Safeguarding Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

1. Protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults who receive Variety’s services or any part thereof.
2. Provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding children and young people.

Variety, the Children’s Charity, believes that no child or young person should ever experience abuse at any time. The Charity recognises that it has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. As such, it is committed to practise in a way that protects them, and which complies with best practice guidelines.
This policy outlines Variety’s commitment to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults, to keep everyone safe and to practice in a way that protects everyone. The welfare of children, young people and adults is paramount in all the work we do and we believe everyone has an equal right to protection from all types of harm and abuse. This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England, Wales and Scotland.
This policy applies to the Board of Trustees, staff (inclusive of agency staff), committee members, volunteers, and anyone else working on behalf of Variety, the Children’s Charity.

Definitions

Children and Young People
A child or young person is anyone under 18 years old. A child or young person becomes an adult on the day of their 18th birthday.

Vulnerable Adult
The Care Act (2014) describes an adult at risk as anyone over 18 years who:
• has care and support needs (even if these are not met)
• and is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
• and is unable to protect themselves

Colleagues
Colleagues refer to all paid employees and volunteers at Variety, the Children’s Charity.

This includes:
• paid employees
• unpaid employees or volunteers
• those on full, part time, temporary and zero hours contracts
• trainers
Our colleagues may work:
• at the Variety, the Children’s Charity’s offices
• from home
• in the community
• at events
• at schools
• on the telephone and online

Safeguarding
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. Safeguarding means:
• protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
• preventing harm to children’s health or development
• ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
• taking action to enable all children and young people have the best outcomes • this can include protecting vulnerable adults

Safeguarding incident
A Safeguarding Incident is an event, or a series of events, that causes or has the potential to cause harm, or risk of harm, to a child or adult.

Definition of Abuse and Significant Harm

Abuse is any action by another person (adult or child) that causes significant harm to a child or vulnerable adult. To safeguard children and vulnerable adults this includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, bullying, modern slavery, organisational abuse, and being exposed to domestic abuse.
The Children Act 1989 introduced the concept of ‘significant harm’ as the threshold that justifies compulsory intervention in family life in the best interests of children. Significant harm is ill-treatment (physical and mental) which leads to the impairment of, or unavoidable deterioration in, physical and mental health or the physical, intellectual, emotional social or behavioural development of a child. Harm may be caused by acts of commission or acts of omission. The Adoption and Children Act 2002 broadens the definition of significant harm to include “the emotional harm suffered by those children who witness domestic abuse or are aware of domestic abuse within their home environment”.

Variety believes and recognises that:

• the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989
• safeguarding children is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers, whatever their role
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, or identity have a right to equal protection from all types of harm and abuse
• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency on carers, communication needs, or for other reasons
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents & carers, schools, and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

Variety will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

• valuing, listening to, and respecting them
• creating a safe and welcoming environment, where children are encouraged to have fun and develop their skills and confidence
• celebrating the contributions and achievements of children
• appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people
• adopting safeguarding practices and child protection procedures
• adopting a code of conduct for all staff and volunteers
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training & quality assurance measures
• recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring appropriate checks are made
• recording and storing information professionally and securely
• sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff, and volunteers via our website, posters, and through face-to-face discussions
• sharing concerns about the welfare of children and young people with parents & carers as well as relevant agencies in line with our safeguarding procedures
• responding swiftly to disclosures and concerns relating to a child’s welfare
• taking seriously any allegations made against staff and volunteers by handling these in line with our procedures
• responding swiftly and appropriately to all complaints and concerns about poor practice, ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
• ensuring that we provide the safest physical environment possible for our children, young people, staff, and volunteers by applying health & safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance

Safeguarding Children Living with Disabilities and Disadvantages

As an organisation working with children and young people, all staff and volunteers are aware of the potential for abuse within the work environment and the home life of the children and young people that we come into contact with.

