Policies and Procedures

OUR SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Arthur Ellis: Mental Health Support (AEMHS) works with a diverse community of individuals ranging from children, young people (aged under 18 years) and adults referred to as ‘clients’. Clients on the mentoring scheme – given their need for mentoring are all considered vulnerable. Although not exclusive, AEMHS staff refers to any member of AEMHS employed personnel regardless of position, volunteers, visitors, contractors and agency staff.

Safeguarding vulnerable adults, children and/or young people, and child protection is everybody’s responsibility. The policy applies to all staff at AEMHS and it is consistent with the procedures of Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board (MKSB). The policy and procedures also apply to offsite activities (for example – visiting the client at home).

Equality statement

Some clients have an increased risk of abuse and additional barriers can exist for them with respect to recognising or disclosing it. AEMHS are committed to take action against discriminatory practice and recognise client’s diverse circumstances. AEMHS shall ensure that all clients have the same protection, regardless of any barriers they may face.

There is special consideration to clients who:

Have special educational needs of disabilities
Are young carers
May experience discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification and sexuality
Have English as an additional language
Are known to be living in difficult situations – for example, temporary accommodation or where there are issues such as substance abuse of domestic violence
Are at risk of FGM, sexual exploitation, forced marriage, or radicalisation
Are asylum seekers

SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE ADULTS POLICY

Introduction

AEMHS is committed to safeguarding vulnerable adults, engaged in the breadth of its activities.

The purpose of this policy is to outline the duty and responsibility of staff working on behalf of AEMHS in relation to the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse. All adults have the right to be safe from harm and should be able to live free from fear of abuse, neglect and exploitation.

The key objectives of this policy are:

To explain the responsibilities AEMHS’S staff have in respect of vulnerable adult protection.
To provide staff with an overview of vulnerable adult protection
To provide a clear procedure that will be implemented where vulnerable adult protection issues arise.

AEMHS’s aims to ensure that:

Appropriate action is taken in a timely manner to safeguarding and promoting vulnerable adult’s welfare.
All staff are aware of their statutory responsibilities with respect to safeguarding and PREVENT.
Staff are properly trained in recognising and reporting safeguarding issues.

Context

For the purpose of this document ‘adult’ means a person aged 18 years or over.

Some adults are less able to protect themselves than others, and some have difficulty making their wishes and feelings known. This may make them vulnerable to abuse. The broad definition of a ‘vulnerable adult’ referred to in the 1997 Consultation Paper ‘Who decides?’ issued by the Lord Chancellor’s Department, is a person:

“Who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”.

The first priority should always be to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable adults. To this end, it is the responsibility of all staff to act on any suspicion or evidence of abuse or neglect and to pass on their concerns to a responsible person/agency.

For purposes of ensuring consistent and widely understood terminology, these policies and procedures will use the phrase ‘Vulnerable Adults’ to identify those eligible for interventions within the procedures.

Legal framework

This guidance reflects the principles contained within the Care Act 2014, Human Rights Act 1998, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

The Care Act 2014 details how Local Authorities should deal with people who can be at risk because of physical, learning or mental health difficulties, including a permanent disability, something that occurs occasionally or a one off event.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005, covering England and Wales, provides a statutory framework for people who lack capacity to make decisions for themselves, or who have capacity and want to make preparations for a time when they may lack capacity in the future. It sets out who can take decisions, in which situations, and how they should go about this.

The Human Rights Act 1998 gives legal effect in the UK to the fundamental rights and freedoms contained in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) created a framework for whistle blowing across the private, public and voluntary sectors. The Act provides almost every individual in the workplace with protection from victimisation where they raise genuine concerns about malpractice in accordance with the Act’s provisions.

The role of staff at AEMHS

All AEMHS staff have a duty to promote the welfare and safety of vulnerable adults. They may receive disclosures of abuse and observe vulnerable adults who are at risk. This policy will enable staff to make informed and confident responses to specific adult protection issues.

What is abuse?

Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons.

Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or could not consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and it may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it.

