SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS

Current scope and controlled development

Blossome’s structured programmes and Blooming Companion matches remain for adults aged 18 and over. Children may attend designated beach-hut and community family days with a responsible parent/carer, who retains supervision unless a separately approved activity states otherwise. A planned 16-25 focus group may include children aged 16-17. Any wider direct or whole-family service must pass the readiness requirements in section 7.3 before it begins.

1. Purpose

Blossome CIC is committed to the safety and wellbeing of every child, young person and adult who engages with its activities. Many participants and families are living with chronic stress, fear, grief, uncertainty, isolation or financial pressure arising from another person’s alcohol or substance use. This may increase vulnerability but does not, by itself, mean that an adult meets the Care Act 2014 definition of an adult at risk.

This policy explains how Blossome prevents and responds to abuse, neglect, exploitation, unsafe practice, emotional distress and safeguarding concerns. It covers adult programmes, Blooming Companions, children attending family community activities with parents/carers, consultation with 16-25-year-olds and the governance required before future whole-family delivery. It applies alongside the Safeguarding and Emotional Distress Management Procedure (PRP-24).

2. Scope and delivery model

This policy applies to all directors, trustees, employees, freelance teachers, programme leaders, facilitators, Blooming Companions, other volunteers, contractors, delivery partners and anyone acting on behalf of Blossome, in person or online.

Structured Self-Care and Cultivating Self-Compassion programmes and Blooming Companion matches are for adults aged 18 or over. Children do not attend these programme sessions and Blossome personnel do not provide childcare through them.
At designated beach-hut or community family days, children may attend with a responsible parent/carer. The parent/carer retains responsibility and active supervision; Blossome provides the safe activity environment and responds to any concern.
A planned 16-25 focus group is a time-limited consultation activity. Participants aged 16-17 are children in law and receive the safeguards in section 7.2; participants aged 18-25 are adults.

Any future counselling, mentoring, programme or other direct support for children or whole families requires prior Board approval and completion of the readiness gateway in section 7.3.
Whenever information suggests that a child is being harmed, neglected or is at risk, Blossome follows the current SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures and section 10.3.

3. Legal and local safeguarding framework

Blossome will follow the current versions of the following legislation, statutory guidance and local procedures:

• Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support Statutory Guidance.
• Mental Capacity Act 2005, Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010.
• Children Acts 1989 and 2004 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026.
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.
• Charity Commission guidance CC30: Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees.
• SET Safeguarding Adults Guidelines (Version 10, May 2024, or any successor version).
• SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures, including the current web-enabled procedures launched in April 2026.
• Department for Education Information Sharing Advice for Safeguarding Practitioners (May 2024, or any successor version).
• Because local procedures are updated, the DSL must consult the live SET/Essex guidance at the point of a concern rather than rely only on a printed copy.

4. Definitions

Adult at risk: A person aged 18 or over who has needs for care and support (whether or not those needs are being met), is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and because of those needs is unable to protect themselves from that abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

Child: Anyone under 18. In Blossome’s planned 16-25 focus group, this means participants aged 16-17.

Young person: A plain-language term used for people aged 16-25 in consultation. It does not change legal status: 16-17-year-olds are children and 18-25-year-olds are adults.

Parent/carer: A person with parental responsibility or another adult who has lawful responsibility for the child’s care for the activity.

Safeguarding concern: Information, an allegation, a disclosure or an observation suggesting that an adult at risk or a child is experiencing, or may be at risk of, abuse, neglect, exploitation or avoidable harm.

Regulated activity: Specific activities defined in legislation. Eligibility for Standard, Enhanced or barred-list DBS checks depends on the actual duties of a role, not simply its title, perceived level of trust or contact frequency.

Emotional distress: A strong emotional response that may require compassionate support. It becomes a safeguarding or emergency matter where there is abuse, neglect, coercion, immediate danger, serious self-harm or suicide risk, risk to another person, or information suggesting that a child may be at risk.

5. Safeguarding principles

Blossome’s trauma-informed approach is guided by the six Care Act safeguarding principles, Making Safeguarding Personal and a child-centred approach:

• Empowerment – support adults to make informed choices and express what outcome they want.
• Prevention – act early to reduce the likelihood of harm.
• Proportionality – use the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk.
• Protection – support and represent people in greatest need.
• Partnership – work with the person, statutory services and relevant professionals.
• Accountability – make responsibilities, decisions and records clear.

