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Safeguarding Policy StatementHow we protect young people in our care

We believe that:

  • Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
  • We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practice in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

  • The welfare of the child is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
  • All children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
  • working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and
  • other agencies are essential in promoting young people’s welfare
  • extra safeguards may be needed to keep children who are additionally vulnerable safe from abuse
  • Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

  • valuing, listening to and respecting them
  • appointing a Designated Safeguarding Lead for children and young people, and a deputy
  • adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
  • developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures
  • providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
  • recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made including but not limited to;
    • Enhanced DBS Checks & Barred List Checks for all staff and volunteers
    • 2 Professional References
    • Full Application process
    • Online Checks
    • Suitability declarations
  • recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
  • sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families
  • making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
  • using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
  • using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
  • creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
  • ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
  • ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
  • building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Supporting policies and procedures

Future Foundations maintains several policies and procedures which support our Safeguarding Policy Statement, including the following:

  • Enhanced Disclosure & Barred List Checks for all employees and volunteers
  • Safer Recruitment
  • Employee and Volunteer Disciplinary Process
  • Procedure for reporting suspected abuse
  • Procedures for managing allegations against employees and volunteers
  • Procedures for recording concerns and information sharing
  • Code of Conduct for young people
  • Staff Code of Conduct / Volunteer Code of Conduct
  • Photography and sharing of image guidance
  • Managing complaints
  • Whistle-blowing policy
  • Online Safety policy
  • Anti-bullying
  • Health and Safety

Legislation

This policy and our procedures have been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation and guidance is available from nspcc.org.uk/childprotection

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026)

Keeping Children Safe in Education (2025)

Contacting the Safeguarding Team

Please note that this is the official Safeguarding number 24/7, the call is re-directed to each member of the team after 30 seconds. This means that if the duty Safeguarding Lead is unable to pick up the call will re-direct to another member of the team and so on down a chain.

  • Designated Safeguarding Officer: Steph Gilbert
  • Deputy Safeguarding Officer: Jonathan Harper 

Ensure that you are in a private place when making this call – 0044 (0)20 3432 3458

Email: safeguarding@future-foundations.co.uk 

NSPCC Helpline

0808 800 5000

Wandsworth Safeguarding Children Board

Out of Hours Service: 020 8871 6000

Wandsworth Social Services.

For programmes not based in Wandsworth, the LSCP and LADO contact information will be shared with the DSL of the specific programme, as appropriate. The DSO (if required) would make referrals to the LSCP/LADO which oversees the site of the programme in line with KCSIE guidance to ensure the best continuity of support and care to the young person/people involved.

Last updated – 25/06/2026