Safeguarding is an important part of working with or volunteering with children. Setting up and following good safeguarding policies and procedures means children are safe from adults and other children who might pose a risk. The organisation or group that you help/work for should have a safeguarding policy and process for reporting any concerns.
The NSPCC have a range of safeguarding guidance, resources and training to help everyone working or volunteering with children keep them safe.
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection
Our Stop It Now helpline supports people who are struggling with the emotional impact of their role or with specific concerns about an adult or young person to find appropriate resources or consider what safeguarding steps might be needed, including the need for disclosure.
Who do I talk to about my concerns?
You should have a designated safeguarding lead within your organisation who you can speak to about your concerns. If you do not have a safeguarding lead or are not sure whether you need to pass on your concerns, then you can contact our trained advisors on the Stop It Now helpline. They can help you clarify the concerns and decide on steps you can take to ensure children are kept safe. You should never keep concerns to yourself.
Do I need consent to share my concerns?
While it is always good to work with the knowledge and understanding of those involved, or even their agreement, it is important to remember that consent is not required for sharing information in a safeguarding context.
What statutory support is available?
There is guidance from the government about what organisations need to do in order to safeguard children. You can find out more here. Often organisations will also have an umbrella body that will share guidance and deal with concerns that are raised by either investigating them, passing the concerns to authorities or giving safeguarding actions. It is important that your organisation has a clear process for sharing concerns and that this is known by all members of the organisation. If you have any concerns and are not sure who to contact, you can call our confidential helpline for support and advice.
What extra reading or training is available?
You can find out about upcoming training events and webinars run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation here. These courses help frontline workers, volunteers and organisations further their understanding of child sexual abuse, sexual offending and how to safeguard children.
We also regularly share research and learning from our practice via our social media, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) for updates.
My client has made a disclosure, should I report to outside agencies?
If you are working within a Counselling ‘organisation’ – please discuss any disclosures relating to child sexual abuse with your practice manager and follow the appropriate policies.
If you are working in private practice, please review your client’s ‘Counselling Agreement/Contract’ regarding disclosures and contact your professional membership body and clinical supervisor for further advice. You can also refer to the ‘Ethical Framework’ and ‘Code of Conduct’ you adhere to. Our advisors can talk you through any client disclosures, to help you decide upon the necessary steps to safeguard adults/children and reduce the risk of sexual harm to a child.
- is your client currently harming a child or at imminent risk of harming a child and how best can this child be safeguarded from harm?
- is this a historical offence? Any current risk to a child?
- is your client in a position of trust with access to children?
- is there a child who is being sexually harmed and without your intervention is likely to continue to be harmed?
- is your client engaging in the therapeutic process and making positive changes to minimise future risk?
- what are the benefits and consequences to your client, of you disclosing to outside agencies?
- what are the benefits to the child at risk, of you disclosing to outside agencies?
