Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

The Trust fully recognises its responsibilities for Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults. We believe Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and will always promote a culture where all staff and volunteers play a part in preventing, detecting and reporting risk of harm to children and vulnerable adults.

The Trust recognises the importance of both implementing and promoting a positive Safeguarding culture throughout its practice.

This policy sets out the processes we implement to:

• Protect people from undue harm
• Make sure people can raise safeguarding concerns
• Handle allegations or incidents
• Respond, including reporting to relevant authorities

Safeguarding Statement

‘Safeguarding’ means doing all we can to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults as well as taking measures to protect them from harm. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

All staff, volunteers and trustees have a duty to assist in reducing risk of abuse by complying with the terms of this policy. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust pledges to act on any suspicion or allegation of abuse immediately.

1. Vision and Values

• Everyone has the right to live their life free from violence, fear and abuse, and vulnerable people have the right to be protected from harm and exploitation.
• It is the responsibility of everyone, including all staff, volunteers and Trustees, to play a part in preventing, detecting and reporting risk of harm to vulnerable adults and children. The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust works together with the appropriate agencies to protect vulnerable adults and children.

2. Who is covered by this policy?

2.1 A vulnerable adult (over 18)

• lives in residential accommodation such as a care home, residential special school or sheltered housing and is receiving domiciliary care in their own home (i.e. help with feeding, transport, finances, washing).
• A vulnerable adult is also defined as a person who, for any reason, may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation. This could be a short or long term condition.

2.2 A child is anyone under the age of 18.

3. Legal Framework

This policy is underpinned by the legal principles and statutory guidance listed below:

• Keeping children safe in education 2024, statutory guidance for schools and colleges, 2 September 2024
• Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004 and Children and Social Work Act 2017
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Children and Families Act 2014 and Education Act 2002
• Digital Economy Act 2017
• Adoption and Children Act 2002, Children and Adoption Act 2006 and Children and Young Persons Act 2008
• Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 and Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009
• Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009
• Education Act 2011
• A child is defined by the 1989 and 2004 Children Acts as someone under 18 years old.

4. Useful terms

• DSO: Designated Safeguarding Officer.
• DBS: Disclosure & Barring Service. Has taken over the duties of the former Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). DBS Check: formerly known as a CRB check.
• Police check without DBS – a basic police check, useful for those who might have infrequent contact with children. Only those with regular contact (more than 3 times a month) can get a full Enhanced DBS (with barred list check).
• Regulated activity: the term used to describe the sorts of activity that requires a person to have a DBS check. For more information, see Appendix 8 – Regulated activity.

5. Who is responsible for safeguarding?

‘Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’ to varying degrees but there are a range of people who are responsible for safeguarding within The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

5.1 Trustees

• All trustees should have a safeguarding induction
• It is the responsibility of the trustees to ensure appropriate action is taken when a disclosure or safeguarding incidents occurs. Trustees should support the Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSO) to enable incidents and disclosures to be dealt with promptly and properly. For more information, see Section 5.2 and Appendix 1 – Reporting Flow Chart.
• Trustees must ensure that a review of the effectiveness of the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy is undertaken every three years and ensure that all aspects of the policy are closely followed.
• Trustees must review the policy when activity changes, for example at the start of a project involving young people, or when the organisation changes significantly.
• The Board of Trustees include a trustee responsible for supporting the DSO in safeguarding incidents and is the person who keeps a register of who has received safeguarding inductions and training.
• Trustees should ensure that the DSO receives training to an appropriate standard and that the DSO is chosen for their suitability.

5.2 Designated Safeguarding Officer (DS0)

The Designated Safeguarding Officer(s) will ensure:

• That this policy is up to date
• All staff and volunteers are aware of the procedures, how to follow them and receive appropriate training especially in regard to working online.
• Specific concerns are discussed and appropriate action is taken
• Accurate records relating to individual incidents and disclosures are kept in a secure place
• Policy updates are undertaken every 3 years
• Young volunteers and work experience placements are well planned and safe
• Schools are safe on site
• It is the DSOs responsibility to monitor volunteer and staff roles, ensuring that checks are done in accordance with government advice and regulations.
• That children and vulnerable adults undertake age/ability appropriate tasks

At the current time the Safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is led by Rachael North, Director of Museum and Public Programmes, as Senior DSO.

