Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Date approved:	March 2024
Review period:	Annual
Date of next review:	March 2025
Owner:	Chief Operating Officer
Approval:	Now Teach Board
Scope:	All Now Teach employees (including contractors), trustees and sub-committee members

Disclaimer:

This Policy document has been prepared by Now Teach and is based on information available as of the date above.  No representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein is given by or on behalf of Now Teach or any of its personnel and no liability whatsoever (whether direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive or otherwise) is accepted for any loss arising from any use of such information. The information contained herein does not purport to be complete and is subject (in whole or in part) to updating, completion, revision, amendment and verification.  Where policy and procedures set out in this document conflict with policy and procedures set out in any other Now Teach document(s), Now Teach shall determine which is the most appropriate policy and procedures to apply in the circumstances, subject to any rights of appeal which may be available to any person.  

Now Teach is registered in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee (Registered Office: 4 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2RP; Company Registration No: 11872096).  Now Teach is also registered in England and Wales as a charity (Registered Office: 4 Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2RP; Charity Registration No: 1189146).

Introduction

Now Teach attracts and recruits experienced successful people to change career into teaching. We support Now Teachers, training providers, schools, and wider education system to realise the full potential of career changers. This Safeguarding policy aims to help us to do this well and in the best interests of the young people in the schools our career changers work in, and the career changers themselves.

Now Teach is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All disclosures, concerns or allegations of abuse or welfare will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately, in accordance with our Safeguarding procedures.

We shall enable our staff and those who work with us to make informed and confident decisions regarding Safeguarding. We expect all staff and trustees to have read, understood and adhere to this Policy and procedures.

This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment, and it may be amended at any time through the appropriate channels of sign off.

Purpose

• This policy sets out Now Teach’s commitment to safeguard the children and young people in the schools that they train and support Now Teachers within.
• This policy outlines the approach of Now Teach to Safeguarding and how we equip our staff and structure our programme to promote the welfare of children and young people. The welfare of children in schools remains the responsibility of the school
• Although we do not specifically support at risk adults this policy outlines our commitment to safeguarding the welfare of the career changers we work with and how we respond and report any concerns relating to these individuals and their welfare
• This policy applies to all Now Teach employees, including contractors, consultants, and freelancers as well as trustees, and volunteers.
• Now Teach believe that everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.
• Now Teach will make sure that all children and young people have the same protection regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
• Now Teach employees do not routinely come into direct contact with children at schools and at any school visit they are treated in line with all other visitors and hence are viewed as an accompanied visitor.
• Now Teachers are subject to the schools’ own Safeguarding policies and procedures and it is their responsibility to understand and follow those procedures. It is the schools’ responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their care.
• This policy has been drawn up on the basis of the legislation that seeks to protect children in England, a summary of which can be found at https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system/england/
• This policy will be updated annually, or earlier to reflect any changes to legislation and best practice.

1. Who does this policy apply to

This policy applies to all persons carrying out paid or unpaid work on behalf of Now Teach. This includes employees, trustees, volunteers, contractors, consultants, and freelancers when engaged in work on behalf of Now Teach.

Now Teachers (career changers recruited and taking part in our programme and Network offer) should follow the safeguarding policy and processes of the schools they are working in. Now Teachers are subject to their school or training providers safer recruitment practices, and are not covered by this policy. We will make sure that all Now Teachers have access to this policy for information purposes.

If a Now Teacher is engaging in a Now Teach organised activity or event, then both Now Teach and their employing school's policies may apply. In that event the school’s policy should take precedence.

If anyone has a safeguarding concern relating to child in a school which does not relate to a Now Teach event or activity, they should follow that school’s safeguarding policy and reporting process.

2. Definitions
   • The umbrella term ‘Safeguarding’ is defined in the Children Act 2004 as:

• Protecting from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of health and development
• Ensuring that children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
• Work in a way that gives the best life chances and transition to adulthood
• Child Protection (CP) is an aspect of safeguarding but is focused on how we respond to children who have been significantly harmed or are at risk of significant harm.
• Child refers to all children and young people who have not yet reached their 18th birthday.
• Parent refers to birth parents and other adults in a parenting role for example adoptive parents, stepparents and foster carers.
• ‘Regulated activity’ means any of the activities defined as regulated activity in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. Now Teach does not deliver any regulated activity.
• Abuse could mean neglect, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or any combination of these. Parents, carers, and other people can harm children either by direct acts and /or failure to provide proper care. Explanations of these are given within the document.
• Safeguarding concern a concern that an adult/child is at risk of or is experiencing abuse or neglect
• Vulnerable groups means children and vulnerable adults
• “Adult Safeguarding” is defined in the Care Act 2014 as working with adults with care and support needs to keep them safe from abuse or neglect.
  • Safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:
• Has needs for care and support
• Is experience, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect; and;
• As a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect

 

