Southpaw UK's Safeguarding Policy
Introduction
Southpaw believes that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and vulnerable people, by a commitment to practice which protects them.
We recognise that: The welfare of any child or vulnerable person is paramount. All vulnerable people, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
The purpose of the policy: Is to provide protection for the children and vulnerable people who come into contact with Southpaw staff & equipment. It is also to provide staff and volunteers with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child or vulnerable person may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.
This policy applies to: all paid staff, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of Southpaw or receiving services from Southpaw.
Company Safeguarding Policy
Our company is committed to promoting the safety and wellbeing of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable people. We recognize that the nature of our work requires special consideration and precautions, and we are dedicated to ensuring that our employees and contractors are trained and equipped to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone involved. To this end, we have established the following safeguarding policies:
Enhanced DBS Checks: All employees and contractors who work with our company who may come into contact with a child or vulnerable person are required to undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This check includes a thorough background investigation to ensure that our staff members do not have any criminal convictions that would make them unsuitable for working with vulnerable populations.
Training: Our employees and contractors are trained on how to work in environments where children and vulnerable adults are present. This training includes information on how to recognize signs of abuse or neglect, how to report concerns to appropriate authorities, and how to maintain appropriate boundaries and professional conduct.
Professional, Therapist led input: Our Design team all attend training sessions with industry leaders in the field of Sensory Integration or other suitable interventions. This training gives our staff a better insight to the challenges our community faces and in turn helps us design environments and provide the correct equipment for their “toolbox” for intervention.
Risk Assessments: Before installing sensory equipment, our team conducts a risk assessment of the environment to identify any potential hazards or risks to the safety of the individuals who will be using the equipment. Any necessary adjustments or modifications are made to ensure that the environment
is safe and secure.
Code of Conduct: We have a strict code of conduct that all employees and contractors must adhere to when working with vulnerable populations. This code of conduct outlines appropriate behaviour and expectations for our staff members to ensure that they maintain professional boundaries and act in the best interests of the individuals they are working with.
Reporting Concerns: Our company takes all concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of individuals seriously. We encourage anyone who has concerns about the behavior of our staff members or the safety of the environment to report them immediately. Reports can be made to our designated safeguarding officer or to appropriate authorities.
Safeguarding Policy regarding Customer Requests for Time Out, De-Escalation, Safe rooms
We as a company often get requests to provide rooms described as “Time Out, De-Escalation, Safe Rooms, or other similar terminology. Southpaw takes our role in the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults seriously and as such have implemented the following restrictions on the supply of these rooms.
Customer Safeguarding Policy: It is essential that the proposed customer has a Safeguarding policy in place. A copy of which may be requested.
Customer De-Escalation Policy: It is essential that the proposed customer has a De-Escalation policy in place. A copy of which may be requested.
Customer Restraint Policy: It is essential that the proposed customer has a Restraint policy in place. A copy of which may be requested.
Written Explanation of use: Southpaw will require a written explanation of use from an authorised individual or Safeguarding lead on how and when the environment will be used. This is vital to understand to allow Southpaw to take the necessary design considerations in order to fulfil our duty of care to the child or vulnerable person.
We hereby confirm we are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for everyone. By adhering to these policies, we aim to ensure that our company is a trusted and responsible partner in providing services to vulnerable populations.
We are also committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
Robert Cooke,
Chief Executive Officer & Safeguarding Lead