Safeguarding policy for children and vulnerable adults

Policy statement

Farmwise Devon has a duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children who are visiting, working at or taking part in any activities run by Farmwise.

All children and vulnerable adults regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, race, faith, culture, language or sexual identity and others who may, for whatever reason be particularly vulnerable have the right to equal protection from abuse or harm. Farmwise will comply with its legal and moral obligations to ensure that all children and vulnerable adults described above are safe through appropriate training and compliance with its Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Policy.

The term ‘working with children’ covers a number of areas. According to the Department of Health guide for organisations working with children, these include:

Caring for, supervising or being in sole charge of children.
Those responsible for care of young people under the age of 18 in the course of their employment.
Positions of influence and control over children which could place them at risk.

The term ‘vulnerable adult’ refers to those individuals who are over the age of 18 and who are or may be in need of community care services by reason of disability, age or illness; and are or may be unable to take care of/ protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 by The Children Act 1989.

All of the above are situations in which people working with Farmwise support organisations, volunteers, helpers or contractors could find themselves in by virtue of their roles at the Devon County Show. Allegations or suspicions of abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to immediately, fairly and appropriately by the Association.

Policy Aim

The aim of the Farmwise Devon Safeguarding Policy is to:

Safeguard and promote the welfare and safety of all children and vulnerable adults whilst at Farmwise Devon events.
Encourage all people working with Farmwise Devon, support organisations, volunteers, helpers or contractors to respond in a positive and caring way to specific child and vulnerable adult protection issues and to safeguard themselves against possible allegations.

Code of conduct

Farmwise Devon events attracts large numbers of children and vulnerable adults and it is essential that all staff conduct themselves in a professional and exemplary manner at all times in order to protect these visitors. They will also protect themselves and Farmwise Devon from any false allegations at the time or at a later date.

All Farmwise Devon staff must report any safeguarding concern or disclosure to the Farmwise Devon organizer or their assistant immediately and in writing (or verbally and then in writing as soon as possible thereafter).

In order to provide a caring, supportive and safe environment:

Treat all children and vulnerable adults fairly particularly those with special needs or disabilities.
Put the welfare of the child or the vulnerable adult first.
When working with children always maintain a safe and appropriate distance from the child and wherever possible never allow yourself to be alone with them. Ask for assistance if required.
As soon as possible, make a written record of any apparent injuries to the child or vulnerable adult or any allegations that they make and act upon them. It is always important to listen to what they have to say.
In the event of any allegations or if you are of the opinion that the child or vulnerable adult has been subjected to any harm contact the Farmwise Devon organiser or assistant Farmwise organiser.
When you’re working directly with unaccompanied children or vulnerable adults obtain assistance from another member of staff who is of the same gender as the child.
Think ’It could happen here’.

Unacceptable actions or conduct by Farmwise Devon Staff

Farmwise Devon staff should not take part in, support or encourage the following actions or conduct:

Working alone/unsupervised with children.
Use their own mobile devices/phones when with children.
Consuming alcohol whilst responsible for children or vulnerable adults.
Providing alcohol to children or allowing its supply.
Smoking in the presence of children.
Humiliating children or reducing a child to tears or abusing a vulnerable adult by use of inappropriate language.
Inappropriate or unnecessary physical contact with a child or vulnerable adult including holding hands.
Participating in, or allowing, contact or physical games with children or vulnerable adults.
Having an intimate or sexual relationship with any child or vulnerable adult developed as a result of being in a ‘position of trust’.
Making sexually explicit comments or sharing sexually explicit material.
Provide assistance (in good faith) by way of any physical act of a personal nature for children or vulnerable adult.
Individual contact with children or vulnerable adults by text, social networking sites i.e. Facebook or on-line at any time. Staff must not accept “friends” request via social networking sites from any children or vulnerable adults they are working or come into contact with.

General Safety Arrangements

Farmwise Devon will ensure through its staff (people working with Farmwise support organisations, volunteers, helpers or contractors) that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure the safety and protection of all children and vulnerable adults entering any Farmwise Devon event. Any child or vulnerable adult that is separated from the person responsible for their care will be supervised by members of staff, steward or Police Officer until the individual is re-united with the responsible adult or alternative arrangements can be made for their longer-term safety. This may involve the assistance of other statutory agencies.

No child or vulnerable adult shall be removed from an event if the person responsible for their care is still at the event. Children under the age of 16 years will not normally be permitted to enter the event unless accompanied by a parent, responsible adult or carer.

The Farmwise Devon organisation will monitor its website and social media feeds to ensure that they contain nothing which could harm a child or vulnerable adult directly or indirectly. Detailed information about vulnerable individuals (name, address, interests, etc) should not be disclosed in posts.

