FELL PONY ADVENTURES

Safeguarding and child protection policy

Aims

Through its various activities Fell Pony Aventures, and the people it engages, have the capacity to be involved with people of all ages and abilities. It is therefore Fell Pony Aventures' duty to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in Fell Pony Aventures activities by ensuring that its policies and procedures promote safe working practices, together with a clear understanding of what to do if abuse is suspected or disclosed. Fell Pony Aventures will examine its practice in relation to children, young people and vulnerable adults and will ensure that appropriate policy and procedures are in place to both meet the requirements of the law and to deliver best practice in its arts activities. Fell Pony Aventures will also review and update its policies and procedures in light of developments in its own practice and in legislation relating to protection issues.

In addition, project organisers have a responsibility to ensure that Fell Pony Aventures employees working with children, young people or vulnerable adults are not placed in situations where abuse might be alleged. Project planning must ensure that the skills of the employee or volunteer match the needs of the situation.

Policy Statement

Fell Pony Aventures believes that:

  1. The welfare of the child, young person or vulnerable adult is paramount

  2. All children, young people and vulnerable adults, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse

  3. All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

  4. Staff (paid and unpaid) should know how to respond appropriately.

Fell Pony Adventures will take every reasonable step to ensure that children, young people, and vulnerable adults on our treks are protected.

If, as a result of Fell Pony Adventures' direct or indirect involvement, a complaint or criminal proceeding occurs between an employee or volunteer and a third party, Fell Pony Adventures will treat the situation with the utmost urgency.

Good Practice

Fell Pony Adventures will ensure good practice in all areas of the following:

When working with groups of young people, Fell Pony Adventures will:

  1. Always ensure that someone from the school /educational establishment, youth organisation or care setting is present and therefore meeting their responsibility for ensuring the safety of those involved.

  2. Monitor risks throughout the project by ensuring that companies and venues carry out risk assessments. Eden Arts will have a presence at least one workshop. Feedback will be sought both from participants and the company involved in any workshop setting.

Physical Contact

Fell Pony Adventures will ensure that contracted employees are aware of the following requirements:

  1. To maintain a safe and appropriate distance from participants

  2. Only touch participants when it is absolutely necessary in relation to the particular arts activity.

  3. Seek agreement of participants prior to any physical contact

  4. Ensure disabled participants are informed of and comfortable with any necessary physical contact

Interpersonal Dealings

Fell Pony Adventures will:

  1. Treat all children, young people, and vulnerable adults equally, and with respect and dignity.

  2. Always put the welfare of each participant first, before achieving goals

  3. Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism.

  4. Make the activity fun and enjoyable.

  5. Promote equality.

  6. Be an excellent role model for dealings with other people.

  7. Recognise that children or young people with disabilities may be even more vulnerable to abuse than other children or young people

Managing Sensitive Information

Fell Pony Adventures will:

  1. Have a policy and set of procedures for taking, using and storing photographs or images of children, young people or vulnerable adults (see Appendix 1)

  2. Ensure careful monitoring and use of web-based materials and activities.

  3. Agree procedures for reporting any suspicions or allegations of abuse (see Appendix 2)

  4. Ensure confidentiality in order to protect the rights of employees, freelancers and volunteers, including safe handling, storage and disposal of any information provided on artists or arts facilitators as part of the recruitment process.

Professional Development

Fell Pony Adventures will:

  1. Keep informed about legislation and policies for protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

  2. Undertake relevant development and training.

Recognising Abuse

A wild camping trek is often a new experience for a vulnerable adult, placing them in unfamiliar surroundings. Fell Pony Adventures will ensure that every attempt is made to create an environment in which a vulnerable person feels comfortable and effective - physically, emotionally and intellectually. Trek leaders will ensure that all employees have been appropriately recruited and have enough training and experience to provide a safe and positive experience.

Fell Pony Adventures staff have a responsibility to report any concerns to the appropriate authority (see 3.5.c above).

Recruiting Safely

Fell Pony Adventures will:

  1. Implement established procedures for effective and safe recruitment of employees. These will include reviewing the employees' experience, training and qualifications in relation to the specific project for which they are being employed (see Appendix 3).

  2. Where appropriate, advertising may be employed. Where this is the case enough time will be allowed to take up references and Disclosure checks.

Working Practices

Health and Safety in the outdoors

Wherever possible Fell Pony Adventures will ensure that:

  1. Trek groups will not be larger than 30.

  2. The appropriate staffing ratio is in place (in youth work practice the ratio of legally responsible adults to children/young people tends to be 1:8 regardless of age. Other guidance suggests 1:10 for older children).

  3. here will be access to a telephone in the building.

  4. We will carry out a risk assessment

  5. There will be a first aid kit on all treks which meets current Health and Safety (First Aid} Regulations, together with a member of staff trained in first aid

  6. Special needs are catered for.

  7. No school group, youth group or group from a care setting will be left without a legally responsible staff member present

  8. Children and young people will have a 'named person' to whom they may report any worries or concerns.

Definitions

Child:

In this policy, 'child' refers to is a legal term, defined as 'anyone up to the age of 18' (extensions exist for children who are disabled and for those in local authority care settings).

Young Person:

In this Policy a 'young person' is in the upper age ranges of the official definition of a child. The term has no legal status - it acknowledges that people aged 16 or 17 may not think of themselves as 'children'.

Vulnerable Adult:

There is no standard definition. Fell Pony Adventures definition is: Vulnerable adults are people who are, or may be, in need of community care services because of mental disability or other disability, age or illness, and who are, or who may be, unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.

Created 10th July 2023



Appendix 1

Suggested procedures for taking, using, and storing images of children, young people or vulnerable adults:

  1. All members of staff working with children must provide a certificate of DBS clearance.

  2. Permission will be sought by Fell Pony Adventures from schools before taking photographs/videos.

  3. If photographs/videos are taken, another member of staff (from the school) will always be present

  4. Permission will also subsequently be obtained from the school before Fell Pony Adventures uses images of children in any form of its literature

Appendix 2

Suggested procedures for reporting suspicions or allegations of abuse:

  1. If, during a trek, a member of staff is made aware of the risk of harm to a child/young person/vulnerable adult (such suspected harm occurring either within or without the trek setting), the member of staff must inform the trek leader before taking any action outside the setting

  2. If it is agreed that a child may be at risk, to discuss the issue with the School's Designated Child Protection Officer child and, if the child makes a disclosure, to explain to the child that it will be necessary to inform the authorities of the disclosure. To subsequently report the risk/disclosure to the police or to Social Services' child protection team

  3. In the event of the Designated Child Protection Officer not wanting to take further action and the

    member of staff still has concerns, he/she is entitled to speak to social services themselves for advice or to make a referral if necessary

  4. Revealing the identity of a child should only be done if the child is at risk of harm. The legal principle that 'the welfare of children is paramount' means that the consideration of confidentiality should not be allowed to override the right of children to be protected from harm. Information will only be divulged on a 'need to know' basis. It must be noted that any misappropriate passing of information to any source may be detrimental to the investigation of suspected abuse and may prejudice any subsequent legal proceedings.