See Speak Hear Safeguarding Policy Statement 

The purpose and scope of this policy statement 

The purpose of this policy statement is: 

• to protect children and adults who are involved in activities with See Speak Hear from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services, 

• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and adults, and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection. 

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of See Speak Hear including senior managers, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students. 

Legal framework 

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children and adults in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning. 

Supporting documents 

This policy statement should be read alongside any other of our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and related documents. 

We believe that: 

• Children and adults should never experience abuse of any kind 

• We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and adults, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them. 

We recognise that: 

• the welfare of children and adults is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse 

• some children and adults are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues 

• working in partnership with children, their parents, adults, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting people’s welfare. 

We will seek to keep children and adults safe by: 

• valuing, listening to and respecting them 

• adopting child and adult protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers 

• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures 

• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently 

• recording, storing and using information professionally and securely 

• sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, adults and their families via any relevant leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions.

• making sure that children, adults and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern 

• using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, adults, parents, families and carers appropriately 

• managing any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately 

• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we deal effectively with any bullying that does arise 

• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place 

• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, adults, staff and volunteers 

• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, adults and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns. 

This policy was last reviewed in 2021. 

Contact us

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact us:

• By email speak@seespeakhear.com