Children with disabilities

Children with disabilities are over three times more likely to be abused or neglected than children without disabilities1. This may be because:
• Some children with disabilities may not understand that what’s happening to them is abuse and that it’s wrong. Even if they do, they might not be able to ask for help.
• Most perpetrators are known to the child and family; if a child is being abused by someone who looks after them or who they rely on to meet their needs it can be even harder for them to speak out or protect themselves.
• It is easy for parents and professionals to mistake signs that a child is being abused or neglected as part of the child’s impairment.
• Children and families who feel isolated or without support due to a limited number of accessible services, may not know who to turn to get help.
• Parents who are abusive or neglectful might excuse their behaviour, blaming it on the difficulties of caring for a child with disabilities.
• Professionals working in child protection might not have the specialised skills to accurately assess or understand the needs of a child with disabilities, or to communicate with them properly.

More information on protecting children with disabilities from abuse can be found in the NSPCC report ‘we have the right to be safe’2.

1 (Jones et al, 2012)
2 https://www.nspcc.org.uk/services-and-resources/research-and-resources/2014/right-to-be-safe/

Children living with disadvantages

All families come under pressure from time to time, but increased or continued stress can seriously affect how well a parent can look after their child. Research shows that parents have high-stress levels when:
• they have lower incomes compared to parents with higher incomes
• live in poorer neighbourhoods

Support from family, friends, neighbours, or the wider community can give parents the resources and emotional support they need to help keep their children safe. Sometimes parents don’t have this support because they live in an isolated area or because they have language difficulties or cultural differences. Additionally, housing worries on top of money worries can put a lot of stress on parents and this can stop them from being able to provide the practical and emotional support that children need. Research has found that there are clear links between social isolation and child abuse or neglect.
Research has also found that children living in the most deprived neighbourhoods have a greater chance of being on a child protection plan or being taken into care than children in the least deprived areas. Poor housing and multiple moves are common features in serious child abuse cases. Children who grow up in poverty might:
• live in a poorly maintained, unsafe, or temporary home
• have to move often due to repeat evictions
• have disruptive neighbours

Types of abuse / Recognising signs and symptoms

The NSPCC recognise 12 different types of child abuse:

The four main types are:	Children may also be subject to:
• Physical	Domestic Abuse
• Sexual	• Online Abuse
• Emotional	• Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
• Neglect	• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
	• Child Trafficking
	• Grooming
	• Harmful Sexual Behaviour
	• Bullying & Cyberbullying

Appendix B provides an overview of these types of abuse and to fulfil their duties under the Safeguarding Code of Conduct (Appendix A), all employees and volunteers at Variety who work with children and families are expected to understand the signs and symptoms of abuse.
A shift in the way a child behaves or appears is often the most useful indicator that a child is at risk of or experiencing abuse. As Variety does not often develop long term relationships with children or families , staff should be vigilant for any unusual behaviour (either witnessed or reported through applications and referrals), particularly where a child:

• appears withdrawn and/or depressed • wets the bed
• appears anxious and/or clingy • soils their clothes
• has problems sleeping • misses school
• demonstrates obsessive behaviour • experiences regular
• uses drugs or drinks alcohol nightmares
• has thoughts about suicide • engages in self-harm
• is overly and persistently aggressive, perhaps towards certain people
• has, or there is a concern that they have, an eating disorder
• engages in risk-taking behaviour on a regular and sustained basis

Roles and Responsibilities

At Variety, the Children’s Charity all staff, trustees, volunteers, temporary agency staff and contractors understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We provide employees with mandatory training in line with best practice, and we have policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety of all.
We incorporate safer recruitment processes and inform staff, trustees, volunteers, agency staff and contractors of their responsibilities towards safeguarding and provide information on how to respond to situations of concern.
There are specific staff dedicated to overseeing the safeguarding function at Variety, the Children’s Charity.

Safeguarding Lead: Lindsey Cape, Director of Fundraising and Communications
Email: lindsey.cape@variety.org.uk Telephone: 0207 428 8115
This person is the first point of contact for any concerns and is required to respond promptly and appropriately. They are responsible for providing the organisation with advice and guidance compliant with legislation and good practice guidance for working with young people. The implementation of safeguarding procedures and the training of staff, volunteers and trustees and maintaining records and making safeguarding related referrals to statutory agencies where required.

Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Kaelan Cheesewright, Office and Facilities Manager
Email: kaelan.cheesewright@variety.org.uk Telephone: 0207 428 8100
This person acts in the absence of the Safeguarding Lead and should be approached in the absence of the Safeguarding Lead, or where concerns may be raised about the Safeguarding Lead.

