+ safeguarding

Introduction

This safeguarding policy outlines our commitment to protecting children we work with. The Digital Childhood Agency prioritises the safety and well-being of children. We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children we work with and will take all necessary steps to protect them from harm.

Key Principles

  • Child-Centred Approach: the welfare of the child is paramount in all our activities.

  • Respect and Dignity: every child is treated with respect and dignity.

  • Confidentiality: we take our commitment to confidentiality seriously but will share information when necessary to protect a child.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Staff Training: all Digital Childhood Agency staff, advisors and consultants whose work for the Digital Childhood Agency includes working with children are trained in safeguarding and child protection procedures.

  • Reporting Concerns: any concerns or complaints must be reported immediately.

Reporting and escalation duties

  • Immediate Reporting: staff or anyone who has a concern about a child's safety must report the concern to the Safeguarding Lead without delay.

  • Safeguarding Lead's Role: Alexandra Evans, the Digital Childhood Agency’s Safeguarding Lead, must escalate the concern to a child mental health professional where she considers it appropriate to do so.

Reporting and escalation procedure

  1. Identify Concern: Staff identifies and reports concern to the Safeguarding Lead.

  2. Review by Safeguarding Lead: the Safeguarding Lead reviews the concern.

  3. Resolution: the Safeguarding Lead makes a determination about the report and takes necessary action to resolve it without escalating to a child mental health professional OR

  4. Escalation: if the report requires additional expert input, the Safeguarding Lead escalates the concern to a child mental health professional for further assessment.

  5. Resolution: the Safeguarding Lead and the child mental health professional work together to make a determination and take necessary action to resolve the matter.

  6. Safeguarding Lead's Concern: if it is the Safeguarding Lead who identifies a concern, she will escalate it directly to the child mental health professional.

Confidentiality and Record-Keeping

  • Confidential Records: all records of concerns and actions taken are kept confidential and securely stored.

  • Access Control: access to these records is restricted to authorised personnel only.

Communication with Parents and Guardians

  • Informed Consent: parents and guardians are informed about our safeguarding policy and procedures.

  • Incident Notification: parents and guardians are notified promptly if a concern involving their child is raised and escalated.

Review and Updates

This policy is reviewed annually to ensure it remains effective and up-to-date with current legislation and best practices.

Contact Information

For any concerns or more information about our safeguarding policy, please contact:

  • Safeguarding Lead: Alexandra Evans

  • Email: contact@childhood.digital

The Digital Childhood Agency is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children we work with and will take all necessary steps to protect them from harm.