The wishes and consent of an adult will normally guide the response. Information may be shared without consent where this is necessary and proportionate to prevent serious harm, protect a child or another person, respond to a serious crime, meet a legal duty, or where the adult lacks capacity for the relevant decision. The reason must be recorded.

For a child, their welfare, voice, wishes and feelings are considered throughout. Staff must never promise secrecy. A child’s refusal to participate in a voluntary activity is respected, but their consent is not required to share information where necessary to protect them or another person from harm. Decisions and reasons are recorded.

6. Roles and responsibilities

7. Safe delivery, conduct and boundaries

• Use trauma-informed, age-appropriate contracting and explain that confidentiality has safeguarding limits.
• Complete activity, venue, accessibility, online-delivery, lone-working and participant-specific risk assessments where relevant.
• Maintain appropriate staffing, access to a private but observable support space, and a named safeguarding lead for organised events.
• For online activities, use approved accounts and privacy controls, confirm participants’ current location and emergency arrangements, and ensure at least two delivery-team members can respond to distress where a child is participating.
• Do not investigate disclosures, promise secrecy, provide therapy or medical advice outside the role, exchange money, assume childcare, use degrading language, initiate inappropriate physical contact, or form dependent or exploitative relationships.
• Use only approved systems for participant information and communications. Personal contact details must not be shared unless Blossome has expressly authorised this within the role.
• Report sexual harassment, bullying, exploitation, discrimination, unsafe boundary behaviour and child-on-child or participant-on-participant harm; do not dismiss it as banter or conflict.

7.1 Children at beach-hut and community family days

Children may attend only where the activity has been designated as family-inclusive. Unless Blossome has separately approved and resourced a supervised child activity, the accompanying parent/carer remains responsible for the child’s care, behaviour, whereabouts, toileting, medication and safe arrival and departure.

• The activity lead completes and records a risk assessment covering the venue, water and weather exposure where relevant, access and egress, toilets and changing, first aid, lost or missing children, photography, online publicity and emergency action.
• Booking or arrival information states the supervision boundary, age suitability, activity risks, emergency arrangements, photography rules and how to report a concern. Emergency contact details are obtained for booked activities where proportionate.
• At least two identifiable Blossome personnel are available. A staff member or volunteer must not be alone in a closed or unobservable space with a child, take a child away from the parent/carer, provide personal care or communicate privately with a child after the event.
• If a parent/carer leaves, becomes unable to supervise safely, or appears intoxicated or distressed to the extent that a child may be unsafe, personnel make the child safe, contact the DSL and follow section 10.3. A child is never simply sent away or left alone.
• Images or recordings of a child are made or published only under Blossome’s approved process with the child’s agreement and appropriate parent/carer consent. No child’s full name, location pattern or other identifying detail is published.

7.2 Planned 16-25 focus groups

Before recruitment begins, the focus-group lead and DSL approve a written protocol, privacy notice and risk assessment. These specify the purpose, questions, inclusion criteria, staffing, consent, safeguarding, distress, referral, data, recording and complaints arrangements.

• Give every participant accessible information explaining that participation is voluntary, they may skip a question or leave, how information will be used, the limits of confidentiality, and how to seek help or complain.
• Obtain the informed agreement of every participant. For a participant aged 16-17, also obtain parent/carer consent unless the DSL and Trustee Safeguarding Lead approve and record a lawful, safe and ethically justified alternative. A capable young person’s refusal is never overridden.
• Use at least two appropriately trained Blossome adults. Do not conduct unsupervised one-to-one breakout activity with a 16-17-year-old or share participant contact details. If children and adults attend together, the risk assessment addresses mixed-age dynamics and prevents unsupervised contact.
• Explain that Blossome will protect information but cannot guarantee that other group participants will keep discussion confidential. Agree group boundaries and discourage names or identifying details about third parties.
• Use anonymised written notes by default. Audio, video, photography or attributable quotation requires separate, specific consent and a stated retention period; declining recording does not prevent participation unless recording is essential and this was made clear before consent.
• Provide breaks, a quiet observable space, a named safeguarding lead and age-appropriate support information. Follow PRP-24 and section 10 if distress, self-harm, abuse, neglect or immediate danger is disclosed or observed.

