SAFEGUARDING POLICY – THE SOUNDHOUSE ORGANISATION

Commitment to Safety

1. The Soundhouse Organisation (the 'Organisation') works actively to prevent harm and promote the welfare of all children and adults at risk that we interact with (i.e. as The Soundhouse Organisation's service users). This Safeguarding Policy applies to individuals referred to as 'Beneficiaries'.

2. The Organisation is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all the Beneficiaries, free from discrimination based on age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic.

3. This Safeguarding Policy adheres to the latest safeguarding laws of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, including relevant government guidance. If there is any conflict between this Policy and these laws, The Soundhouse Organisation will always prioritise upholding the legal requirements.

4. The Soundhouse Organisation has implemented this Safeguarding Policy in fulfilment of its obligations as a charity regulated by the Scottish Charity Regulator (The Soundhouse Organisation is registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator with charity number SC044521).

5. For questions about this policy, please contact Jane-Ann Purdy in the first instance, via e-mail jane-ann[@]soundhouse.org.uk.

Safeguarding Policy Scope

6. This Policy applies to everyone working for or representing The Soundhouse Organisation in the UK, regardless of position, employment type (full-time, part-time, temporary), or affiliation (direct employee, contractor, volunteer, intern; collectively ‘Team Members’).

7. This Policy is separate from employment contracts. To ensure its effectiveness, The Soundhouse Organisation may revise the Policy at any time. We will communicate any changes transparently.

8. This Policy outlines The Soundhouse Organisation's approach to harm prevention for its Beneficiaries through Team Members’ conduct and practices.

9. This Safeguarding Policy applies to the organisation and operation of all The Soundhouse Organisation activities that involve children and adults at risk (i.e. Relevant Activities). These primarily include:

a. Workshops

10. If workshops are offered in collaboration with a third party then The Soundhouse Organisation will defer to the third party’s Safeguarding Policy, and ensure that that policy is in place.

Safeguarding Definition

11. The term 'Safeguarding' refers to practices and procedures designed to protect vulnerable individuals from harm or potential harm. It also promotes their overall well-being. Safeguarding is particularly crucial for children and adults at risk, with most legal obligations related to their care. This Policy specifically addresses:

a. Children, who are individuals under 18 years old (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) or under 16 years old (in Scotland).

b. Adults at risk, who are individuals 18 years old or over (in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) or 16 years old or over (in Scotland) who require care and support, and due to this, are unable to protect themselves from harm (e.g. illness, disability). This can be temporary or permanent.

12. This Safeguarding Policy outlines The Soundhouse Organisation's commitment to protecting its beneficiaries from harm caused by:

a. The Soundhouse Organisation activities, practices, and the potential for harm arising from the conduct of its Team Members, or

b. People and situations beyond (The Soundhouse Organisation) and its Staff Members' control. This includes instances where Team Members are aware of, ought to be aware of, or reasonably suspect a situation that poses a safeguarding risk.

13. This policy defines a 'Safeguarding Concern' as any conduct or situation that a Staff Member or someone else suspects might violate the safeguarding commitments above.

How The Soundhouse Organisation Protects Its Beneficiaries: Key Safeguarding Measures

14. Prioritising child safety by following the local Child Protection Committee by offering valuable leadership and guidance to ensure children's well-being.

15. Prioritising safeguarding adults by applying leadership and guidance provided by local Adult Protection Committees.

16. All Team Members will receive training on identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns. Also, The Soundhouse Organisation encourages them to report any Safeguarding Concerns they identify (set out below under the heading 'Procedures: Reporting').

17. We create a safe, accessible, fair, and efficient space for all Team Members to raise safeguarding concerns (colleagues, beneficiaries, or anyone else involved). We expect all Team Members to listen attentively and professionally. Training will equip Team Members to support those raising concerns and guide them through The Soundhouse Organisation's established reporting procedures. All reported concerns will be handled by designated individuals and teams following The Soundhouse Organisation's relevant procedures (detailed below under 'Procedures: Investigation and Response').

a. The Soundhouse Organisation has fair and objective procedures to address all safeguarding concerns, even when they involve Team Members. Allegations are taken seriously, with the severity of the claims considered throughout the process. We are committed to protecting all parties involved. This means we will only presume guilt or publicly criticise people once a thorough investigation is completed.

b. Reports that qualify as protected disclosures under whistleblowing law will be handled with the utmost confidentiality and following all relevant whistleblowing policies law.

18. Jane-Ann Purdy is designated as the lead for safeguarding policies and procedures within The Soundhouse Organisation.

19. Following appropriate recruitment processes for all new team members, including volunteers. These processes include:

a. All new Team Members must take part in, and understand the content of, all necessary safeguarding training before having any contact with The Soundhouse Organisation's Beneficiaries. This training equips them with the knowledge and skills to keep everyone safe.

