Safeguarding

Child and Adult Safeguarding – Policy and Procedures

Policy Statement

Here4Horses is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and expects all Volunteers and Trustees to share this commitment. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk is everyone’s responsibility and everyone who comes into contact with children, adults at risk and their families has a role to play. Here4Horses will take all reasonable measures to:

• Protect children and adults at risk from abuse and harm, including bullying, whether from an adult or a child

• Promote the welfare of children and adults at risk.

• Deal appropriately with every suspicion or complaint of abuse

• Be alert to the special needs (including medical needs) of children and adults at risk

• Support children who have been abused in accordance with their agreed child protection plan

• Ensure any safeguarding work with adults at risk incorporates the principles of empowering adults, with a focus on meeting the desired outcomes of the adult

• Ensure all Volunteers and Trustees remain alert to signs of abuse and understand their responsibilities under this policy knowing how to report concerns

• Provide appropriate support for any Volunteer or Trustee who reports concerns

• Follow national and local guidance and statutory requirements relating to the safeguarding and protection of children and adults at risk

• Design and operate procedures which, so far as possible, ensure that anyone working with children and adults at risk and who are innocent, are not prejudiced by false allegations

Every complaint or suspicion of abuse from within or outside Here4Horses will be taken seriously and in all proper circumstances will be referred promptly to appropriate external agencies and officers. In the case of serious incidents, a report will be made to the Charity Commission where safeguarding concerns have resulted in or could have resulted in harm including the failure to follow policies and procedures.

Monitoring

This policy and related procedures will be reviewed annually by the Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy and updates will be provided to the Trustee Board and Volunteers. In exceptional circumstances and in the case of an incident occurring, this policy and related procedures will be reviewed by the Trustee Board.

Definitions in this Policy

Child and Children includes everyone under the age of 18 years

Safeguarding of children is defined as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment,

• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development,

• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and

• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Child Protection

Is defined in the Children Act 1989 (s.47) as when a child is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm. Under statutory guidance and legislation action must be taken to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

Child Abuse

Is defined in the Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 statutory guidance as a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused by other children or adults, in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others.

Types of Child Abuse include:

Physical Abuse

Defined as a form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Emotional Abuse

Defined as the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Sexual Abuse

Defined as involving forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child 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.

Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue (also known as peer-on-peer abuse) in education and all staff should be aware of it and of their school or colleges policy and procedures for dealing with it.

Neglect

Defined as the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy, for example, as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to: provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment); protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers); or ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Safeguarding issues that can place children at risk of harm include:

• Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation

• Honour based abuse including Female Genital Mutilation

• Mental Health

• Peer-on-peer abuse (child on child) including:

o Bullying

o Abuse in intimate personal relationships between peers

o Physical abuse

o Sexual violence

o Sexual harassment

o Non-consensual sharing of nude / semi-nude images and/or videos

o Non-consensual sexual activity

o Up-skirting

o Initiation/hazing type violence and rituals

• Serious violence including that linked to county lines.

• Substance misuse

• Children missing from education home or care.

• Children with family members in prison

• Child exploitation through trafficking

• Homelessness

• Private fostering

• Radicalisation

More information on all of the above can be found in Part One of the statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025, which must be read by anyone working directly with children. Anyone not working directly with children must read Annex A of the same statutory guidance.

Adult Safeguarding

Adult at Risk as defined by the Care Act 2014, states that safeguarding duties apply to an adult who is 18 years or over, who:

• has need for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs),

• is experiencing, or at risk of abuse or neglect, and

• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of or the experience of abuse or neglect.

Safeguarding of Adults at Risk

Means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where possible, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.

There are Six Key Principles that underpin adult safeguarding.

Here4Horses is committed to upholding these key principles:

• Empowerment – people being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent

• Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs

• Proportionality – the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented

• Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need

• Partnership – local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse

• Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

Abuse

Is the violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons:

• It may be something that is done to the person

• It may be something not done when it should have been

• It may be unintentional

• But if an adult is harmed, action must be taken to address the situation.

