Our dedication to Safeguarding practices
We prioritise a comprehensive understanding of safeguarding throughout all our homes, with particular focus on the following key issues:
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Our objective is to minimise the occurrences of children and young people going missing. In the unfortunate event that they do, our focus is on mitigating the risk of harm and swiftly ensuring their safe recovery. We achieve this by fostering collaborative partnerships, sharing crucial information, actively engaging in problem-solving, and implementing effective performance management strategies.
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Equipping our staff teams with the ability to recognize indicators of involvement in child sexual exploitation and respond appropriately when concerns arise is of utmost importance. We place significant emphasis on ensuring our team members possess the necessary knowledge and skills to identify these indicators and take prompt and appropriate action when safeguarding concerns arise.
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Given the vulnerability of the children under our care to exploitation, it is imperative for us to maintain a vigilant and responsive approach. We emphasise the importance of all staff members feeling confident in identifying and raising concerns, both internally within the company and with external agencies possessing safeguarding expertise. By fostering a culture of open communication and proactive engagement, we ensure that the safety and well-being of the children remains our top priority.
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To protect young people from the risks associated with the internet and other media, we implement several measures as a company. These measures include endorsing a technology agreement and ensuring that our staff members are well-versed in the social networks and online games utilised by our children, as well as their associated privacy settings and the information they can share through these platforms. By prioritising these initiatives, we actively safeguard against potential risks and promote a safe online environment for the young people under our care.
Keeping our children and young people safe
At Therapeutic Care, we have invested in robust policies, processes, and structures, ensuring that all of our children and young people are safe and have a high-quality network of support.
All adults who work with our children and young people undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at the offer of employment stage and are only placed within our homes subject to a clear DBS report. These checks are regularly renewed through the update service to ensure ongoing safety.
Family time is actively promoted in all of our homes at Therapeutic Care, provided it is deemed safe to do so. We regularly review and assess family time to identify any potential safeguarding risks, and in some cases, a practitioner may be required to supervise these sessions to ensure the well-being of the child.
Operational oversight of all our homes at Therapeutic Care is provided by experienced Operations Managers who possess a comprehensive understanding of specific homes, as well as safeguarding policy and procedures. Their expertise enhances our commitment to maintaining a safe environment for our children and young people.
At Therapeutic Care, we have fostered a culture of transparency and openness, which we continuously strive to uphold. Our primary goal is to ensure that everyone feels safe and supported within our organisation. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, protecting them from abuse and harm, is a collective responsibility that relies on effective collaboration between our staff and other agencies. It is the duty of every staff member to promptly report any suspicions of mistreatment or harm concerning a child. We expect all our team members to share in this commitment when they join our organisation.
To ensure the utmost effectiveness in safeguarding, we have implemented comprehensive policies and procedures that emphasize the importance of reporting from the very beginning.
We believe in empowering our children and young people by providing them with the necessary information on how to report abuse or share any concerns they may have regarding potential abuse. They are informed about available resources such as relevant websites or helplines like Childline, which they can access privately to seek advice and assistance.
As part of our mandatory induction training provided to all staff working in our homes, we include online safeguarding training. This training covers essential topics such as reporting concerns, sharing information, and adhering to our policies. Our staff members have ongoing access to these policies, ensuring that they can refer to them whenever necessary.
To ensure the utmost effectiveness in safeguarding, we have implemented comprehensive policies and procedures that emphasise the importance of reporting from the very beginning.
Kailash Satyarthi - Nobel Peace Prize