SBT’s other DSOs are Anne Doughty, Head of HR; and Andy Reeves, Head of Learning Development.

5.3 All other staff and volunteers

• All other staff and volunteers will have access to the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy and procedures.
• It is not the role of staff or volunteers to solve problems by themselves, but they must be able to report problems to another (unless a specific learning difficulty makes this demanding).
• They will have access to ‘Safeguarding Information for Volunteers’ Appendix 4 which will be kept in a safe but accessible space at the site of operations.
• This document provides permanent, fixed term and sessional staff, casual workers, freelancers and volunteers with some basic guidelines which should be easy to follow but will also empower everyone to take action with confidence.
• If needing to report an incident or concern, Staff and volunteers should follow this policy and guidance as summarised in Appendix 1 – Reporting Flow Chart. Should this be impossible for any reason, the ultimate destination for referral is Warwickshire Children and Families Front Door. This is a partnership between Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire Police, National Health Service (NHS) and other key partner agencies working together to safeguard children, young people and adults.
  • Web: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/childrens-social-care
  • Tel: 01926 414144 (call if urgent)
  • Email: [email protected]
• If the matter could result in death or serious injury phone 999.

5.4 Young volunteers and/or children undertaking work experience placements

• Young volunteers and work experience students will understand that they have a part to play in safeguarding themselves. They will receive some information on what to expect and who to talk to (in the event of safeguarding concerns) during their induction.
• Details of volunteer/work experience safeguarding inductions can be found in Appendix 4 - Safeguarding Information for Volunteers.
• This will include information about working online and undertaking social media for the museum safely.

6. Recruitment & Supervision of Staff and Volunteers

• Volunteers and/or staff will be required to undergo a DBS check if they are likely to be undertaking regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults.
• All appointments to permanent and fixed term positions will be subject to satisfactory employer and personal references and to a satisfactory probationary period.
• All casual workers will be subject to satisfactory references.
• All contractors will be subject to satisfactory references.
• All volunteers will be subject to satisfactory reference.
• Any vulnerable adult volunteering with a carer/other support worker will need their carer/other support worker to complete a Support Worker Registration Form, and a specific risk assessment to identify any hazards onsite and if required a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP).
• Successful candidates for those posts where there is regular or potential contact with children or vulnerable adults will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check. At interview applicants will be required to account for any gaps in employment history.
• Each new member of staff or volunteer will have basic safeguarding training during an induction and will have annual updates as well as access to the policy. For more information, see Appendix 6 - Staff and Volunteer Training
• Learning staff, sessional staff and volunteers will receive additional support and further safeguarding training as appropriate.
• All sessional staff working for or on behalf of the trust will receive the Trust’s Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy and undertake to work in accordance with it.
• The individual also plays a part in identifying areas they feel they require training in and may make requests accordingly.
• The Trust recognises the importance of the visibility of a positive Safeguarding culture throughout its operations; this promotes good practice and dissuades potential malefactors.

7. What are the essentials to know?

• You need to be alert to and aware of issues of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
• If you have any concerns, you need to know how and when to report them.
• You need to know how to respond if someone tells you about abuse and who to report it to.

7.1 What is abuse?

Abuse is something that is done to another person that harms them in some way. The list below is fairly comprehensive but does not include all types of abuse. For a comprehensive list of abuse types in relation to vulnerable adults please go to:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance#safeguarding-1

Abuse can include one or more of the following:

