African Women Impact UK (referred to in this policy as the "Charity") acknowledges the duty of care proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of its beneficiaries and to take reasonable steps to ensure that its beneficiaries or others that come into contact with the Charity or any person acting on behalf of the Charity or any organisation or activity funded by the Charity do not, as a result, come to harm.  The Charity has particular regard for its beneficiaries who are children or vulnerable adults and is committed to ensuring its safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Charity Commission requirements.

For the purposes of this policy, a child is a person under the age of 18 years, and a vulnerable adult is a person over the age of 18 who by reason of disability, age or illness is or may be unable to take care of unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

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The trustees of the Charity recognise that:

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• The welfare and interests of beneficiaries who are children are paramount in all circumstances, which is reflected in this policy, and that the Charity must act in their best interests at all times and take all reasonable steps to prevent harm to them

• All children regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion, or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.

• There is to be a culture of transparency, openness and, if needed, challenge with regards to maintaining high standards in safeguarding.

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Any concerns about safeguarding should be reported to The Safeguarding team

 

The trustees of the Charity shall take the following steps to protect beneficiaries and other persons who come into contact with the Charity.

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• promote and priorities the safety and wellbeing of children and young people

• ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify and respond to signs of abuse, neglect, and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people.

• ensure that satisfactory background checks are done in respect of any person the charity requires or requests has contact with, or that it places in contact with, its beneficiaries (referred to in this policy as a "Contact Person"), and that every Contact Person is monitored regularly in regard to his/her activities for the Charity.  In particular to ensure that any person who is present or carries out activities at a school on behalf of the Charity are supervised and monitored by either a Charity trustee or a teacher from the school and that their activities are approved by the head of the school.

• ensure that every Contact Person understands the paramount importance of child protection, and his duty to inform the charity immediately if s/he has any particular concerns regarding the safeguarding or welfare of any beneficiary or other person the Contact Person has contact with on behalf of the charity, especially beneficiaries who are children or vulnerable adults.

• ensure appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern.

• ensure that confidential, detailed, and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored.

• ensure that proper and satisfactory due diligence is carried out in respect of any third party organisation which is proposed to be funded by the charity to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances, that such organisation is capable of delivering the proposed activities or services and has in place appropriate systems of control, including adequate safeguarding policies and procedures regarding children and vulnerable adults

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The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in the Charity.  Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the Charity.

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MONITORING

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The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:

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• changes in legislation and/or government guidance

• as a result of any other significant change or event.

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     (Last reviewed May 2023)

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