20. Every team member should be provided with, and required to undertake, training that is appropriate to their role, responsibilities, and degree and type of contact with Beneficiaries. This should, if appropriate, include training on:

a. Identify and respond to abuse by recognising signs of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

b. Learn active listening skills and how to navigate disclosure of safeguarding concerns, including confidentiality.

c. Follow reporting procedures by understanding when and how to report concerns using The Soundhouse Organisation's established procedures.

d. Stay informed by discovering additional resources like policies, documents, and external training to stay up-to-date on safeguarding best practices.

21. Treating all safeguarding information with the utmost confidentiality and security. This involves:

a. Complying with UK data protection legislation, including The UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

b. Following The Soundhouse Organisation's data protection policies and procedures.

c. Providing Team Members with training on data protection and privacy, if appropriate.

d. Making easy to access Jane-Ann Purdy, who can be contacted by emailing jane- ann[@]soundhouse.org.uk for Team Members as an identifiable point of contact for questions or concerns about data protection and privacy.

e. Sharing safeguarding information internally ONLY on a strict need-to-know basis to ensure the best possible care for the beneficiary involved.

22. Building a safe environment by creating a culture of transparency and awareness to prevent harm. For example:

a. Encourage open communication by informing beneficiaries about The Soundhouse Organisation's safeguarding procedures and how to report any concerns.

b. Acknowledge by the Team Members of safeguarding laws, The Soundhouse Organisation's safeguarding commitments and procedures, and Team Members’ responsibilities concerning these.

23. Regularly reviewing all safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that they are up-to-date with safeguarding law and that they remain suitable for The Soundhouse Organisation's Relevant Activities and workforce, and meeting any review and evaluation requirements specific to The Soundhouse Organisation's industry and organisation type

Team Members Responsibilities

24. All team members are responsible for promoting the safety and well-being of all of The Soundhouse Organisation's Beneficiaries by following all of The Soundhouse Organisation's policies and procedures relevant to safeguarding and all UK laws relevant to safeguarding. Specifically:

a. All Team Members at The Soundhouse Organisation play a role in keeping Beneficiaries safe and every role will be covered in detail during training. In case of doubt, it is important to contact Jane-Ann Purdy to clarify any aspect of roles and responsibilities.

b. Encourage all Team Members to actively participate and ask questions if anything is unclear to Jane-Ann Purdy.

c. Do not risk the safety or well-being of any of The Soundhouse Organisation's Beneficiaries by avoiding any of the next situations:

i. Subjecting them to or facilitating abuse of any sort.

ii. Engaging in any sexual activity with children (i.e. anybody under the age of 18).

iii. Participating in or facilitating any activities that may commercially exploit Beneficiaries. For example, failing to report suspected child labour or trafficking.

d. Team Members must report all Safeguarding Concerns that they have regarding Beneficiaries' safety, regardless of whether the concerns relate to potential wrongdoing of other Team Members, other Beneficiaries, or external parties (e.g. parents, teachers, other organisations, or members of the public).

Procedures: Reporting

25. To ensure the safety of The Soundhouse Organisation Beneficiaries, Team Members will be trained to recognise potential safeguarding concerns like abuse, neglect, and threats to well-being.

26. Team Members who identify a safeguarding concern should report it following the next steps:

a. Contact management or the board of trustees (see below)

27. Team Members unable to follow the standard reporting steps should still report the concern in another alternative way. This may be the case if, for example:

a. Contacting someone potentially involved in the concern, or someone the Team Member feels uncomfortable approaching, or

b. In emergencies involving a risk of serious harm, contact emergency services (e.g. police, ambulance, mental health crisis line) directly, or, if appropriate, report the concern to a senior member of The Soundhouse Organisation's team

Procedures: Investigation and Response

28. All Reported Safeguarding Concerns at The Soundhouse Organisation are treated seriously and addressed promptly by trained personnel following the established procedures and relevant laws. For more details about these procedures, please contact Jane- Ann Purdy.

29. We aim to keep Team Members who report a Safeguarding Concern informed about its progress as much as possible, depending on the nature of the concern and the confidentiality of the investigations.

30. In case of breach of this Safeguarding Policy or safeguarding law in general by a Team Member, they will be treated fairly and will only be dismissed if appropriate in the circumstances and in accordance with employment law.

31. External referrals or notifications (e.g. to police services, local authorities, or regulatory bodies) will only be made when deemed necessary and strictly following applicable laws, including data protection regulations, to ensure the safety and well-being of Beneficiaries.

Supporting Documents and Other Protections

32. While this Safeguarding Policy outlines key procedures, The Soundhouse Organisation has additional policies to safeguard Beneficiaries, Team Members, and others. These include:

a. Code of Practice

33. Contact the person within the Organisation responsible for HR matters or Team Members' line managers to obtain this policy, along with related procedures and documents.