Categories of Abuse

As defined by the Care Act 2014 include:

• Physical abuse

• Emotional / Psychological abuse

• Financial abuse

• Sexual abuse

• Neglect and acts of omission

• Organisational abuse

• Self-neglect

• Discriminatory abuse

Additional Safeguarding issues include:

• Domestic abuse

• Radicalisation

• Modern slavery

• Honour based abuse

Key documents including related policies

External

• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (Department for Education)

• Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children – 2023 (HM Government)

• Arranging Alternative Provision (Department for Education)

• Preventing and Tackling Bullying (Department for Education)

Roles and Responsibilities

The Designated Safeguarding Lead

Here4Horses has appointed a Trustee with the necessary status and authority (Designated Safeguarding Lead) to be responsible for matters relating to child protection and welfare and the safeguarding of adults at risk. The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead will carry out this role when the Designated Safeguarding Lead is unavailable.

Details of the current Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy are given in Appendix 1.

The main responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Lead are:

• to be the first point of contact for parents, children, Volunteers, and Trustees in all matters of child protection and safeguarding of adults at risk.

• to act as a source of support, advice and expertise within Here4horses when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies on all matters regarding safeguarding

• to co-ordinate the child and adult protection procedures for Here4horses and to review and regularly update the procedures and implementation of the procedures, working with the Trustee Board as necessary

• to ensure all Volunteers and Trustees receive up to date training on child protection and safeguarding of adults at risk and to keep records of that training.

• to ensure training opportunities are made available to anyone working directly with children and adults at risk and to monitor the keeping, confidentiality and storage of records in relation to child protection and safeguarding.

• to liaise with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), the local children’s social care services, adult social care and other external agencies as and when appropriate, including the police, the Disclosure and Barring Service, the local Prevent Team and Hate Crime Team

• refer cases of suspected abuse to the relevant authorities including the Channel police lead where concerns are identified in respect of potential signs of radicalisation indicating a child or young person is vulnerable (the “Prevent Duty”)

• support Volunteers who make referrals to the relevant authorities

• refer cases where a person is dismissed from voluntary service, or left due to risk or harm to a child or adult at risk to the Disclosure and Barring Services as required

• refer cases where a crime may have been committed to the Police as required

The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Here4Horses will:

• undertake the roles and responsibilities of this position as set out by keeping children safe in education and ensuring the safeguarding of adults at risk

• liaise with children’s social care and other agencies on behalf of Here4Horses

• keep the Chair of Trustees informed of all actions unless the Chair is the subject of a complaint whereupon the Designated Safeguarding Lead will consult with the Trustee Board.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead will undertake appropriate safeguarding training and will attend refresher training at intervals.

Volunteers and Trustees

Whether working directly with children and adults at risk, or not, Here4Horses expects all Volunteers, and Trustees to be vigilant and alert to the possibility that “it could happen here”.

Anyone working on behalf of Here4Horses, whether paid or not, must following their general legal duties to:

• protect children and adults at risk from abuse,

• be aware of, and follow, Here4Horses’ child protection and adult safeguarding procedures,

• know how to access and implement the procedures independently, if necessary,

• keep a sufficient record of any complaint, conversation or event relating to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and in accordance with this policy, and

• report any matters of concern to the Designated or Deputy Safeguarding Lead, or external authority, promptly without delay.

Visitors on Site

If a visitor alerts a member of the Here4Horses team to a safeguarding concern, the Volunteer, or Trustee must follow this up by making a report to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy.

Training

All Volunteers and Trustees will be provided with induction training that includes:

• child protection and adult safeguarding training (including online safety)

• access to this policy

• the identity of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and their Deputy

Anyone who works directly with children and adults at risk on behalf of Here4horses will be provided with a copy of Part 1 and Annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025.

All other personnel will be provided with a copy of Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025.

