Workfinder's Safeguarding Policy

This policy applies to all staff, contractors, interns, and volunteers. Its purpose is to:

  • Protect children, young people and vulnerable adults who use Workfinder’s services.
  • Provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.

For the purposes of this policy, a child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child). Workfinder believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, and to keep them safe. We are committed to carrying out our work in a way that protects them.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

  • Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
  • Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer for children and young people
  • Adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and guidance to staff and volunteers
  • Developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures
  • Providing effective management for staff and volunteers, through supervision, support, training and assurance measures
  • Recruiting staff safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
  • Recording and storing information professionally and securely, and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice
  • Managing any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
  • Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place

Should work experience hosts visit schools, the school’s own safeguarding policies would take precedence for any visitors.

For businesses hosting young people for work experience through Workfinder, our terms and conditions include a requirement that ensures that the young person ‘is properly supervised and appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks have been carried out’. This does not necessarily require DBS checks to be undertaken by all work experience hosts but they are required where necessary, for example, if there is any likelihood of an adult being alone with a young person.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMING

No member of staff should take photographs or film footage of children or young people without written permission from the adult responsible for them. You can find a template 'Photography and Filming Consent Form' here.

CONTACTS

Designated Safeguarding Officer: Suzie Campbell

Contact details can be provided by Suzie Campbell on request.