Safeguarding Strategy
Version 2
May 2016
Author / Job Title:
Karenza Morgan, Contracts Compliance Manager
Company Lead
John Yarham, CEO
Review Date:
April 2017
Priority Level:
Whom applicable
to:
Red
All Futures Staff and Subcontractors
Purpose
This Safeguarding Strategy sets out our expectations around our approach to ensuring that all of our
customers supported by staff employed by Futures and by our subcontractors are safe. This document
must be used in conjunction with the Safeguarding Policy which sets out the procedures all staff should
follow in the event of a potential or actual safeguarding incident. It has been developed to set out our
commitment to address the statutory duties as defined by:
For children and young people up to aged 18:
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Working Together 2015
Education Act 2002
Every Child Matters 2004
Children Act 2004
National Service Framework
Legislation that relates to protection and duty of care:
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HSAW Act 1974
Human Rights Act 1998
Sexual Offences Act 2004
Disability Discrimination Act 2005
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (revised 2013)
The Care Act 2014
The ‘Prevent’ Duty 2015 (applies to children, young people and vulnerable adults)
Our Commitment and Intention
Our Safeguarding strategy has been developed through the expectation that Safeguarding is
everyone’s business. Safeguarding is a broad subject and encompasses a range of issues taking
place in society to shape safeguarding policy at a national level. This includes radicalisation, cyber
bullying, forced marriage, and sexual exploitation. Safeguarding means protecting people's health,
wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It's
fundamental to high-quality health and social care and related advice services. From a Future’s
perspective safeguarding relates to customers, our staff and subcontractor staff (including volunteers).
Our customers are young people and adults including vulnerable adults. Safeguarding principles apply to
all customers
Futures is fully committed to making the principles of safeguarding a reality and to ensure it is embedded
into all of our practices. Futures has in place a Safeguarding Policy with a commitment to a whole
company approach to safeguarding. The aim of this policy is to clarify the role of Futures in the
safeguarding and protection of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and to promote their
welfare. The purpose is to bring about better outcomes for children, young people and vulnerable adults
by facilitating open communication channels and clear accountability in inter-agency working
arrangements.
We will ensure that all subcontractors also adhere to the principles of safeguarding as a contractual
requirement. We pride ourselves on setting and implementing ambitious targets that actively promote the
principles of safeguarding. To achieve this we have in place a Safeguarding Impact Plan with SMART
targets for achieving our objectives so that we are in a position to actively demonstrate that staff and
2 customers are safeguarded. Another priority is to ensure we adhere to the principles of the Prevent Duty
around radicalisation to ensure the whole company understand their role in challenging this.
This impact plan will be reviewed every six months. The purpose of the plan is to make safeguarding
happen in practice and to assess the impact of the activities. It will involve ensuring sharing good
practice and linking to CPD champions so that all Divisions and experts are involved in the
implementation
We will strive to achieve this by:
Having a Safeguarding Policy which explains the infrastructure to proactively drive safeguarding
strategy, expectations and processes at all levels within Futures and subcontractor organisations and
the measures in place to assess its impact
Insisting that Futures staff, subcontractors and customers need to understand their roles within and
implications of safeguarding policies and procedures
Having a SMART and challenging Impact Plan with targets for achieving our objectives so that we are in
a position to actively demonstrate our achievements and successes on an annual basis. The Impact
Plan will focus on:
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Having a robust infrastructure is in place which includes designated roles and responsibilities of
the Board, CEO, Directors, managers and staff. This includes safe recruitment and vetting of staff
and volunteers.
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Report on safeguarding to local authority representative
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Ensuring staff and subcontractors understand their responsibilities in line with the Prevent
Statutory Guidance in having ‘due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into
terrorism’.
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Working with HMPs to ensure Future’s staff access appropriate training in prisons around Stay
Safe in Prison and Prevent
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Ensuring we have in place clear and effective arrangements for staff development and training in
respect of the protection and care of customers
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Providing clear guidelines to staff and customers about the safe use of social media and
technology
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Ensuring that monitoring and evaluation is ongoing so that we continue to be complaint with all
legislation and that policies and procedures are adhered to
Futures’ commitment to staff
The Company aim to be an employer of choice, characterised by recruitment, promotion and retention of
our highly talented staff who are committed to the vision of the Company. The Company will treat all staff
fairly and will create a positive working environment to enable all to contribute their best.
The core values which underpin this aim are:
We will ensure this strategy is linked to other relevant policies and plans relating to our services,
employment practices and partnerships.
3 Key elements:
a. To challenge and confront all forms of inappropriate behavior by staff which makes staff feel
‘unsafe’ and can include derogatory language within our Company and in the external bodies
with whom we deal. (See the Grievance Policy and/or Harassment Complaints Procedure;
Malpractice Policy and Procedure; Recruitment and Selection Procedures)
b. To create positive, inclusive environments which are sensitive to the needs of individuals
whatever their orientation. (See the Harassment Complaints Procedure; Malpractice Policy and
Procedure)
c. To ensure all staff are aware of their personal responsibility for safeguarding as part of their job
description. Staff have a responsibility to uphold this strategy and adhere to its principles.
Managers should ensure that staff are aware of the strategy and how it applies to them in their
job. All staff have a responsibility to challenge and report issues relating to safeguarding of
customers and staff including harassment and discrimination and to deal with these in a
consistent manner. Staff should treat people fairly, with dignity and respect.
Implementing this strategy
Refer to the Safeguarding policy which explains how the strategy is implemented and monitored to
assess the impact.
Breaches
Any breaches of this policy by employees will be dealt through the disciplinary procedure and could lead
to dismissal. For our young people/adult customers, the possible withdrawal of service and for
subcontractors, possible termination of contract.
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