The Department of Health in its ‘No Secrets’ report suggests the following as the main types of abuse:-

Physical abuse– is the physical mistreatment of one person by another which may or may not result in physical injury. It can be the use of force that results in an unwanted change in a person’s physical state, including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate sanctions.
Sexual abuse– is the involvement of a person in sexual activities or relationships that they either do not want, have not consented to or that they cannot understand, including rape and sexual assault.
Psychological/Emotional abuse– is any act which negatively affects the emotional wellbeing of a person or impairs their psychological development, including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.
Financial or material abuse– is the use of a person’s property, possessions, assets or money without their informed consent, including theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Neglect and acts of omission-is any act which results in a person’s basic needs not being met or places them at risk of harm, including ignoring 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 and heating.
Self Neglect – This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings.
Discriminatory abuse– is: harassment, unfair treatment or providing inappropriate/inadequate care because of a person’s race, religion, culture, gender, age, sexuality, or disability. Discrimination can be a motivating factor in other forms of abuse.
Domestic Violence – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence.
Organisational abuse – is isolated or collective examples of poor professional practice, misconduct or pervasive ill treatment. It may include other types of abuse.
Modern Slavery – Encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude.

Procedure in the event of a disclosure

It is important that vulnerable adults are protected from abuse. All complaints, allegations or suspicions must be taken seriously. This procedure must be followed whenever an allegation of abuse is made or when there is a suspicion that a vulnerable adult has been abused. Promises of confidentiality should not be given as this may conflict with the need to ensure the safety and welfare of the individual.

A full record shall be made as soon as possible of the nature of the allegation and any other relevant information. This should include information in relation to the date, the time, the place where the alleged abuse happened, your name and the names of others present, the name of the complainant and, where different, the name of the adult who has allegedly been abused, the nature of the alleged abuse, a description of any injuries observed, the account which has been given of the allegation.

Be mindful that it is not always practical, advisable and or supportive to be taking notes during a disclosure.

Responding to an allegation

Any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse must be reported to our Designated Safeguarding Lead who is Rita Mistry or Jon Manning by a member of staff as appropriate.

Contact details:

Jon Manning, Managing Director

Email: jon@arthurellismhs.com

Rita Mistry, Mental Health Mentor

Email: rita@arthurellismhs.com

The nominated safeguarding lead shall telephone and report the matter to the Milton Keynes Adult Social Care Access Team who can be contacted on 01908 253772 during working hours Monday – Friday 9-7pm (excluding bank holidays) or out of hours 01908 605650.

A written record of the date and time of the report shall be made and the report must include the name and position of the person to whom the matter is reported. The telephone report must be confirmed in writing to the relevant local authority adult social services department within 24 hours.

Responding appropriately to an allegation of abuse

In the event of an incident or disclosure:

Make sure the individual is safe
Assess whether emergency services are required and if needed call them
Listen
Offer support and reassurance
Ascertain and establish the basic facts
Make careful notes and obtain agreement on them
Ensure notation of dates, time and persons present are correct and agreed
Take all necessary precautions to preserve forensic evidence
Follow correct procedure
Explain areas of confidentiality; immediately speak to your manager for

Support and guidance

Explain the procedure to the individual making the allegation
Remember the need for ongoing support.

DONT

Confront the alleged abuser
Be judgmental or voice your own opinion
Be dismissive of the concern
Investigate or interview beyond that which is necessary to establish the basic facts
Disturb or destroy possible forensic evidence
Consult with persons not directly involved with the situation
Ask leading questions
Assume Information
Make promises
Ignore the allegation
Elaborate in your notes
Panic

It is important to remember that the person who first encounters a case of alleged abuse is not responsible for deciding whether abuse has occurred. This is a task for the professional adult protection agencies, following a referral designated Vulnerable Adult Protection Officer.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Vulnerable adult protection raises issues of confidentiality which should be clearly understood by all. Staff have a professional responsibility to share relevant information about the protection of vulnerable adults with other professionals, particularly investigative agencies and adult social services.

