Safeguarding
The safety and wellbeing of every child who takes part in Youth Learning Network activities comes first, always. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
If a child is in immediate danger
Call 999 straight away. If you are worried about a child but they are not in immediate danger, you can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, or a child can call Childline on 0800 1111.
How we keep children safe
Safer recruitment
Everyone who works or volunteers with children completes an application review, interview and references, and applies for an enhanced DBS check where their role requires one. No applicant is authorised to work unsupervised with children until checks are complete.
Supervision and consent
Sessions run with children supervised at all times by checked adults, and parents or carers complete a registration with consent and emergency contact details before a child takes part.
Controlled photography
Photographs or videos identifying a child are only published with the appropriate parental permission on record, and permissions can be withdrawn at any time.
Protected information
Children's records, progress notes and attendance are stored with restricted access, visible only to authorised staff and the child's own parent or carer.
Raise a concern
If you have any concern about the welfare of a child involved with Youth Learning Network, whether it happened at our sessions or elsewhere, please tell us. Speak to a member of the team in person at a Saturday session, or contact us directly. Concerns are taken seriously, recorded and, where a child may be at risk, shared with the relevant local authority safeguarding team or the police.
Our full safeguarding policy, which is reviewed by the board of trustees, is available to parents, carers and partners on request. We also follow government guidance on safeguarding in out-of-school settings.