Online Safety

Here4Horses will ensure children and adults at risk are prevented from accessing potentially harmful and inappropriate online material. The following risks will be assessed to ensure children and adults at risk are protected from harm:

• Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, for example: pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-Semitism, radicalisation and extremism

• Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users; for example: peer to peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes’

• Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm; for example, making, sending, and receiving explicit images (e.g., consensual, and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography, sharing other explicit images and online bullying; and

• Commerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and or financial scams.

Peer on Peer Abuse (Children)

All Volunteers and Trustees must recognise that children are capable of abusing their peers. It is important that peer on peer harm should be considered as a safeguarding issue.

Any incident of peer-on-peer abuse (see section above “Definitions” for examples) will be treated under this Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and records will be kept and made available to relevant authorities as appropriate.

Here4Horses operates a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, and it will never be passed off as “banter”, “just having a laugh”, “part of growing up”, or “boys being boys” as this can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours and an unsafe environment for children.

Banter and teasing can, and should, be acknowledged and recognised as bullying behaviour and may require proportionate intervention.

It is understood that peer-on-peer abuse may reflect equality issues in terms of those who may be targeted are more likely to have protected characteristics.

Here4Horses is committed to undertaking the following:

• early identification of vulnerability to peer-on-peer harm by reviewing attendance and behaviour.

• securing the immediate safety of those involved in an incident and sourcing support for other young people affected.

• if a disclosure is made, the Volunteer must listen to the child carefully, ensuring boundaries are retained and without asking leading questions, only prompting the child where necessary with open questions.

• those who experience peer on peer abuse will never be given the impression that they are creating a problem by reporting, nor will those who experience abuse ever be made to feel ashamed for making a report.

• the child’s wishes will be taken into consideration in any intervention and any action taken will ensure the safety of the child and others who may be experiencing, or have the potential to experience, the same or similar abuse.

• when incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment occur, reference to Part 5 of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 and Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between children in schools and colleges 2023 should be made in relation to taking protective action. These incidents must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy who will undertake further assessment of what action should be taken proportionate to the factors that have been identified.

• in the event of any incident occurring, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy will liaise with the relevant school, college, or external authority as required to ensure all referrals for statutory assessments can be undertaken in accordance with the Children Act 1989 if required.

• volunteers, or Trustees must not view or forward illegal images of a child. UKCCIS sexting advice (schools and colleges) should be followed particularly where viewing an image is unavoidable.

• if the incident constitutes towards a criminal offence, Here4Horses will liaise with the police.

• risk assessments will be developed for individual children who have been involved in an incident working in partnership with the relevant school or college. Where possible, these reviews should involve the child and parents or carers.

Any child who is accused of perpetrating abuse against another child or adult at risk, may be suspended from attending Here4horses whilst investigations take place, subject to the advice of children’s social care or other relevant authorities. Here4Horses will take action to ensure the safety and welfare of the accused child and will inform parents, or carers, as soon as possible.

Mental Health and Well-being

Here4horses accepts that it has an important role to play in supporting the mental health and well-being of every child and adult at risk. Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child or adult at risk has suffered, or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect of exploitation.

Here4Horses will undertake the following:

• early identification of vulnerability to mental health problems by reviewing attendance, behaviour, attainment, and safeguarding records.

• volunteers, and Trustees will raise their concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy to ensure that any vulnerabilities associated with mental health can be identified and supported appropriately.

• where a learner is displaying acute mental health distress, their immediate health and safety will be managed along with support from emergency services via 999 if necessary.

• Here4Horses will work with families, carers, and professionals to ensure that interventions are in the best interests of the child or adult at risk.

It is important to remember that only appropriately trained professionals should attempt to make a diagnosis of a mental health problem.

Safer Recruitment

Here4Horses will be guided by the requirements of the guidance document, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2024: Part Three in the recruitment of all Volunteers and Trustees.

Whistleblowing

All Volunteers and Trustees are required to report to the Chair of Trustees or to a member of the Trustee Board, with any concern or allegations about Here4Horses practices or the behaviour of colleagues which are likely to put children or adults at risk of abuse or other serious harm.

In the event they are unavailable, concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, or the Deputy in their absence.

