Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults

Fulfil the Wish recognises that, under the Children Act 1989 and 2004, it has a duty and responsibility for making arrangements to ensure all its functions are discharged having regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people in their care – this includes all services directly provided and commissioned by the local authority. The organisation also recognises and meets its responsibilities under Working Together 2018 and The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 for safeguarding children.  A child is anyone up until their 18th birthday.

“Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children” is defined in Working Together 2018 as:

  • protecting children from maltreatment
  • preventing impairment of children’s health and development
  • ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

We also have some vulnerable adults attend events recognise that, for the purposes of this policy, adult at risk refers to someone over 18 years old who, according to paragraph 42.1 of the Care Act 2014:

  • Has care and support needs
  • Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
  • As a result of their care and support needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

If someone has care and support needs but is not currently receiving care or support from a health or care service, they may still be an adult at risk.

2. Persons affected

  • Trustees and other volunteers
  • All service users
  • All visitors

3. Safeguarding policy

Fulfil the Wish is committed to the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all. It has:

  • Family participant-based activities at all times. Our trustees and volunteers are never alone with children/adults at risk of harm. However, we accept our attendees could still be at risk and our policy is designed to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk of harm. At least one trustee must be present at each event. We are clear families are responsible for their own children’s care and safety.
  • A trustee level lead to take leadership responsibility for Fulfil the Wish’s safeguarding arrangements. This is currently Nick Davis.
  • A culture of listening to children and adults at risk of harm and taking account of their wishes and feelings, both in individual decisions and the development of services.
  • A culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults to be addressed.
  • Arrangements to report safeguarding concerns to other appropriate bodies such as social care and education, whichever is most appropriate.
  • Appropriate support for trustees, and ensuring they are clear on safeguarding responsibilities and procedures.

Fulfil the Wish will ensure that Trustees and volunteers understand:

  • What they need to do, and what they can expect of one another, to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
  • Core legal requirements, making it clear what individuals and Fulfil the Wish should do to keep children and vulnerable adults safe. In doing so, Fulfil the Wish seeks to emphasise that effective safeguarding systems are those where:
  • The person’s needs are paramount, and the needs and wishes of each person, should be put first, so that every person receives the support they need before a problem escalates.
  • That all Trustees and volunteers who come into contact with children and families are alert to their needs and any risks of harm that individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to children and vulnerable adults. In our case these are parents/carers, but we know we still must be alert to abuse. We should also be mindful of self-neglect as our parents are sometimes under a huge amount of stress.
  • The requirement to share appropriate information in a timely way and discuss any concerns about an individual with other trustees and local authority social care. In the case of immediate risk of harm appropriate emergency services will be informed.
  • The necessity to use their expert judgement to put the person’s needs at the heart of the safeguarding system so that the right solution can be found for each individual.
  • The necessity to contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote an individual’s welfare and take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for the person against specific plans and outcomes.

Key principles will be communicated that:

  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
  • A person-centred approach: for services to be effective they should be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of children and vulnerable adults.

Our commitment :

Fulfil the Wish will:

  • Whilst our charity is family group based, we still have duties to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
  • Prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse and neglect.
  • Promote the general welfare, health, and wellbeing of all.
  • Eliminate discrimination.

To meet this commitment, Fulfil the Wish will ensure the following:

  • All Fulfil the Wish trustees and volunteers are familiar with and have access to the safeguarding policy.
  • Fulfil the Wish continues to monitor activities within the charity and takes any measures required to strengthen and improve existing practices.

Last Updated August 2022