Safeguarding and Data Protection Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

ANCHOR Inclusion® is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk while protecting the personal information entrusted to us. This policy applies to our early-help support, training, consultation, online activity, staff, associates and commissioned work.

2. Safeguarding Principles

• The welfare and dignity of the child or person at risk are central.
• Concerns are taken seriously and acted on without avoidable delay.
• Information is shared only when necessary, proportionate and lawful.
• Professional boundaries, role competence and the procedures of the relevant setting are respected.
• Training and community calls do not replace statutory safeguarding procedures, supervision or emergency advice.

3. Responsibilities and Reporting

The safeguarding lead is S Asha, Early Help Practitioner. Staff and associates must report concerns through the agreed safeguarding route and cooperate with relevant agencies where required.

For immediate danger, call 999. Report child safeguarding concerns promptly to the appropriate school safeguarding lead, children’s services or social worker. Where the school is the concern, contact children’s services directly. Do not wait for ANCHOR’s permission to make a statutory referral.

Concerns about an adult working with children may also require referral to the local authority designated officer. Website forms and professional-community calls must not be used to submit identifiable safeguarding case information.

4. Working With Schools

Schools retain responsibility for their statutory safeguarding arrangements, designated safeguarding lead procedures and consent processes. Before delivery, ANCHOR Inclusion® and the commissioning setting will clarify roles, referral routes, information-sharing expectations and any safer-working requirements.

5. Training and Professional Community

Case-based learning and monthly calls must use anonymised or fictional information. Participants must not disclose a child’s name, identifiable history or live safeguarding information in an open group. A safeguarding concern should be taken immediately to the participant’s designated safeguarding lead or applicable statutory route.

6. Data Protection

Personal data is processed in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and our Privacy Policy. We apply data minimisation, role-based access, appropriate retention and secure handling. Safeguarding information may be shared without consent where a lawful basis applies and sharing is necessary to protect someone from harm.

7. Confidentiality and Records

Safeguarding records will be factual, relevant, dated and handled separately from general training discussion wherever appropriate. Confidentiality cannot be promised where information indicates a risk of harm, a legal disclosure duty or a court requirement.

8. Review and Contact

This policy will be reviewed as services, statutory guidance and delivery arrangements change.