Safer Working

1. Safer Working Practices

Welcome to the Safer Working Practices Training Module.

This section aims to highlight the importance of working in a safe way when engaging with the vulnerable adults, children and young people you will support within your role.

1.1. Terminology

In your role you will come across different terminology. It is important that you are aware of these and have a good understanding of their meanings. You may have come across these terms in previous roles and/or studies. 

Please access and complete the short multiple choice quiz on some of the terms related to safer working. The quiz will be automatically marked once it has been submitted. You only have one attempt at this quiz so please answer all five questions before submitting. You can access this here, it will open in a new window. Please return here once completed to continue this session.

1.2. DBS

The Gov.UK website explains the work carried out by the DBS, how it relates to safer working practices, and the different levels of DBS checks as:

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions each year by processing and issuing DBS checks for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. DBS also maintains the Adults’ and Children’s Barred Lists, and makes considered decisions as to whether an individual should be included on one or both of these lists and barred from engaging in regulated activity.

Our disclosure teams carry out DBS checks (previously known as CRB, or criminal record checks).

There are four types of DBS check, and each type results in a DBS certificate being issued to an individual. Employers can then ask to see the certificate to ensure that they are recruiting suitable people into their organisation.

The four levels of DBS check are:

• Basic DBS check
• Standard DBS check
• Enhanced DBS check
• Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS check

The information contained on each type of check is different. 

(Gov.uk, n.d.)

For all roles at Aiming Higher, an Enhanced DBS check is required. The following is the information regarding Enhances DBS checks according to the Gov.UK website:

An Enhanced DBS check is suitable for people working with children or adults in certain circumstances such as those in receipt of healthcare or personal care. An Enhanced DBS check is also suitable for a small number of other roles such as taxi licence applications or people working in the Gambling Commission.

The certificate will contain the same details as a standard certificate and, if the role is eligible, an employer can request that one or both of the DBS Barred Lists are checked.

The certificate may also contain non-conviction information supplied by relevant police forces, if it is deemed relevant and ought to be contained in the certificate.

An individual cannot apply for an Enhanced DBS check by themselves. There must be a recruiting organisation who needs the applicant to get the check. This is then sent to DBS through a Registered Body.

The service is free for volunteers.

(Gov.uk, n.d.)

2. Appropriate Behaviours

2.1. Sexual Contact

You should:

• Ensure your relationships with children, young people and adults stay within the boundaries of a professional relationship
• Take care that your language or behaviour could not be misinterpreted as inappropriate
• Not make sexual jokes, remarks or comments
• Never discuss your own sexual relationships
• Never touch a child, young person or adult when or where it is not deemed necessary or appropriate for your role

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.2. Infatuations

An infatuation is when a child, young person or adult has a crush on a member of staff. You should:

• Report and record any incident which suggests a child, young person or adult may have a crush or infatuation with a member of staff. Reports should be made directly to your line manager.
• Acknowledge and maintain professional boundaries. Please also refer to the professional boundaries section.

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.3. Propriety and Behaviour

You should:

• Not behave in a manner that would lead people to question your suitability to work with vulnerable adults, or children and young people.
• Not make, or encourage others to make, comments or remarks which humiliate or demean, or could be interpreted as such.
• Be aware that how you conduct yourself in your personal life, could impact upon your professional life. This includes your online presence (social media, etc).
• Follow Aiming Higher's codes of conduct and complete safeguarding and professional boundaries training as well as the full induction.
• Be aware that the conduct of your close friends and family may affect how you are viewed as a professional.

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.4. Appropriate dress

You should wear clothing that is: 

• Appropriate to your role and the tasks you are due to carry out that day.
• Not likely to be seen as offensive or sexually provocative by our beneficiaries, your colleagues and/or other professionals.
• Does not cause embarrassment to the beneficiaries, your colleagues and/or other professionals.
• Does not contain any political or offensive slogans.
• Not considered to be culturally offensive or discriminatory.

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.5. Physical interventions

Aiming Higher does not allow any form of physical intervention or restraint to be used when working with our beneficiaries.

Please ensure that you have read the risk assessment section of the individuals records prior to arranging and attending any one to one sessions. If there is any risk recorded, please discuss this with your line manager to ensure support can be delivered safely.

If there is any threat of violence towards you or between individuals in the setting, please leave the session immediately and retreat to safety.

Any incidents should be recorded accurately and reported yo your line manager in a timely manner, who will support you with the incident and any further steps.

2.6. Gifts, rewards and favouritism

You should:

• Be aware of Aiming Higher's policy in relation to accepting gifts
• Ensure that any gifts you receive are declared.
• Only give gifts to any of our beneficiaries as approved by your line manager, charity manager and/or treasurer. Ensure everyone receives the same gift, for example a goodie bag at the end of a coffee and chat session should be given to everyone who attends, or one per household that attends.
• Ensure that when selecting individuals (for example, picking teams for a game) it is seen as fair. If possible, have two members of staff carrying out the selection, or draw names out of a hat.

