. 


Hackney Children & Baby Bank recognises its limits and understands the importance of staying within the boundaries of 
our Governing Document (See Appendix 1) 


Hackney Children & Baby Bank recognise that we cannot prevent poverty, or abuse, however we are fully committed to 
supporting referred families in the ways listed above, whilst remaining alert to the potential abuse of Service Users both 
within their families and from other sources including abuse by members of Hackney Children & Baby Bank. 
 


Key principles 

 

Hackney Children & Baby Bank is committed to sharing concerns related to the safety and wellbeing of any child or 
adult that we encounter. Concerns will be documented, and those concerns will be shared with the relevant 
professionals. 


All staff and volunteers should: 

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  • Recognise and accept that they have a responsibility to share all Safeguarding concerns with the appropriate agencies.

  • Be familiar with this Policy and comply with it.

  • We strongly advise our staff to take responsibility for their own safety and safeguarding by: 

 

  • Not sharing personal phone number/address 

  • Not making contact with a service user on any social media platform. 

  • Not engaging in a personal relationship with a Service User or agree to help them outside of Hackney Children & BabyBank. 

  • Not offering to provide something that is not within the Hackney Children & Baby Bank jurisdiction 

  • Not coming into unnecessary physical contact with a Service User or their child 

  • No member of staff, volunteer or delivery driver is to be alone with a minor at any time 

 

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Reporting safeguarding concerns and allegations 
 

A safeguarding concern is a concern that a child or an adult at risk is or may be at risk of being abused or
neglected. 

 

A safeguarding allegation means that a person who works (including volunteers) with children or adults at risk 
is alleged to have:

  • behaved in a way that may have harmed a child or adult at risk; 

  • committed a criminal offence against or related to a child or adult.

 

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Identifying safeguarding concerns 

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Thing to be aware of include, but not limited to:

 

  • See Types of and Signs of Abuse (Appendix 4) 

  • Someone informs you they suspect a child is being abused. 

 

If any member of staff has become aware of a safeguarding concern or allegation, they have a legal obligation to 
pass this on to the appropriate authorities. 


It is NOT the responsibility of any staff within Hackney Children & Baby Bank to decide whether a safeguarding
concern or allegation is founded or not. Nor is it their role to decide what should happen, nor discuss it with the 
subject of the concern.


All referrals will made with immediate effect, by following the 4-step process below 

  1. A safeguarding form (Appendix 5) will be completed by the person raising the concern 

  2. This will then be shared with DSO 

  3. The DSO will refer it to Hackney MASH Team, without delay 

  4. If the DSO is unavailable the member of staff will refer directly to Hackney MASH Team 

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  • If an allegation relates to a staff member, the concern must also be raised, by the DSO with the LADO, 

  • If an allegation relates to the DSO, the Trustees must be notified, and the the concern must be raised with LADO by the member of staff raising the concern. 

  • Those involved in managing the safeguarding allegation are not permitted to discuss details with anyone other than the DSO. 

  • If a safeguarding allegation has been made against a member of staff, and the accused individual requires advice/support they should seek this from an external organisation, due to the presence of a conflict of interest with the Hackney Children & Baby Bank. The accused individual will be informed of the progress of the situation by the organisation handling the matter. E.g. LADO or the Police. 

  • If a safeguarding allegation with a member of staff is substantiated, they will be dismissed from their role within the Hackney Children & Baby Bank. 

 


What to do if you receive a disclosure 


If a child or adult says or indicates that they are being abused, or shares information which gives concern that
they maybe being abused, the person receiving this information should:

 

  • Stay calm

  • Listen carefully to the individual

  • Take what the individual says seriously, recognising any difficulties inherent in interpreting what is said by a person who is a child or has a disability and/or differences in language;

  • Keep questions to the minimum necessary to ensure a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said; only use open ended question to seek clarity

  • Make a careful record of the date, time, place and context of the disclosure. ï‚· You are not responsible investigate the matter further.

  • Implement the 4 Step process outlined above 

 

 

Safe Recruitment 


Each new member of staff is required to undergo an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (“DBS”) 
check as part of our recruitment policy. Each new volunteer is subject to a DBS check dependent 
upon the position applied for. 

 

Induction 


Each new member of staff or volunteer is made familiar with Hackney Children & BabyBank’s policies and 
procedures. Hackney Children & Baby Bank will provide effective management for staff and volunteers through 
supervision, support and training 

 

 

Risk Assessments 


Hackney Children & Baby Bank Management Team undertakes risk assessments on its site and for all activities & 
events. (See Appendix 6) 

 


Record-keeping, Information & Image Sharing 

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  • Personal information is processed in accordance with GDPR. 

  • Personal Data of service users will never be shared beyond their Case Manager, except for referrals to relevant Statutory Agencies. 

  • All decisions to share information with partner agencies, should be recorded together with the reasons and any relevant context, to be kept securely alongside other records. 

  • Images identifying Service Users and/or their location will never be shared beyond their case manager,  without written consent. Consent forms are to be kept securely on record, and cannot be given for a ‘group’ 

  • Service Users ‘Stories’ and ‘Images’ can be used for Marketing purposes, where the service user has been  nominated by Management. Management must interrogate the risks involved collaboratively with the proposed service user, collect their written consent for the specific usage, and feel comfortable that there is no risk posed in sharing the information. 

 

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Insurance 


Hackney Children & Baby Bank holds Public Liability Insurance to a current cover of £1,000,000. 
The insurance reference is Ansvar - 14820345

 

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Review 


Hackney Children & Baby Bank trustees are responsible for reviewing this Policy regularly. (See Appendix 3)

 

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Appendix to this Policy 


1. Hackney Children & BabyBank Governing Document 
2. DSO Job Description 
3. Role of the Trustees 
4. Types of & Signs of Abuse 
5. Safeguarding Reporting Form 
6. Safeguarding Risk Assessment Form 

 

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Contact information 


Appointed DSO: Beautine Wester 
Email Address: beautinewester@ymail.com 
Telephone Number(s) 07740 073518 

 

Appointed DSO: Roxanne Smee 
Email Address: roxannesmee@gmail.com 
Telephone Number(s) 07840 843357 

 

Appointed DSO: Jane Simpson 
Email Address: janesimpson@live.com 
Telephone Number(s) 07840 843361 

 

Hackney MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Children's and Families Service 
Address: Hackney Learning and Technology Centre, 1 Reading Lane, Hackney, London, E8 1GQ 
E-mail: MASH@hackney.gov.uk 
Telephone: 020 8356 5500 
Out of hours: 0208 356 2710 
Website: https://hackney.gov.uk/child-protection 

 

Hackney LADO 
In Hackney, the LADO is located within Children and Families Services and can be contacted via the First Access and 
Screening Team or directly on 020 8356 4569. 

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