Safeguarding

Hanker Homes is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all young people in our care. We recognize that abuse can take many forms, and we have a responsibility to protect our young people from harm.

All staff at Hanker Homes receive safeguarding training, which raises awareness of the different types of abuse and how to identify and report it. We also have a clear policy and procedure in place for dealing with safeguarding concerns.

• Be alert to the signs of abuse. Abuse can take many forms, both physical and emotional. It is important for staff to be aware of the signs of abuse so that they can report any concerns they have.

• Know the name, contact, and role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

• Report concerns: If there are any concerns regarding a staff member’s unprofessional role with a child these concerns will be reported to the local LADO immediately and the police should this be needed. The placing LA would also be notified of these concerns as soon as possible to safeguard the young people in our care. If a staff member has any concerns about a child or young person, the staff member must report them to the LADO immediately. The staff members can also report their concerns to their manager.

• Record-keeping: We will keep written records of concerns about young people, even where there is no need to refer the matter immediately and we will ensure all records are kept securely and in locked locations.

• Allegations against staff: We will follow internal procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff and this will include a LADO referral as stated above. 

• Safe recruitment practices: We will ensure safe recruitment practices are always followed in accordance with Hanker Homes’ recruitment policy and the UK legislation, specifically in respect of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). And ensure that all staff are subjected to enhanced DBS disclosures, and enrolled on the online update service for annual checks.

• Data protection: We will ensure Hanker Homes’ GDPR policy is understood and followed by staff and young people alike.

• Security: We will provide systems of security such as visitor and staff ID checking arrangements and signing-in processes, security cameras, and door access.

• Environment: We will establish and maintain an environment where young people feel secure, are encouraged to talk, and are listened to. We will ensure young people know that there are staff in the organisation whom they can approach if they are worried and want to talk. We will ensure young people know who to contact outside of our organisation if they feel unable to disclose information to someone within.

• Training: We will provide training opportunities for staff to develop and refresh safeguarding knowledge.

These procedures are in place to protect the safety and well-being of all young people in our care.