Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy Statement

Plymouth Active Leisure is committed to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults who visit and use our facilities, so that they can do so in a safe and positive environment.

We believe everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, identity, or any other difference, have equal rights to protection from harm and a right to enjoy physical activity free from all forms of abuse and exploitation.

To meet our safeguarding responsibilities we will:

• Have appropriate policies and procedures in place that include good practice guidance and following current legislation.
• Work to ensure that the safety and welfare of children and adults who use our services is paramount.
• Strive to high standards of professionalism and practices which reassure and give confidence to our customers.
• Identify staff who will have a designated safeguarding role within the organisation.
• Recruit staff safely, ensuring all necessary steps are taken and checks are made, in line with our recruitment, selection and vetting procedures.
• Train and supervise all staff to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children and adults from abuse, and themselves against allegations being made against them due to misunderstandings of poor practice.
• Ensure staff are made aware of the safeguarding policy and the designated safeguarding leads as part of their induction.
• Provide a code of conduct for staff and volunteers to promote best practice.
• Ensure that all hirers and partners adhere to best practice in safeguarding through our hire and partnership agreements.
• Ensure that any external contractor carrying out work on our sites has appropriate safeguarding measures in place and that their staff have undergone appropriate checks.
• Take seriously all suspicions and/or allegations of harm and respond to them swiftly and appropriately in accordance with our procedures.
• Work in partnership with other organisations and agencies e.g. National Governing Bodies of Sport where necessary and appropriate to do so.
• Work collaboratively with other agencies to support the management of safeguarding concerns; share information appropriately and when necessary; involve those who are subject of the concern and their parents/carers as appropriate and store safeguarding information securely.
• Review our safeguarding practices regularly and promote a learning and improvement culture in our safeguarding work.
• Review our policies and procedures annually and update every three years unless there is a change in legislation, guidance or an incident warrants them being reviewed sooner.

If you have any welfare or safeguarding concerns at any time during your visit to one of our centres please speak to a member of staff immediately who will liaise with our Designated Safeguarding Lead to deal with your concern.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We must all play our part.