• Neglect is the failure to provide suitable care or attention to the point where someone’s health is affected. This includes leaving young children at home unsupervised (when a potentially life threatening incident might occur).
• Physical Abuse includes hitting, pinching, deliberately giving too much medication, or physically restraining someone in an inappropriate way.
• Smacking is illegal in Scotland and is only legal in England and Wales if it’s deemed ‘reasonable punishment’. If it used to humiliate a child in public, it is a safeguarding concern.
• Physical abuse includes Female Genital Mutilation.
• Sexual Abuse includes any sexual act to which the vulnerable adult or child has not consented to, cannot consent to, and/or may not understand. A child under 16 cannot consent to sexual acts.
• Psychological Abuse (mental or emotional cruelty) can happen when someone is isolated, verbally abused or threatened. This includes the new rules around ‘Coercive Control’.
• Financial Abuse includes taking another person’s money or possessions, or exerting pressure in connection with wills, property or financial transactions.
• Discriminating Abuse includes any type of abuse aimed at a vulnerable person because of e.g. their colour, religion, appearance or sexuality.
• Any of the above may arise online, including targeting an individual persistently or with inappropriate or sexualised content. This could include any of the following:
  • cyberbullying
  • grooming
  • sexual abuse
  • child sexual exploitation.

8. Recognising signs of abuse

Some adults and children are more at risk than others.

8.1 Factors which are associated with higher risk for vulnerable adults

• Being dependent on others.
• Having mental health needs and/or learning disabilities or dementia.
• Having family carers who suffer from stress, substance abuse or mental illness.

8.2 Factors which are associated with higher risk for children

• Disabled children.
• Children using social media (susceptible to online message abuse).

Children are more likely to be harmed in their homes and/or by those who look after them. Being alert in all situations will help children.

8.3 What to look out for

Children or adults making a clear allegation. This might be about something that has happened to them which has been upsetting or a passing statement such as ‘I’m at home on my own with my little sister this weekend’.

• Has any injury for which there is no explanation, or for which the explanation changes or is inconsistent.
• Regularly has unexplained injuries or unexplained injuries which may appear to have a reasonable explanation.
• Exhibits significant changes in behaviour, performance or attitude.
• Discloses an experience in which he/she or another young person or vulnerable adult may have been significantly harmed.
• Uses language of a sexual nature, routinely or in a surprising way. This is especially a concern if children are younger, although we must also be aware that grooming teenage children is a concern and should be reported.
• If a child has overly tactile relationships with older people.
• If a child is seen drinking alcohol or using drugs (including ‘legal highs’) – a substance with stimulant or mood-altering properties whose sale or use is not banned by current legislation regarding the misuse of drugs).
• If a child/vulnerable adult undertakes to find sexual images online, or use forums/ blogs not part of their work for the organisation.
• Evidence of online bullying or abusive content on social media.

The ‘gut instinct’ of staff as well as factual content will also be considered. Certain situations may lead you to become alarmed. Staff and volunteers should follow safeguarding procedures if the below happens:

• Children and/or vulnerable adults who are hungry, fainting or seem to be suffering from neglect. Neglect may manifest in poor and unclean clothing, or children/vulnerable adults being unaccompanied.
• Children who are punished very severely should be reported. Smacking in England is legal but only if it is deemed to be ‘reasonable punishment’. Any kind of punishment that is extreme, including swearing, public humiliation or manipulative behaviour should be reported. Repeated smacking or hitting in a public place is unacceptable.
• People accompanying children or young people who seem too familiar or overly tactile. Professionals working with children know that sitting on laps and any prolonged touching is not advisable (certainly with children over 6 years old). If you see this let the school or organisation know, and inform the DSO.
• Significant bruising or unexplained injuries.
• Changes in behaviour that may link to abuse, such as change in mood, temperament and possible physical changes such as incontinence or significant weight change.

The above list is not conclusive and numerous other signs of abuse/circumstances may be considered safeguarding incidents.

The items on this list are offered purely as examples – if you have other concerns which are not mentioned here, you should report them in the same way.

9. What to do in the event of a safeguarding incident or Disclosure

Please refer to Appendix 1 – Flowchart for how to report Safeguarding incidents or concerns; and Appendix 3 – The Trusts Safeguarding Reporting Form.

9.1 Reporting an Incident or Concern

An incident or concern may be about a child visitor, member of the public, a volunteer or member of staff.