Clear boundaries of confidentiality will be communicated to all.

All personal information regarding a vulnerable adult will be kept confidential. All written records will be kept in a secure area for a specific time as identified in data protection guidelines. Records will only record details required in the initial contact form. If an adult confides in a member of staff and requests that the information is kept secret, it is important that the member of staff tells the adult sensitively that he or she has a responsibility to refer cases of alleged abuse to the appropriate agencies.

Within that context, the adult should, however, be assured that the matter will be disclosed only to people who need to know about it.

Where possible, consent should be obtained from the adult before sharing personal information with third parties. In some circumstances obtaining consent may be neither possible nor desirable as the safety and welfare of the vulnerable adult is the priority.

Where a disclosure has been made, staff should let the adult know the position regarding their role and what action they will have to take as a result.

Staff should assure the adult that they will keep them informed of any action to be taken and why. The adults’ involvement in the process of sharing information should be fully considered and their wishes and feelings taken into account.

The role of key individual agencies

Adult Social Services

The Department of Health’s recent ‘No Secrets’ guidance document requires that authorities develop a local framework within which all responsible agencies work together to ensure a coherent policy for the protection of vulnerable adults at risk of abuse.

All local authorities have a Safeguarding Adults Board, which oversees multi-agency work aimed at protecting and safeguarding vulnerable adults. It is normal practice for the board to comprise of people from partner organisations who have the ability to influence decision making and resource allocation within their organisation.

The Police

The Police play a vital role in Safeguarding Adults with cases involving alleged criminal acts. It becomes the responsibility of the police to investigate allegations of crime by preserving and gathering evidence. Where a crime is identified, the police will be the lead agency and they will direct investigations in line with legal and other procedural protocols.

Milton Keynes Safeguarding Adults Board

Responsible for initiating Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedure processes in Milton Keynes that are implemented by all organisations working with vulnerable adults.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE POLICY

Introduction

AEMHS 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 young people, by a commitment to practice which protects them.

AEMHS recognises that:

the welfare of the child and young person is paramount
all children, 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
working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

The purpose of the policy:

to provide protection for the children and young people who receive AEMHS services, including the children of adult members or users.
to provide staff with guidance on safeguarding procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child or young person may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.

This policy applies to all staff regardless of their position in AEMHS.

It is our policy that no-one shall work with children and young people within AEMHS who:

has been convicted of or has received a formal police caution concerning an offence against children as listed in the First Schedule of the Children and Young People’s Act 1933; or
has been convicted of or has received a formal police caution concerning sexual offences against children and young people
is registered on either of the two new DBS barred lists for children & vulnerable adults, (previously known as the protection of Children Act list, protection of Vulnerable Adults Act list and List 99)

AEMHS will seek to safeguard children and young people by:

valuing them, listening to and respecting them
adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and undertake regular safeguarding & child protection courses and training as identified by the MK Safeguarding Children’s Board.
recruiting staff safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made obtaining verification of individuals identity and details of the individuals enhanced Disclosure and Barring check, to ensure that persons who have been convicted or have received a formal police caution concerning sexual offences against children or young people shall not undertake work with children and young people under the auspices of AEMHS.
those responsible for the appointment of such workers must take all reasonable steps, including:
working in reference with AEMHS recruitment policy and MK Safeguarding Board Safer recruitment guidance
sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, carers, staff and relevant agencies
sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately
providing effective management for staff through supervision, support and training.

Legislation and statutory guidance in relation to working with Children and Young people

Information contained in this policy is based on the Department for Education’s statutory guidance for ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’. AEMHS complies with this guidance and the procedures set out by Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board.