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.7. Personal life vs professional life

Your personal life and professional life should remain separate.

You should:

• Not be offering/allowing beneficiaries access to your personal living space
• Be vigilant in maintaining your privacy
• Avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable position
• Maintain professional boundaries. Please refer to the professional boundaries training.
• Refrain from involving beneficiaries in your personal life

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.8. Physical contact

There may be times in which physical contact can not be avoided, such as helping a child to put on a coat, fancy dress costume, etc. 

You should:

• Never touch an individual in a way that could be viewed as inappropriate - physical touching can be easily misinterpreted
• Not indulge in 'play fighting' or 'horse play'
• Be aware of cultural or religious views on touching (you may not view it as inappropriate, but they might)
• Be prepared to report and explain any physical contact you have had and expect that all contact can be open to scrutiny
• Treat children with dignity and respect and avoid contact with an individual's body unless necessary
• Explain to the individual why any contact is necessary
• Try to conduct activities within the view of other members of staff
• Be aware of gender, cultural or religious issues
• Follow guidance on physical interventions and professional boundaries

(Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023a)

2.9. Personal care/intimate care

Any personal care or intimate care needs must always be carried out by the child's own parent/carer.

In some cases children and young people attend the centre without their parents/carers, such as when attending The A Team. The activities co-ordinator carries out an assessment with the parent/carer prior to ensure the child or young person is able to take care of their own personal care needs. This assessment takes place prior to a place in The A Team being offered, to ensure the needs of the individual can be met. If the individual cannot take care of their own personal care needs they will unfortunately not be offered a place. They will, however, be able to attend all other age appropriate groups and activities with their parent/carer.

2.10. Photography and video

You should: 

• Be clear about our policy on using and storing photographs and videos
• Always ensure you have parental consent for taking and displaying pictures
•  Be able to justify any images in your possession
• Never take images in secret or that may cause distress
• Only use equipment that has been provided or approved by your line manager - do not use your own equipment, such as a mobile phone camera, and do not store images on your personal devices
• Photos to be shared on social media platforms (with parental consent) should be sent securely to the administrator who will post them to our social media platforms. This is to promote the charity, our activities and achievements. 
• Never post pictures of beneficiaries you work with on your personal social media accounts.

2.11. Access to inappropriate material

You should: 

• Follow Aiming Higher's policy on the use of internet, email and telephones
• Never investigate incidents yourself - if you are concerned always contact your line manager
• Ensure children do not gain access to inappropriate material, including on the Internet
• Never use equipment provided by Aiming Higher to access inappropriate material, such as pornography, and do not allow beneficiaries to access your personal equipment which may include these inappropriate links or photographs

2.12. What should you do if you have suspicions of an adult you work with?

Whilst you may find having suspicions of a colleague is an uncomfortable situation, it is important that suspicions are reported immediately.

At Aiming Higher any suspicions should be reported to your line manager or the designated safeguarding lead. If your suspicions relate to these colleagues you should then report to the charity manager. If you also have suspicions about the charity manager then you should report to the chair of trustees.

For more information and to view the procedure for managing allegation please visit the safeguarding partnership website here: Reporting & Support - Children's Safeguarding Assurance Partnership (safeguardingpartnership.org.uk)

You can visit the managing allegations webpage here: Managing Allegations (blackpoolsafeguarding.org.uk) 

(Blackpool Council iPool, 2023b)

2.13. Allegation Management

Occasionally, allegations may be malicious or misplaced, arising from different perceptions of an event. However, they are difficult to deal with for all involved. The majority of people working with children act in a professional manner to support and encourage children and families and the vast majority of allegations are genuine and have arisen from adults seeking to exploit and abuse children.

"Children can be subjected to abuse by those that work with them in any setting. All allegations of abuse or maltreatment of children by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer must therefore be taken seriously and treated in accordance with consistent procedures".

This training cannot provide a complete checklist of what is, or is not inappropriate behaviour for adults in all circumstances. There may be situations where you have to make decisions or take action in the best interests of the child or young person which could contravene this guidance or where no guidance exists.

Individuals are expected to make judgements about their behaviour in order to secure the welfare of the children they are working with. These should always be recorded and shared with a senior manager and, where possible, with the parent or carer. In undertaking these actions individuals will be seen to be acting reasonably.

If, however, you are worried about an adult working with a child or young person you should raise your concerns with your manager.

Do not attempt to investigate the situation yourself.

In the event of any allegation being made to you, information should be clearly and promptly recorded and reported to a senior manager without delay.

Blackpool Council, iPool, 2023b)

2.14. End of Section Quiz

Please click here to access the end of section quiz. The link will open in a new window. You can return here upon completion to continue with your training and induction.