• As soon as possible, write down details of what you have witnessed.
• If possible, use the reporting form - Appendix 3 but if this is not to hand, write down in any format and update the form asap.
• Make sure that your information is set out clearly and in detail. Describe the circumstances and note the setting and anyone else who was there at the time.
• It’s not up to you to prove the veracity of any incident. You must not try to investigate yourself. You should however feel free to give context to any concerns.
• After any incidents or disclosures only divulge information to DSO, social services and/or the police. Do not discuss details with others.
• If you are able, and as soon as possible, complete the Safeguarding form, adding as much detail as possible. This can be found via HR or in hard copy at the Trusts operation sites, and is Appendix 3 of this document. Information should be passed onto any DSO as soon as possible.

At the current time SBT’s DSOs are Rachael North, Director of Museum and Public Programmes, (Senior DSO); Anne Doughty, Head of HR; and Andy Reeves, Head of Learning Development.

If the matter could result in death or serious injury, or you have concerns such as abduction or that a child or adult is in immediate peril, phone 999 before any reporting process.

9.2 Managing and reporting a Disclosure

If a child or vulnerable adult seeks to make a disclosure to you, the reporting process is essentially the same but the following guidance in managing the disclosure is important.

• If someone is speaking, let them talk. You may ask open questions and some further questions for factual information. Do not attempt to force children or vulnerable adults to speak and don’t make threats, or promises.
• During a disclosure you will need to remain in a public space but you might want to talk quietly in a place that you can record details of the incident.
• In any situation, stay calm and try not to show shock, listen carefully and be supportive. You might say ‘I think you’re doing the right thing’.
• You must make the discloser aware that you will act upon what you have heard, by reporting ‘upwards’. You must not promise absolute privacy.
• Speak to the person responsible for the child or vulnerable adult, telling them that you will need to record the incident as a safeguarding concern, unless you have concerns that the Disclosure is about or related to them. You may seek support from a DSO when you do this.
• As soon as possible, write down details of what you have witnessed.
• Make sure that your information is set out clearly and in detail. Describe the circumstances and note the setting and anyone else who was there at the time.
• It’s not up to you to prove that the information about abuse or suspected abuse is true. You must not try to investigate yourself.
• After any incidents or disclosures only divulge information to DSO, social services and/or the police. Do not discuss details with others.

9.3 If you have concerns about a member of staff or volunteer

• Complete all steps as above, ensuring that DSO understands the concerns.
• The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust recognises that a member of staff, volunteer or visitor may need to report a serious concern of misconduct about a member of staff, paid or unpaid. In this case, The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is clear that an individual can come forward on a confidential basis, without fear of reprisal or victimisation. See section 18 - Other Policies for the Trust’s ‘Whistleblowing’ Policy.
• If staff or volunteers believe concerns to be serious and in need of immediate attention that cannot be, or has not been, for any reason dealt with by the Trust’s Safeguarding procedures they can make a referral to Warwickshire Children and Families Front Door, contact details below:
  • Web: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/childrens-social-care
  • Tel: 01926 414144
  • Email: [email protected]
• If the matter could result in death or serious injury phone 999.

9.4 What will happen if you report concerns?

• The Designated Safeguarding Officer will discuss the issue with you, and decide on a suitable course of action.
• They should provide you with support if you find your experience stressful. This might be to recommend a helpline or to report back – bearing in mind that this must be done with police and social services permissions.

9.5 Staff and volunteer rights

• If an accusation is made against a member of staff or volunteer, the member of staff or volunteer will be informed of the accusation in writing.
• They will be given an opportunity to respond to accusation(s) in person but will be asked to remain off site during any investigation.
• The accuser will be able to enter the site and use the services of the organisation as normal.
• The organisation acknowledges that this process may be led by police and/or social services and the organisation will comply with all requests or procedures made by those institutions.

9.6 Internal reporting

• The DSOs will keep a record of Safeguarding reports.
• The DSOs will update the Safety, Health, Environmental and Safeguarding (SHES) Steering Group on the number and type of Safeguarding reports on a periodic basis.
• The DSOs will consider whether any Safeguarding report should also be reported to the Charities Commission as a Serious Indent.
• The DSOs will inform the Safeguarding Lead from the Board of Trustees about Safeguarding reports in a timely manner.
• The DSOs will update the Nominations and Remuneration Committee on the number and type of Safeguarding reports on a periodic basis, this will be fed through to the Board of Trustees on a periodic basis.

