The Designated Safeguarding Lead

Eve Emsley is our DSL. She is the first point of contact for all safeguarding concerns, decides with advice whether to refer, makes referrals to MAST, the LADO or the Police, keeps secure safeguarding records, and makes sure everyone working with us has read this policy and completed training. She reports (anonymised) to the directors quarterly and keeps her DSL training up to date. The Deputy DSL is Amy Harris, 07803369307. If neither is reachable and a child may be at risk, anyone in our team can and must contact MAST or the Police directly.

Definitions of types of abuse

A child, or adult with care and support needs can experience more than one type of abuse at the same time. These definitions follow Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Physical abuse

Hurting or harming a child or adult with care and support needs on purpose, for example by hitting, shaking, throwing, burning or scalding, biting, poisoning or suffocating, or by fabricating or inducing illness.

Emotional abuse

Persistent emotional mistreatment that harms a child's emotional development, such as frightening, humiliating, isolating, ignoring or constantly criticising them, or making them feel worthless. It can include seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of someone else, including domestic abuse.

Sexual abuse

Forcing, tricking or manipulating a child or adult with care and support needs into sexual activity, whether or not they understand what is happening. It can be contact or non-contact, in person or online, and includes grooming and sexual exploitation.

Neglect

Persistently failing to meet a child's basic physical or psychological needs, such as food, clothing, shelter, supervision, medical care or protection from danger. It is the most common form of child abuse. 

Other forms of harm include domestic abuse, grooming, online abuse, child sexual and criminal exploitation (including "county lines"), female genital mutilation (FGM), radicalisation and non-recent (historical) abuse. See Appendix 3 for how we respond to these in Calderdale, and the NSPCC website for more detail.

Possible indicators of abuse

No single sign proves that abuse is happening, and children react in different ways. Look for changes, patterns and things that do not add up. Examples include:

• injuries, bruises or burns that are unexplained, in unusual places or that the explanation does not fit;

• marked changes in mood or behaviour: withdrawn, fearful, tearful, aggressive, overly compliant or unusually clingy;

• anxiety about going home, avoiding particular people, or reluctance to take part or change clothes for movement activities;

• sexualised behaviour, language, drawing or knowledge that is not appropriate for the child's age;

• being persistently hungry, tired, dirty, inadequately dressed or unwell, or missing medical care;

• self-harm, talk of suicide, or alcohol and drug misuse;

• going missing, having unexplained money, gifts or a new phone, or having older "friends"; and

• anything a child says, writes, draws or acts out in a creative session that worries you.

Disabled children and those with communication difficulties may find it harder to tell us. Never assume that a change in behaviour is "just part of" a condition or diagnosis.

If a child discloses information about abuse

Artists, practitioners and volunteers will:

• listen, rather than question, and stay calm and unhurried. Only ask open prompts such as "Can you tell me more?" Do not ask leading questions;

• reassure the child that they were right to tell you, and that they have not done anything wrong;

• be honest that you cannot keep it secret and must tell someone whose job it is to keep children safe;

• make notes as soon as possible, and the same day: the child's own words, the date, time and place, who else was there, and anything you saw. Sign and date the notes, and give the original to the DSL (use the form in Appendix 4);

• report the concern straight away to the DSL, Eve Emsley, in person or by phone, not by email alone; and

• not investigate, confront anyone or discuss it with others, including colleagues, other children or the family, unless the DSL tells you to.

If a child is in immediate danger

Call 999. Then tell the DSL as soon as you can. If the DSL is not available, call MAST on 01422 393336 (or the Emergency Duty Team on 01422 288000 out of hours). Do not wait.

What the DSL will do:

• Review the concern the same working day, check our records for earlier concerns, and decide whether to refer, seek advice or monitor. The decision and reasons are always recorded.

• Where a child may be suffering, or at risk of suffering, significant harm, phone MAST straight away and follow up in writing in the form MAST asks for. Where it cannot wait until the next working day, contact the Emergency Duty Team. Where a crime may have been committed or a child's life is at risk, contact West Yorkshire Police.

• Seek consent from the child (as appropriate to their age and understanding) and parent or carer before referring, unless doing so would put a child at greater risk, could interfere with a police investigation or would cause delay. Data protection law does not stop us sharing information to keep a child safe.

• Where the worry is lower-level, talk to the family about Early Help in Calderdale and, with consent, refer through MAST.

• Keep the person who raised the concern informed as far as is appropriate, and offer support to them.

• If we are not satisfied with the response of an agency, follow the CSCP process for resolving professional disagreement rather than leaving the concern unresolved.

Concerns or allegations about our own conduct

Any concern or allegation of inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour or communication, neglect or abuse by any adult working with Collective Good CIC (including a director, the DSL, a freelance artist or a volunteer) must be reported immediately to the DSL, Eve Emsley.

If the concern is about Eve Emsley, report it to Amy Harris, Director, or to Stacy Rebet. If that is not possible, or if you are not satisfied with the response, go straight to the LADO or the Police.

The DSL or director will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) at Calderdale Council within one working day of an allegation that an adult 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 in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm to children; or

• behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children.

We will follow the LADO's advice before taking any internal action. If a child may be at immediate risk, we will protect the child first by removing the adult from contact with children and contacting MAST or the Police. We will refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service where the law requires. Lower-level concerns that do not meet the LADO threshold but fall short of our Code of Conduct will still be reported, recorded and dealt with, and we will look for patterns. Anyone who raises a concern in good faith will be supported. The NSPCC whistleblowing helpline is 0800 028 0285.

For more information

• Read and download our Safeguarding Policy in full.

• Collective Good online Safeguarding reporting form: https://forms.gle/FVHW5HsfCCvzJ6fS6