Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. We put the welfare of the child or adult first in every decision. We recognise that neurodivergent children and adults, and those with special educational needs and disabilities, can be more vulnerable to abuse and may find it harder to tell someone.

This policy covers all our services: assessments in clinic, at school and online; coaching; workshops; Find Your Game sessions; corporate and education work; and contact through our website and portal. It applies to all staff, associates, contractors and volunteers.

• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education, where we work in schools
• Care Act 2014, for adults at risk
• SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years
• Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures
• Data Protection Act 2018, which allows information sharing to keep people safe

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Rhiann Marchant, rhiann@sensationalminds.co.uk. Receives concerns, decides on referrals, keeps safeguarding records and makes sure staff are trained.
• If Rhiann is unavailable, staff contact the local authority directly using the numbers above. They must never wait.
• All staff must know this policy, spot signs of harm, and report any concern to the DSL the same day.

Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual or neglect. We also stay alert to:

• Online abuse, grooming and exploitation, including criminal exploitation and county lines
• Bullying and child-on-child abuse
• Domestic abuse in the home
• Self-harm, suicidal thoughts and serious mental health concerns
• Radicalisation, under the Prevent duty
• Female genital mutilation and forced marriage
• Behaviour that may be put down to a child's neurodivergence when it could be a sign of harm

If a child or adult tells you something worrying:

• Stay calm, listen and let them talk in their own way. Allow extra time and use their preferred way of communicating.
• Do not ask leading questions or investigate.
• Never promise to keep a secret. Explain that you may need to tell someone who can help.
• Reassure them they were right to tell you.
• Write down what was said, in their words, with the date, time and your signature, as soon as possible.
• Tell the DSL the same day, or immediately if there is risk of harm.

Concerns can also come up in intake and pre-assessment forms. When a form mentions self-harm, abuse or risk, the member of staff reviewing it must flag it to the DSL straight away.

The DSL decides the next step: monitoring, speaking with the family, or referring to children's or adult social care or the police. We usually discuss a referral with the family first, unless that would put the person at greater risk. A referral must be made within 24 hours of the concern, or immediately if there is risk of significant harm.

• Online assessments with a child always have a parent or carer present.
• We use secure video platforms and never record sessions without written consent.
• Staff join from a private, quiet space with a neutral background.
• Staff only contact clients through work accounts, never personal phones or social media.

Any concern about the behaviour of someone who works for us must be reported to the DSL. If it concerns the DSL, report it directly to the Essex Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on 03330 139 797. We will refer to the LADO within one working day and cooperate fully.

• Everyone working with children or adults at risk has an enhanced DBS check with barred list check, renewed every three years or kept current through the DBS Update Service.
• We check identity, qualifications, professional registration and two references before anyone starts.
• All staff complete safeguarding training when they join and refresh it every year. The DSL completes Level 3 training every two years.

Safeguarding records are kept separately from general notes, stored securely and only seen by the DSL and those who need to. We share information with other agencies when it is needed to keep someone safe; data protection law never stops us doing this. Retention periods are in our Data Retention and Storage Policy.

We review this policy every year, and after any serious incident. A short summary is in our Safeguarding Statement.