10. Confidentiality

• It is crucial that staff and volunteers exercise the highest degree of confidentiality, in order to protect the rights of both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator. Breaches of confidentiality can compromise any investigations that may take place.
• Personal details of any safeguarding matter should only be discussed with the appropriate agencies: the DSO, Social Services or the Police.
• Trustees, staff and volunteers should not discuss the case with the public or the media and should relay any enquiries to the DSO.
• Confidentiality is a continuing requirement at all times and is also required when staff and volunteers are ‘off duty’ or no longer working or volunteering for the organisation.
• All safeguarding records will be kept securely.

11. First Aid

• First Aid for serious injury should be administered with urgency.
• In the event of serious injury first aid supersedes safeguarding good practice.
• However, if possible a first aider should be accompanied by the parent or guardian. If this is not possible volunteers should accompany each other and not be left alone with a child or vulnerable adult.
• First aid for minor injuries should be undertaken with parents/carers/teachers or other similar formal guardians present.

12. Promoting Good Practice

The following guidelines will help to reduce situations where abuse of children may occur and protect staff and volunteers by promoting good practice.

12.1 On Site

• Avoid situations when you could be alone with a child or vulnerable adults. Make sure others are nearby.
• Don’t communicate with any children or vulnerable adults linked to your work in a personal capacity, e.g. don’t become ‘friends’ on Facebook, or exchange personal mobile phone numbers. This includes work experience students and young volunteers.
• Don’t go into toilets with children or vulnerable adults. Enable responsible adults and carers to access the toilets as they require.
• Avoid prolonged physical contact with a child or vulnerable adult. Be aware that a brief touch on the shoulder or arm is acceptable, but on any other area of the body touching should be relevant, for example when helping with costume.
• Only hold a lost child’s hand if offered (by the child) and in order to lead them safely to another public space.
• Never leave a group of children under the age of 13 unattended. They may be able to move freely within one room or space but adults should be aware of the whereabouts of the child or group of children.
• Never use any form of physical discipline.
• Do not be overly familiar in your language or behaviour with children or be over-friendly with some at the expense of others.
• Don’t take a child alone with you on foot and never invite a child into your car or any other vehicle. This includes work experience students.
• Give jobs to work experience students or young volunteers that can be done in public, shared or open areas of the centre.
• Try accepting students in pairs so they can support each other during the placement.
• Work experience students and young volunteers may on occasion have access to small spaces that are shared by a range of different adults. Doors should be kept open so that these spaces are not private.
• Always listen to and respect children and/or vulnerable adults in your charge and act upon any concerns or allegations of abuse.
• All volunteers/staff will provide an emergency contact.
• Do not invite children to join WhatsApp chats.
• Consider the risks of inviting a vulnerable adult to WhatsApp group. This will mean a range of people have their contacts. This should be made very clear during their induction.