7.3 Readiness gateway for future whole-family delivery

This policy is one element of readiness; it does not by itself authorise new direct services for children. Before any whole-family or child-facing service begins, the Board must approve a documented readiness assessment confirming:

• the service model, intended ages, eligibility, outcomes, referral thresholds and boundaries between support, therapy, childcare and statutory functions;
• a child-centred procedure, code of conduct, consent and participation materials, complaints route and accessible information for children and parents/carers;
• sufficient DSL capacity, role-appropriate safeguarding-children training, safer recruitment, supervision and lawful DBS eligibility decisions;
• safe staffing and supervision ratios and activity-specific arrangements for venues, online contact, one-to-one work, personal care, transport, photography, medication, first aid and emergencies where relevant;
• insurance, data-protection arrangements, record retention, partner responsibilities and tested referral/escalation routes; and
  a pilot review point, incident and feedback monitoring, and authority to pause delivery if safeguards are not working.

7.4 Blooming Companions

Blooming Companions provide adult-to-adult peer encouragement, practical orientation and signposting. Before matching, each Companion receives role-specific safeguarding and boundaries training. Matches are supervised and reviewed by the Volunteer Coordinator or designated manager.

• Meet or communicate only through arrangements approved by Blossome; do not make unapproved home visits or provide accommodation, childcare, financial help, transport or clinical advice.
• Keep brief factual records required by the programme and report any safeguarding concern immediately; do not retain sensitive case notes on a personal device.
• Escalate repeated non-contact, concerning messages, intoxication, threats, harassment, self-harm or suicide indicators, domestic abuse information, or any concern affecting a child.
• Use supervision and request a pause or ending of the match where boundaries, safety or capacity are affected.

8. Training, supervision and safer recruitment

8.1 Training and supervision

• All staff, facilitators and volunteers complete safeguarding induction before participant contact, together with role-specific boundaries and reporting instruction.
• Anyone deployed to an activity attended by children completes role-appropriate safeguarding-children learning and an activity briefing before delivery. A briefing does not replace required training.
• The focus-group and family-activity leads understand child-centred responding, consent and confidentiality, mixed-age boundaries, child-on-child harm, distress management and the Essex referral and LADO routes.
• Refresher training is completed at least annually and sooner where procedures or roles change.
• The DSL and Deputy DSL maintain role-appropriate safeguarding-lead learning for both children and adults and keep up to date with SET and Essex changes.
• The DSL maintains a training record. Safeguarding and emotional safety form part of supervision, programme debriefs and reflective practice.
• Staff and volunteers receive support after distressing incidents and can use the Whistleblowing Policy where normal reporting routes feel unsafe.

8.2 Recruitment and DBS checks

Appointments are proportionate to the role and include a clear role description, application or expression of interest, interview or suitability conversation, identity check, references appropriate to the risk, safeguarding questions, declaration of relevant information and completion of required induction before active engagement. Child-facing roles require at least two satisfactory references unless the Board records a compelling reason and equivalent safeguards.

The DSL records a role-based DBS eligibility assessment using the current government eligibility guidance. Blossome will not request a Standard or Enhanced check solely because a role is trusted, involves one-to-one contact or is perceived to carry risk. A barred-list check will be requested only where the role is legally eligible. Checks are reconsidered when duties change and reviewed at least every three years under Blossome’s safer-recruitment arrangements.

9. Recognising safeguarding concerns

Concerns may arise from a direct disclosure, behaviour, an injury, a change in presentation, information from another person, unsafe conduct by a representative, or cumulative indicators. Relevant concerns include physical, sexual, psychological or emotional abuse; domestic abuse; coercive control; financial or material abuse; discriminatory or organisational abuse; neglect, self-neglect, exploitation, modern slavery, online abuse, stalking or harassment. For children this also includes child sexual or criminal exploitation, county lines, grooming, harmful sexual behaviour, child-on-child abuse, bullying, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and radicalisation.

