Safeguarding Policy

Policy statement

NCBI Training believes that everyone who takes part in our work has the right to be safe from harm, abuse and neglect. We take that responsibility seriously in every workshop, programme and event we deliver, whether in person or online.

This policy sets out how we protect children, young people and adults at risk who come into contact with our work, and what everyone involved with NCBI Training must do if they have a concern.

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to everyone who works or volunteers with or on behalf of NCBI Training, including:

• Board members and trustees
• Staff, facilitators and associate trainers
• Volunteers, mentors and placement students
• Contractors and partners delivering work in our name

It covers all of our activities, including corporate training, community workshops, parenting programmes, speaking events and online sessions delivered on platforms such as Zoom.

Who we safeguard

• Children and young people: anyone under the age of 18.
• Adults at risk: anyone aged 18 or over who has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and cannot protect themselves because of those needs.

Much of our work is with adults. However, some programmes, such as Parenting Young People and Non-Violent Resistance, involve families, and participants in any programme may share experiences that raise safeguarding concerns. This policy applies in all of those situations.

Legal and guidance framework

This policy is based on the law and statutory guidance that apply in England, including:

• Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• Care Act 2014 and its statutory guidance on adult safeguarding
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
• Equality Act 2010

When we deliver work in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, we follow the safeguarding procedures that apply in that nation and work with the relevant local authority.

Roles and responsibilities

How to contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Email: info@ncbi.org.uk
• Phone: +44 7811 374074
• If the DSL and Deputy are both unavailable, contact the Board Safeguarding Lead on info@ncbi.org.uk

The Board of NCBI Training holds overall responsibility for safeguarding. It will review this policy each year and make sure there are enough resources to put it into practice.

Safe practice

Safer recruitment

• Everyone who works with children or adults at risk on our behalf is recruited through a fair process that includes references and an interview.
• We carry out Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks at the level the law allows for each role, and renew them every [3] years.
• New facilitators and volunteers receive an induction that covers this policy before they deliver any session.

In our workshops

• Every workshop opens with clear group agreements about respect, confidentiality and its limits.
• Facilitators explain at the start that confidentiality cannot be kept if someone is at risk of harm.
• Where children or young people attend, they are never left alone with one adult out of sight of others, and a parent or carer remains responsible for them unless agreed otherwise in writing.
• Participants are told how they can raise a concern with the facilitator or the DSL.
• Our sessions can involve personal stories about identity, discrimination and painful experiences. Facilitators watch for distress, offer breaks, and signpost to support services after sessions.

Online sessions

• Online sessions use password-protected links and a waiting room, and are not shared publicly.
• At least two NCBI Training staff or facilitators host any online session involving children or young people.
• Sessions are not recorded without the clear consent of everyone taking part.
• Private messaging between facilitators and individual young people is not permitted.

Photography and filming

We only take or use photographs and video of participants with their written consent, or the consent of a parent or carer for anyone under 18. We never publish the full name or personal details of a child alongside their image.

Recognising and responding to concerns

Types of abuse

Abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, neglect, domestic abuse, discriminatory abuse, modern slavery, exploitation and radicalisation. A concern may come from something a person tells you, something you see, or something another person reports.

If someone tells you about abuse

1. Stay calm and listen. Let them speak in their own words and at their own pace.
2. Take it seriously. Reassure them they were right to tell you.
3. Do not promise confidentiality. Explain that you may need to share what they have said to keep them or others safe.
4. Do not investigate. Ask only open questions, such as "Can you tell me more?", and never lead them.
5. Do not confront anyone the concern is about.
6. Write it down as soon as possible: what was said in their words, the date, time, place and who was present.
7. Report it to the DSL the same day.

Reporting a concern

1. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 first. Then tell the DSL.
2. Report to the DSL the same day, by phone or in person, and follow up in writing within 24 hours.
3. The DSL decides the next step. This may be a referral to the local authority children's or adult social care team where the person lives, the police, or another agency. The DSL records the reasons for every decision, including a decision not to refer.
4. If you disagree with the DSL's decision, or the DSL is unavailable and the matter is urgent, you can contact the local authority or police directly. Nobody needs permission to make a referral when a person is at risk.

Concerns about someone working for NCBI Training

If a concern is about a member of staff, facilitator, volunteer or Board member, report it to the DSL. If it is about the DSL, report it to the Board Safeguarding Lead. Where the concern involves a child, the DSL or Board Safeguarding Lead will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day.

Records and confidentiality

• Safeguarding records are factual, signed and dated, and stored securely with access limited to the DSL and Deputy.
• Information is shared only with people who need it to keep someone safe, in line with data protection law. Data protection is never a reason not to share information when someone is at risk.
• Records are kept for [the period set out in our data retention policy].

Whistleblowing

Anyone who raises a safeguarding concern in good faith will be supported and will not be treated unfairly as a result.

Key contacts

For concerns outside London, contact the local authority where the person lives.

Training

Everyone covered by this policy completes safeguarding training at induction and refreshes it every [2] years. The DSL and Deputy complete advanced training for their role.

Review

This policy was approved by the Board of NCBI Training on 12 Oct 2026 and will be reviewed by 12 Oct 2026, or sooner if the law or our work changes.

Signed: Royston John, Director