*Our Policies and procedures will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly following every incident, or as and when concerns are raised about the potential of risk of harm. An annual review is also completed every spring. 

 

The initial point of contact for reports relating to safeguarding at TIME4EXPERIENCE is Matthew Rothwell (director). time4experience@gmail.com (+44) 07809 715273 

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1. TIME4EXPERIENCE

2. Zero Tolerance 

3. What is a Child?

4. What is a Vulnerable Adult

5. Who does this policy apply to?

6. KEY POINT

7. DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

   1. Sexual Abuse 

   2. Physical Abuse

   3. Emotional Abuse

   4. Neglect 

   5. Exploitation 

8. Prevention

9. Reporting

10. Responding

11. Raising Awareness

 

1. TIME4EXPERIENCE recognises the importance of clear safeguarding guidelines regarding children and vulnerable adults. Our policies emphasise that we are committed to:

   • The safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and vulnerable adults;

   • Carefully selecting and training staff and volunteers who might come into contact with children or vulnerable adults; providing a service to a UK network of similarly trusted and committed not-for-profit organisations working across the UK and overseas;

   • Responding without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed;

   • Cooperating fully with the police, local authority and any other appropriate statutory body in any investigation.

2. Zero Tolerance 

   • Time4experience’s ‘Child and Vulnerable Adults’ policy demonstrates that it does not allow any partner, supplier, sub-contractor, agent or any individual engaged by TIME4EXPERIENCE to engage in any form of child abuse, maltreatment or poor safeguarding practice. 

   • At time4experience, we have a culture of zero tolerance for all forms of abuse and mistreatment, including Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying. This relates to clients, all members of the public, and TIME4EXPERIENCE staff. This means that every single concern is fully responded to and where necessary prompt action (including conducting an investigation and taking disciplinary action, if applicable) is taken.  It means that we will hold our people to account against the same standards and subject them to the same processes, as everyone else.

3. What is a Child?

   • A child is anyone under the age of 18, and all children have an equal right to protection regardless of any personal characteristic, including their age, gender, ability, culture, racial origin, religious belief and sexual identity. 

4. What is a Vulnerable Adult?

   1. The Department of Health defines a vulnerable adult as a person who is aged 18 or over that is or may need community care services because of a disability (mental or other), age or illness and is someone who could be unable to look after themselves, or protect themselves from harm or exploitation.

5. Who does this policy apply to?

   • This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns, agents, contractors, external consultants, third-party representatives, suppliers and business partners. It applies during or outside of working hours, every day of the year. 

6. KEY POINT AT THIS STAGE: 

   • Adult males, Adult Women and other children are all equally capable of committing any form of abuse to another person, irrelevant of the victim's age.

7. DEFINITIONS OF ABUSE

   1. Sexual Abuse - Sexual abuse is the involvement of a child or vulnerable adult in sexual activities, whether or not the child or vulnerable adult is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). 

   2. Physical Abuse - is the non-accidental use of physical force that deliberately or inadvertently causes a risk of/or actual injury to a child and/or vulnerable adult. This may include hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing non-accidental physical harm to a child and/or vulnerable person. Physical harm can also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness or temporary, permanent injury or disability of a child or vulnerable adult. 

   3. Emotional Abuse - involves doing harm to a child’s and/or vulnerable adults emotional, intellectual, mental or psychological development. This may occur as an isolated event or on an ongoing basis. Emotional abuse includes but is not limited to any humiliating or degrading treatment (e.g. bad name calling, threats, yelling/screaming/cursing, teasing, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming etc.), failure to meet a child’s and/or a vulnerable persons emotional needs, and rejecting, ignoring, terrorizing, isolating or confining a child and/or a vulnerable adult.

   4. ​Neglect - includes but is not limited to failing to provide adequate food, sufficient or seasonally appropriate clothing and /or shelter. Failing to prevent harm; failing to ensure adequate supervision; failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment or providing inappropriate medical treatment (e.g. administering medication when not authorised); or failing to provide a safe physical environment (e.g. exposure to violence, unsafe programming location, unsafe sleeping practises, releasing a child to an unauthorised adult, or a vulnerable person to an unauthorised carer, guardian or responsible adult. Allowing ease of access to weapons or harmful objects, failing to childproof a space that children will occupy etc.). It can also be TIME4EXPERIENCE staff, partners, contractors, suppliers and sub-grantees failing to apply minimum requirements as set out in mandatory procedures. 

   5. Exploitation - An umbrella term used to describe the abuse of children or vulnerable adults who are forced, tricked, coerced or trafficked into exploitative activities. 

   • Sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 or other vulnerable adult into sexual activity; (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. 

   • The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur with the use of technology. With TIME4EXPERIENCE you may experience this through disclosures of sexual abuse in their life away from this experience (school, home life etc) and may include traditional aspects such as forced marriage. 

   • TIME4EXPERIENCE does not support the abuse and exploitation of any child or vulnerable adult.

8. Prevention

   • Ensuring, through awareness and good practice, that staff and those who work with TIME4EXPERIENCE minimise the risks of any form of child abuse and exploitation, including but by no means limited to conducting relevant vetting and background checks of staff as part of their recruitment process. 

9. Reporting

   • ​​Ensuring that all staff and those who work with TIME4EXPERIENCE are clear on what steps to take where suspicions or concerns arise regarding allegations of child or vulnerable adult abuse or exploitation.

   • IMPORTANT REMINDER - The initial point of contact for reports relating to safeguarding at TIME4EXPERIENCE is Matthew Rothwell (director). time4experience@gmail.com (+44) 07809715273 

   • In emergency situations, or times when a child or vulnerable adult is at immediate risk of harm or injury dial 999.

10. Responding

    • TIME4EXPERIENCE will ensure that immediate action is taken to identify and address reports of child abuse and exploitation, and to ensure the safety and well-being of the children or vulnerable adult(s) involved

11. Raising Awareness

    • All staff will be made fully aware of this policy and to report incidents of suspected or actual child abuse involving staff or representatives, or your organisation’s employees or representatives that arises during any activity ran by or on behalf of time4experience

    • TIME4EXPERIENCE expects all  employees & freelancers at all levels to adhere to this policy. We also acknowledge that the guidelines in this policy can also apply during or outside of working hours, every day of the year. 

    • Any suspicion of child abuse or exploitation occurring in TIME4EXPERIENCE or related activities must be immediately reported to the appropriate person. 

      • If a company director is the potential perpetrator in question youmust contact NSPCC helpline anonymously on 08008005000, or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. 

      • Local child protection services (gwynedd county, 01286 679007 or email: DiogeluAddysg@gwynedd.llyw.cymru) 

      • Police - In an emergency where an adult or child is at risk of immediate serious harm dial 999.

 

Failure to report will be treated as serious misconduct and may result in termination of any agreement with TIME4EXPERIENCE.