Titans Community Foundation Policy for Child Protection to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children Legislation/Guidance Complies with
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2021)
Working together to Safeguard Children (Updated Dec 2020) and Guidance onChildren Missing Education 2018
Education Act 2002
Children Act 1989 (and 2004 Amendment)

‍This Policy will be reviewed and revised annually BYRRUFC and TCF to ensure it meets business and legal requirements Reviewed & Revised Sept 2024
‍Nominated person for Safeguarding for Rotherham TitansRugby/Titans Community Foundation: Lindsay Jones Chair of Trustees – Titans Community Foundation
Vice Chair of Governors – Elizabethan Academy, Retford Contact: lindsay.jones@titans-rugby.comTel: 07715 921 723   


‍THE POLICY Children’s welfare is of paramount importance. The Titans Community Foundation (TCF) fully recognises thecontribution it can make to protect children, young people and vulnerablegroups and support them in the work the TCF does in the community. The aim ofthe policy is to safeguard and promote their welfare, safety and health byfostering an honest, open, caring and supportive climate. There are four main elements to our policy:
- Providing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop.
- Ensuring  we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff, players and volunteers to work with children.
- Developing and implementing procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases of abuse, within the Rugby Club and the schools and organisations we work with.  
- Raising awareness of safeguarding children, child protection processes and equipping staff with the skills needed to keep children safe.

The TCF will:  
- Take all reasonable measures to ensure risks of harm to children's welfare are minimised.
- Take all appropriate actions to address concerns about the welfare of a child, working to local policies and procedures, in full working partnership with schools, organisations and agencies.
- Ensure robust child protection arrangements are in place and embedded in the daily life and practice of Rotherham Titans Rugby Club and the TCF.  
- Promote pupil health and safety.  
- Promote safe practice and challenge unsafe practice.  

‍Roles and Responsibilities – Everyone – Rotherham TitansRugby Club (RT), Titans Community Foundation (TCF)
‍Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone's responsibility. Everyone in our Club who comes into contact with children and their families have a role to play in safeguarding children. All staff in our Club consider, at all times, what is in the best interests of children. Staff recognise that certain children are more vulnerable than others, such as looked after children and children with special educational needs and disabilities. Staff know in the first instance to discuss their concerns with the designated safeguarding lead in an organisation and understand they may be required to support other agencies and professionals in assessments. All our staff are aware of systems within the RT and the TCF and these are explained to them as part of their induction, which include our child protection policy; the employee code of conduct and the role of the designated safeguarding lead. All our staff receive safeguarding and child protection Training, including copies of the Policy and a Guide to Safeguarding leaflet for their own files. All our staff know what to do if a child is raising concerns, disclosures of abuse and neglect. Staff will maintain a level of confidentiality whist liaising with the designated safeguarding lead. Our staff will never promise a child that they will not tell anyone about a disclosure or allegation, recognising this may not be in the best interest of the child.    

Rotherham Titans Rugby Club and the Titans Community Foundation will aim to :
- Prevent people who pose a risk of harm from working with children by adhering to statutory responsibilities to check staff who work with children, making decisions about additional checks and ensuring volunteers are supervised as required.  
- Ask all employees and volunteers to declare any criminal convictions or records of involvement in child protection proceedings.
- A positive declaration will not prevent applications from being accepted, unless it automatically excludes an individual from employment in that area.  
- Ensure that a DBS check will be undertaken, for all staff who do not currently hold one, for any employee working directly with children and young people, either via the TCF, the RFU or any establishment directly employing one of our staff in an additional role.  - - Record all DBS information on a central record held by the TCF.  
- Ensure at least one person within the TCF has undertaken safer recruitment training. ‍

Appendix 1 Procedure for responding to an allegation of abuse: All complaints, allegations or suspicions will be taken seriously. Procedures will be followed whenever an allegation is made that a child/ young person /vulnerable adult has been abused or there is suspicion of abuse. In any situation, the Nominated Person will follow advice from specialist agencies including Social Services, Police and other relevant organisations.  

1. For any individual who is approached by a child wishing to disclose abuse or neglect:
- Listen to what they say, keep calm, reassure them that they are right to tell and you will take action to help keep them safe.
- DO NOT DELAY take any immediate necessary action to protect the child  Inform them you need to share the information and what you are going to do next  
- Do not promise confidentiality, you will need to share/ report the information onwards
- Do not question further, or inform the alleged abuser
- The child/young person/vulnerable adult must be advised that there is a limit to confidentiality
- Discuss the concerns with the Nominated Person immediately  
- The Nominated Person will consider further actions including consultations with other agencies  
- Concerns and discussion, decisions and reasons for decision should be recorded in writing and a file should be opened, then stored securely by the TCF and NP.

If unable to contact the NP, then concerns should be reported directly to the Social Services Department, Duty Social Worker, at RMBC and the NP informed as soon as possible.

‍
2. For allegations about members of staff/volunteers:
- Any suspicion, allegation or actual abuse by an employee/volunteer must be reported to the NP as soon as the concern arises.  

The NP will inform the Board of Directors of RRUFC and the Trustees of the TCF. Steps must be taken to ensure the safety of any child/young person/vulnerable adult who might be at risk and ensure that they are safe and away from the person against whom the allegation is made.  The NP will report the matter to the LA Social Services Dept or the Police, as appropriate  The NP will ensure that a report of the matter is completed by the person who reported the original concern.

All complaints, allegations or suspicions will be taken seriously. Procedures will be followed whenever an allegation is made that achild/young person/vulnerable adult has been abused or there is suspicion of abuse. In any situation, the Nominated Person will follow advice from specialist agencies including Social Services, Police and other relevant organisations.
 

Guidance for Written Records: ‍

Name of NP/Job Title Name of person reporting concerns/Job Title Relationship toChild/Young Person/Vulnerable Adult Contact Details About the Child/YP/VA  N
- Name    
- Gender    
- Address    
- Guardians    

About your concern •
- Was abuse observed/suspected?   
- Is the concern based on first-hand knowledge?  
- Was it witnessed?  
- When, Where, Time alleged incident took place  
- Name of alleged perpetrator  
-Nature of the allegation  
-Nature of the allegation (as understood by the victim)