保护政策
Reviewed: 07/12/2025
Due: 07/12/2026
1. Purpose
The Elm Foundation is committed to safeguarding the welfare, rights, dignity and safety of children and young people. Our priority is to prevent harm, reduce risk, protect individuals from abuse and neglect, and respond promptly and effectively when safeguarding concerns arise.
This policy outlines:
- Our responsibilities under statutory guidance
- How employees respond to safeguarding concerns
- When and how to make referrals to Safeguarding Children
- Internal reporting expectations
- Recording, confidentiality and information sharing
Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All employees, volunteers, trustees and students.
- All activities, including refuge, supported accommodation (16–17), community support, counselling, helpline, CYP services, group work and perpetrator programmes
- All contact with clients, partners, visitors and members of the public
- All contexts including in-person, telephone, outreach, digital contact and community settings
3. Legislation and Guidance
This policy is guided by:
Children
- Children Act 1989 & 2004
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (where relevant)
- Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (DSCP) Procedures
- Domestic Abuse Act 2021
4. Definitions
4.1 Children
Anyone under 18 years old.
4.2 Types of Abuse
Includes but is not limited to:
- Domestic abuse
- Physical, sexual, emotional abuse
- Neglect
- Coercive control
- Financial exploitation
- Self-neglect
- Modern slavery
- Criminal exploitation
- Child sexual exploitation
5. Safeguarding Principles
The Elm Foundation follows:
5.1 Trauma-Informed Approach
Safety, trust, choice, empowerment and collaboration.
5.2 Early Help and Prevention
Identifying concerns early reduces harm.
5.3 Proportionality
Responding in the safest way.
5.4 Information Sharing
Sharing relevant information lawfully and without delay when safety concerns exist.
5.6 Child-Centred Practice
The needs and safety of children come first.
6. Responsibilities
6.1 Board of Trustees
Responsible for:
- Strategic oversight
- Monitoring safeguarding risks
- Ensuring annual reviews
6.2 CEO
Responsible for:
- Policy implementation
- Ensuring training and induction
- Reporting to Trustees
- Ensuring multi-agency compliance
6.3 Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) (Head of Operations/CEO in their absence)
DSLs oversee:
- Advice and decision-making
- Quality of safeguarding responses
- Liaison with statutory agencies where needed
- Ensuring safer recruitment practices
- Learning from incidents
6.4 All employees, volunteers and students must:
- Recognise abuse, neglect and indicators of risk
- Report safeguarding concerns immediately
- Record concerns clearly and factually
- Share information appropriately
- Follow Safeguarding referral pathways
- Attend mandatory safeguarding training
7. Identifying Safeguarding Concerns
Concerns may arise from:
- Disclosures
- Observations
- Third-party information
- Helpline calls
- Changes in behaviour
- Environmental factors
- Risk assessment findings
Concerns may involve:
- Domestic abuse
- Child at risk of harm
- Criminal offences
- Self-harm or suicide risk
- Missing persons
- Perpetrator risks
Guidance on identifying concerns can be found at:
Child protection service – Derbyshire County Council
8. Referral Pathways – Derbyshire Safeguarding Procedures
If a child or young person is in immediate danger always call 999
8.1 Safeguarding Children – Derbyshire County Council
Make a referral verbally and electronically to:
Derbyshire Starting Point
(24/7 children’s safeguarding front door)
- Online referral form:
Starting Point contact and referral service – Derbyshire County Council - Phone: 01629 533190
Criteria for a referral:
- A child is suffering or at risk of significant harm, or
- A parent/carer (including a perpetrator or victim) is unable to protect a child, or
- Domestic abuse is impacting parenting capacity, emotional wellbeing, or safety
8.2 Early Help
Where concerns do not meet the “significant harm” threshold:
- Refer to Early Help via Starting Point (same form).
- Employees will continue to support in partnership.
9 Safeguarding Referrals Outside of Derbyshire
Although The Elm Foundation primarily works within Derbyshire, safeguarding concerns sometimes relate to children who live outside the county or who move to another area while receiving support. In these cases, safeguarding referrals must be made to the appropriate local authority, in line with Care Act requirements and national guidance.
9.1 When a Referral Outside Derbyshire Is Required
A referral to another local authority must be made when:
a) Helpline or Support Contacts from Outside Derbyshire
If the child:
- Lives outside Derbyshire, or
- A disclosure of a safeguarding concern involving a child at risk located in another area.
Employees must make the safeguarding referral to the local authority responsible for that geographical area.
The Elm Foundation may still provide emotional support, advice and signposting, but statutory safeguarding responsibility lies with the local authority where the child resides or is currently located.
b) Children Moving from Derbyshire to Another Area
When a child supported by The Elm Foundation relocates—for example, leaving our refuge to move to a refuge or accommodation in another county—an external safeguarding referral may be required where:
- There are ongoing safeguarding concerns.
- The child continues to be at risk.
- Multi-agency involvement needs to continue in the new area.
- Sharing relevant risk information is necessary for safe transition.
9.2 Why External Referrals Are Necessary
Safeguarding concerns must be raised with the local authority where the child is ordinarily resident or currently located.
External referrals ensure:
- The child receives timely protection.
- Risks are managed by the correct safeguarding team.
- Continuity of support when a child relocates for safety.
- Compliance with statutory duties and defensible decision-making.
- Multi-agency safeguarding responses are maintained across local authority boundaries.
9.3 Process for Referring Safeguarding Concerns to Another Local Authority
- Identify the Correct Safeguarding Team
Use postcode information or the adult’s stated location to determine which local authority is responsible.
Employees should use the government’s online directory or the local authority website for contact details. - Discuss with the line manager or DSL (if required)
The Designated Safeguarding Lead may advise or support employees where there is complexity, uncertainty, cross-border risk, or the need for rapid escalation. - Make the Referral
- Follow the external local authority’s referral form or process.
- Clarify that The Elm Foundation is based in Derbyshire and is referring due to the child’s location or relocation.
9.4 Record All Actions
Employees must record:
- Reason for external referral
- Consent status (parent)
- Local authority contacted
- Details provided
- Referral confirmation or reference numbers
11. Information Sharing
We may share information without consent of the parent / carer or guardian when:
- A child is at risk
- A crime is suspected
- Disclosure is required by law
- Not sharing information increases risk
12. Recording
All safeguarding concerns must be recorded:
- On the same day
- Factually, objectively, and without opinion
- On the correct system (case management + safeguarding referral form)
- Including decisions, actions, referral reference numbers, who was spoken to and the time
- With copies of any referrals made
13. Multi-Agency Working
The Elm Foundation actively participates in:
- Strategy meetings
- Child protection conferences
- Core groups
- MARAC
- MAPPA (where relevant)
- Professional meetings and reviews
We share relevant information and advocate for the safety and wellbeing of those we support.
14. Safer Recruitment
In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education and DSAB/DSCP guidance, we ensure:
- Enhanced DBS checks
- Verification of identity, employment history and qualifications
- Two references
- Safeguarding interview questions
- Safe induction processes
15. Training
All employees must complete:
- Safeguarding children (annual refresher)
- Safeguarding adults (every 2 years minimum)
- Risk assessment (DASH)
16. Escalation and Professional Disagreement
If employees believe safeguarding decisions by other agencies do not adequately protect a child:
- Escalate to Line manager for further advice and if unresolved
- Escalate to DSL
This ensures risks are not minimised or overlooked.
17. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed:
- Annually
- After any major safeguarding incident
- Following updates to Derbyshire safeguarding procedures
- After national legislation changes