Addiction, intoxication, mental ill-health, self-harm or emotional distress are not automatically safeguarding concerns. Staff must consider the person’s care and support needs, ability to protect themselves, immediate risk, risk to others and whether a child is affected.

10. Reporting and escalation

Core pathway
RECOGNISE -> MAKE SAFE -> RECORD -> REPORT -> REFER / ESCALATE.  Staff and volunteers listen, take the concern seriously and do not investigate.

10.1 Immediate danger or urgent risk
Call 999 where anyone is in immediate danger, a serious crime is occurring, urgent medical help is needed, or there is an immediate threat of suicide or serious self-harm. Make the environment as safe as possible without placing yourself or others at further risk, then notify the DSL or Deputy DSL without delay.

10.2 Concern about an adult

• Listen calmly, reassure the person that they were right to speak, and explain that information may need to be shared to keep someone safe.
• Record the facts as soon as possible, preferably the same day, using the person’s own words where possible. Do not ask leading questions or investigate.
• Report immediately to the DSL. The DSL considers immediate safety, the Care Act criteria, the adult’s wishes and consent, mental capacity, risk to others and whether a child may be affected.
• Where appropriate, the DSL refers through Essex Adult Social Care’s safeguarding route and records the decision, advice received, referral details and outcome. Police or emergency services are contacted where required.

10.3 Concern about a child

A concern may arise through a direct disclosure or observation during a family activity or focus group, or through information shared by an adult participant. It may indicate that a child is being harmed or neglected, exposed to domestic abuse or unsafe substance use, exploited, or otherwise at risk.

• Listen calmly, take the child seriously, use their words and explain that information may need to be shared to help keep them safe. Do not promise secrecy.
• Ask only minimal open questions needed to clarify immediate safety, such as ‘Tell me what happened’. Do not investigate, repeatedly question the child, contact the alleged person causing harm or delay action while seeking proof.
• Report to the DSL immediately and make a factual, contemporaneous record. If delay may increase risk, contact the statutory service or emergency service directly and then inform an uninvolved safeguarding lead.
• The DSL follows the current SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures and uses the Essex Children & Families Hub consultation, request-for-support or Priority Line route according to the level of risk.
• If a child is at immediate risk of significant harm, call 999 and/or the Children & Families Hub Priority Line. Out of hours, contact the Emergency Duty Team.
• Parental consent should normally be sought for early help where safe and appropriate, but it must not be sought or awaited where doing so may increase risk, prejudice enquiries or prevent necessary protective action. Decisions and reasons are recorded.

10.4 DSL unavailable or implicated
Report to the Deputy DSL. If the Deputy is unavailable or implicated, report to the Trustee Safeguarding Lead. In an emergency, or where delay could increase risk, any staff member or volunteer may contact police, Adult Social Care or the Children & Families Hub directly and must inform an uninvolved safeguarding lead as soon as it is safe to do so.

10.5 Allegations or concerns about staff, volunteers or representatives
Any allegation, low-level concern or boundary concern suggesting that a Blossome representative has harmed, may have harmed, exploited, groomed or behaved unsafely towards a participant must be reported immediately to the DSL, or to the Deputy/Trustee Lead if the DSL is implicated. The DSL records the concern, conducts an immediate risk assessment, protects those affected, preserves evidence and seeks advice from the appropriate statutory body. Staff and volunteers must not investigate or agree an informal resolution themselves.

Where the concern relates to harm to a child, possible criminal conduct towards a child, risk of harm to children or suitability to work with children, the DSL will contact Essex LADO within one working day and follow LADO advice. LADO is not the referral route for an allegation relating only to an adult participant.

Temporary changes to duties, supervision or suspension will be decided through a documented risk assessment and statutory advice; suspension is not automatic. The Board, police, Adult Social Care, DBS and Charity Commission will be notified where the relevant thresholds or legal duties are met. Internal investigation will not compromise statutory enquiries.