12.2 Digital: Best Practice when children and/or vulnerable adults are working online

• Children should be 13+ when undertaking social media
• Children should be 16+ when taking part in videoconferencing calls.
• Do not attempt to find out personal information about vulnerable adults or young people by searching for them on social media platforms.
• Monitoring - Stay alert to online and social media activity undertaken by young volunteers, vulnerable adults or work experience students on behalf of your organisation. If you find, during routine checks of the organisation activity, conversation threads of content that concerns you, act promptly as a safeguarding matter. For example, you will need to inform the DSO (and complete the reporting form) if students are developing relationships, giving personal information or contacting staff or volunteers inappropriately.
• Be alert to vulnerable adults interacting with those who request money, support or other kinds of services (such as lifts in a car or meetings). Speak to the vulnerable adult initially but if concerns persist contact an emergency contact, or care home/carer.
• If problems arise always speak to the parent, carer, guardian or school unless you judge that this person is the source of the problem. If a placement has been arranged via school, they may be your first contact but for serious concerns you should also contact parents.
• If you believe a child to be in immediate danger contact the police as an emergency on 999. For example, if a child has arranged to meet someone via an online chat and this is happening imminently.
• Remaining ‘public’ diminishes these problems. This means that a work experience student might post pictures of the galleries on your public Facebook page using your identifier (also called a ‘handle’ see ‘Useful Definitions’ for more information) but should never be asked to send a private message to a visitor.
• This also means that when communicating with vulnerable adults or children 16+ remotely, video or phone calls Including ‘Zoom’ calls should be done via parents or carers and in shared spaces with parents/carers present.
• Children and/or vulnerable adults should always be given access to the social media login information and accounts that enable them to remain anonymous.
• Work experience students should not be required to ‘post’ or upload pictures of themselves during a placement, and should never share personal information. If required, ask work experience students to complete a photography consent form if they wish to produce an article in the internal staff and volunteer newsletter.
• Work experience students should wait until their placement is over before posting about it in a capacity that might become ‘public’. This might include their own social media accounts.
• These guidelines protect the children and vulnerable people in your care but also protect you. Situations can be misinterpreted and young people can also make false allegations.
• Regularly check search histories, be aware of social media content and ensure that private information is password protected on shared drives.
• Zoom calls should be undertaken in a professional manner. All those participating should wear suitable clothing and should use professional and respectful language. Standards of dress should be the same as for any in-person meeting.
• If joining online from home or another environment, backgrounds should be free from any displayed material that might be considered offensive or inappropriate - background blur functions should be used wherever possible.
• Surroundings should be kept free from intrusion- both audio and visual - from others.
• Participants in online sessions should not have multiple applications open, or carry on simultaneous conversations even with muted cameras or microphones - this can lead to unintentional bad practice.
• Staff, volunteers and partners connecting to online platforms in pursuit of Trust business should not display personal address or identification methods virtually, beyond name and job title. Host of virtual meeting to be on an SBT account and device. Any recording will be flagged by host prior to recording commencing.

12.3 Online Age recommendations

It’s worth noting that a range of practical and safeguarding issues need to be considered when both engaging young people using the below platforms. There are also considerations when arranging work experience placements. Please ensure young people are the correct age for their tasks.

Source: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/blog/age-restrictions-social-media

12.4 Further Online Safety: Working online and/or remotely

We understand that we need to manage online working carefully and stay alert to a range of types of abuse that are specific to working online.

• Online abuse can have long-lasting effects on children and young people. It can lead to:
  • anxiety
  • self-harm
  • eating disorders
  • suicidal thoughts.
• Some of the effects of online abuse are similar to other abuse types and might include using online platforms or means of communication to abuse ‘in person’.
• Young volunteers/vulnerable adults will be given access to organisational accounts to enable them to engage in social media on behalf of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. This ensures that their identity is protected.
• At least once a week (or if there is a specific concern) browsing history, social media content and content of blogs or other similar work online will be checked. Schools and other partner organisations may help with this.
• For more support on how to provide the appropriate logins and share accounts, advice is available from the ‘help’ facility of the different companies (such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram).

Remote working might be a consideration, depending on the nature of the role, with specific concerns such as:

• Take care when communicating with those remote working. Ensure you maintain professional standards and boundaries. Use office or shared spaces to make calls and undertake any kind of communication.
• Offering remote volunteering opportunities may help more people to work and engage with cultural organisations. Volunteers will receive a briefing specifically about volunteering online/remotely including expectations about whether they will come onsite or need to let us know in advance. The following advice will be given to those performing tasks online:
  • Keep your passwords to yourself.
  • Ensure up to date security protections are in place on devices.
  • If meeting with organisation staff or trustees in a meeting from home always dress sensibly and cover all parts of your body properly. It is expected that you will maintain professional standards even when volunteering remotely.
  • Be cautious when using public WIFI – it can be nice to work in a café or similar public space but remember it isn’t always secure.
  • Look out for fraudulent emails or online posts – if someone wants you to open a document or press a link, make sure you know them.
  • Be careful using public computers – it might be ok to use a library computer to do research but it could pose a risk if logins are used for social media platforms (as logins can be stored by computers).
  • Safe use of removable devices- removable devices are not permitted for use on any SBT equipment.
  • Use a VPN – a virtual private network can be useful
  • Install any updates – this is something we can all do. Make sure you know the software you’re updating though. Always do the automatic updates recommended when turning your computer on and off.
  • Do not add pictures of yourself to posts or via messages that could be misinterpreted or used by others.
  • Always meet with organisational staff, volunteers or professionals in shared spaces at home. A kitchen or similar, and parents/carers should be present.

