This policy sets out Digital Moment’s approach to safeguarding. The policy is reviewed annually and is approved by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors.
Digital Moment believes that no child, young person, or vulnerable adult should ever experience abuse of any kind. We recognize our responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people, and vulnerable adults, and to keep them safe. We are committed to follow practices that protect them.
This policy applies to all staff, board members, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, and anyone working on behalf of the Kids Code Jeunesse (KCJ), such as national partners.
It covers all KCJ programmes and activities, including but not limited to digital skills workshops in the classrooms and in communities, teacher training, virtual workshops and other events that we lead directly. We also participate in events at venues that have their own safeguarding policies and, in these instances, this policy should be seen as a supplement to the venue’s policy.
The purpose of this policy is:
To protect children, young people, and vulnerable adults who take part in Digital Moment’s activities.
To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, including: Child, Youth and Family Services Act 2017, United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991.
This policy should be read alongside our privacy policy, which also details information about data subject rights and our data retention policy. Other relevant Digital Moment policies include
We recognize that
The welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults is paramount.
All children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm and abuse.
Working in partnership with children, young people, vulnerable adults, parents/guardians, carers, and their agencies is essential for promoting welfare.
In order to safeguard children, young people, and vulnerable adults, we will:
Value, respect and listen to all children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
Appoint and train an overall designated safeguarding lead for Digital Moment, a lead for each major area of activity, and a lead Board Member responsible for safeguarding.
Implement safeguarding guidelines through the promotion of clear procedures, a code of behaviour, and guidance for social media and communications for staff and volunteers.
Recruit staff and volunteers safely, ensuring that all necessary checks are made in compliance with local laws and good practise. Comment start All Digital Moment staff undertake a criminal records check every three years.
Provide effective safeguarding training for all staff, board members, and volunteers, including a free online training module, and designated safeguarding leads attending in-depth safeguarding training.
Respond swiftly to any changes in the context in which we operate by reviewing our systems and developing additional guidance, training, and resources as and when required.
Ensure that all Digital Moment partnership agreements include safeguarding obligations to comply with this safeguarding policy and all relevant local legislation and customs.
Follow clear procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately.
Share information about concerns with appropriate agencies, and involve parents and children appropriately.
Ensure that safeguarding incidents and concerns are consistently reported to the overall Digital Moment safeguarding lead immediately; and to the Chief Executive Officer, safeguarding lead of the Board, and the President of the Board within 24 hours of receipt, with significant concerns escalated to the full Board of Directors.
Provide an online safeguarding concern report form and make all staff and volunteers aware of this service.
Create and maintain an anti-bullying environment and ensure that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.
Ensure that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
Require a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff, and volunteers by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.
Conduct a review and benchmarking of Digital Moment’s safeguarding policy and practices, annually, including the update of this policy.
Share a review of Digital Moment safeguarding performance, policies, and procedures with the Board once a year.
Keep safeguarding as part of the Risk register
Contact details for designated safeguarding leads:
Overall Digital Moment: Karolane Jussaume — kjussaume@digitalmoment.org
Board member with lead responsibility for safeguarding: Indra Kubicek — ikubicek@digitalmoment.org
