Safeguarding Policy

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1. Introduction

Horn Trust is committed to safeguarding the welfare of every child, young person, and vulnerable adult who engages with our services. We believe that all individuals, regardless of their background, race, gender, disability, or life experience, have the right to feel safe, respected, and protected from harm. This policy outlines our approach to creating a safe environment, identifying risks, and responding effectively to concerns. It is aligned with the safeguarding procedures and expectations set by Birmingham City Council, the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP), and the Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB).

Safeguarding is a collective responsibility. Every member of Horn Trust, including staff, volunteers, contractors, and trustees, has a duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent abuse and protect those who may be at risk.

2. Purpose of This Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear expectations for safeguarding practice within Horn Trust and to ensure that all staff and volunteers understand their responsibilities. The policy aims to promote the wellbeing of vulnerable individuals, prevent abuse, and outline procedures for reporting and responding to concerns. It provides a structured framework that supports high-quality safeguarding standards across all Horn Trust settings, programmes, and activities.

3. Scope of the Policy

This safeguarding policy applies to all employees, trustees, volunteers, sessional workers, and external partners delivering work on behalf of Horn Trust. It covers every environment in which we operate, including community centres, outreach settings, schools, online platforms, home visits, and external event locations across Birmingham and surrounding areas. It applies to all service users, including children under 18, young people, and vulnerable adults.

4. Key Definitions

For the purpose of this policy, a child is any individual under the age of 18. A vulnerable adult is any person aged 18 or over who, due to age, disability, mental illness, homelessness, substance misuse, or social isolation, may require additional support and may be at heightened risk of harm.

Safeguarding refers to the coordinated efforts to prevent abuse, protect those at risk, and promote welfare. Abuse can take many forms, including physical abuse, emotional or psychological harm, sexual abuse, neglect, domestic abuse, financial exploitation, discriminatory abuse, organisational abuse, and self-neglect.

5. Commitment to Safeguarding in Birmingham

Horn Trust is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all individuals engaging with our services in Birmingham. Our work is shaped by the principles of dignity, respect, empowerment, and accessibility. We actively promote safeguarding as an integral part of our daily operations and ensure full compliance with Birmingham’s local safeguarding frameworks. We work closely with Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Children’s Trust, BSCP, BSAB, local schools, NHS services, community organisations, and the police to create a joined-up approach to safeguarding.

6. Responsibilities

Safeguarding responsibilities are shared across all levels of the organisation. The Board of Trustees holds ultimate accountability for safeguarding practice and for ensuring Horn Trust adheres to both legal requirements and Birmingham City Council procedures.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is responsible for managing all safeguarding concerns, advising and supporting staff, liaising with external agencies, and maintaining accurate and confidential records. A Deputy DSL supports this role and acts on behalf of the DSL when required. All staff and volunteers must familiarise themselves with this policy, complete mandatory safeguarding training, remain vigilant, and report concerns promptly.

7. Safe Recruitment and Training

Horn Trust ensures safe recruitment by conducting thorough interviews, verifying identity documents, checking professional references, and carrying out enhanced DBS checks when legally required. All new staff and volunteers receive safeguarding induction training, which covers identifying signs of abuse, responding to disclosures, and following Birmingham’s reporting procedures. Ongoing refresher training is provided to ensure that staff remain up to date with legislation and local safeguarding expectations.

8. Recognising Abuse and Neglect

Abuse can occur in any setting and may be perpetrated by family members, peers, professionals, or strangers. Staff and volunteers should remain alert to physical indicators such as unexplained injuries, as well as behavioural signs such as withdrawal, fearfulness, sudden changes in mood, self-harm, or signs of neglect including poor hygiene or malnutrition. Homelessness, domestic abuse, coercive control, radicalisation, and financial exploitation may also signal underlying safeguarding concerns. It is important to consider cultural context, community dynamics, and individual circumstances when assessing risk, particularly within Birmingham’s diverse population.