Where the person making the report feels unable to raise an issue to a person within Here4Horses, it may be appropriate for them to make a report of concern to an external authority. In this case, the person should be guided by the Whistle-blowing Procedure available in the Volunteer Handbook. Contact details for appropriate external authorities can be found in Appendix 1 of this Policy including the NSPCC Helpline.

There will be no retribution or disciplinary action taken against a Volunteer, or Trustee for making such a report provided that it is done in good faith.

Confidentiality and Sharing Information

Here4Horses will keep all child protection and adult safeguarding records confidential, allowing disclosure only to those who need the information in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk.

Here4Horses will co-operate with police, children’s social care services and other appropriate authorities to ensure that all relevant information is shared for the purposes of child protection and adult safeguarding investigations.

Where possible, consent from the child or adult at risk, their families and/or their carer’s, will be obtained prior to the release of information. However, in some circumstances seeking consent may not be appropriate or safe. Here4Horses has a legal duty to share information where child or adult protection concerns exist. Therefore, in some cases, personal information will be shared with other agencies without consent if this is deemed to be in the best interest of the child or adult at risk and the decision making around this will be clearly documented.

Child and Adult Protection & Safeguarding Procedures

Anyone working with children or adults at risk on behalf of Here4Horses has a duty to report any safeguarding concerns.

Reporting Concerns

If any symptom of abuse is observed (see section above “Definitions”), or a there is a general concern about the safety of a child or adult at risk, it must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or the Deputy immediately.

• Appendix 1 provides contact details for the DSL and this information is displayed at various points around the centre.

• Appendix 2 contains a helpful flowchart for those worried about a child or adult at risk.

• Appendix 3 outlines the reporting process and actions outlined in the document – Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025.

• Appendix 4 – Safeguarding Incident Report Form.

If the person making the report feels they cannot discuss their concerns with the Designated Safeguarding Lead or their Deputy, the person must refer to the Whistle-blowing Procedure and take immediate action.

Where a child or adult at risk is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, it may be appropriate to contact Children’s Social Care, Adult Social Care and/or the Police directly and inform the Designated Safeguarding Lead of their Deputy straight away.

If a child or adult at risk makes a disclosure to a Volunteer, it is important for the Volunteer to listen compassionately, without judgement and to note down relevant details which may be used as future evidence. In no circumstances, should the Volunteer give assurance to the child or adult at risk, of confidentiality or agree to keep secrets. It is essential that the member of staff discusses their concerns with the DSL or other authority depending on the nature of the concern.

In the event that a safeguarding concern is raised about a child and the allegation involves a Volunteer or Trustee, advice will be sought from the LADO as to appropriate actions.

Report Writing

Anyone reporting a safeguarding concern should ensure they have written down notes about their concerns, or about the disclosure that was made by a child or adult at risk. The notes should be signed and dated and handed to the DSL or their Deputy. These may be passed to relevant authorities as necessary (see section above “Confidentiality and Information Sharing” for more information).

Records held in relation to child protection or adult safeguarding incidents and concerns should include:

• a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern

• details of how the concern was followed up and resolved

• a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome.

Allegations against Professionals

Volunteers, and Trustees have a duty to report any concerns or allegations about a colleague’s behaviour that indicate they may pose a risk of harm if they continue to work in regular or close contact with children or adults at risk.

Examples of allegations that may meet the harms threshold include that a professional has:

• behaved in a way that has harmed a child or adult at risk, or may have caused harm

• committed a criminal offence against, or related to, a child or adult at risk

• behaved towards a child, children or adult(s) at risk in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm

• behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children or adults at risk (includes behaviour that may have happened outside of Here4Horses and might make an individual unsuitable to work with children, known as a transferable risk).

All allegations or concerns about colleagues and visitors must be reported directly to the DSL or their Deputy and they will assume the role of “Case Manager”.

Any allegations against a Volunteer or Trustee must be reported to the Chair of the Board.

If appropriate, the DSL or their Deputy will refer the matter to the LADO, and they will advise on any action required.

