Youth Team Safeguarding Guidelines

To download a printable copy, please click here.

1. Leaders

  • Young people should be supervised by a leader at all times

  • At least 2 leaders need to be present before the first young person arrives and

    after the last young person leaves

  • Leaders under 18 shouldn’t have responsibility for a group or activity on their own

    – older leaders watch out for this

  • All regular leaders will be DBS checked and be recruited through the diocese Safer

    Recruitment process.

2. Risk assessment

  • The overall leader will check for risks before each session, but all leaders have a responsibility to minimise hazards

  • Hazards to look out for:

    –  Obstructions (particularly of fire escapes)

    –  Things that can be tripped over e.g. wires

    –  Sharp objects

    –  Items stored at height that could fall

    –  Electrocution

    –  Poor lighting

3. Contact details

  • All young people have to register in and out

  • We must have a registration form for all young people signed by their parents.

    When young people attend for the first time:

    • If their parents are with them, ask them to complete the form, or

    • If their parents aren’t with them, call the parent and ask them to complete

      the form online at stwss.org.uk/register

    • If the above isn’t possible, ask the young person if their parent knows they are at the youth club and ask their parent to complete the online form before next week.

    • All leaders need to be able to contact other leaders, particularly the overall leader, during the sessions - make sure you have their mobile phone number.

4. Electronic contact

  • Don’t give your personal contact details to young people, except through communicating within the Youth Church WhatsApp group.

  • Do not follow young people on Social Media.

5. Photos & videos

  • Don’t keep photos or videos of attendees on your device.

  • Only store photos on the authorised STwSS Google Drive cloud storage.

  • Discourage young people from taking photos or videos

6. Touch

  • Only when appropriate and sensitive to the young person’s needs

  • Only with other people present

  • Only appropriate places- e.g. shoulder

  • Don’t be rejecting but don’t be encouraging

  • Only use physical restraint as a last resort

  • Don’t be alone with a young person

7. Fighting

  • If a fight breaks out, call the overall leader

  • Get all the other young people out of the room – their safety is important

  • First try talking to them calmly

  • Only use physical restraint as a last resort

8. Behaviour policy

  • For full details of the STwSS Youth behaviour policy please go to stwss.org.uk/behaviour. In brief, there are 4 stages:

  • Verbal Warning (if no further discipline is needed during that session, then it is forgotten about)

  • Yellow Warning (given if behaviour doesn’t improve, stays on record for 2 weeks of attendance)

  • Orange Warning (given if they are on Yellow warning, but further discipline is needed. Parents are called. Stays on record for 2 weeks of attendance)

  • Red Warning (given if behaviour still doesn’t improve. Banned for at least one week or more, on case by case)

9. First aid

  • Be aware of young people on medication e.g. asthma pumps

  • Report any incident to overall leader and qualified first aider

  • First aid kit id located on welcome desk at St Stephen’s and in the kitchenette at St Thomas’. Incident book is located in Youth office at St Stephen’s and in the Vestry at St Thomas’, pinned to the cork board.

  • Don’t administer medication yourself (e.g. headache pills)

  • In an emergency situation:

    • 1 leader clear other young people out of the room

    • 1 leader stay with injured young person

    • 1 leader call ambulance

10. Fire

  • Fire extinguishers and fire escapes are located in every room – familiarise yourself with these

  • Meeting point is located in the Neville Court car park at St Stephen’s and Salford Road/Telford Avenue corner at St Thomas’.

  • If fire alarm sounds:

    • Evacuate your room

    • Overall leader will check all the rooms

    • Leader on door take register and register young people at the meeting

      point

    • Overall leader will call the Fire Brigade

11. Safeguarding incidents

  • You have a duty to report any information of a young person at risk of harm to the overall leader

  • Overall leader is responsible for reporting to the Safeguarding Officer (Camilla Simpson)

  • The Safeguarding Officer is experienced and trained in this area and will always act in the best interest of the young person

  • If a young person wants to talk to you quietly, go to a corner of a busy room

  • When speaking to young person:

    • Don’t promise secrecy

    • Take it seriously

    • Don’t judge

    • Ask open questions

    • Tell them the next step you’re going to take

    • Don’t gossip

    • Don’t attempt to investigate yourself

  • Write down description of incidents immediately

We are committed to reviewing our policy and procedures annually.

Last Reviewed: 01 March 2022