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children and young people, namely:

Section 175 of the Education Act which places a duty on schools and local authorities to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils.
The Children Act 1986 (and amendment 2004) which provides a framework for the care and protection of children.
Section 5B(11) of the Female Genital Mutilation at 2003, as inserted by section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015, we each place in the statutory duty on teachers to report to the police when they discover that female genital mutilation (FGM) in appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18.
Statutory guidance on FGM, which sets out responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and supporting girls affected by FGM.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, we outlines when people with criminal convictions can work with children.
Schedule 4 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, which defines what ‘regulated activity’ is in relation to children.
Statutory violence on the Prevent duty, which explains duties under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 with respect to protecting people from the risk of radicalisation and extremism.
The Childcare (disqualification) Regulations 2009 (and 2018 amendment) and Childcare Act of 2006, which set out who is disqualified from working with children.

Also this policy is underpinned by the following framework:

The Children Act 1989 (England & Wales) and s.31 (9 and 10) as amended by the Adoption & Children Act 2002
United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000
Protection of Children Act 1999 and The Police Act 1997
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Relevant government guidance on safeguarding children
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013
·Working together 2015

Definitions

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people means –

Protecting children and young people from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children and young people’s health and development
Ensuring that children and young people grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

Child protection is part of this definition and refers to activities undertaken to prevent children and young people suffering, or being likely to suffer significant harm.

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child or young person, and may involve inflicting harm and failing to act to prevent harm.

Neglect is a form of abuse and is the persistent failure to meet a child’s or young person’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of their health or development.

Children and young people refers to everyone under the age of 18.

Offsite activities refers to any of Arthur Ellis’ business being conducted not at their main offices. This could be in a public place like a cafe, the client’s home etc.

Roles and responsibilities

Safeguarding and child protection is everybody’s responsibility. All staff regardless of their position in AEMHS have a duty to promote the welfare and safety of children. They may receive disclosures of abuse and observe children who are at risk. The policy applies to all staff and it is consistent with the procedures of Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board (MKSB). The policy and procedures also apply to offsite activities.

All staff at Arthur Ellis regardless of position in the organisation, will read the Department of Education’s statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education and this will be reviewed annually.

All staff will be aware of:

Arthur Ellis systems which support safeguarding, including the staff disciplinary policy, the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL), and the whistleblowing policy.
The process by which referrals can be made to that local authority children’s social care, the statutory assessment, and the role they may be expected to play.
what to do if they identify a safeguarding issue, what to do if a child or young person tells them they are being abused or neglected, including specific issues such as FGM and how to maintain an appropriate level of confidentiality while liaison with relevant professionals.
the signs of different types of abuse and neglect, as well as specific safeguarding issues, such as child exploitation (CSE), FGM, peer on peer abuse, online safety and radicalisation.

Responding to an allegation

Any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse must be reported to our Designated Safeguarding Lead who is Rita Mistry or Jon Manning by a member of staff as appropriate.

Contact details:

Jon Manning, Managing Director

Email: jon@arthurellismhs.com

Rita Mistry, Mental Health Mentor

Email: rita@arthurellismhs.com

The DSL takes lead responsibility for child protection and safeguarding. They are available during working and extended (where required) hours to discuss any safeguarding concerns.

In the absence the DSL, contact Milton Keynes Safeguarding Board or in an emergency and extreme cases police.

The Safeguarding Designated Lead

The DSL will be given time, funding, resources, training and support:

to provide advice and support to other staff on welfare of children and young people and child protection matters
ensure all staff regardless of their position in the organisation are informed of this policy as part of their induction
where appropriate communicate this policy to Arthur Ellis clients and it to be made available on the website
ensure all staff regardless of their position in the organisation undertake appropriate safeguarding and child protection training and it to be updated on a regular basis
where appropriate act as a case manager in the event of an allegation of abuse made against a member of staff
ensure the relevant staffing ratios are met where appropriate – for example two members of staff are available should the need arise for a client to be driven home
take part in strategy discussion and interagency meeting and or support other staff to do so
contribute to the assessment of Arthur Ellis clients
as appropriate refer suspected cases to the relevant body (local authority children’s social care, adult social care, channel programme, disclosure and Barring Service and or police), and support staff who make such referrals directly

Jon Manning, Director and also DSL will approve and review this policy annually, hold other DSLs to account for the implementation of this policy, will monitor the effectiveness of this policy and will act as a case manager in the event of an allegation of abuse made against the DSL.