It may be necessary to invoke the disciplinary procedure and suspend the accused professional, pending further investigations.

Here4Horses will comply with its duty of care to all Volunteers, and Trustees, throughout any investigations or subsequent proceedings including those conducted externally by the police or other authorities.

Malicious or Unsubstantiated Allegations

Disciplinary action may be taken against anyone found to be making malicious or unsubstantiated allegations.

Where an allegation is made by a child, adult at risk, Volunteer or Trustee and it is found to be malicious or unsubstantiated, all records relating to the allegation will be removed from the personnel records and will not be included in references.

If an allegation is found to be malicious or unsubstantiated, Here4Horses may contact the police to determine whether any action may be appropriate.

Reporting to the Disclosure and Barring Service

If Here4Horses ceases to use the services of a Volunteer or Trustee because of a safeguarding incident or concern, and specific criteria are met, a referral will be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service as soon as possible.

Concerns that do not meet the harm threshold

A low-level concern does not mean it is insignificant. It is a concern which causes unease, or a “nagging doubt” that an adult working on behalf of Here4horses may have acted in a way that:

• is inconsistent with Here4Horses Code of Conduct, including conduct outside of volunteering; and

• does not meet the allegations threshold above, or is otherwise not considered serious enough to make a referral to LADO

Examples of such behaviour could include:

• being over friendly with children,

• having favourites,

• taking photographs of children on their mobile phone,

• engaging with a child on a one-to-one basis in a secluded area of behind a closed door, or

• using inappropriate sexualised, intimidating, or offensive language.

Here4Horses encourages all concerns to be raised to the DSL or their Deputy regardless of whether the person making the report considers it to be low-level. All concerns should be recorded in accordance with the Report Writing procedures above.

Appendix 1

Contact Details for Child and Adult Protection

The telephone numbers of the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, LADO, relevant local authority services for children and adults and other useful contact details are provided below.

Here4horses Representatives:

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Wendy L Suddes

Email: wendy@here4horses.org.uk Tel: (07494) 931744

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Paula Kempin – Chair of Trustees

Email: paula@here4horses.org.uk Tel: (07521) 680101

To report a concern regarding a child or adult to the local authority:

Durham: 03000 267 979

Cleveland: 01642 726004 or 130700

Northumberland: 01670 536400

To report a concern out of normal office hours, call the Police.

The following telephone numbers may also be useful:

Police Emergency Tel: 999 / 112

Police Non-Emergency Tel: 101

Childline Tel: 0800 1111

NSPCC Helpline Tel: 0808 800 5000

Appendix 2

Flowchart for Volunteers or Trustees worried about a child or adult at risk:

*Volunteers and Trustees may share information directly with children’s social care, adult social care, or the Police, if they are convinced that there is a risk of immediate serious harm and a direct report is the only way to ensure the safety of the child or adult at risk and the DSL or his/her Deputy, or the Chair of the Board are not available.

Appendix 3

Reporting Concerns taken from Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025

Refer to the full guidance HERE

Actions where there are concerns about a child

For the purposes of this document the word ‘staff’, applies to both staff and volunteers.

1 In cases which also involve a concern on an allegation of abuse against a staff member, see Part Four of this guidance.

2 Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life. Where a child would benefit from co-ordinated early help, an early help inter-agency assessment should be arranged, chapter one of Working Together to Safeguard Children provides detailed guidance on the early process.

3 Referrals should follow the process set out in the local threshold document and local protocol for assessment. Chapter one of Working Together to Safeguard Children.

4 Under the Children Act 1989, local authorities are required to provide services for children in need for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting their welfare. Children in need may be assessed under Section17 of the Children Act 1989. Under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989, where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering of likely to suffer significant harm, it has a duty to make enquiries to decide whether to take action to safeguard or promote the child’s welfare. Full details are in chapter one of Working Together to Safeguard Children.

5 This could include applying for an Emergency Protection Order (EPO).

Appendix 4

Safeguarding Incident Report Form: