Luminary Studios' Safegurding Policy

 At Luminary Studios the DSL is Sharlene Birkin, the Founder and CEO of the organisation. The DSL:

• Is a senior member of staff from the organisation’s leadership team and therefore can proceed to carry out the duties of the role including providing resources and supporting and directing the staff that work at Luminary Studios.
• Takes lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection within the organisation, including attending relevant training, making sure that child protection policy and procedures are reviewed and updated annually. 
• Is suitably trained, has an applied knowledge of local procedures and is a point of contact for safeguarding issues and concerns. 
• Ensures that all staff receive the appropriate training and keep their knowledge up to date. 
• Provides awareness for staff about training courses and current policies on safeguarding.
• Refers cases of suspected abuse to children’s social care or police as appropriate. 
• Keeps detailed written records of all concerns. 
• Is aware of the circumstances when there is a need for children to have an Appropriate Adult. 
• Has a summary of all safeguarding concerns and follows the procedures set out in the local guidance and in Keeping Children Safe in Education to guarantee that appropriate action is taken in every incident. 
• Works with local public services to be aware of the risks and issues within the community and wider community (contextual safeguarding) when addressing the wellbeing and safety of the children and young people who attend Luminary Studios. 
• During term time and business hours (09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday) the DSL will be available for staff at Luminary Studios to discuss any safeguarding concerns. 
• Will take responsibility for promoting social, wellbeing and progress outcomes by being aware of the welfare, safeguarding and child protection concerns that children at Luminary Studios are experiencing or have experienced. This includes: 1. Being aware of their progress (relating to their classes and/or the youth zone programmes); 2. Maintaining a culture of high aspirations for all that attend Luminary Studios; 3. Supporting teaching staff to provide additional social, behaviour and/or academic support or reasonable adjustments to help children reach their potential; 4. Keeping an current register of the cohort of children who have, or have had, a social worker. 

During the recruitment process at Luminary Studios, our organisation applies thorough checks to verify the applicant’s identity, qualifications, work history and their suitability for working with children and young people. We achieve this by: 

• Confirming their identity from a photographic ID such as a passport or driver’s licence. 
• Confirming their current address from a current utility bill such as a council tax statement or a bank statement.
• Obtaining references from suitable and reliable sources such as previous or current place of work or education institution. 
• Ensuring the candidate has a current and full DBS certificate. 
• Completing a risk assessment safety check.
• Volunteers who have successfully complete the employment process or have been referred by one of our educational institution links will undergo relevant checks that are suitable to their work and contact with children and young people. A volunteer (such as university student) who does not have a DBS certificate but has passed the relevant risk assessment safety checks will never be left unsupervised.
• Luminary Studios keeps a record of all pre-appointment checks. (For information regarding your privacy and data protect please refer to our privacy policy).

 An allegation that is made against a staff member or volunteer or where there is a safeguarding concern regarding a staff member or volunteer, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) will be contacted on 0115 8041272. 

Allegations or concerns may include (but is an non-exhaustive list) when a staff member or volunteer 1. Has behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child; 2. Perhaps participated in a criminal offence, including against or related to a child; 3. Has behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk to children or are not suitable to work with children. 

The DSL will lead any allegations or concerns made regarding staff or volunteers. 

Staff can report concerns by making direct communication with the CEO. Where staff members or volunteers have a concern regarding the CEO, they should contact the LADO. 

Staff working in or on behalf of Luminary studios where there is a low-level concern will be dealt with immediately. Examples of such behaviour may include but are non-exhaustive: 1. Being overly friendly with children; 2. Delivering humour that may insult or encourage an over friendly relationship. 3. Have favourites and treat others unfairly; 4. Take photographs of children on their mobile phone; 5. Create opportunities for engagement with a child without the presence of other children that are a part of the Luminary Studios cohort. 

Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2023) refers to four categories of abuse – Physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. The definitions can be found on the NSPCC website. To ensure that our children who attend Luminary Studios are protected from harm, we are trained to identify what types of behaviour reflect abuse and neglect. 

Our staff at Luminary Studios are trained to identify behaviours from the following list of abuse: 1. Bully and Cyberbullying, 2. Child sexual exploitation; 3. Child criminal exploitation; 4. Child trafficking; 5. Domestic abuse; 6. Emotional abuse; 7. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM); 8. Grooming; 9. Neglect; 10. Non-recent abuse; 11. Online abuse; 12. Physical abuse; 13. Sexual abuse 14. Child-on-child abuse; 15. Honour-based abuse; 16. Radicalisation and extremism. 

 Any child could be a victim of abuse. Staff at Luminary Studios should remember the following for taking action:

• In an emergency take the appropriate action and if necessary, call 999. 
• Report your concern as soon as possible to the DSL and do not start your investigation. 
• Report your concern by completing a record of concern and any verbal conversations around safeguarding in writing to the DSL via the Luminary Studios safeguarding concern form. 
• There may be occasions when staff suspect that children may be at risk. In these circumstances staff will try to give the child the opportunity to find out if they are OK. Staff should always alert the DSL by recording these early concerns via the Luminary Studios safeguarding concern form. 
• It takes courage to discuss that they are being abused or at risk of abuse. If a child does disclose a concern/s or issue/s, the staff member or volunteer will: 

1. Allow them to speak freely. 

2. Remain calm.

3. Say phrases that are compassionate – “I’m sorry to hear this.”

4. Not ask any questions of an investigative nature. 

5. At the appropriate time inform the child that in order to help them they will need to pass the information on and explain, giving clear statements about who this person is and why.

6. Tell the child what will happen next. 

7. Report verbally to the DSL or via the safeguarding concern form, even if the child has promised to inform the DSL themselves. If it has been reported verbally in the first instance, to follow this up with a safeguarding concern form. 

8. If the DSL is not available, take advice from the local children’s social care (KCSIE, 2023).  

It is important to continue to remain professional at all times during such circumstances. This includes: 1. Not promising to keep their disclosure a secret; 2. Sharing information on a need-to-know basis only; 3. not discussing any issues or concerns with family, friends, colleagues or strangers. 

Seek support for yourself if you are distressed following the disclosure.  

 In the event of a disclosure or concern, the DSL will make contact with the parent/legal guardian. However, if we believe that informing parents will increase the risk to the child or enhance the problem, we will seek advice from children’s social care and/or the police before contact has been made with the parents/legal guardian. 

The DSL will initially make contact with the MASH on 0115 876 4800 and/or the police (in an emergency on 999 or on 101). Contact to Out of Hours Social Work Service Tel. 0115 876 4800 will also be made. 

 Staff will use the steps in clause 6 (How we take action) in this policy. However, they can also share information with children’s social care, police or the NSPCC if: 

• The situation is an emergency and the designated safeguarding lead is unavailable 
• They believe that a direct report is the only way to ensure the child’s safety 
• For any other reason, they are convinced that direct referral is in the best interests of the child.

All staff understand that child protection issues requires a high level of professionalism and privacy. This is to ensure that concerns raised does not interfere with the evidence and to also respect the child and the person that raised the concern/issue. It should be highlighted from clause 6 that sharing information on a ‘need to know basis’ should only be with the DSL. 

Child protection information will be filed and handled in accordance with the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.  

Information sharing decisions and child protection information will always be recorded on an electronic document and filed. 

The DSL will usually gain consent from the child/parents/carers to share sensitive information with outside agencies. However, if there is good reason the DSL may not gain consent and will record the reason. This follows the Keeping Children Safe in Education, 2023 policy with regards to the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR. 

 The following documents were used to formulate this policy:

• DfE - Keeping Children Safe in Education (2023) 
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (July 2018). 
• The Children Act 1989 and 2004
• The Children and Social Work Act 2017
• The Education Act 2002