Safeguarding Policy for SUITS International Education

Introduction SUITS International Education is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all our staff, students, and visitors. We believe that everyone has the right to live and work in a safe and supportive environment, free from abuse, harassment, and harm. This Safeguarding Policy sets out our commitment to safeguarding and outlines the procedures we have in place to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with our organization is protected from harm.

Scope This Safeguarding Policy applies to all staff, volunteers, contractors, students, and visitors to SUITS International Education. It covers all aspects of safeguarding, including but not limited to child protection, adult protection, online safety, and anti-bullying.

Responsibilities All staff and volunteers at SUITS International Education have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. This includes:

• Being aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect
• Taking action to prevent abuse from happening
• Reporting any concerns about abuse or neglect to the designated safeguarding lead
• Cooperating with any investigations or inquiries into safeguarding concerns

Designated Safeguarding Lead SUITS International Education has a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) who is responsible for ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are handled appropriately. The DSL is also responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers receive appropriate training on safeguarding and that our safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated.

The current DSL is [Smart Rudder International Ltd].

Child Protection SUITS International Education is committed to protecting children and young people from abuse and neglect. We have robust procedures in place for identifying and responding to concerns about child protection. All staff and volunteers who work with children and young people are required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and receive regular training on child protection.

Anti-Bullying SUITS International Education has a zero-tolerance policy on bullying and harassment. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all our students and staff. We have procedures in place for dealing with incidents of bullying and harassment, and we encourage all students and staff to report any concerns to the DSL.

Online Safety SUITS International Education is committed to promoting online safety for all our students and staff. We have procedures in place for monitoring and filtering internet access, and we provide regular training on online safety.

Reporting Concerns Anyone who has a concern about safeguarding at SUITS International Education should report it to the DSL as soon as possible. Reports can be made in person, by phone, or by email. All concerns will be taken seriously and handled in accordance with our safeguarding procedures.

Training and Awareness SUITS International Education is committed to providing regular training and awareness-raising activities for all staff and volunteers on safeguarding, including child protection, anti-bullying, and online safety. This includes providing information and guidance on the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect, how to report concerns, and what to do in the event of an emergency.

Complaints and Feedback SUITS International Education takes all complaints and feedback seriously and will use them to continually improve our safeguarding practices. If you have any concerns or feedback about our safeguarding procedures, please contact the DSL at [insert contact details]. We will handle all complaints and feedback in accordance with our complaints procedure.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing SUITS International Education recognizes the importance of confidentiality and information sharing in safeguarding. We will handle all safeguarding concerns and personal information in accordance with our Data Protection Policy and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We will only share information on a need-to-know basis and with the appropriate authorities in accordance with our legal obligations and safeguarding procedures.

Monitoring and Review SUITS International Education will regularly review and update our Safeguarding Policy and procedures to ensure that they remain effective and up to date with current legislation, guidance, and best practice. We will also monitor and evaluate our safeguarding practices to identify areas for improvement.

External Support SUITS International Education recognizes that safeguarding is a complex and sensitive issue, and we may need to seek external support from appropriate agencies, such as social services, the police, or healthcare professionals. We will work closely with these agencies to ensure that our safeguarding practices are effective and that the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults is protected.

Legal Framework SUITS International Education is committed to complying with all relevant legislation and guidance on safeguarding, including but not limited to:

• The Children Act 1989 and 2004
• The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) Act 1997
• The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Roles and Responsibilities At SUITS International Education, we believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. However, we have identified the following roles and responsibilities to ensure that our safeguarding practices are effective:

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) The DSL is responsible for the implementation and management of our Safeguarding Policy and procedures. They will ensure that all staff and volunteers receive regular training and support on safeguarding, and they will handle all safeguarding concerns and referrals.

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads In the absence of the DSL, the Deputy DSLs will take on the responsibilities of the DSL. They will also provide support and guidance to staff and volunteers on safeguarding.

All Staff and Volunteers All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and to report any concerns they may have. They should receive regular training and support on safeguarding, and they should familiarize themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and procedures.

