Twinkle's SEN
Activity Days CIC

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The purpose and scope of this policy statement

Twinkles SEN Activity Days CIC is a community group for parents and families with Special Educational Needs (SEN) children in Norwich and the surrounding areas.  The founder of Twinkles has experience of the issues faced by SEN families and the exclusion many SEN families face.   At Twinkles, we make venues and activities that are great for children, great for our children.  We strive to provide a SEN-friendly environment by hiring venues for exclusive use or at quiet times, meaning that these spaces are accessible and free of judgment, a place where families can enjoy fun and friendship, promote social and emotional functioning, and provide peer support.

 

Children are accompanied by their parents or carers at all times and parents remain responsible for their child at all times.

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The purpose of this policy statement is:

• to protect children and young people who receive Twinkles SEN Activity Days CIC’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services.

• to provide staff 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 Twinkles SEN Activity Days CIC, including senior managers, directors and volunteers.  Every person involved with Twinkles SEN Activity Days is a volunteer, many are also neurodiverse.

 

Designated Safeguarding Officer and Deputy

 

Ingrid Henry, Chair of the Group, is the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO).  [GH1] 

Contact Details: 07721 391909 contactable Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Training Undertaken: Childrens Safeguarding Course[GH2] 

 

Nicola Stannard, Volunteer in the Group-Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer. 

Contact Details: 07776 214594 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Training Undertaken: Children’s Safeguarding Course[GH3] 

 

 

If the Designated Safeguarding Officer or Deputy are unavailable anyone with a safeguarding concern can contact The Children’s Advice and Duty Service (CADS).

-A staff member or volunteer can call (0344 800 8021)

-A member of the public or parent can call (0344 800 8020).

 

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up based on legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England.

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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

• Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, which include: dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person, managing allegations against staff and volunteers, recording concerns and information sharing, anti-bullying and whistleblowing.

• Code of conduct for staff and volunteers

• behaviour codes for families at our events

• Photography and sharing images guidance

• Managing complaints

• Health and safety

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 arrange our events in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take

• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and  other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare

• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse

• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues

• extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse.

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 board member for safeguarding

• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures, and code of conduct for staff and volunteers

• 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 volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made

• recording, storing, and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance

• 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 involve 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 staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

 

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

 [GH1]The designated safeguarding lead should have also completed Designated Safeguarding Officer/Person training. Once this course has been completed update your policy to show this.

 [GH2]Specify the full name of what course has been completed so far and who the course provider was.

 [GH3]Specify the full name of what course has been completed so far and who the course provider was.