All staff, stewards and contractors will be informed prior to the events of the Safeguarding Policy and their obligations outlined in the policy.

Missing and Found Child and Vulnerable Adults Procedure – Devon County Show

This procedure applies only to the Devon County Show.

Found Child Procedure

Upon finding a child the following procedure should be implemented:

Farmwise stewards should make immediate contact with the event organiser that a child has been found.
A check should be carried out to see if the child is wearing an identifying wrist band – if the child is wearing a wrist band then the number on the reverse of this should be contacted immediately – if no contact is available then continue as below.
The child will be escorted by a steward/security steward/member of staff/Police officer to the Show Office (ideally two persons to accompany)
Staff at the Show Office will then take responsibility for the lost child
Details of the child are to be forwarded to Show Communications Centre who will relay this information to the Security Team
The Show Communication Centre will pass details of the child to all stewards/staff and Police in case they are contacted by a parent/guardian/teacher
When communicating by phone, where possible, contact should always be with the parent/guardian of the child
Parents/guardians/teachers claiming the child should show a form of identification indicating their name and address to the staff at the Show Office before the child is released. In the event of any uncertainty, it will be the responsibility of the Police to determine if the child should be allowed to go with the person who is claiming them
Any child not collected by the end of the Show will be passed to Devon County Council Social Services

Found Vulnerable Adult Procedure

Stewards/security stewards/member of staff/Police should make immediate contact with the Communications Centre in case the carer is there and they can advise that the individual has been found.
A check should be carried out to see if the vulnerable adult is wearing an identification wrist band to see if contact can be made with the carer – if no contact can be made continue as below.
If the vulnerable adult is willing, escort them to the Show Office where they will be made comfortable until contact with their carer can be established.
If the vulnerable adult is not willing to go to the Show Office then if possible stay with them and contact the Show Office to see if contact with the carer can be established.
The Show Office will work with the Communications Centre and the Security HQ and Show stewards involved to endeavour to establish contact with the carer.

When someone is reported missing the receiving person should receive as much information as possible with regards to their description, distinguishing features, clothing and last known location.

Missing Child Procedure

If a missing child report is made to stewards/security stewards/member of staff then they should contact the Communication Centre to ascertain whether the child has been found and is with the Show Office Staff.
If the child is there then parents/guardians/teachers should be directed or escorted directly to the Show Office.
If the child is not there then parents/guardians/teachers should be directed to the Security HQ to record their contact details along with a description of the child.
Details of the missing child should then be forwarded to the Show Communications Centre.
Any Show stewards/security stewards/staff/Police finding the lost child must contact the Communications Centre immediately. The child must then be escorted immediately to the Show Office.
The Communications Centre will arrange for the PA system to be used for communication if required but under no circumstances will this identify the lost child by name.

Missing Vulnerable Adult Procedure

If a missing vulnerable adult report is made to Show stewards/security stewards/staff/Police then this information should be passed to the Communications Centre to ascertain whether the vulnerable adult has been found and is being cared for on the Showground.
If the vulnerable adult’s location is known then the carer should be directed to their location.
If the vulnerable adult is missing then the carer should be directed to the Security HQ to record their contact details along with a description of the missing person.
Details of the missing vulnerable adult should also be forwarded to the Show Communication Centre.
The Communications Centre will arrange for the PA System to be used for communication if required but under no circumstances will this identify the vulnerable person by name.
Any Show stewards/security stewards/staff/Police finding the vulnerable adult should contact the Communications Centre immediately with details of the best collection location for the carer to be reunited with the vulnerable adult.

The above is not an exclusive list of considerations depending on individual circumstances and factors.

General Care Guidelines

Children should not be left in the sole care of one person. Ask for assistance if required.
No food or drink, except plain water should be given to children in case of allergies.
The person claiming the child must provide some form of relevant identification including their name and address.
Vulnerable adults may be collected from other areas of the Showground if they are unwilling or unable to travel to the Show Office.

All Details of Lost or Found Persons should be recorded on the Lost or Found Incident Report Forms available from the Communications Centre.

Lost Children Procedure – Autumn Farmwise Events

1) Lost children should be escorted by zone stewards or organising stewards to the reception area.

2) Once at reception area zone/ organising stewards should stay with the child until repatriated with teacher responsible adult for school group.

3) If the child has a group number the master list timetable should be checked to identify the group location on the time table. If no label ask the child their name, group number and school and try to use these details to locate the group in the master list. If required get the relevant zone steward to sweep their zone and ask the school groups to confirm if they have a missing child.
4) If group cannot be located by other means make a public announcement and ask the teacher/ reasonable adult to advise the nearest zone steward to contact the reception area to advise the location the child needs to be taken to.
5) Two people to accompany child to repatriation location.

Version FWD01 – May 2018.

Additional information on Safeguarding can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education–2