SAFEGUARDING POLICY

YYYYO Safeguarding Policy

Reviewed September 2025

Boundaries and Expectations

The YYYYO business prioritises a duty of care to protect people from harm, committing to the protection and safety of children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk.

The YYYYO staff are required to report the suspicion of abuse with awareness of sufficient reporting and process for effective safeguarding.

The YYYYO staff respond to all concerns, worries, suspicions, disclosures, allegations. If there is a safeguarding concern, staff must not keep this to themselves, they must sufficiently report the safeguarding concerns.

The purpose of this policy is to clarify how YYYYO works to safeguard young people and vulnerable adults at risk of harm with the objective to,

Protect those from harm

Provide others that consider or use our business offerings with the principles that guide our approach to safeguarding

This commitment is through the key principles of safeguarding,

Empowerment

People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent

Prevention

It is better to take action before harm occurs

Proportionality

The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented

Protection

Support and representation for those in greatest need

Partnership

Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse

Accountability

Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

We are aware that we have a duty of care and we are committed to the protection and safety of everyone who interacts with our business and those that are involved with our business offerings, including young people and vulnerable adults. Furthermore, our business has a duty to safeguard and support our staff.

We are committed to ensuring our safeguarding duties reflect our legal requirements. Our business is aware it has duties for the safety and care of young people with reference to the,

Children Act 1989, 2004

Working Together 2023

We are aware of our commitment to safeguard Adults at Risk of Harm under the Care Act 2014.

Furthermore, we are aware of our duties regarding legislation that includes the,

Domestic Abuse Act 2021

Terrorism Act (2000)

Modern Slavery Act 2015

Our business aims to fulfil our duty to report Serious Incidents, including safeguarding, as part of our governance and reporting responsibilities to the relevant establishments.

Safe Communication Channels

The YYYYO mentor sessions are on the Zoom platform. Zoom provides encryption for those that use the platform.

This then creates a professional, confidential environment of safe communication for clients to speak openly during each session.

Furthermore, the Zoom platform strictly complies with Data Privacy requirements and other regulations. Please view their Privacy Policy for the Zoom platform on this link

Recognition and the Response to Concerns

YYYYO mentor staff are verified DBS checked.

The YYYYO business knows that everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk of harm, to keep them safe and to work with the requirements that protects them.

We are aware that while it is the duty of the relevant statutory agencies to determine whether or not abuse has taken place, it is everyone’s duty to report safeguarding concerns.

Our business has a zero tolerance approach to abuse. There are no excuses for not taking sufficient actions to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk of abuse, exploitation, radicalisation, mistreatment.

We are aware that the children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk, no matter their age, ability, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection from abuse.

Our business commits to multi agency partnerships and information sharing to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk of harm.

We recognise the need to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk of harm through effective safeguarding, both in person and, or from cyber, virtual risks.

YYYYO aims to ensure that our business offerings and our business activities are designed and function with effective safeguarding as a priority, to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from abuse.

Our business aims to keep young people and vulnerable adults safe from risk of harm through,

Valuing, listening to and respecting them

Our business aims to keep young people and vulnerable adults safe from risks of harm through the awareness of,

The welfare of the child or adult at risk is the priority

Children, young people and vulnerable adults at risk, have the right to protection from abuse

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility

Professional Curiosity is important in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns

The importance of information sharing procedures in safeguarding

Reporting then Refer

Our business commits to reporting of safeguarding concerns for the young people and the vulnerable adults our business might work with. Our commitment includes,

Using our safeguarding policies and procedures to share and report safeguarding concerns to the relevant external authorities swiftly and sensitively.
Managing the risks of extremist or terrorist abuse, not supporting or enabling terrorism or other illegal conduct, such as hatred on the grounds of race, religion or sexual orientation.

Reporting extremism and concerns of radicalisation.

Recording, storing and processing information professionally and securely, as referenced through data protection legislation, guidance and our Privacy Policy.

The YYYYO business must process a safeguarding referral about a child, young person or adult at risk if,

The child, the young person or adult considers they are being abused.

The child, the young person or adult is caused distress or there is a purposeful attempt to cause the child, young person or adult distress.

The incidents are repetitive, they are targeted.

Crime has been committed.

Professional Conduct

The professionalism of our staff is essential through the safeguarding of our clients and others, this is to ensure,

The young person and vulnerable adult at risk of harm are prioritised and that staff of the business use their professional judgement to put the person’s need as a priority of the safeguarding system so that the right effective solution is found for those involved.

Safeguarding for adults is person-led and outcome focused, engaging the adult at risk in a conversation about how best to respond to their safeguarding situation.

To those involved with the YYYYO mentor sessions, duty of care is the priority as a professional commitment to safeguarding our clients and others, therefore information during or outside of a mentor session that suggests that you or someone else may be at risk of harm, is shared as soon as possible with the necessary agencies.

Safeguarding as a duty of care protects people from harm and abuse and promotes their well being.

If there is reasonable suspicion or there is the awareness of illegal, criminal activity before, during or after a mentor session, then the necessary agencies would be advised as soon as possible.

YYYYO mentor sessions are not a substitute for counselling from a certified expert.

Behaviour that is considered rude, aggressive, abusive, threatening or inappropriate is not tolerated.

YYYYO mentor reserves the right to stop the session then / or withdraw engagement at whatever point without explanation.

YYYYO mentor sessions are not a substitute for financial or legal advice from a certified expert.

YYYYO mentor is not responsible for the loss, injury, damage or cost that has happened in connection with / or before, during or after mentor session engagement.

Our Safeguarding Policy is available on our website, on demand for those that use our business offerings, to know our commitment to keeping others safe.