What is abuse?

Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons.

Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and it may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it.

The ‘Working together’ report suggests the following as the main types of abuse:-

Physical abuse– is the physical mistreatment of a child or young person which may or may not result in physical injury. It can be the use of force that results in an unwanted change in a person’s physical state, including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, the misuse of medication, restraint, and/or inappropriate sanctions. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.

Sexual abuse– Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.

Emotional abuse– Emotional Abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development.

Neglect and acts of omission–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. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.

Bullying – Bullying is not always easy to define, it can take many forms and is usually repeated over a period of time. The three typical types are physical (e.g. hitting, kicking, theft), verbal (e.g. racism or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling) and emotional (e.g. isolating an individual from activities).

Procedure in the event of a disclosure

It is important that children and young people are protected from abuse. All complaints, allegations or suspicions must be taken seriously. This procedure must be followed whenever an allegation of abuse is made or when there is a suspicion that a child has been abused. Promises of confidentiality should not be given as this may conflict with the need to ensure the safety and welfare of the individual. A full record shall be made as soon as possible of the nature of the allegation and any other relevant information.

This should include information in relation to the date, the time, the place where the alleged abuse happened, your name and the names of others present, the name of the complainant and, where different, the name of the adult who has allegedly been abused, the nature of the alleged abuse, a description of any injuries observed, the account which has been given of the allegation.

What to do if a child or young person discloses harm to us

Receive

listen to the child
if you are shocked by what they are saying, try not to show it
take what they say seriously
accept what the child or young person says
DO NOT ask for (other) information

Reassure

stay Calm and reassure the child or young person that they have done the right thing in talking to you
be honest with the child or young person so do not make promises you can’t keep
do not promise confidentiality – you have a duty to refer the child or young person who is at risk
acknowledge how hard it must have been for the child to tell you what happened

React

react to the child or young person only as far as is necessary for you to establish whether or not you need to refer this matter, but do not interrogate them for details
do not ask leading questions
explain what you have to do next and to whom you have to talk
explain and if possible seek agreement that you will have to discuss the situation with
someone else and will do so on a ‘need to know’ basis

Record

make some brief notes at the time and write them up more fully as soon as possible – use the SAFEGUARDING AND WELFARE CONCERN REPORT
take care to record timing, setting and personnel as well as what was said
be objective in your recording – include statements and observable things rather than
your interpretations or assumptions

Act Now

discuss the matter with the Child Protection representative immediately

Responding appropriately to an allegation of abuse

In the event of an incident or disclosure:

make sure the individual is safe
assess whether emergency services are required and if needed call them
listen
offer support and reassurance
ascertain and establish the basic facts
make careful notes and obtain agreement on them
ensure notation of dates, time and persons present are correct and agreed
take all necessary precautions to preserve forensic evidence
follow correct procedure
explain areas of confidentiality; immediately speak to your manager for support and guidance
explain the procedure to the individual making the allegation
remember the need for ongoing support.

DONT

confront the alleged abuser
be judgmental or voice your own opinion
be dismissive of the concern
investigate or interview beyond that which is necessary to establish the basic facts
disturb or destroy possible forensic evidence
consult with persons not directly involved with the situation
ask leading questions
assume Information
make promises
ignore the allegation
elaborate in your notes
panic

Responding to an allegation

Any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse must be reported to our Designated Safeguarding Lead who is Rita Mistry or Jon Manning by a member of staff as appropriate.

Contact details:

Jon Manning, Managing Director

Email: jon@arthurellismhs.com

Rita Mistry, Mental Health Mentor

Email: rita@arthurellismhs.com

The nominated safeguarding lead shall telephone and report the matter to the

Milton Keynes Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub who can be contacted on 01908 253169 or 01908 253170 during working hours Monday – Friday 9-5pm (excluding bank holidays) or out of hours 01908 265545.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Child protection raises issues of confidentiality which should be clearly understood by all. Staff have a professional responsibility to share relevant information about the protection of children with other professionals, particularly investigative agencies and adult social services.