11. Recording, confidentiality and information sharing

• Use the Safeguarding Concern Form and record date, time, location, people present, factual observations, the person’s own words, immediate action, who was notified, advice received and all subsequent decisions.
• Do not include assumptions, diagnostic labels or unnecessary personal information. Distinguish fact, professional judgement and information received from another person.
• Safeguarding records are kept separately from general participant notes in a restricted-access, password-protected safeguarding area. Access is limited to the DSL, Deputy DSL and Trustee Lead where governance oversight requires it.
• Focus-group research or consultation data is stored separately from safeguarding records. A safeguarding disclosure is not left only in anonymised research notes; it is recorded and escalated under this policy.
• Information is shared only where necessary, proportionate and lawful. Decisions to share or not share, including the rationale, must be recorded.
• Records are retained and securely disposed of in accordance with Blossome’s documented retention schedule, the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.

12. Emotional distress, self-harm and suicide risk
The Safeguarding and Emotional Distress Management Procedure (PRP-24) governs the compassionate response to distress during programmes, focus groups and community activities. A facilitator may pause an activity, offer a supported but observable space, involve the co-facilitator, contact an agreed emergency contact where safe and appropriate, or signpost to suitable services. For a child, the DSL considers their immediate safety, wishes, parent/carer involvement and whether contacting the parent/carer could increase risk.

Where there is indication of immediate suicide risk, serious self-harm, inability to remain safe, danger to another person, abuse or neglect, or a child may be at risk, the matter must be escalated under section 10. Staff and volunteers must not attempt to provide crisis assessment or clinical treatment outside their competence.

13. Partners, venues and events

Before joint delivery, Blossome confirms safeguarding responsibilities, reporting routes, information-sharing arrangements and the named lead in writing. Venue or partner procedures do not replace Blossome’s duty to report. Family-activity and focus-group briefings identify the on-the-day safeguarding lead and deputy, supervision boundary, emergency and lost-child arrangements, private reporting route, conduct expectations, recording form and local statutory contacts.

14. Monitoring, learning and review

• The DSL maintains a confidential concern log and provides anonymised safeguarding assurance to the Board.
• Incidents, near misses, participant feedback, training records and supervision themes are reviewed to identify patterns and improvements.
• The policy is reviewed annually and sooner after a serious incident, safeguarding learning, the 16-25 focus-group pilot, a significant service change, introduction of whole-family delivery or a change in legislation or SET procedures.
• Each revision is approved by the Board or authorised governance body and signed or minuted before it becomes effective.

15. Contacts and external reporting routes

16. Linked Blossome policies and procedures

• PRP-24 Safeguarding and Emotional Distress Management Procedure
• Safeguarding Concern Form and concern log
• Blossome DBS Eligibility Matrix and recorded role eligibility assessments
• 16-25 Focus Group Protocol, information sheets, consent forms, privacy notice and risk assessment
• Family Activity / Beach-Hut Safeguarding Briefing and risk assessment
• Photography, Video and Consent Procedure
• Blooming Companion role description, code of conduct and supervision arrangements
• Whistleblowing Policy
• Complaints Procedure
• Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy
• Online Safety and Social Media Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
• Transport Policy
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

17. Authoritative guidance

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026

DfE information-sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners

SET Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures

Essex Safeguarding Children Board procedures page

SET Safeguarding Adults Guidelines

Essex: request support or report a concern about a child

Essex LADO allegations management

Government DBS eligibility guidance

Appendix A. Minimum safeguarding record
The Safeguarding Concern Form should capture:

• date, time, location, contact method and the name of the person concerned and anyone potentially at risk;
• a factual account, including exact words, observations, witnesses and immediate safety action;
• the person’s wishes, whether consent was sought, who received the report and at what time; and
• advice or referral details, decisions, rationale, follow-up, outcome, recorder and DSL/Deputy review.

Appendix B. Pre-delivery child-safeguarding check

The activity lead and DSL must sign off the following before any activity attended by a child:

• the activity is within the approved scope and age range, with a current risk assessment and safeguarding / distress protocol;
  the lead, deputy, staffing, supervision and emergency arrangements are confirmed, and role descriptions, safer recruitment, DBS decisions, training and briefings are complete;
• child- and parent/carer information, consent and privacy materials are ready, and venue, online, transport, photography, first-aid and accessibility arrangements are safe where applicable; and
• concern forms and Essex referral / LADO details are available, with a debrief, feedback and incident-review date scheduled.