13. Children at events and on sites

Please refer to Appendix 7 for the Lost child and vulnerable adult procedure

13.1 Unaccompanied children visiting the site

• Children aged 13-18 may be admitted unsupervised at the discretion of the staff and volunteers. If in doubt seek guidance from the DSO. Children under 16 are safer in groups.

13.2 A child or vulnerable adult reporting that they are lost

• If a child gets parted from their responsible adult, they can become very distressed. The member of staff should reassure the child or vulnerable adult and contact the Duty Officer or Duty Manager/Head of Department with the following details:
  • Name of child/vulnerable adult
  • Age of child/vulnerable adult
  • Address/name of school (if applicable)
  • Physical description of child/vulnerable adult (height, colour of hair, clothing etc.)
  • Where the child/vulnerable adult was found
• Contact reception in case the accompanying adult reports there.
• Ask the child for a simple description of the person accompanying them.
• Make sure that you remain in public and open spaces when with the child.
• Organise staff/volunteers to sweep the site for the missing adult. Wait with the child in a public space until the responsible adult is found/returns.

Contact the local police (using 101) if the responsible adults do not reappear after 15 minutes.

13.3 An adult reporting that they have lost a child or vulnerable adult

• Gather the following information quickly and calmly if a child or vulnerable adult is reported lost or missing:
  • Name of child
  • Age of child
  • Physical description of child (height, colour of hair, clothing etc)
  • Where child was last seen
  • The time the child was last seen.
• Report this immediately to all volunteers and staff on site, keeping in mind radio etiquette/protocols. Involve all staff and volunteers in searching for the child. Remain with the adults searching for the child and keep them as calm as possible.
• If the child isn’t found after 15 minutes ring the police (999) as an emergency.

14. Work experience and young volunteers

• The DSO will oversee the timetables of students including those undertaking work experience, qualifications or awards, such as DofE Award. The DSO will also oversee staff and volunteers working with students.
• Children aged 16-18 may work with staff and volunteers, but staff and volunteers must follow this policy closely.
• No DBS check is needed for working with students over 16- but best practice might suggest that the 16-18 age group should be thus covered. Students will need a ‘named contact’ who will be the DSO or another suitable person chosen by the trustees.
• Work experience students 14-16 may be unaccompanied but staff and volunteers should be especially alert. The DSO should ensure that an ‘open door’ policy is understood and operated. Students should be given a suitable induction. See Appendix 5 - Young Volunteer/Work Experience/Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Induction

15. Children in organised groups/schools

Wherever practically possible, the Trust will work within the child:adult best practice ratios as recommended by Ofsted. The Trust will have the right to turn away groups that do not have suitable adult to child ratios. On occasion children will need to have 1:1 support. This will be applicable if it is ‘normal practice’ for the child in question.

School groups will be required to maintain control and know the whereabouts of their students at all times.

NB. children in organised groups are not distinct from the rest of this policy.

Safeguarding is a matter for everyone and any concerns or disclosures relating to organised groups should be dealt with in full accordance with the policy.

16. Photography and Filming

• Parental, guardian or school permission will be sought for all photographs and films of children.
• Visitors are not permitted to photograph or film children who are unknown to them, and staff or volunteers should intervene if they see (or suspect) this is happening.
• Trust staff will ask visitors to delete photos and/or film of children (as appropriate).

17. Bullying

• ‘Bullying is a pervasive type of aggression, which often occurs in schools and workplaces. As with other types of aggression, the harm that is inflicted – whether physical, emotional or both – is intentional. However, bullying has defining features which set it apart from other aggressive behaviours, in that it is repeated, and that the bully or bullies have greater access to power than their victim(s).’ (NSPCC)
• The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust will not tolerate any forms of racist, sexist or homophobic abuse from any groups or individuals representing the Trust. Any incidents of racist, sexist or homophobic abuse will be reported in written form, and this information will then be passed on to the DSO.