Aert, Aimee Labourne (or “we”) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults. This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Aert Workshops, including workshop leaders and any collaborators and helpers.

The term ‘child’ and ‘children’ refers to all young people under the age of 18. Where ‘vulnerable adults’ are accessing Aert sessions, then additional care will be taken to ensure that they are recognised and kept safe.

The purpose of this policy:

• To protect children, young people and vulnerable adults taking part in our activities

• To provide all those working on behalf of Aert with the principles that guide our approach to child protection.

Context:

• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act (2014)

• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)

• Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)

• Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act (2007)

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (2018)

• Equality Act (2010)

Additional policies that support the Aert Safeguarding guidelines:

• Child protection procedures

• Code of Behaviour

• Privacy Policy

Aert has a responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of all children and vulnerable adults, who will be treated equally regardless of age, disability, gender, race or racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or gender identity. Aert also recognises that some individuals may be additionally vulnerable because of the impact of discrimination, previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues. We recognise that:

1. The best interests of the child or vulnerable adult must always be a primary consideration.

2. All children and vulnerable adults should be treated fairly and with dignity and respect.

3. All children and vulnerable adults have the right to protection from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

4. All children and vulnerable adults have the right to express their views, thoughts and concerns on matters that affect them.

We will keep children and vulnerable adults safe by:

1. Following safe recruitment and enrolment procedures for appointing any collaborators and helpers to work with children or vulnerable adults.

2. Ensure that all staff, collaborators and helpers are aware of their responsibility to protect children and vulnerable adults.

3. Promote the rights of children and adults to be listened to and to be taken seriously

4. Ensure that staff, collaborators and helpers are aware of and adhere to our code of conduct, child and adult protection policies and procedures.

5. Ensure that staff, collaborators and helpers understand their responsibility to refer any child or adult protection concerns to the Shetland Island Council, Duty Social Worker, in-line with our protection procedures.

6. Ensure children, vulnerable adults and their families know about the organisation's safeguarding and child protection policies and what to do if they have a concern.

7. Ensure that if the behaviour of a member of staff, collaborator or helper towards a child or an adult is a cause for concern we will address this behaviour and ensure the safety of the child or adult. Any such concerns would be reported to the Shetland Islands Council, Duty Social Worker. The Adult Support and Protection Procedures or the Child Protection Procedures would be followed.

8. Make referrals in line with the Shetland Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures and the Adult Support and Protection Procedures which we approve and adopt.

Aert’s Designated Child Safeguarding Lead can be contacted here: info@aert.co.uk

KEY EXTERNAL CONTACTS

Social Work:

Adult Social Work Team Leaders 01595 744400

Children Social Work Team Leaders 01595 744000

Children’s Duty Social Worker, during working hours (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) 01595 744420

Out of hours for Adult and Child Duty Social Worker 01595 695611

Police

Lerwick Police Station, 101 or in an emergency 999

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administrator 01312443780

NSPCC Helpline Tel: 0808 800 5000, Text: 88858 help@nspcc.org.uk

Safer Shetland www.safershetland.com

This policy will be reviewed yearly.

Last updated, May 2024

Children and adults can be at risk of abuse. Those adults who are not able to safeguard their own wellbeing, property, rights or other interests because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness or other physical or mental infirmity are more vulnerable than adults not so affected. Adults can be harmed physically, psychologically, financially, sexually both in the real world and online by being neglected or by being discriminated against. Children and young people under the age of 18 can be physically, sexually, psychologically, emotionally abused or they can be neglected.

Abuse or harm can come to light when:

• A child or adult discloses to a trusted person

• Third party information is shared

• Someone who is harming a child or adult tells someone about their behaviour

• People who know the child or adult notices something that worries them.

Shetland Inter-agency Adult Support and Protection Procedures and Child Protection Procedures give guidance on what to do if there are concerns about a child or an adult. The following action will be taken if a member of staff, collaborator or helper receives information or suspects that a child or adult may have been or is being abused in any way.

1. If a child or adult discloses

• In the event that a child or adult approaches you to disclose that abuse has or is taking place, show that you take the child or adult seriously and listen to what they are saying. Reassure them that they can trust you, that they are safe and that you will pass on this information to people who will be able to support them. Do not promise to keep the situation secret as information relating to child or adult protection cases must be referred to the Duty Social Worker. Advise that you will try to offer support, but that you must pass the information on. However, the information provided by the child or adult should only be shared with those who need to know.

• Do not ask the child or adult questions to obtain more information or investigate the concerns. Allow the child or adult to speak without interruption. It is appropriate to ask simple open-ended questions to clarify what the child or adult has said.

• Record the discussion accurately, as soon as possible after the event (in any event within 24 hours).

• Use the child or adult’s words or explanations – do not translate into your own words, in case you have misconstrued what the child or adult was trying to say.

2. Refer

• Immediately inform the designated person, to be contacted at info@aert.co.uk.

