Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
CGC Policy for Safeguarding and Child Protection 2026
Company Number: 09139352
1 Introduction
Chances Gives Choices (CGC) is a registered organisation established to provide support, intervention and positive opportunities for children, young people and families.
CGC Mission Statement
Our passion is keeping families together, giving people the chance to get it RIGHT, for their child, themselves, and their future.
CGC has adopted this Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and expects every adult working, volunteering or representing the organisation to support and comply with it.
This policy applies to:
● Staff
● Managers
● Trustees
● Directors
● Volunteers
● Students
● Contractors
● Anyone working on behalf of CGC
2 Safeguarding Commitment
CGC believes that:
● Children and young people should never experience abuse, neglect or exploitation of any kind.
● The welfare of the child is paramount.
● Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
● Children should receive the right help at the right time.
● CGC has a responsibility to promote children’s welfare and practise in a way that protects them from harm.
CGC will provide a child-centred service in which safeguarding concerns are listened to, recorded, assessed and referred promptly in accordance with this policy and local safeguarding arrangements.
3 Legislative, Statutory & NACCC Framework
CGC’s listed contact venues are in England. This policy therefore applies the safeguarding framework for England. If CGC provides services in another UK nation, the relevant national legislation, statutory guidance and safeguarding procedures for that jurisdiction must also be applied.
The current framework relevant to CGC includes:
● Children Act 1989, including the paramountcy of the child’s welfare and duties relating to children in need and children suffering or likely to suffer significant harm
● Children Act 2004, including multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and current information-sharing duties
● Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 (England)
● Information sharing to safeguard children and young people: current statutory guidance
● Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, as amended, and current DBS / regulated-activity requirements
● Crime and Policing Act 2026 changes to regulated activity with children, including removal of the supervision exemption from 1 September 2026
● Domestic Abuse Act 2021
● Sexual Offences Act 2003
● Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, as amended
● Modern Slavery Act 2015
● Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, where Prevent duties or referrals are relevant
● Equality Act 2010
● UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, as amended, for safeguarding records and lawful information sharing
● Current local safeguarding partnership procedures and referral pathways
● Current NACCC National Standards and accreditation requirements applicable to the type of contact service delivered by CGC
NACCC’s National Standards are live documents and are updated in line with legislation and good practice. Where CGC retains a 2024 NACCC standard or internal reference, the current applicable NACCC requirement will take precedence if it has subsequently changed.
4 Principles
● The welfare of the child is paramount in CGC’s work and decision-making.
● Children’s wishes and feelings will be heard and taken seriously in an age- and developmentally appropriate way.
● Working in partnership with children, young people, parents, carers and relevant agencies is essential, but partnership must never prevent necessary safeguarding action.
● All children have an equal right to protection from harm, discrimination and abuse.
● Some children may be additionally vulnerable because of disability, communication needs, trauma, dependency, discrimination, exploitation, care experience or other circumstances and may require additional safeguards.
● Safeguarding practice must be inclusive, anti-discriminatory, professionally curious and alert to hidden harm.
● CGC will not promise absolute confidentiality where information may need to be shared to protect a child.
5 Organisational Safeguarding Arrangements
CGC will:
● Maintain a named Designated Safeguarding Lead and appropriate deputy / escalation arrangements.
● Ensure staff and volunteers know who the DSL is and how to contact them.
● Maintain clear procedures for disclosures, concerns, allegations against adults, referrals and emergencies.
● Undertake proportionate referral screening and risk assessment before contact begins and review risk when information or circumstances change.
● Ensure the level of contact service is appropriate to the assessed risk and the service CGC is accredited and competent to provide.
● Maintain safer recruitment, identity, reference, DBS and barred-list checking arrangements appropriate to each role.
● Provide safeguarding induction and annual safeguarding / child protection training in line with current NACCC expectations, with appropriate DSL training and updates.
● Maintain supervision, professional boundaries, whistleblowing and staff-conduct arrangements.
● Work with Children’s Services, police, Cafcass, courts, health professionals and other authorised agencies where required.
● Maintain secure, accurate and appropriately restricted safeguarding records.
6 Categories of Abuse & Neglect
6.1 Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Possible indicators
● Unexplained injuries, bruises, burns or fractures
● Injuries inconsistent with the explanation given
● Frequent injuries or repeated medical attendance
● Fear of physical contact or flinching
● Wearing clothing to conceal injuries in circumstances where this is unusual
6.2 Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on emotional development. It may involve conveying that a child is worthless or unloved, silencing them, inappropriate expectations, serious bullying, exploitation or exposure to frightening or harmful experiences.
