ENGINEERING MINDS (the Company) is a company run for the following purpose:
Provides extra-curricular tutoring for primary school children aged between 4 - 12 years.
The Company is based at:
Kemp House
160 City Road
London
EC1V 2NX
Company Number: 11302357
The Company has adopted this safeguarding children policy and expects every adult working or helping at Company to support it and comply with it. Consequently this policy shall apply to all staff, managers, trustees, directors, volunteers, students or anyone working on behalf of Company.
This policy is intended to protect children who receive any service from us, including those who are the children of adults who may receive services from us. Under this policy, the term children shall mean any person who is under eighteen years of age.
The Company believes that no child or young person should experience abuse or harm and is committed to the protection of children and young people. This policy is intended to provide guidance and overarching principles to those who represent us as volunteers or staff, to guide our approach to child protection and safeguarding.
Children can be vulnerable to different forms of abuse and harm. It is important to recognise that abuse and harm of children can cover a wide range of circumstances and behaviours. For example, children can be at risk of:
The causal factors of any such harm and/or abuse can also be wide-ranging. For example, children can be placed at risk by family members or by members of the community.
Safeguarding children from harm and abuse is an essential responsibility for our Company. We are committed to ensuring that any child who comes into contact with our services is properly safeguarded.
Every person under this policy must ensure that they play an active role in ensuring that children are properly safeguarded.
Every person under this policy holds responsibility for:
Any question, report or concern in relation to the safeguarding of children should be
shared with our Safeguarding Officer:
Name: IRINA JARRETT-THORPE
Email: irina@engineeringminds.org.uk
Telephone: 07786344050
All personal information we may process relating to children, shall be processed and stored in accordance with our data protection privacy policy which can be located on our website.
Where a child is at immediate risk of serious harm, any adult present should call 999.
Thereafter, the Safeguarding Officer should be contacted as soon as is reasonably practicable.
Where there is a safeguarding concern but no immediate risk of serious harm, the adult who has heard or witnessed this concern should consult with the Safeguarding Officer as soon as practicable and by no later than the end of that same day.
Where any child makes a disclosure relating to harm or abuse to an adult, it is important to:
Upon receipt of any safeguarding concern, the Safeguarding Officer shall consult with any other relevant persons and will make any appropriate referrals to the relevant authorities, such as the applicable Local Authority Children's Services department.
Where any person has a concern regarding the conduct of an adult connected to the Company, which poses or may pose a safeguarding risk to children such as:
this must be raised in the first instance with the Safeguarding Officer (or where this is not appropriate, a different senior member of the organisation) so that the next appropriate steps may be agreed and actioned. We recognise that there could be circumstances where a person may need to report a matter that has taken place in a setting outside of the person's engagement with the Company.
Usually, any appropriate steps following a safeguarding referral in respect of an individual connected to the Company will include either:
Any person within the Company who has allegations made against them shall be informed properly in a formal meeting of the particulars of the allegations and the relevant next steps which shall be taken. Such a meeting should ordinarily be held by the Safeguarding Officer. On certain occasions, such a meeting may not be convened until this has been approved by any authorities involved (such as the police or the relevant Local Authority).
Any person from within the Company who has allegations made against them shall be treated fairly. All enquires, investigations and decisions taken shall be just and fair, with the safety of any child concerned at the heart of the process.
Any person from within the Company who makes an allegation against another person from within the Company shall be listened to, taken seriously and shall be treated fairly and justly throughout the process of enquiries, investigations and decision making.
DBS checks under the appropriate legislation should be undertaken wherever required. The groups of people we will usually undertake DBS checks in relation to are:
all employees who undertake activities with children, all service volunteers, all administrative staff
Wherever we deem it is necessary and appropriate to remove any individual from a position of work in a activity which is regulated under the relevant legislation, we shall also be obliged to make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Typically, we may arrange the following types of events and/or activities which could involve children:
after-school clubs, school holiday clubs, workshops held in schools, birthday parties.
The Safeguarding Officer shall hold ultimate responsibility for the safety and appropriateness of the event. They may however appoint a delegate for some responsibilities the purpose of a specific event.
Although the Safeguarding Officer and any appointed delegates will hold ultimate responsibility for overseeing the safety for events and activities, all individuals under this policy must also play an active role in ensuring the safety of children at all times.
Appropriate background checking shall be undertaken for any adult engaged by us in connection with an event or activity involving children, wherever this is required by law (see the relevant section above).
For certain types of events or activities, we may issue an additional code of conduct, policy, or some specific other requirements which is specific to that occasion. Any such additional documentation will be made available to all those concerned (staff members, parents, guardians etc.) in advance. They should be read carefully and adhered to.
Any events or activities held by us will typically take place at:
different primary and secondary schools across England, public libraries and community spaces.
We have carried out a health and safety risk assessment of this location in reference to its safety and suitability for children. Where any events or activities are held at any other location we shall also carry out a risk assessment.
The fire safety procedure at this location can be found on our website and on request from the designated Safeguarding Officer.
The accident reporting procedure and all the associated paperwork can be found on Engineering Minds’ website. Any accident or injury concerning a child should be brought to the attention of the nearest first aider and should thereafter be formally reported to the Safeguarding Officer.
We shall always obtain written consent from a parent or guardian for any event which takes place with children in attendance without their responsible parent or guardian present. Consent will be obtained in written format via electronic documents signed by parents prior the events.
Consent forms will include emergency contact details and will set out any specific safety needs/requirements for children.
