Approved: 2nd April 2022
Version: 1.0
Content owner: Volunteer experience
 

Safeguarding and promoting the safety and wellbeing of young children, young adults and adults is Sew Ready’s priority.

 

It’s at the heart of everything we do, and it’s the responsibility of every participant, volunteer and member of staff. Our safeguarding policy is for everyone involved in Sew Ready, including participants, volunteers and staff.
 

Sew Ready’s commitment to safeguarding

Sew Ready is committed to safeguarding young children, young adults, and adults from all backgrounds and identities while they take part in our programme and activities.

Everyone has a right to live free from abuse, exploitation, harm and fear, and to be safe and well. We recognise that some people are particularly vulnerable because of some aspect of their identity or circumstance.

We recognise and respond to all types of harm, including:

• Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual and domestic, including online abuse and peer-on-peer).

• Neglect.

• Child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation.

• Bullying, harassment and cyberbullying.

• Radicalisation.

• Trafficking.

• Grooming and harmful sexual behaviour.

 

You can find out more about the different types of harm and categories of abuse from the NSPCC.

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Our safeguarding policy, procedures and guidance aim to create a safe space for great experiences, by protecting the safety and wellbeing of all young children, young adults and adults, regardless of their role.

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They enable anyone associated with Sew Ready to share allegations, concerns, or make disclosures - whether related to Sew Ready activities or outside Sew Ready safely and appropriately.

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Reporting a concern

As a participant, volunteer, or member of staff, it’s important that you know the signs and indicators of abuse or harm, and how to respond to and report any concerns, allegations or disclosures.

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If you have a concern about someone in Sew Ready you must follow the process for reporting in our safeguarding procedures. You must make a report within 24 hours, or as soon as possible if it’s an emergency.

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You can contact the Sew Ready Safeguarding via our email: hello@sewready.org 

 

Participants, volunteers or staff from Sew Ready should sewready.org with any safeguarding concerns. Sew Ready aims to respond to all concerns and emails within 1-2 working days and will always respond within five working days.

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If there’s an emergency – when you think there’s an immediate risk of significant harm contact the police or other emergency services, and Sew Ready know as soon as it is practical to do so at hello@sewready.org. 

 

If it’s not an emergency, complete a written report about what happened. Make sure you include names and details of any actions taken. Then send it to Sew Ready at hello@sewready.org.

 

All volunteers, at any level, have a duty to report any safeguarding concerns to a member of Sew Ready. 

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After you report a concern Sew Ready may need to ask you some more questions. They’re there to support, advise, and work with volunteers who have direct contact with participants. 

Sew Ready will share information with other agencies when there’s a significant risk of harm, a potential crime has been committed, or when we deem it appropriate and in the interests of child and adult protection and safeguarding. 

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How do we effectively safeguard adults and children?

• We value, listen to, and respect them.

• We have a safeguarding structure in place.

• We have child protection and safeguarding procedures which reflect best practice in the UK.

• We share concerns and information with other agencies when there are significant concerns about an adult’s suitability to work with children, or where we believe that someone is at risk of abuse or harm.

• We increase knowledge and awareness of child protection and safeguarding best practice amongst participants, volunteers, and staff. 

• We recruit volunteers and staff safely

• We expect all volunteers and staff to follow effective safeguarding behaviours.

• We expect volunteers to follow our code of conduct, and if they don’t we take action as set out by our policies and procedures.

• We always have health and safety measures in place, in line with the law and statutory guidance, to provide a safe physical and digital environment at Sew Ready.

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What does Sew Ready expect of you as volunteers, staff or adult participants?

• To follow effective and good safeguarding behaviours.

• Report all concerns, allegations and disclosures to Sew Ready staff at hello@sewready.org who will follow the safeguarding procedure to review.

• Inform Sew Ready about any ongoing or past investigation into you or someone you have a significant relationship with (such as family participants, partners, and participants of same household- though this list is not exhaustive) by the Police, Social Services, an employer or other organisation you volunteer for, which relates to any safeguarding allegation, concern or disclosure, involving any children, adults at risk, or adults posing a risk.

• Be vigilant – so you recognise when something is wrong or concerning.

• Act as soon as there’s a problem or concern. Report it within 24 hours, or sooner if it’s an emergency or there’s an immediate risk of harm.

• Consider inclusion and accessibility when dealing with safeguarding issues. This could mean making adjustments to support disabled participants or those with other needs.

• Be accountable - don’t assume someone else has responded to a concern.

• Continuously develop your own safeguarding knowledge and support others in their development through the Sew Ready programmes and activities.

 

Legal framework and Sew Ready policies

This safeguarding policy complies with all relevant UK legislation, policy and guidance which seeks to protect children and adults at risk. You should read this policy alongside our other organisational policies, guidance, and procedures. 

 

We review this policy annually, and agree revisions using an appropriate process. We may review it outside of this process if necessary, for example, because of legislation changes  or any other significant change or event.

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