Page 21 - Group Leader Handbook

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the term used by UK law to describe the responsibilities of people working with children for ensuring that they
are kept safe. Churchill House is committed to ensuring that students have a safe and enjoyable stay with us and Group Leaders
must ensure that they understand the company’s safeguarding policy (available at the centre or on request).

The Churchill House Safeguarding Policy applies to all staff, group leaders, host families and contractors (such as DJs).
The safeguarding policy is in place to protect all students studying with all divisions of Churchill House from:
 Physical harm
 Emotional abuse

 Sexual abuse
 Neglect
 Harmful materials on the internet

Group Leaders
Churchill House terms & conditions of business require all groups to be accompanied by a Group Leader provided by the agent.
The agent will be required to provide a statement that the Group Leader has had appropriate checks on their suitability to work
with children. The GL must complete a declaration that they are not disqualified from working with children in the UK or abroad,
under the terms of the Children’s Act.
Management Roles
In the residential centres the Centre Manager is the person in charge of Safeguarding at each site and responsible for imple-
menting and managing child safeguarding and protection procedures at a local level. Any staff concerns at the summer centres
about Safeguarding should be reported to the Centre Manager in the first instance. If the Centre Manager is unavailable or po-
tentially involved in the concern, it should be referred directly to the Summer Centres Director at Head Office.
Concerns about Students
If you have any concerns about student wellbeing you should report it to the Centre Manager immediately. They will apply the
Churchill House safeguarding policy. Please do not attempt to investigate any issues yourself.

Policy on Physical contact with Children

Churchill House policy is to avoid any physical contact with children wherever possible, but we accept that the nature of our
work will occasionally make physical touch unavoidable.
The circumstances where physical contact is appropriate can be summarised under the headings: ‘Positive Touch’, ‘Negative
Intervention’ and First Aid. All staff must understand these concepts and their use in a school environment. However, staff
should also remember that these concepts are subject to interpretation and should take these precautions to avoid misunder-
standings:
 Never touch a child in private; try to ensure that a member of staff or another GL is present
 If you find yourself needing to touch a student in a small room (e.g. if you enter a bedroom to respond to a crying child), al-
ways leave the door propped open (not just unlocked)
 The touch must be appropriate for the context and only as much as is absolutely necessary for the current need

 Ask permission to touch the child, if they are crying you could ask “do you want a hug?”
Positive Touch
This can be to demonstrate skills (e.g. in sports coaching) or to reassure or convey approval/sympathy (e.g. Hugging an upset
student). If a hug is absolutely necessary, we urge the adult to use a side-way hug. Putting their arm across their shoulders and
“hugging” from the side to avoid front to front hugging. However, as the need for this type of touch is subjective it should be
avoided wherever possible.
Negative Intervention
This is the use of reasonable force for self-defence, to restrain a child from hurting themselves or others, or to maintain disci-
pline. It should always be used as a last resort – always try to talk to the student first (e.g. remind them that they could be disci-
plined) or find another way to control them

Again, Negative Intervention will be judged subjectively - according to the situation, the force used and the role of the staff
member. Avoid using it if possible.

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