All consent forms will be kept secure and shall be stored in accordance with our data protection privacy policy.
For most activities and events, our procedure for supervision of children is as follows:
Medication is only administered to pupils when the parental consent form has been completed. The medicine will be administered by one nominated member of staff for each pupil and appropriate records kept. Medicines are only administered during school holiday clubs time when they have been prescribed by a child’s GP or other relevant medical professional.
The Company will not administer non-prescription medicine.
Medicines are kept either in the medical fridge in the school’s staff kitchen or a locked drawer in the school office.
The only exceptions to this are asthma medication and ‘EpiPen’ (following discussion with parents) which may be kept in appropriate locations, out of the reach of other pupils, as appropriate.
The doses administered during the school holidays days are to be kept to the minimum, e. g. a course of antibiotics requiring four doses a day - only one dose (lunchtime) will normally need to be administered by the Company.
We operate only in areas that free of asbestos.
The company will not use hazardous substances.
For members of staff with ‘desk-based jobs’ the Local Authority’s procedure for carrying out workstation self assessments on an annual basis will be followed.
For members of staff provided with portable devices (e.g. laptops, tablets) staff will be issued with the current Royal Borough of Greenwich Council guidance on their use.
All off site trips will be subject to risk assessment.
All items of portable electrical equipment used by the Company are inspected and checked annually.
The staff are made aware during their induction process of the school’s wellbeing provision. All staff will be made aware of the policies covering staff wellbeing.
All the spaces where the Company held classes for children will have fire exits displaying appropriate signage.
Plans showing exit routes are displayed by the door of each space.
The Company’s tutors will be inducted in the Fire Safety procedures where the classes take place.
The Company has carried out a first aid risk assessment to ascertain the required number of first aiders and the location / number of first aid kits.
All our tutors have a Paediatric First Aid certificate.
Each class will be provided with a Portable first aid kits, as well as all our educational visits.
If the risk assessment dictates that it is necessary, a qualified first aider will be present on the trips.
All hoists for disabled pupils are inspected by a competent engineer on a six monthly basis. Lifting equipment is inspected on an annual basis.
Pupils and staff must only lift equipment and furniture within their own individual capability. Manual handling training will be provided for appropriate members of staff including, if necessary, how to lift pupils safely.
Playground equipment and its use is supervised during all breaks during the school holiday clubs.
If the equipment is used during lesson time supervision is again maintained.
A decision is made, recorded and enforced if inclement weather (damp / icy) means that equipment becomes unsafe to use on a particular day.
Appropriate levels of supervision will be maintained in playgrounds as described in the playground risk assessment.
The Company HR procedures for pregnant members of staff will be followed, including carrying out a ‘Pregnancy Risk Assessment’.
The Company maintains a comprehensive set of risk assessments that cover curriculum based activities, school holidays visits and the use of the venues in schools building, libraries and community spaces.
They are all available on the Company’s central server for staff to inspect and refer to as necessary.
The management team will take steps to ensure that appropriate staff are aware of the risk assessments appropriate to their role and will monitor compliance with control measures specified in the risk assessments.
All risk assessments are reviewed on an annual basis (except risk assessments for school trips which should be reviewed each time the trip takes place).
The potential for slips trips and falls during our classes has been risk assessed and appropriate controls have been put in place.
This includes working procedures for avoiding bags and jackets left by children on the floor, drying any spillage on the floors, absorbent floor mats near entrances and regular hazard spotting inspections.
Proactive - the Company’s template for Stress Risk Assessment are used in order to identify how levels of stress (caused by work) amongst staff can be reduced.
Reactive – individuals who are identified to be suffering from excessive levels of stress (caused by work or personal issues) are supported in accordance with the school’s welfare policies and, if necessary, by accessing the Employee Health and Wellbeing Service.
Whenever any adult engaged by us is faced with challenging or inappropriate behaviour from a child or with conflict between children, they must:
Further details regarding our procedures for managing behaviour can be located in our behaviour policy upon request from any staff member.
It is important for all adults engaged by us to recognise that children can face harm from their peers. This can commonly take the form of bullying. Bullying can be defined as any behaviour which is:
Bulling can sometimes be motivated by prejudices based on certain groups, for example gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Bullying can often include:
Any instance of bullying or concern relating to possible bullying between children at any event or activities arranged by us will usually be dealt with by us in the first instance as follows:
All children and any relevant staff shall be spoken to individually to ascertain the facts. Where appropriate, children will receive a first warning and relevant support.
Where any behaviour amounting to bullying continues following this, the following steps will be taken:
The chid who have found to be responsible for persistent behaviour which amounts to bullying of another child shall be banned from attending Engineering Minds' classes.
All steps in relation to the prevention or management of bullying should be taken in consultation with the Safeguarding Officer.
On some occasions, we may take photographs featuring children. We recognise that photography of children carries risks, such as:
In view of these risks, we will:
We ask that any members of the public attending our premises, events or activities do not take photographs.
We have referred within this document to the following other important policies which should be read in conjunction with this policy:
This policy should also be read in conjunction with:
Health and Safety Policy (available on our website) and the Employee
Background Check (available in the staff handbook)
This policy has been drawn up in accordance with all relevant and applicable legislation and guidance available to the Company in the jurisdictions it operates within.
This Policy is approved and robustly endorsed by ENGINEERING MINDS and is due for review EVERY YEAR.
Signed: IRINA JARRETT-THORPE (Safeguarding Officer)
Date: 1st September 2021