3. Principles and Values
   • Children should feel secure and cannot learn effectively unless they do so.
   • All children regardless of age, gender, race, ability, sexuality, religion, culture or language should be protected from harm.
   • Now Teach will ensure the welfare of all adults engaging in our programmes and follow the safeguarding adults reporting procedures when necessary
   • All Now Teach employees will complete a Disclosure & Barring Service check before employment commences and these will be renewed every three years
   • Now Teach employees must notify the Chief Operating Officer if they are subject to investigation by the police or other safeguarding agency into an allegation of Abuse of a Child and disclose any police cautions or convictions for criminal offences.
   • While Now Teach employees are likely to have varied levels of contact with children, everyone should be aware of the potential indicators of abuse, neglect and other potential child safeguarding concerns and clear about what to do if they have any concerns.
   • All Now Teach employees will complete Safeguarding training upon joining Now Teach. This must be completed within the first two weeks of employment, or the employment will be terminated. Safeguarding training for employees will be refreshed regularly.
   • It is not a Now Teach employee’s responsibility to decide whether or not the potential safeguarding incident requires investigation or further action, but they should follow the reporting procedures (paragraph 5) and escalate the matter to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Director of Programmes and Network.

4. Abuse of vulnerable groups
   • Abuse may be a single incident or something that occurs over a long period of time. It can take many forms including, but not limited to:
5. financial or material abuse
6. physical abuse
7. mental abuse
8. neglect and failures to act
9. sexual abuse
10. threats of abuse or harm
11. controlling or intimidating conduct
12. self-neglect
13. domestic abuse
14. poor practices within an organisation providing care
15. modern slavery.

The abuse may come from anyone coming into contact with the child or vulnerable adult, including but not limited to staff, personal assistants, service users, relatives, neighbours, social workers or providers of support services.

5. What to do if you have a concern - Reporting Procedures
   • It is the responsibility of all those who are subject to this policy to report and escalate any potential safeguarding incidents to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
   • If you have become aware of any safeguarding incidents or potential incidents, you should follow the below steps:
     • Fill in the Safeguarding Concern Reporting Form located on the Now Teach SharePoint and send to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. If you do not have access to this, you should contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead directly.
     • If you are visiting a school and witness an incident, do not wait until you return to the office to report your concern – speak to the school’s DSL. Any concerns raised at a school should be managed according to that school’s safeguarding policy. The Now Teach DSL should then be informed that you reported a safeguarding incident and will record the report on the Now Teach secure Safeguarding log
     • If you learn of a concern of a cohort member, relating to a child or young person in their school they should be advised to follow their school’s safeguarding policy and this advice should be logged on the cohort members Salesforce record and followed up at the next check in
     • All Safeguarding concern reports are reviewed by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and logged on a confidential safeguarding log
     • The DSL will assess whether the incident needs to be escalated to the appropriate external agency i.e. Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
   • If the safeguarding concern is relating to an adult (Now Teacher) who could be considered to be vulnerable the DSL will assess and discuss with both the individual concerned and the CEO whether their training provider and school should be notified
   • If there is an immediate risk of harm to a child or adult you should contact the police as soon as possible. This would then be escalated and managed as a serious incident following our incident management guidelines.

If you are concerned that a child is at risk of being abused or neglected, do not ignore your suspicions, or assume that someone else will take action. If you are uncertain or unsure you should report it.

Any concern, allegation or disclosure relating to a Now Teach staff member or cohort member should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. If this person is not available, please contact the Chief Operating Officer. Any concerns related to these individuals, should be reported to the Chief Executive Officer.

6. Safeguarding concerns regarding an employee

Investigation

We will investigate all complaints of alleged or suspected abuse fully.  The investigation will be conducted in a discreet and timely manner, and will involve the collation of evidence typically derived from witness statements and surveillance footage where possible.

We may be required to refer information to the DBS and may also consider it necessary to inform the police and/or relevant LADO of allegations under investigation.

Suspension

If you are an employee suspected of abuse, you may be suspended on full pay pending a full investigation of the complaints. It should be noted that this suspension is not an indication of your guilt, but rather a necessity given the circumstances. We appreciate the impact prolonged suspension can have on your reputation, even when allegations are later found to be incorrect, and do not take the decision to suspend lightly.

Disciplinary action

If we have reason to believe that an allegation of abuse has foundation, we will arrange a disciplinary meeting with the individual. Abuse is regarded as an act of gross misconduct and therefore may result in summary dismissal, in accordance with our Disciplinary Procedure.

