Safeguarding policy

Purpose and scope

The purpose of this policy statement is:

to protect children and young people who receive Horus Wellbeing’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services
to session workers and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Exar Wellbeing, including session workers, volunteers, and students.

Legal framework

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

Supporting documents

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

Role description for the designated safeguarding officer
Dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
Managing allegations against staff and volunteers
Recording concerns and information sharing
Child protection records retention and storage
Code of conduct for staff and volunteers
Behaviour codes for children and young people
Photography and sharing images guidance
Safer recruitment
KCSIE 2023
Online safety
Anti-bullying
Managing complaints
Whistleblowing
Health and safety
Induction, training, supervision and support
Adult to child supervision ratios

We believe that:

Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practice in a way that protects them.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

valuing, listening to and respecting them
appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people, a deputy and a lead trustee/board member for safeguarding
adopting child 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
recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families via leaflets and one-to-one discussions
making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us 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, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
building a safeguarding culture where session workers and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

We commit to working closely with:

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) process in Bristol, UK, is a mechanism to manage allegations against staff and volunteers working with children.

The LADO process ensures that any allegations or concerns about individuals working with children are dealt with fairly, consistently, and quickly. In Bristol, the LADO process is managed by the Bristol City Council.

Exar Wellbeing will follow the key steps in the LADO process in Bristol at all times:

Identifying concerns: If anyone has concerns or receives an allegation about a staff member or volunteer working with children, we will immediately report these concerns to their organisation’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL).
Referral to the LADO: The DSL will review the information and, if the allegation meets the threshold, refer it to the LADO within one working day. Thresholds include situations where an individual has:
- Behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child
- Possibly committed a criminal offense against or related to a child
- Behaved in a manner that indicates they may be unsuitable to work with children
LADO consultation: The LADO will review the referral and, if necessary, provide advice and guidance to the referring organisation on the next steps. This may include conducting an internal investigation or referring the matter to the police or other external agencies.
Strategy meeting: If the LADO determines that the allegation warrants further investigation, a strategy meeting may be arranged, including representatives from the referring organisation, police, social care, and other relevant agencies. This meeting will discuss the allegation, any ongoing risks, and the appropriate course of action.
Investigation: Depending on the outcome of the strategy meeting, an internal investigation, a police investigation, or a child protection investigation may be initiated.
Outcome and feedback: Once the investigation is completed, the LADO will inform the referring organisation of the outcome and provide guidance on any necessary follow-up actions, such as disciplinary measures or additional training.
Record keeping: Exar Wellbeing will keep a clear and comprehensive record of the allegation, the LADO’s advice, and any actions taken as a result.
It is essential for Exar Wellbeing to follow the LADO process in Bristol to ensure the safety and welfare of children and maintain the integrity of the organisation working with them. More information can be found here.

Contact details

Nominated child protection lead

Name: Donna Taylor
Phone/email: 07376740757 / donna@exar-wellbeing.org.uk

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice, annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: 1st June 2024
Next review date: 1st June 2025
Signed: 1st June 2024