Students and Visitors Students and visitors have a responsibility to report any concerns they may have about safeguarding to a member of staff. They should also familiarize themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and procedures.

Recruitment and Selection SUITS International Education takes the recruitment and selection of staff and volunteers seriously and is committed to ensuring that they are safe and suitable to work with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. Our recruitment and selection procedures include the following:

• All applicants are required to provide details of their previous employment, including any work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults.
• All applicants are required to undergo an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they can start working with us. This includes checks for spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and warnings.
• All applicants are required to provide two references, at least one of which must be from a previous employer. We will always ask specific questions relating to the applicant’s suitability to work with children, young people, or vulnerable adults.
• All applicants are required to attend an interview, which will include questions relating to safeguarding and our Safeguarding Policy and procedures.

Code of Conduct SUITS International Education expects all staff and volunteers to adhere to our Code of Conduct, which sets out the expected standards of behavior when working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults. The Code of Conduct includes the following:

• Always putting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults first.
• Treating all individuals with respect and dignity.
• Ensuring that all interactions with children, young people, and vulnerable adults are appropriate and professional.
• Avoiding being alone with a child, young person, or vulnerable adult in an unsupervised setting.
• Not using physical punishment or any form of humiliating or degrading treatment.
• Reporting any concerns or allegations of abuse or neglect immediately to the DSL.

Training and Support All staff and volunteers at SUITS International Education are provided with regular training and support on safeguarding. This includes:

• Initial induction training, which covers our Safeguarding Policy and procedures, as well as the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect.
• Regular updates on safeguarding, including any changes to our Safeguarding Policy and procedures, new legislation or guidance, and case studies or examples of best practices.
• Access to further training and support, such as online resources, external training courses, or one-to-one support from the DSL.

Reporting Concerns If any staff member or volunteer has any concerns about the welfare of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult, they should report it immediately to the DSL. Concerns can include:

• Suspected abuse or neglect.
• A child or young person making a disclosure of abuse or neglect.
• Concerns about the behavior or conduct of another member of staff or volunteer.

The DSL will then take appropriate action, which may include:

• Making a referral to the relevant local authority or statutory agency.
• Contacting parents or carers, if appropriate and with the consent of the child or young person.
• Supporting the staff member or volunteer who reported the concern.
• Implementing any necessary safeguarding measures, such as reviewing risk assessments or ensuring appropriate supervision arrangements are in place.

Record Keeping All safeguarding concerns and referrals will be recorded in writing and stored securely and confidentially in line with data protection legislation. Records will include:

• The date and time of the concern or referral.
• The nature of the concern or disclosure.
• The actions taken by the DSL or other staff member or volunteer.
• Any outcomes or follow-up actions.

Working with External Organizations SUITS International Education works with a range of external organizations, including partner schools, host families, and local authorities. We recognize that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and that we have a duty to work collaboratively with these organizations to promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we will:

• Ensure that all partner schools and host families have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place.
• Ensure that all staff and volunteers working for SUITS International Education in partner schools and host families have undergone the necessary recruitment and selection checks, including DBS checks.
• Ensure that all staff and volunteers working for SUITS International Education in partner schools and host families receive appropriate safeguarding training and support.
• Share information with partner schools and host families where it is necessary to promote the welfare of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult. This will be done in accordance with data protection legislation and the principles of confidentiality.

In cases where concerns are raised about the welfare of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult who is not directly involved with SUITS International Education, we will work collaboratively with the relevant local authority or statutory agency to ensure that appropriate safeguarding measures are put in place.

Review and Monitoring Our Safeguarding Policy and procedures will be reviewed annually to ensure that they remain up-to-date and effective. The DSL will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the policy and procedures on an ongoing basis to identify any areas for improvement.

Conclusion SUITS International Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. Our Safeguarding Policy sets out our commitment to safeguarding and outlines the procedures we have in place to ensure that everyone who comes into contact with our organization is protected from harm. If you have any concerns about safeguarding at SUITS International Education, please contact the DSL at [info@smartrudder.com].