Safeguarding Policy

1. Introduction

The Cookery Cabin is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all class leaders, contractors, and volunteers to share this commitment as safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

This policy reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance, and best practice in safeguarding.

2. Purpose

The Cookery Cabin will:

Protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults who access our services from harm, including children of adult participants
Provide clear guidance to class leaders, contractors, and volunteers on their safeguarding responsibilities
Ensure all concerns are identified, reported, and acted upon appropriately

3. Definitions

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

Adult at Risk/Vulnerable Adults are defined as an adult who has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs), is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

Child and Adult Abuse: Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives. There are four main categories of abuse: sexual, physical, emotional abuse and neglect. It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

Bullying and Cyberbullying

Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Criminal Exploitation

Child Trafficking

Domestic Abuse

Female Genital Mutilation

Grooming

Historical Abuse

Online Abuse

Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 as:

Providing early help and support when problems emerge
Protecting children from maltreatment (including online harm)
Preventing impairment of mental and physical health or development
Ensuring children grow up in safe and effective care
Promoting positive outcomes for all children

4. Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.

The Cookery Cabin should have in place arrangements that reflect the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as vulnerable adults.

5. The Prevent Duty

Some organisations in England, Scotland and Wales have a duty, as a specified authority under section 26 of the Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015, to identify vulnerable children, young people and vulnerable adults and prevent them from being drawn into terrorism. This is known as the Prevent duty. These organisations include:

Schools

Registered childcare providers

Local authorities

Police

Prisons and probation services

NHS trusts and foundations.

Other organisations may also have Prevent duties if they perform delegated local authority functions.

Children, young people, and vulnerable adults may be exposed to a range of views online or in person, some of which may be harmful or concerning.

Radicalisation is the process through which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. It can result in a person becoming drawn into terrorism and is in itself a form of harm.

Extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred, or intolerance, which may undermine fundamental British values.

6. Training and Awareness

The Cookery Cabin will ensure an appropriate level of safeguarding training is available to its class leaders, volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation where required (e.g. contractors).

For all employees who are working or volunteering with children, young people or vulnerable adults, this requires them as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to:

Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children young people or vulnerable adults.

Recognise a child, young person or vulnerable adult potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.

Understand how to respond to and report safeguarding concerns appropriately
Understand dignity and respect when working with children, young people or vulnerable adults.

Have knowledge of the Children’s & Adult’s Safeguarding Policy.

7. Reporting

All safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). If a child or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger, the police (999) must be contacted without delay.

8. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

The Cookery Cabin expects all class leaders, volunteers, and any relevant persons associated with the organisation (e.g. contractors) to maintain confidentiality at all times. Information will only be shared in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Confidentiality must never prevent safeguarding action. Where there is a concern that a child, young person, or vulnerable adult is at risk of harm, information must be shared appropriately with safeguarding authorities in line with legal and statutory guidance.

If a child, young person, or vulnerable adult is at immediate risk of harm, or a crime has been committed, the police (999) must be contacted without delay. In all other safeguarding concerns, the Local Authority Safeguarding Team must be contacted as soon as possible.

9. Recording and Record Keeping

A written record must be kept about any concern regarding a child, young person or vulnerable adult with safeguarding needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made and why they were made.

Records should be made as soon as possible after the concern is identified. Records must be factual, clear, and free from opinion. All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Our Privacy Policy can be found here.

10. Safe Recruitment & Selection

The Cookery Cabin is committed to safe recruitment practices to ensure that only suitable individuals are employed or engaged.

11. Social Media

All employees and volunteers should be aware of The Cookery Cabin social media policy and procedures and the code of conduct for behaviour towards the children, young people and vulnerable adults we support.

12. Use of Mobile Phones and other Digital Technology

All class leaders and volunteers should be aware of The Cookery Cabin policy and procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and any digital technology and understand that it is unlawful to photograph children, young people and vulnerable adults without the explicit consent of the person with parental responsibilities.

13. Whistleblowing

It is important that people within The Cookery Cabin have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistleblowing occurs when a person raises a concern about unsafe, illegal, or unethical behaviour within the organisation. This includes concerns about another employee or volunteer. There is also a requirement by The Cookery Cabin to protect whistleblowers.

14. Important Contacts

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Name: Triona Chapman
Email address: triona@thecookerycabin.co.uk
Telephone number: 07796613303

Police
Emergency – 999
Non-emergency – 101

Childs’ Services 03000 411111

Adults’ Services 03000 416161

Email social.services@kent.gov.uk

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000

Childline 0800 1111

Gravesham Borough Council

https://www.gravesham.gov.uk/keeping-gravesham-safe/safeguarding-children-adults

Medway Council

https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200170/children_and_families/600/worried_about_a_child/1