Expectations of staff and volunteers
All permanent employees, volunteers and those on temporary or agency contracts of 3 months or longer must complete safeguarding training. Staff are required to refresh their training annually facilitated by the Safeguarding Lead.

Our colleagues are expected to:

• Complete the mandatory safeguarding training and attend refresher sessions annually
• Adhere to our safeguarding policies and procedures including online safety

• Contribute to creating an environment that promotes wellbeing and reduces the risk of harm
• Value, listen and respect everyone they come into contact with
• Adhere to our code of conduct

How to respond to concerns in relation to children or young people or vulnerable adults

If there is an immediate risk of harm or if emergency medical assistance is required, contact the emergency services on 999.
If you have any concerns, no matter how small, about the safety or welfare of a child or young person, you must discuss this the Safeguarding Lead as soon as practically possible. The accurate and timely recording and reporting of all safeguarding issues are essential to effectively manage the situation and ensure the safety and welfare of the child or vulnerable adult. Variety records all concerns about the welfare of a child not just disclosures of abuse.

How to respond to a child disclosing or alleging abuse

Best practice when responding to concerns or allegations of harm:
• never ignore anything that might indicate abuse taking place
• always record everything clearly and accurately using a Safeguarding Incident Form
• always seek the views of the child directly
• look for the patterns in small concerns, you may build a fuller picture over time
• consider each child as an individual

If a child discloses abuse to you:
• listen and accept.
• try not to interrupt.
• tell the child they’ve done the right thing by telling you.
• inform the child of what you are going to do.
• make accurate notes using the child’s own words as soon as possible and within 24 hours.
• inform the Safeguarding Lead.
• In the event that the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding lead are not available you can seek immediate advice from the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 500.

Where Variety is working in partnership with another organisation (e.g., a school) that may have their own safeguarding policy all staff and volunteers are still required to report and record disclosures and concerns by Variety’s policy and procedures.

Dealing with disclosures or concerns at a School, or a Variety Great Day Out, or Variety Event

Where disclosure is received, or a concern is raised, either at a school or at a Variety event, this should be handled in conjunction with the schools (or organisations’) own safeguarding policy and procedures:

1. Ask for the details of the schools’ (or organisations’) Safeguarding Lead. You should aim to discuss your concerns with a named lead but if they are not contactable you should raise them to a suitable member of staff present (unless to do so would place the child at risk of further harm).
2. Pass on any information you have to the school or organisation at the earliest opportunity.
3. Continue with Variety’s procedures by completing a Safeguarding Form and contacting the Safeguarding Lead.

Safeguarding forms

All staff will have access to a Safeguarding Incident Form where any concerns, disclosures, or allegations of abuse should be recorded.

Reporting concerns against colleagues

Any allegation that an employee or volunteer has behaved in a way that has harmed or may have harmed a child must be taken seriously and dealt with sensitively and promptly. The child’s interests are paramount and their views and wishes must be always given careful consideration. The child and staff member must both receive appropriate support, and the staff member must be treated fairly and impartially.
Any allegation against a member of staff must be reported to the Safeguarding Lead. In addition to the standard reporting procedure, several additional steps must be followed:
• The staff member should be suspended from duty with immediate effect whilst an internal investigation is carried out. The relevant line manager should be informed of the reason for suspension. Suspension can only be authorised by the Chief Executive.
• An initial investigation will be carried out by the staff member’s line manager and the Safeguarding Lead. This must take place as soon as possible after the allegation is reported and within five working days.
• The recommendations of the initial investigation will be discussed with the Chief Executive, and the next steps agreed. The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for all referrals and monitoring the progress of the case.
Police investigations take precedence over all other referrals or disciplinary processes. Taking advice from the Safeguarding Lead should the Chief Executive (acting on behalf of the Charity) choose to instigate a disciplinary hearing this should only be undertaken once the timing has been agreed by the Police. Until such time the staff member should remain on suspension.
Variety will aim to keep the staff member who is the subject of the allegation informed of the progress of the case and arrange to provide appropriate support while the case is ongoing.

4 Except for allegations against the DSO which should be reported directly to the DSL.

Referrals to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)

If a referral needs to be made to the LADO, the Safeguarding Lead will be responsible for this. A referral to the LADO should be made by the Safeguarding Lead if an employee is felt to have:
• Behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a child
• Possibly committed a criminal offense against, or related to, a child
• Behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children

Referrals to the Police

If there is evidence or strong belief that a crime has been committed, a referral should be made to the Police after consultation with the LADO. The responsibility for this referral rests with the Chief Executive.

Referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

As an organisation working with children, Variety has a legal duty to make a referral to the DBS in cases when an employer has dismissed or removed a person from working with children or vulnerable adults (or would/may have if the person had not left or resigned) because of concerns over their behaviour towards children. This referral will be made by the Safeguarding Lead.

False allegations

Complaints and allegations against members of staff should always be viewed objectively; the circumstances surrounding an allegation are usually very complicated and the outcome is far from certain. When an allegation is found to be false, it may be considered:
Malicious. This refers to a deliberate act intended to deceive or cause harm to the person the allegation is made against. For an allegation to be classified as malicious, there must be clear evidence of intentional dishonesty or fabrication.

Unfounded. This indicates that the person making the allegation misinterpreted the incident or was mistaken about what they saw. Alternatively, they may not have been aware of all the circumstances. For an allegation to be classified as unfounded, it will be necessary to have evidence to disprove the allegation.

Unsubstantiated. This means that there is insufficient identifiable evidence to prove or disprove the allegation. The term, therefore, does not imply guilt or innocence.
It is important to remember that children and young people may make false allegations to draw attention to abuse emanating from another source within their family or community. A parent may also make a false allegation to evade responsibility for an injury or incident in which they were involved. A colleague may make a false allegation to discredit a member of staff.

The perception that an allegation is false should not prevent it from being, reported to the Safeguarding Lead or referred to an external agency. It should be clear from the outset that an allegation is demonstrably false before a decision is made not to refer to the allegation.

Safeguarding children on Variety Great Days Out

Variety Great Days Out events often have large numbers of children attending and Variety recognises that, at these events, it has heightened safeguarding towards the children that attend.

Supervision
All children who attend must be accompanied by parents or carers known to the child or by competent adults from the child’s school, PRU, or children’s/youth group.

Variety does not take sole responsibility for anyone under 18 or a young person with a disability up to 25 at a Variety Great Day Out event.

As a minimum Variety requires there to be suitable and competent adults known to the children attending with each group or child. Families who attend Variety Great Days Out events are required to bring sufficient over 18-year-olds (minimum 1 adult) to take responsibility for their children attending.

First aid provision
All Variety Great Days Out events must have at least one trained First Aider present. This may be a trained member of Variety staff or, where the event is being held at a partner venue, this cover could be provided by a trained member of their staff. This must be agreed in advance and detailed in the risk assessment. For events with large numbers of children (250+), it may be appropriate to have more First Aiders, depending on the nature of the activities.

It is recognised that school groups will, in most cases, bring first aid trained staff to accompany their groups; this does not replace the need for Variety to ensure at least one First Aider is present.

Variety staff will ensure that there is a complete first aid kit, relevant to the level of risk involved in the activities, available at each event. This may be delegated to a partner venue where it is recorded in the risk assessment and where Variety is satisfied that the partner is competent to provide this.

Lone working
Variety staff should not, at any point, put themselves in a position where they are alone with children. At all times, there must be at least one adult is known to the child present. Variety staff must never be left alone to temporarily supervise or toilet a child.

Diligence checks on children and youth organisations

Variety provides Sunshine Coaches, equipment, and grants to schools and children’s/youth organisations all over the UK. The charity chooses only to fund responsible organisations who take safeguarding seriously and as such requires the following documentation before an application will be considered:
• Public Liability Insurance
• Safeguarding Policy
• Equality & Diversity Policy

Safeguarding at Variety events

Variety recognises that children and young people will attend a range of Variety events as paying guests and members of the public. Event organisers should take account of this in their event risk assessments, ensuring the event is safe and that precautions accommodate the specific needs of a younger age group. At all times, the staff is required to adhere to the Safeguarding Code of Conduct in the execution of their employed or voluntary duties.

Where Variety invites children or young people to attend, or participate in, an event, it recognises that it has a heightened responsibility to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

These events include, but are not limited to:

• participating in challenge events to raise money for Variety
• speaking at fundraising events
• attending presentation events
• performing at an event
• speaking on Variety’s behalf as a Young Ambassador

Chaperones
Any child or young person under the age of 16 who is invited to attend or participate in a variety of events must be accompanied by a competent adult who acts as the chaperone for the child at all times. The adult (typically a parent) should be made aware of Variety’s expectation of them in this regard.

