The Hannah Whitley Foundation

Safeguarding Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect all personnel to include trustees, volunteers, yoga practitioners and beneficiaries to whom we are providing yoga from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with The Hannah Whitley Foundation.

 This includes but is not exclusive to harm arising from:

– The conduct of staff, volunteers or personnel associated with The Hannah Whitley Foundation

– The implementation of The Hannah Whitley  Foundation  activities 

The policy lays out the commitments made by The Hannah Whitley Foundation and informs all associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

 

What is safeguarding?

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples’ health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

Our safeguarding policies and procedures aim to protect people from such harm that arises from coming into contact with any of our associated personnel including but not limited to trustees, yoga practitioners, volunteers and other beneficiaries or our activities.

 

Policy Statement

The Hannah Whitley Foundation believes that everyone regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the absolute right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.  

The Hannah Whitley Foundation will not tolerate abuse or exploitation by or to any associated personnel.

The Hannah Whitley Foundation commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

Prevention

The Hannah Whitley Foundation responsibilities

The Hannah Whitley Foundation  will:

ï Ensure all personnel have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this safeguarding  policy

ï Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with The Hannah Whitley Foundation.  

ï Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying all trustees, volunteers, yoga practitioners and   associated personnel

  • Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process
  • Respond accordingly

 

Additionally, all The Hannah Whitely Foundation  associated personnel are obliged to:

ï Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy

  • Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations to the appropriate officer.

Enabling reports

The Hannah Whitley Foundation will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to all personnel and the communities we work with.

 

We will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.  

How to report a safeguarding concern

Any personnel who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to our Safeguarding Officer, Mrs Joanne Bentley at hello@thehannahwhitleyfoundation.org.

Response

The Hannah Whitley Foundation will follow up all safeguarding reports and concerns.

Setting boundaries

Our safeguarding policy clearly identifies that The Hannah Whitley Foundation provides for the practice of yoga. We are not medically professionally trained to provide support to someone experiencing mental health or other crisis. We must ensure that we adhere to the remit of our role. We must maintain clear boundaries of our role in the provision of yoga. We must signpost beneficiaries.

We signpost  to the following :

-for urgent medical attention please contact your local Accident and Emergency Department or 999

-for urgent medical advice please call NHS 111 (England)

-Mind

  • Mind telephone lines are open 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays)
  • Mind info line: 0300 123 3393

-Samaritans

  • Samaritans offer a 24 hours a day,365 days a year confidential, free helpline.
  • Helpline: 116 123

Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns.  Information relating to the concern and subsequent management should be shared on a need to know basis only and should be kept secure at all times.

We do have an agreed confidentiality policy however that enables us to break confidentiality if:

-there is an immediate danger -if a person has clearly told us that they plan to take their life whereupon we can call 999

-the person is physically present at our activity and is experiencing a crisis we will act as above by dialling 999 to get them support

Such a step would however only be taken with the gravity it requires and upon discussion with the individual concerned.

In this circumstance, we will also seek support at the time of our Safeguarding officer.

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Date: January 2020

Policy approved by Trustees

The Hannah Whitley Foundation