1. Introduction
1.1 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is everyone’s responsibility. Therefore all staff who come into contact with children and young people have a role to play.
1.2 Housing Services is committed to supporting and working with Manchester City Council and other partner agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children residing in Housing Services’ properties. The policy also applies to any other children we are in contact with or become aware of in the course of our day-to-day work.
1.3 In safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children we will have regard to relevant guidance issued by the Government and/or Manchester Safeguarding Partnership. This includes ‘’Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018), along with any specific guidance or strategies which apply, including for instance in relation to neglect, modern slavery, human trafficking or child sexual exploitation (CSE). See section 5 for further detail.
2. Purpose of the Policy
2.1 Effective safeguarding systems are those where all professionals who come into contact with children and families are alert to their needs and any risks of harm that abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to children. This policy outlines Housing Services’ role within the safeguarding framework set out in legislation and guidance and overseen in Manchester by the Manchester Safeguarding Partnership (MSP).
2.2 Information sharing is essential in working to safeguard children. Staff and agencies are required to share information about:
- Children and their health, development and exposure to possible significant harm;
- Adults who may not be able to care adequately and safely for children;
- Individuals who may present a risk to children.
2.3 Housing Services will ensure that all staff who come into contact with children as part of their day-to-day role are vetted via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). All certificates will be reviewed every three years.
2.4 Housing Services will refer any member of staff (after appropriate investigation) to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) where they have:
- Been cautioned or convicted for a relevant offence
- Engaged in relevant conduct in relation to children and/or vulnerable adults (i.e. action or inaction that has harmed a child or vulnerable adult or put them at risk of harm)
2.5 Housing Services will always put the welfare of children first. This means putting the needs of a child before the wishes of any adults involved with the child. Our overriding responsibility is to ensure that timely and effective action is taken in relation to risks to children, whatever the circumstances of the adults involved.
2.6 This includes making sure that the needs of children are prioritised in cases where adults involved with them also have needs, such as in relation to substance misuse, physical and mental health and trauma. We recognise that adults in such situations may not always put the needs of children first. We will always make decisions based on the actual situation on the ground as it relates to the welfare of children, as opposed to relying on what adults say or the extent of their apparent or actual ‘’engagement’’ with agencies.
2.7 Housing Services will always consider the needs of children in any situation where domestic abuse is involved and where appropriate will take action to safeguard them.
2.8 We will ensure that all frontline staff have the relevant level of training to identify and respond to any potential safeguarding concerns. This will include initial training and regular ‘refresher’ sessions for all employees. Training will also be provided to our repair contractors.
2.9 Where any safeguarding concerns are highlighted, Housing Services will adopt a multi-agency problem-solving approach and liaise and work with the relevant statutory agencies (Manchester City Council, Greater
Manchester Police and others) to ensure any safeguarding concerns are addressed and the relevant level of support is provided. This will be done in a timely manner.
2.10 Where relevant, staff will attend and/or have an input into multi-agency meetings relating to vulnerable children. This will be assessed on a case by case basis to ensure that attendance at and/or input into such meetings is appropriate and proportionate.
2.11 Housing Services has a two organisational leads for safeguarding, the Head of ASB & Safeguarding and the Housing Support Manager. They are a point of contact for staff, managers and elected members needing further information, advice, support or guidance in relation to any safeguarding matters or delivery of this policy.
2.12 Housing Services recognises that children and young people are at risk of significant harm through exploitation and will work closely with relevant agencies to prevent the sexual and criminal exploitation of children and young people. We also recognise that preventing violent extremism is a safeguarding issue in that children and young people at risk of becoming involved in violent extremism are at risk of significant harm. Housing Services will support the police and other agencies in preventing violent extremism. Housing Services’ Safeguarding Leads will also have overall responsibility for this activity and for linking into relevant multi-agency structures.
2.13 Housing Services also recognises that human trafficking, modern slavery, forced marriage and female genital mutilation are safeguarding issues. Any concerns in relation to these will be promptly referred to the relevant agency for further investigation and if necessary intervention.
2.14 Staff are positively encouraged and indeed are expected to speak out and seek advice if they have any concerns at all about the safety or well-being of a child or young person.
3. Responsibility
3.1 Housing Services has an internal procedure for dealing with safeguarding matters which is provided to employees. All relevant referral forms are included within the procedure.
3.2 The Head of ASB & Safeguarding has lead responsibility for safeguarding issues (including linking into and supporting multi-agency partnership and problem-solving arrangements and making sure that learning from reviews is incorporated into our day-to-day practices)..
3.3 The Housing Support Manager has responsibility for operational safeguarding, with day-to-day responsibility for overseeing individual cases and making sure that these are regularly reviewed, appropriately progressed and escalated internally or with partner agencies where necessary.
3.4 An annual overview report, detailing safeguarding activity during the year, will be provided to the Housing Advisory Board. We will have a Board Safeguarding Champion, appointed annually.
3.5 Each year the Manchester Safeguarding Partnership (MSP) requires Housing Services to carry out a self-assessment on its safeguarding practices to monitor their effectiveness and report back to the MSP. The Head of ASB & Safeguarding completes this as well as attending peer review sessions to ensure that our policy and procedures remain relevant and up to date and to improve the way we do things.
4. Service standards
4.1 Housing Services service standards in relation to safeguarding children are set out below.
- We will identify any potential safeguarding and/or support concerns whenever we are in contact with residents and families, with all staff being professionally curious during any interaction.
- We understand that importance of early intervention and aim to identify any potential concerns at the earliest possible stage, signpost to suitable services including Early Help for Children and other suitable services.
- All staff will be appropriately trained in safeguarding and have regular refreshers as well as attend annual safeguarding briefings.
- All potential safeguarding concerns will be logged on our housing management system and triaged to ensure appropriate actions are completed in a timely manner.
- Any ongoing safeguarding concerns will be referred to the Housing Support Team and a case opened to document actions taken to resolve the matter.
- We aim to find an appropriate resolution and engage necessary agencies in order for appropriate support to be provided within 12 weeks.
- We will ensure that any housing concerns that may be contributing to a safeguarding concern (e.g. repairs inc. damp & mould, rent arrears, overcrowding & rehousing) are addressed within appropriate timescales.
- We will maintain regular contact with residents where there is a safeguarding concern, as well as advocating for them and coordinate appropriate support from agencies as required on a case-by-case.
- Where necessary we will escalate concerns through established escalation routes.
5. References
5.1 The duty to safeguarding children is underpinned in legislation. Key legislation relating to safeguarding children includes, but is not limited to:
- Children Act 2014
- Children Act 1989
- Working Together To Safeguard Children 2018
- Children and Social Work Act 2017
- Sexual Offences Act 2003
- Serious Crimes Act 2015
- Modern Slavery Act 2015
- Care Act 2014
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Data Protection Act 2018 (as amended)
- Awaab’s Law
5.2 To ensure Housing Services complies with current legislation and practice relating to safeguarding children, this policy is linked to the Manchester Safeguarding Partnership (www.manchestersafeguardingpartnership.co.uk).
5.3 We actively contribute towards any Manchester Safeguarding Partnership audits in relation to specific safeguarding areas as well as any Child Practice Reviews (CPRs).
6. Linked documents
6.1 Documents linked to this policy include:
Safeguarding children procedure
Data protection policy
Disciplinary policy
ASB policy
Hoarding policy & procedure
Self-Neglect policy & procedure
Domestic abuse policy & procedure
7. Review Process
7.1 This policy will be reviewed alongside the Safeguarding Children procedure every two years, or in line with any relevant legislative changes, revised guidance or learning from reviews if sooner.