9. Responding to Disclosures

When an individual discloses abuse, staff or volunteers must respond with empathy and calmness. They should listen carefully without judgement, avoid interrupting, and allow the individual to speak freely. It is important to reassure them that they have done the right thing by sharing their concerns. Staff should not promise absolute confidentiality, as information may need to be shared to protect the person. They must avoid asking leading or investigative questions and must report the disclosure immediately to the DSL. A factual, written record must be completed as soon as possible using the individual’s own words.

10. Reporting Safeguarding Concerns in Birmingham

All safeguarding concerns must be reported to the DSL on the same working day. If an individual is in immediate danger, emergency services should be contacted without delay by calling 999.

Children (Under 18)

Concerns involving a child must be referred to the Children’s Advice and Support Service (CASS):

  • Telephone: 0121 303 1888
  • Out of Hours: 0121 675 4806
  • Email: CASS@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk

Vulnerable Adults (18+)

Concerns involving vulnerable adults must be reported to Birmingham City Council Adult Social Care:

  • Telephone: 0121 303 1234
  • Out of Hours: 0121 464 9001
  • Email: CSAdultSocialCare@birmingham.gov.uk

Safeguarding Boards

For advice, consultation, or general safeguarding inquiries:

  • Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP): guidance and thresholds available through the “Right Help, Right Time” framework.
  • Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB): BSABsupportteam@birmingham.gov.uk.

Horn Trust will work in full cooperation with these agencies, sharing information where necessary and appropriate to protect individuals.

11. Information Sharing and Confidentiality

Horn Trust adheres to GDPR and data protection legislation when handling personal information. Safeguarding concerns will only be shared with external agencies when necessary to protect an individual or meet legal obligations. All safeguarding records are stored securely, accessed only by authorised safeguarding staff, and kept separately from other organisational files. While confidentiality is respected, it will not be maintained if doing so places an individual at further risk.

12. Professional Conduct and Boundaries

Staff and volunteers are expected to maintain professional boundaries at all times. They should avoid situations where they are alone in private spaces with service users when possible, and they should not share personal contact details or social media information. All communication must take place through approved organisational channels. Physical contact should be avoided unless necessary for safety, care, or reassurance, and must always be appropriate, proportionate, and recorded where relevant.

13. Online Safety

Horn Trust recognises that online environments can present unique safeguarding risks. Staff must ensure that online interactions take place on secure, authorised platforms and that they do not use personal accounts to contact service users. Private, unsupervised online meetings with children or vulnerable adults are not permitted unless specifically approved by the DSL. Any concerns involving cyberbullying, grooming, exploitation, or inappropriate online behaviour must be reported immediately.

14. Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers

Any allegation of abuse or misconduct involving a member of staff, volunteer, or trustee will be treated with the utmost seriousness. Horn Trust will follow Birmingham City Council’s procedures for managing allegations, including notifying the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where appropriate. Staff or volunteers may be suspended during the investigation to ensure a fair and safe process for all parties. Substantiated allegations will result in disciplinary action.

15. Whistleblowing

Horn Trust encourages individuals to raise concerns about poor practice, unsafe behaviour, or misconduct. Whistleblowers will be protected from retaliation in accordance with the Public Interest Disclosure Act. Concerns may be raised with the DSL, the Deputy DSL, the Board of Trustees, or directly with external agencies if necessary.

16. Partnership Working

Horn Trust works collaboratively with a range of partners across Birmingham, including schools, community organisations, health services, faith groups, Birmingham Children’s Trust, and Adult Social Care. We participate in multi-agency safeguarding meetings when required and share relevant information to ensure individuals receive the appropriate support and protection.

17. Monitoring and Review

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if there are changes in legislation, Birmingham City Council procedures, or local safeguarding arrangements. Safeguarding incidents, referrals, and learning points will be regularly reviewed to improve practice and training.

18. Safeguarding Contacts in Birmingham

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):
Name: [Insert Name]
Email: [Insert Email]
Phone: [Insert Number]

Deputy DSL:
Name: [Insert Name]

Local Contacts:

  • CASS (Children): 0121 303 1888
  • Adult Social Care: 0121 303 1234
  • Out-of-Hours Emergency Duty Teams: 0121 675 4806 (Children) / 0121 464 9001 (Adults)
  • Emergency Services: 999
  • BSAB: BSABsupportteam@birmingham.gov.uk