Possible indicators
● Excessive withdrawal, anxiety or fearfulness
● Low self-esteem or lack of confidence
● Marked or unexplained changes in behaviour
● Extreme compliance, aggression or distress
● Developmental or emotional difficulties
● Fear of making mistakes or excessive efforts to please
6.3 Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities. It may involve physical contact or non-contact activity, including involving children in sexual images, sexualised online activity, grooming or encouraging sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Possible indicators
● Age-inappropriate sexual knowledge or behaviour
● Sudden changes in behaviour or mood
● Avoidance or fear of particular people or places
● Physical symptoms or unexplained sexual-health concerns
● Unexplained gifts, money or possessions
● Self-harm, distress, going missing or other risk-taking behaviour
6.4 Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of health or development. It may include failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, supervision, medical care, protection from danger or responsive emotional care.
Possible indicators
● Poor hygiene or persistently unsuitable clothing
● Hunger or food-seeking behaviour
● Untreated health or dental needs
● Persistent tiredness
● Frequent unexplained absence from education or activities
● Lack of age-appropriate supervision
● Failure to protect a child from known risks
7 Additional & Contextual Safeguarding Concerns
Staff must also remain alert to:
● Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE), including county lines
● Domestic abuse and coercive control; children who see, hear or experience the effects of domestic abuse may be victims in their own right
● Online abuse, sexual harassment, image-based abuse, grooming and technology-facilitated harm
● Forced marriage and so-called honour-based abuse
● Female genital mutilation (FGM)
● Radicalisation and extremism
● Child-on-child abuse, including sexual violence, sexual harassment, bullying and harmful sexual behaviour
● Modern slavery, trafficking and exploitation
● Missing children and unexplained absences where these indicate wider risk
● Abuse or neglect of disabled children and children with communication needs
● Fabricated or induced illness
● Harm arising from parental substance misuse, mental ill-health or other family circumstances
● Any behaviour or situation that causes concern for a child’s safety, welfare or development.
No single sign proves that abuse has occurred. Staff must consider the child’s presentation, context, known history and cumulative concerns, remain professionally curious and report concerns rather than attempting to diagnose or investigate.
8 Responding to a Child’s Disclosure
If a child discloses abuse or harm, the worker should:
● Listen calmly and take the child seriously.
● Allow the child to speak in their own words without leading questions or interrogation.
● Reassure the child that they have done the right thing by speaking, without making promises about outcomes.
● Explain, in an age-appropriate way, that information may need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.
● Do not confront the alleged person responsible or investigate the allegation.
● Make an accurate, contemporaneous record using the child’s own words where possible, distinguishing fact, observation and professional action.
● Report immediately to the DSL or designated safeguarding contact and follow any emergency or referral instruction.
9 Reporting, Referral & Escalation
All staff and representatives of CGC must report safeguarding concerns promptly. They must never assume that somebody else will take action.
Where there is immediate danger, serious injury or an urgent risk to life, staff must contact emergency services without delay.
Where a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, CGC will make or support a referral to the relevant local authority Children’s Services and/or police in accordance with local procedures. A referral must not be delayed because complete information is unavailable.
If a worker believes that a concern has not been acted upon appropriately, they must escalate it to the DSL, senior management, the relevant safeguarding authority or use CGC’s Whistleblowing Policy. Professional disagreement must not result in inaction where a child may be at risk.
10 Allegations or Concerns About Adults Working with Children
Any allegation or concern that a staff member, volunteer, contractor, student or other person working on behalf of CGC may have harmed a child, committed an offence against or related to a child, behaved in a way indicating they may pose a risk of harm, or otherwise behaved in a way raising safeguarding suitability concerns must be reported immediately to the appropriate senior manager / DSL.
CGC will follow the local authority allegations-management procedure and consult or refer to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where the applicable threshold is met. CGC will not conduct an internal investigation that could prejudice safeguarding, police or LADO processes.
Where legally required, CGC will also consider referrals or notifications to the Disclosure and Barring Service, police, professional regulator, commissioning body or other relevant authority.
11 Safer Recruitment, DBS & Regulated Activity
CGC will assess each role against current DBS eligibility and regulated-activity rules. From 1 September 2026 the supervision exemption for regulated activity with children has been removed. A person who teaches, trains, instructs, cares for or supervises children frequently or overnight may therefore be in regulated activity even where another adult supervises their work.
CGC will:
● Use the appropriate level of DBS check and Children’s Barred List information where legally eligible and appropriate to the role.
● Never knowingly permit a barred person to undertake regulated activity with children.
● Review DBS eligibility when duties or working arrangements change.
