Safeguarding

This information is designed to provide candidates with an introduction to safeguarding and well-being issues. We have a duty to ensure you are safe on our training programmes and we want to provide you with some information about safeguarding.

Policy Statement

IA is committed to a positive policy of equal opportunity and strives to support learners wherever possible. It wishes to create an environment that is safe and welcoming to all learners and Safeguarding is an essential element to promote a positive culture where learners are able to learn and develop. It recognises that it has a duty of care to learners, staff and stakeholders and endeavours to ensure that their well-being and health and safety is a priority.

Creating a Safe Environment

To create a safe environment for learners IA will;

• Operate a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to bullying and other anti-social behaviour
• Have clear procedures for following up issues of conduct for both staff and learners
• Continually review safety and security
• Work closely with partner organisations to ensure the welfare of learners
• Ensure all staff, including volunteers, have appropriate DBS, CRB and other checks as deemed appropriate through risk assessment of job roles.

Positive Promotion

Safeguarding, in its broadest sense, will be promoted positively throughout IA in a number of ways, including;

• Policy and Procedures available for stakeholders, such as parents/guardians
• Learner Induction
• Equality and Diversity embedding
• Health and Well-being, Anti-bullying, E-Safety promotion and information, including thematic awareness throughout the programme
• Ensure Safeguarding is included within the ‘Learner Voice’ process
• Information awareness raising will be responsive to local and national trends
• Positive links with communities to prevent radicalisation and extremist acts.

 Support for Learners

Learners will be offered support through a number of mechanisms including:

• Timely interventions or continuous support to our most vulnerable learners
• Additional support for learners with learning difficulties / disabilities and/or medical needs
• Referrals to counselling services and links with personal advisers to identify the most appropriate interventions and support for learners on an individual basis
• Links developed with external agencies, including agencies linked to specific groups such as Looked After Children (LAC) (including those leaving care), Mental Health Services, Youth Offending Service (YOS).
• Considering the needs of the individual and responding as far as is reasonably practicable.
  

  Definitions

 Child – in accordance with The Children Act 1989, and therefore in accordance with law, IA shall regard any young person below the age of 18 as a child.

Child abuse – may be physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or neglect

Domestic Violence – can be physical, emotional, sexual, neglect. This category also covers Forced Marriages and honour based violence.

Emotional abuse – emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to the child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. Age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children, causing children frequently to feel frightened, or the exploitation or corruption of children will also constitute emotional abuse. This may also include over protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or participating in normal social interaction. It can include seeing or hearing ill treatment of another person. It may include serious bullying, including cyber-bullying. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them, or making fun of what they say or how they communicate.

Extremism – holding extreme religious or political views.

Learner – the term ‘learner’ for this policy covers learners of IA who are enrolled with the organisation for study. The policy also covers those learners who are on placement as part of their programme. In addition it covers learners who are applying to be enrolled with IA and are in the “recruitment” stage of the learner journey.

Neglect – neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development such as failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, medical care or treatment or neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional/physical needs. It can include not protecting a child from emotional harm or danger.

Physical abuse – actual or likely physical injury to a child, or failure to prevent injury. May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child they are looking after.

Prevent Duty – the Statutory duty to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.

Radicalisation – vulnerable individuals being targeted for recruitment into extremism.

Risk to self and/or others – this may include, but is not exclusive to self-harm, suicidal tendencies or potential risk of harming others, which may or may not include children. This may be as a consequence of an individual experiencing a significant level of personal, emotional trauma and/or stress.

Sexual abuse – actual or likely sexual exploitation of a child, including prostitution. Involving forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities whether or not a child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact including penetration or non-penetrative acts. For example it may also include involving the child looking at or being involved in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging the child to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Can include grooming a child in preparation for abuse.

Safeguarding – includes promotion of health and well-being as well as protection of specific individuals

Significant harm – ill treatment or the impairment of health or development (compared with the health or development which might be expected of a similar child)

Terrorism – undertaking unauthorised or unofficial acts of violence or intimidation in pursuit of a political aim or agenda.

Vulnerable Adult – a person aged 18 or over who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness…and is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.  In this document the statutory definition of a Vulnerable Adult in the Safeguarding of Vulnerable Groups Act may differ from those who may be vulnerable in terms of the Counter terrorism and Security Act.