7. Safer Recruitment
   • Safer recruitment is a set of safe practices to help you recruit staff and volunteers who are suitable to work with children and young people. As Now Teach staff do not work directly with children and young people or take part in any regulated activity our safer recruitment practices are focussed on how we work with potential career changers and training providers.
   • Now Teach’s approach to Safer Recruitment is:

For employees:

• Complete DBS checks on all Now Teach employees and renew checks every three years
• Ensure all Now Teach staff complete safeguarding training and understand our safeguarding policy
• All staff directly involved in the recruitment of Now Teachers complete safer recruitment training

For career changers:            

• Inform candidates of Now Teach’s commitment to safeguarding once they join our programme and understand they are required to know and follow their school’s safeguarding policy and procedures
• Triage candidates when they express interest in becoming a teacher to assess if they will be able to meet the minimum requirements and pass training provider checks
• If a Now Teacher is unable to complete the required screening checks to secure a place with their training provider they are no longer eligible to be part of the Now Teach Network or receive our support
• If a Now Teacher is removed from a school or from their training programme for any safeguarding related reasons we follow the appropriate steps to remove them from our programme and/or Network
• Ensure staff directly involved in recruiting career changers are appropriately trained in safer recruitment

 

8. Photography and media
   • It is important to be aware of child protection and safeguarding issues when taking photos or films, as there is a potential for misuse of images, or children may be identifiable if a photograph is shared with personal information.
   • If images taken by Now Teach staff or contractors, Now Teach must:

• Ensure written consent is provided by parents for Now Teach to take photos of their children and how they consent for that image to be used e.g. national/local press, social media. This consent can be managed by the school but Now Teach must have a copy of the consent form.
• Obtain the child’s/parent/guardian’s permission for their photo to be taken and used by Now Teach
• Ensure the children are in suitable clothing for the purpose; in this case, school uniform
• Not use children’s names in photos or captions
• Ensure parents/guardians and children/young people have the option and know how to withdraw consent for the image to be used by Now Teach
• Ensure any photographers have received a full briefing on Now Teach expectations and conduct
• All photographs and media should be appropriately stored, including:
• Hard copies of images should be kept in a locked drawer and electronic images should be in a protected folder with restricted access.
• Images should not be stored on unencrypted portable equipment
• Avoid using personal equipment to take photos or recordings of children. Any photos/recordings taken on personal devices should be saved onto a Now Teach system and deleted off the device within 48 hours

9. Key contacts

Key contacts for Safeguarding concerns at Now Teach

Designated Safeguarding Lead	Director of Programmes and Network – Sarah Darrall Shaw Sarah.shaw@nowteach.org.uk
Chief Operating Officer	Ginnie White

10. Key roles, responsibilities and other considerations

Member of staff and/or volunteer

All staff and volunteers must understand their responsibility under this Safeguarding Policy to identify Safeguarding Concerns in relation to children or adults who are experiencing, or at risk of abuse and neglect, and to deal with these accordingly using the procedures

Senior Managers

All senior managers, and specifically Programmes and Recruitment Managers, must have the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to fulfil these duties.

All managers must also provide written job and role descriptions, induction, on-boarding, training and support to staff and volunteers to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

Appraisal processes (such as Probation Reviews and Professional Development Reviews) should also refer to Safeguarding responsibilities, including ongoing supervision, to ensure that this subject is given the appropriate ongoing focus and attention that it deserves. 

Designated Safeguarding Lead (Director of Programmes and Network)

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) within the organisation must have the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to fulfil these duties. The nominated lead will provide the necessary leadership to the whole organisation by:

• Being proactive in promoting Now Teach’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures, ensuring these are regularly checked and updated using the learnings from any Safeguarding activity within the organisation.
• Being a Single Point of Contact for any member of staff, volunteer, or external partner, who can be approached for advice in relation to any matter relating to Safeguarding, including the reporting of any Safeguarding Concerns or other related activity.
• Maintaining a record of Safeguarding incidents within the organisation, and for any Safeguarding Concerns that have been reported to a Local Authority, and or police.
• Ensuring that appropriate training is being provided to staff and volunteers
• Reporting to and advising the most senior person(s) in the organisation on key Safeguarding incidents.
• Reviewing Safeguarding activity on a regular basis, monitoring training delivery, learning from incidents that have arisen
• Keeping up to date with changes to legislation through the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance
• Ensuring all staff are DBS checked

Senior leadership and Trustees

The most senior people inside organisations must take ownership and responsibility for Safeguarding This means that senior leaders must give the subject the profile and prominence it deserves and ensure that the necessary resources are provided to allow staff, volunteers and managers to fulfil the duties outlined in their job descriptions.

11. External links and contacts

Police: If there is a serious danger a child or adult may be in imminent risk of harm and the situation warrants immediate attention, the police should be called. The local police force can be contacted by dialling 101. In an emergency, call 999.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64f0a68ea78c5f000dc6f3b2/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023.pdf

LADO https://national-lado-network.co.uk/the-role-of-the-lado-local-authority-designated-officer/

NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about a child (for non Now Teach related concerns) : 0808 800 5000.

Ring Adult Social Services (for non Now Teach related concerns) on 0344 800 8020 if you are suspicious or concerned about someone’s safety and you are not sure who to contact

Samaritans: Provides emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Telephone 116 123 (24 hours).

12. Retention of records and storage periods

We will ensure that all safeguarding records are retained and stored in accordance with data protection principles, any statutory requirements and any relevant guidance of our relevant professional body and/or local safeguarding team. Only those people who need to know about an incident will be informed. It is the responsibility of the Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure that any information relating to actual or suspected abuse is kept confidential.

13. Monitoring Effectiveness of this policy

We will continue to review the effectiveness of this policy to ensure it is achieving its stated objectives.