● Apply safer recruitment measures including identity, references, employment / activity history and suitability checks appropriate to the role.
● Maintain appropriate arrangements for agency staff, contractors, students and volunteers.
12 Information Sharing, Confidentiality & Records
Safeguarding information will be handled lawfully, securely and on a need-to-know basis. Confidentiality is important but is not absolute where sharing is necessary to protect a child.
CGC will follow current statutory information-sharing guidance. Relevant information may be shared without consent where there is a lawful basis and sharing is necessary and proportionate for safeguarding. Staff must not allow uncertainty about consent or data protection to prevent justified safeguarding action.
Safeguarding records must be factual, dated, attributable, stored securely, distinguish observation from opinion and record decisions, referrals, actions and outcomes. Access will be restricted to authorised persons.
13 Contact-Service Risk Management & NACCC Standards
CGC recognises that child contact services may work with families experiencing conflict, domestic abuse, allegations of harm or other vulnerabilities. In accordance with current NACCC principles and standards:
● Every referral must be screened and risk assessed at a level proportionate to the service and known concerns.
● Supported contact is not appropriate for cases requiring continuous one-to-one observation or where risks cannot be safely managed within a supported setting.
● Supervised contact must be delivered only where CGC has the appropriate service arrangements, competent staff and accreditation / quality framework for the assessed level of risk.
● Risk assessments and safety plans must be reviewed when new safeguarding information emerges.
● Staff must know how to respond to disclosure or discovery of abuse.
● Safeguarding policies must be reviewed at least annually and staff / volunteers must be made aware of current requirements.
● CGC will maintain suitable staffing, training, recruitment, confidentiality, domestic abuse, health and safety, complaints and operating procedures alongside this policy.
14 Training, Supervision & Staff Support
CGC will ensure safeguarding is covered at induction and refreshed at least annually for relevant staff and volunteers in line with current NACCC expectations. The DSL and those with designated safeguarding responsibilities will receive training appropriate to their role and maintain current knowledge of local procedures.
Training and supervision will include, as relevant:
● Recognising abuse, neglect and exploitation
● Responding to disclosures
● Domestic abuse and coercive control
● Child-on-child abuse
● Online harm and exploitation
● Professional boundaries and allegations against staff
● Information sharing and record keeping
● Local referral routes, LADO procedures and escalation
● Current DBS and regulated-activity requirements
15 Governance, Monitoring & Review
CGC management is responsible for ensuring this policy is implemented, resourced and reviewed. Safeguarding practice will be monitored through supervision, case review, audits, incident learning, complaints, training records and review of changes to legislation, statutory guidance, local procedures and NACCC standards.
This policy will be reviewed annually and sooner following a significant safeguarding incident, relevant legislative or statutory guidance change, or material change to NACCC requirements.
16 CGC Locations Covered by this Policy
Location
CGC venue
Romsey (Hants)
Claire Lizbeth House, Lone Barn Stable, Romsey, Hants, SO51 0HE
Alderbury (Wilts)
Richard Alan, Old Road, Alderbury, SP5 3AR
Christchurch (Dorset)
The Madeleine McGrory Room, Suite 3 Basepoint, Aviation Business Park, Enterprise Close, BH23 6NX
Basingstoke (Hants)
The Basingstoke Byrne Rooms, 12 Faraday Court, Rankine Road, RG22 4BJ
Winchester (Hants)
The Marion Patience Rooms, Suite 44, 1 Winnall Valley Road, Winchester, SO23 0LD
Havant (Hants)
The Joy Carter Rooms, Unit 4, Oakwood Centre, Downley Road, Havant, Hants, PO9 2NP
Chichester (W. Sussex)
The Danny Charles Rooms, New Park Centre, New Park Road, PO19 7XY
Newbury (Berks)
The Rhiannon Margaret Rooms, East Woodhay Village Hall, RG20 0AR
Guildford (Surrey)
Nicholas Barry Rooms, First Floor Suite, Unit 2 (U2f), Howard Buildings, 69-71 Burpham Lane, Burpham, Guildford, Surrey, GU4 7NB
Bourne End (Bucks)
Carole Anne Rooms, Bourne End Community Centre, Wakeman Road, SL8 5SX
Portsmouth (Hants)
Matilda Macklin Rooms, Unit 1b St Georges Business Centre, St Georges Sq, Portsmouth, PO1 3EY
Melksham (Wilts)
Luke Would Rooms, Bowerhill Village Hall, Halifax Road, Bowerhill, Melksham, SN12 6SN
Policy Date
15 September 2026
Next Review
15 September 2027