Clear boundaries of confidentiality will be communicated to all.

All personal information regarding a child and young people will be kept confidential. All written records will be kept in a secure area for a specific time as identified in data protection guidelines. Records will only record details required in the initial contact form.

If a child or young person confides in a member of staff and requests that the information is kept secret, it is important that the member of staff tells the child or young person sensitively that he or she has a responsibility to refer cases of alleged abuse to the appropriate agencies. Within that context, the child or young person should, however, be assured that the matter will be disclosed only to people who need to know about it.

Where possible, consent should be obtained from the child or young person before sharing personal information with third parties. In some circumstances obtaining consent may be neither possible nor desirable as the safety and welfare of the child is the priority.

Where a disclosure has been made, staff should let the child know the position regarding their role and what action they will have to take as a result.

Staff should assure the child that they will keep them informed of any action to be taken and why. The child’s involvement in the process of sharing information should be fully considered and their wishes and feelings taken into account.

The role of the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer)

The role of the LADO is set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) and is governed by the Authorities duties under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 and MKSCB Inter-Agency Policy and Procedures (Ch 2.8). This guidance outlines procedures for managing allegations against people who work with children who are paid, unpaid, volunteers, casual, agency or anyone self employed.

The LADO* must be contacted within one working day in respect of all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has:

behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child
possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children. There may be up to three strands in the consideration of an allegation:
a police investigation of a possible criminal offence
enquiries and assessment by children’s social care about whether a child is in need of protection or in need of services
consideration by an employer of disciplinary action in respect of the individual. The LADO is responsible for
Providing advice, information and guidance to employers and voluntary organisations around allegations and concerns regarding paid and unpaid workers
Managing and overseeing individual cases from all partner agencies
Ensuring the child’s voice is heard and that they are safeguarded
Ensuring there is a consistent, fair and thorough process for all adults working with children and young people against whom an allegation is made
Monitoring the progress of cases to ensure they are dealt with as quickly as possible
Recommending a referral and chairing the strategy meeting in cases where the allegation requires investigation by police and/or social care.

The LADO is involved from the initial phase of the allegation through to the conclusion of the case. The LADO is available to discuss any concerns and to assist you in deciding whether you need to make a referral and/or take any immediate management action to protect a child.

In Milton Keynes, the LADO is Jo Clifford. If you wish to discuss any concerns and are unsure if the above criteria has been met please complete and return a LADO Notification form to lado@Milton-keynes.gov.uk or lado@milton-keynes.gcsx.gov.uk prior to contacting her on 01908 254300. If the above criteria has been met then you should make a referral to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) by completing the Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF). *If the LADO is not available, you should refer to Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 01908 253169/3170.

This is the current copy of this policy as of July 2019. Date of review is July 2020

OUR PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy describes how your personal information is collected, used, and shared when you visit or make a purchase from https://www.arthurellismhs.com (the “Site”).

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Site, we collect information about the individual web pages or products that you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Site, and information about how you interact with the Site. We refer to this automatically-collected information as “Device Information.”

We collect Device Information using the following technologies:

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When we talk about “Personal Information” in this Privacy Policy, we are talking both about Device Information and Order Information.

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BEHAVIOURAL ADVERTISING

As described above, we use your Personal Information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications we believe may be of interest to you. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s (“NAI”) educational page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/how-does-it-work.

Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal at: http://optout.aboutads.info/.

DO NOT TRACK

Please note that we do not alter our Site’s data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser.

YOUR RIGHTS

If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.

Additionally, if you are a European resident we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information will be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada and the United States.

DATA RETENTION

When you place an order through the Site, we will maintain your Order Information for our records unless and until you ask us to delete this information.

CHANGES

We may update this privacy policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to our practices or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons.

CONTACT US

For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact us by e-mail at info@arthurellismhs.co.uk or by mail using the details provided below:

5 Trevelyan Way, Milton Keynes, BKM, MK12 5FU, United Kingdom