• Make contact with the Shetland Islands Council, Social Work, Duty Social Worker to advise them of your concern or the child’s or adult’s disclosures or help you to do so. Contact should be made as soon as possible if the concerns about the child or adult indicate immediate risk.

• In the event that the person detailed above is not available you should make contact with Social Work.

• As well as telephone contact, it is best practice to put your concerns in writing, using a copy of the form in the Shetland inter-agency Child or Adult Protection Procedures.

3. Record

Record what the child or adult has said or your concerns detailing the following information:

• The child’s or adult’s name, address and date of birth (if known)

• Name/s and Address of parent/s or person/s with parental/caring responsibility

• Telephone numbers if available

• Date and time of information received / concern identified

• Is the person making the report expressing their own concerns, or passing on those of somebody else? If so, record details

• What has prompted the concerns? Include dates and times of any specific incidents, and the child’s or adult’s account of what has happened. In the case where it is you that suspects abuse, detail your concerns

• Has the child or adult been spoken to? If so, what was said?

• Has anybody been alleged to be the abuser? If so, record details

• Who has this been passed on to, in order that appropriate action is taken? e.g. designated contact, social services etc.

• Has anyone else been consulted? If so, record details

• Sign and date the record.

Local Contact Details

Adult Referrals

Shetland Islands Council, Adult Social Work , Grantfield, Lerwick. Tel: 01595 744468

Out of hours, weekends and public holidays: 01595 695611

Child Referrals

Shetland Islands Council, Children’s Social Work , Duty Social Worker, Hayfield House, Lerwick. Tel: 01595 744421

Out of hours, weekends and public holidays: 01595 695611

These procedures will be reviewed yearly.

Last updated, May 2024

This Code of Conduct details the type of practice we require all adults working on behalf of or in partnership with Aert Workshops to follow when in contact with children and adults.

The purpose of this code:

• To protect children and vulnerable adults from harm

• Help maintain the standard of behaviour we expect and promote good practice

• Reduce the likelihood of false allegations.

All those working on behalf of Aert Workshops are acting in a position of trust and are expected to behave in an appropriate manner at all times.

They should:

• Operate within our policies and procedures including the child protection guidelines

• Treat all equally, and with respect and dignity and as an individual

• Engage with children and adults in a meaningful way, valuing their contribution

• Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism

• Always put the care, welfare and safety needs of a child or vulnerable adult first

• Ensure that activities are run as safely as possible with risks identified, assessed, minimised and recorded.

• Be aware of any additional vulnerabilities that some children, vulnerable adults or communities may face.

• Ensure that contact with children and young people is appropriate and relevant to Aert’s work

• Always work in an open environment and in pairs, avoiding unobserved situations

• Adults should not be on their own with a child or vulnerable adult, except in an emergency. A child/children or vulnerable adult who require/s additional support or supervision may be accompanied by a designated carer, who can provide agreed one-to-one support.

• Ensure that you do not invite participants to come to your home

• Be aware of procedures with regard to taking and sharing photos of children and adults

• Respect children and young people’s right to privacy

• Challenge unacceptable behaviour and never allow allegations made by a child or vulnerable adult to go unrecorded or not acted upon

• Report immediately any suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult could be at risk of harm or abuse

• Be a good role model - avoid smoking, drinking or use of bad language

• Ensure that language used is appropriate and not offensive or discriminatory

They should not:

• Ignore or trivialise any concerns

• Promise confidentiality to a child or vulnerable adult

• Behave or communicate with children, young people or adults at risk in ways which seek to build inappropriate relationships in order to abuse or put them at risk

• Provide personal contact details or engage on online activity outside of Aert Workshop’s policy, including sharing photos of a personal nature, or being friends with children or vulnerable adults online.

• Act in a way that could be perceived as threatening or intrusive

• Use your position to intimidate, bully, threaten, discriminate against, coerce or undermine children, vulnerable adults, staff, collaborators or helpers

• Engage in, or attempt to engage in, sexual or inappropriate relationships with children, young people or vulnerable adults for whatever reason, including the use of suggestive, sarcastic or offensive conversations, comments, texting or emails

• Possess indecent images or videos of children; this will always be reported to the police regardless of the explanation provided;

• Carry out your duties whilst adversely affected by alcohol, solvents or drugs;

• Encourage or assist others to break the law in any way;

• Take unnecessary risks when assessment or policy suggest a different approach.

Online safety:

• Social media can help to disseminate information widely but this is done so responsibly

• Set yourself up securely, think carefully about who you are connected to online.

• Use group messaging, phone calls to parents/carers or via a post on a closed club or governing body page, rather than via your personal profile.

• Check privacy settings regularly as they can default to public several times a year.

• Never post or share messages, images or videos which are abusive, discriminatory or sexually explicit – all are illegal.

• If you come across or are made aware of inappropriate use of electronic communication or social networking within your group report using our Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Procedures.

In line with the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 individuals who harm a child or place a child at risk of harm and are asked to leave or are moved away from working with children and a referral will be made to determine whether they should be barred from working with children.

This code of conduct will be reviewed yearly.

Last updated, May 2024