Definitions of abuse against vulnerable adults

Physical abuse – includes hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, rough handling or unnecessary physical force, either deliberate or unintentional, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.

Sexual abuse – includes rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not consented, or could not consent to, or was pressured into consenting to. Sexual abuse can occur between people of the same sex and it can also occur within a marriage or any long-term relationship.

Psychological abuse – includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse or isolation.

Financial or material abuse – includes theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property, enduring power of attorney, or inheritance or financial transactions, or the inappropriate use, misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Neglect and acts of omission – includes ignoring or withholding medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition, clothing and heating.

Discriminatory abuse – includes racist, sexist, or discrimination based on a person’s disability.

Self-neglect – is not a direct form of abuse but staff need to be aware of it in the general context of risk assessment/risk management and to be aware that they may owe a duty of care to a vulnerable individual who places him/herself at risk in this way.

Forced Marriage – a forced marriage is where one or both people do not (or in cases of people with learning disabilities, cannot) consent to the marriage and pressure or abuse is used. It is an appalling and indefensible practice and is recognised in the UK as a form of violence against women and men, domestic/child abuse and a serious abuse of human rights.  The pressure put on people to marry against their will can be physical (including threats, actual physical violence and sexual violence) or emotional and psychological (for example, when someone is made to feel like they’re bringing shame on their family). Financial abuse (taking your wages or not giving you any money) can also be a factor.  Appendix A contains further detail on signs a person may be vulnerable to this form of abuse.

What to do if you suspect a vulnerable adult is being abused

Any member of staff who has knowledge of, or a suspicion that, a vulnerable adult learner is or has been suffering abuse must refer their concern to the Safeguarding Officers as soon as possible by telephone then followed up in writing. All allegations or suspicions must be taken seriously. The learner must be advised that this information cannot be kept confidential and will be passed on to the Safeguarding Officers in the first instance. 

Preventing Extremism and Radicalisation

Our aim

Innovative Alliance values freedom of speech and the expansion of beliefs / ideology as fundamental rights underpinning our society’s values.  Both learners and staff have the right to speak freely and voice their opinions. However, with freedom comes responsibility and free speech designed to manipulate the vulnerable or that leads to violence and harm of others goes against the moral principles in which freedom of speech is valued. Free speech is not an unqualified privilege; it is subject to laws and policies governing equality, human rights, community safety and community cohesion.

Innovative Alliance seeks to protect children, young people and other learners against the messages of all violent extremism including, but not restricted to, those linked to Extreme Islamist ideology, or to Far Right / Neo Nazi / White Supremacist ideology, Irish Nationalist and Loyalist paramilitary groups, and extremist Animal Rights movements.

Definitions

Extremism – holding extreme religious or political views.

Islamic Extremism – also referred to as Radical Islam or Islamic supremacy and it should not be confused with mainstream Islam.  Further information about Islamic Extremism is contained at http://www.clarionproject.org/understanding-islamism/islamic-extremism#

Radicalisation – vulnerable individuals being targeted for recruitment into extremism, or individuals at risk of being drawn into extremist acts.  An individual vulnerable to radicalisation will not meet the statutory definition of a vulnerable adult.

Terrorism – undertaking unauthorised or unofficial acts of violence or intimidation in pursuit of a political aim or agenda.

Other critical risk factors could include:

• Being in contact with extremist recruiters;
• Accessing violent extremist websites, especially those with a social networking element;
• Possessing or accessing violent extremist literature;
• Using extremist narratives and a global ideology to explain personal disadvantage;
• Justifying the use of violence to solve societal issues;
• Joining or seeking to join extremist organisations; and
• Significant changes to appearance and / or behaviour;
• Experiencing a high level of social isolation resulting in issues of identity crisis and / or personal crisis. 

Possible signs of radicalisation

• The individual’s views become increasingly extreme regarding another section of society or government policy
• They are observed downloading, viewing or sharing extremist propaganda from the web
• They become withdrawn and focused on one ideology
• The individual becomes increasingly intolerant of more moderate views
• The individual may change their appearance, their health may suffer (including mental health) and they may become isolated from family, friends, peers or social groups

The individual expresses a desire/intent to take part in or support extremist activity.