Where children or young people are attending as part of a school or children’s/youth group, teachers and other competent staff are required to always act as chaperones.

16 & 17-year-olds
If alcohol is being served at an event to which 16- & 17-years old are invited, they must always be accompanied by a competent adult.

At all other events, 16- & 17-year-olds do not automatically require a chaperone and may attend an event without a parent or carer. It is at the discretion of the event manager, following a discussion with the young person and their parent or guardian as to whether a chaperone will be necessary. As a guide, a 16 or17 year-old would not normally require a chaperone unless they:
• have a disability or illness which makes them especially vulnerable
• require a carer for toileting or other care needs
• are nervous about their participation and are showing high levels of anxiety or extremely low levels of confidence as a result
• request for a parent or carer to accompany them

Where a 16- & 17-year-old is appearing at or participating in, an event, parents, and carers should always receive an invitation to attend at Variety’s expense, even if it has been agreed that a chaperone is not required.

Where a young person attends on their own unless explicitly agreed with a parent or carer Variety takes responsibility for ensuring that the young person has a safe means of transport home. The form of transport should be agreed upon in advance with the young person and their parent or carer and be documented in writing by the event manager.

16- & 17-year-olds attending as part of an organised school or other group do require chaperones, according to the ratios laid out above.

Speaking live on behalf of Variety

Only young people who are aged 16 or over, who have given consent and whose parent or carer has given written consent, shall appear on stage without their parent/guardian at an event/meeting to:

• give a presentation or make a speech on their story or Variety’s work
• take part in an interview about their story or their involvement with Variety
• participate in a meet and greet session with supporters and/or potential supporters
• raise or collect money
Children and young people under the age of 16 may appear on stage accompanied by their parent/guardian where the child and parents have both given verbal consent.

Variety recognises that children and parents/guardians have the right to withdraw their consent at any time, including upon arrival at an event. Variety will not apply pressure to any child to speak or appear if they choose not to do so.

Social media

Variety is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of children and young people online. Variety uses social media extensively:
• social networking sites such as Facebook
• micro-blogging services such as X (formerly known as Twitter)
• video-sharing services such as YouTube
• photo-sharing services such as Instagram
• professional networking sites such as LinkedIn
Employees and volunteers are not permitted to use their social media accounts to post pictures or footage of children; posts must always be made through Variety’s official social media accounts. Once in the public domain employees and volunteers are permitted to share posts from Variety’s official accounts.

As per the Safeguarding Code of Conduct employees and volunteers are never permitted to use their social media accounts to engage with children and young people under 18 where they have come into contact with them through their work with Variety. This includes following on Instagram or X and adding as friends on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Variety’s official social media accounts:

• will not be used to contact children and young people under 18 directly, including inviting them to follow our accounts or to be friends
• will not identify children or young people where photographs or footage has been used
• will not be used to ask for personal information from children and young people under 18
• will not tag children and under 18’s in posts without their prior written consent
• are moderated by the Marketing & Communications Team
• are monitored for cyberbullying, grooming, and trolling
• are password protected with these held by a restricted number of employees, including senior staff. Passwords are changed regularly

The reporting of any potentially illegal/abusive content or activity including child sexual abusive images and online grooming should be reported via the normal safeguarding procedure to the Designated Safeguarding Officer immediately.

Contact via social media

Employees and volunteers are not permitted to follow, befriend, tag, or otherwise communicate with children, young people, or any beneficiary’s family using their personal social media accounts. These include but are not limited to Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Tumblr & YouTube. It is permissible for employees and volunteers to retweet, or re-post information made available from Variety’s corporate social media accounts.

If a child or young person makes contact via social media or other forms, all staff are expected to politely decline the contact and inform the DSO at the earliest opportunity.

Training

All employees, trustees, committee members, and other volunteers are required to attend safeguarding training annually. Thereafter they are required to attend a 1-hour refresher training every year.

This policy is subject to annual review.

Version number	Date	Changes
2.0	August 2025	Review and replace version 1.7 dated February 2023. Updated legislation, website links, new DSO and hierarchy/contact details.