Safeguarding Policy

Founders4Schools Safeguarding Policy

This policy applies to all staff, contractors, interns, Trustees and volunteers. Its purpose is to:

  • Protect children, young people and vulnerable adults who use Founders4Schools’ services.
  • Provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.

For the purposes of this policy, a child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child). Founders4Schools believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, and to keep them safe. We are committed to carry out our work in a way that protects them.


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

  • Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
  • Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer for children and young people, and a Trustee who will lead on safeguarding matters
  • Adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and guidance to staff and volunteers
  • Developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures
  • Providing effective management for staff and volunteers, through supervision, support, training and assurance measures
  • Recruiting staff safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
  • Recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice
  • Managing any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
  • Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

When volunteer business leaders visit schools, the school’s own safeguarding policies would take precedence for any visitors.

For businesses hosting young people for work experience through Workfinder, our terms and conditions include a requirement that ensure that the young person ‘is properly supervised and appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks have been carried out’. This does not necessarily require DBS checks to be undertaken by work experience hosts, but are required where necessary, for example if there is any likelihood of an adult being alone with a young person.

Photographs or Recordings

No member of staff or volunteers should take photographs or film footage of children or young people without written permission from the adult responsible for them, which will usually be a teacher in the case of Founders4Schools’ work.

Contacts

Designated Safeguarding Officer:

Robert Brown, Financial Director

robert.brown@founders4schools.org.uk

Board of Trustees lead on Safeguarding:

Melissa Di Donato

Contact details can be provided by Robert Brown on request.