NEUROKIND LONDON

SAFEGUARDING & CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Applies to NeuroBuilders, social skills groups, 1:1 work, holiday activities and other child-focused services

Policy owner: Halina Kaur Sekhon
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Halina Kaur Sekhon
Contact: info@neurokind.support | 07950 163692
Policy review: July 2026

1. Purpose and commitment

NeuroKind London is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child and young person who accesses its services. The welfare of the child is paramount. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and concerns will be taken seriously, responded to promptly and handled in a child-centred, proportionate and confidential manner.

This policy is informed by current safeguarding law and guidance applicable in England, including Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 and Department for Education safeguarding guidance for out-of-school settings. Where NeuroKind London works within a school or partner organisation, relevant host safeguarding procedures must also be followed.

2. Scope

This policy applies to the founder/practitioner, employees, sessional workers, volunteers, contractors and any other adults acting on behalf of NeuroKind London. It covers face-to-face and, where applicable, online contact with children.

3. Principles

·       All children have an equal right to protection from harm, regardless of age, disability, SEND/neurodivergence, sex, race, religion or belief, culture, language, family circumstances or any other characteristic.

·       Children should be listened to, taken seriously and supported to communicate in ways accessible to them.

·       Safeguarding practice must recognise that some children may face additional barriers to recognising or reporting abuse, including communication differences, disability, dependence on adults or previous experiences of not being believed.

·       Information will be shared on a need-to-know basis where lawful and necessary to safeguard a child. Consent is not required where seeking it would place a child at increased risk or undermine safeguarding action.

4. What safeguarding includes

Safeguarding includes protecting children from maltreatment and abuse, preventing impairment of health or development, ensuring safe and effective care, and taking action to enable children to have the best outcomes. Concerns may include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation, domestic abuse, peer-on-peer/child-on-child abuse, bullying, online harm, grooming, radicalisation, harmful sexual behaviour or any other circumstance that may place a child at risk.

5. Roles and responsibilities

The DSL is responsible for receiving concerns, making or supporting referrals where appropriate, maintaining secure safeguarding records, liaising with statutory agencies and ensuring safeguarding arrangements are reviewed. All adults working for NeuroKind London must recognise concerns, respond appropriately to disclosures, report concerns promptly and never assume someone else will act.

6. Responding to a disclosure or concern

If a child discloses abuse or an adult observes or receives information that raises a safeguarding concern, the adult should:

·       Listen calmly and take the child seriously.

·       Allow the child to speak in their own words; use only minimal, open clarification where necessary and do not investigate or ask leading questions.

·       Do not promise secrecy. Explain, in an age-appropriate way, that information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.

·       Reassure appropriately and avoid making promises about outcomes.

·       Record the concern as soon as possible using factual language, including the child’s exact words where relevant, date/time, context, observations and actions taken.

·       Report immediately to the DSL. If the DSL is unavailable and delay could place a child at risk, contact the appropriate statutory service directly.

7. Immediate danger and referrals

If a child is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical attention, call 999. Safeguarding concerns should be referred to the relevant local authority children’s social care service in accordance with local safeguarding partnership procedures. Where a crime may have been committed, police involvement may also be required. Concerns about possible radicalisation should be handled through appropriate safeguarding/Prevent referral routes.

If there is uncertainty about whether a referral is required, safeguarding advice should be sought without unnecessary delay. The child’s welfare must remain the primary consideration.

8. Allegations or concerns about adults

Any allegation or concern that an adult working with children may have harmed a child, committed a criminal offence involving a child, behaved in a way indicating they may pose a risk, or otherwise behaved inappropriately must be reported immediately through the appropriate allegations-management procedure. Where relevant, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) should be contacted without delay and before undertaking an internal investigation that could compromise safeguarding processes.

If the concern relates to the DSL/founder, it must not be reported only to that person. The person receiving the concern should contact the relevant local authority safeguarding/LADO service or police directly as appropriate.

9. Safer working practice

·       Maintain professional boundaries and use appropriate, respectful communication.

·       Avoid unnecessary one-to-one situations that cannot be observed or accounted for; where 1:1 work is part of the service, use agreed safeguards and suitable environments.

·       Physical contact must be appropriate, necessary and proportionate to the child’s needs and circumstances.

·       Do not use personal relationships, gifts, favouritism, private messaging or social media contact in ways that blur professional boundaries.

·       Use approved communication channels with parents/carers and organisations.

·       Never photograph, film or publish identifiable children without the appropriate permissions and organisational safeguards.

·       Report any behaviour by an adult that causes concern, including lower-level concerns or boundary breaches.

10. Recruitment, suitability and training

NeuroKind London will use proportionate safer recruitment and suitability checks for roles involving children, including identity, references and appropriate DBS checks where the role is eligible. Adults must receive safeguarding information appropriate to their role, understand reporting routes and maintain relevant training/knowledge.

11. SEND, neurodivergence and communication

NeuroKind London recognises that behaviour changes, distress, shutdown, dysregulation or communication differences must not automatically be attributed to a child’s diagnosis or SEND. Practitioners should remain professionally curious and consider whether changes may indicate harm. Communication supports, visuals, AAC, additional processing time or other reasonable adjustments should be used where appropriate to enable children to express concerns.

12. Child-on-child concerns and bullying

Harmful behaviour between children will not be dismissed as banter or an inevitable part of growing up. Concerns will be assessed in context, immediate safety addressed, parents/carers involved where appropriate, and safeguarding referrals made where thresholds are met. Support should consider the needs of all children involved.

13. Online safety, photography and information

Digital communication, images and personal information must be handled safely. Optional publicity/marketing consent must be separate from service participation. Personal data and safeguarding records must be stored securely with access restricted to those who need it. Safeguarding records should be distinguished from routine session notes and retained/shared in accordance with legal, safeguarding and organisational requirements.

14. Attendance, collection and missing child

Children must be signed in/out or otherwise accounted for according to the service arrangement. Collection arrangements and authorised adults should be confirmed. A child who is missing or leaves unexpectedly must trigger immediate action to establish safety, search/alert procedures appropriate to the venue, parent/carer contact and police/emergency involvement where necessary. Incidents must be recorded and reviewed.

15. Whistleblowing and professional concerns

Adults should be able to raise safeguarding concerns about practice without fear of retaliation. Concerns must not be ignored because they involve a colleague, senior person, partner organisation or the founder. External safeguarding, LADO, regulatory or whistleblowing routes should be used where internal reporting is inappropriate or ineffective.

16. Recording and confidentiality

Safeguarding records must be factual, timely, dated and attributable to the person making the record. Records should distinguish observation, disclosure and professional opinion. Confidentiality cannot be promised to a child or family where information must be shared to protect a child. Information sharing should be relevant, necessary, proportionate and secure.

17. Related NeuroKind London documents

·       Registration & Consent Pack

·       Safeguarding Concern/Disclosure Form

·       Accident/Incident and First Aid records

·       Risk assessments and emergency procedures

·       Missing Child and Late/Uncollected Child procedures

·       Photography/Media arrangements

·       Privacy/Data Protection arrangements

·       Staff/Volunteer Code of Conduct and safer recruitment procedures

·       Behaviour/Positive Support and complaints procedures

18. Review and approval

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, after any serious safeguarding incident, when services materially change, or when relevant legislation/guidance changes.

Policy owner / DSL: Halina Kaur Sekhon