Our promise: every young woman who comes to The Polished Standard has the right to be safe, to be listened to and to be treated with respect. Keeping her safe comes before everything else we do.

1. Who this policy is for
This policy covers everyone who works with The Polished Standard (TPS). At the moment that is Rose, the founder, who delivers every session. It will also cover anyone who helps us in future, paid or unpaid.

It protects the young women on our 8-week Behavioural Architecture programme. They are aged 16 to 25 and usually come to us through colleges, training providers, supported housing and other organisations. Some are children in law (under 18). Some are adults (18 and over) who may need extra care and support. We follow the right rules for each.

2. What safeguarding means
Safeguarding means protecting people from harm, abuse and neglect, and acting quickly when we are worried. Young women can face particular risks, such as controlling relationships and exploitation, so we stay alert.

Harm can take many forms. These include:

• Physical abuse: hurting someone’s body.
• Emotional abuse: bullying, threats, putting someone down or controlling them.
• Sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
• Neglect: not getting the care, food, home or help someone needs. This includes self-neglect.
• Financial abuse: someone taking or controlling a young woman’s money or benefits.
• Criminal exploitation: being pushed into crime, such as carrying drugs (“county lines”).
• Domestic abuse, including from a partner or family member.
• Honour-based abuse, forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
• Modern slavery and trafficking.
• Radicalisation: being drawn into extreme views that support violence.
• Online abuse, such as grooming, sharing images or being blackmailed.
• Self-harm, eating difficulties or thoughts of suicide.

3. Our safeguarding lead
Our Safeguarding Lead is responsible for this policy and for acting on every concern.

• Safeguarding Lead: Rosemary Folayan, 079648307383 / [TPS EMAIL]

Because TPS is run by one person, we also work closely with the safeguarding lead at each organisation that books the programme. If Rosemary is not available, or the worry is about her, contact that organisation’s safeguarding lead, or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) (see section 7).

4. How we keep young women safe

• Rosemary has an enhanced DBS check [WITH A CHECK OF THE CHILDREN’S AND ADULTS’ BARRED LISTS] and is registered with the DBS Update Service, so her check is kept up to date. (A DBS check is a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service). Anyone who helps us in future will have the same check before they start.
• Rosemary completes safeguarding training and a refresher every year.
• We deliver sessions in groups, in safe venues agreed with the organisation that booked the programme. We check fire exits, first aid and access before the first session.
• Where possible, a member of staff from the booking organisation is in the building during sessions. We avoid being alone with a young woman in a closed room. If someone needs a quiet word, we stay in sight of others.
• We keep a register of who attends, and we have the contact details of each young woman’s key worker, tutor or support worker.
• We only contact young women through TPS work phone and email, or through their organisation. We do not use personal phones or personal social media to contact young women.
• Online sessions use private links, and we never record them without everyone’s agreement.
• We never take or share photos of young women without their written permission. See our Photos and Stories Policy.
• We agree group rules with young women in the first session, so everyone knows how we treat each other.

5. If a young woman tells you something worrying
A young woman may tell you she is being harmed, or that someone else is. This is called a disclosure. Follow these steps.

1. Stay calm and listen. Let her talk in her own words. Don’t look shocked.
2. Reassure her. Tell her she was right to tell you, and that it is not her fault.
3. Don’t promise to keep it secret. Explain kindly that you may need to tell someone who can help keep her safe.
4. Don’t ask leading questions or push for details. Only ask open questions, like “Can you tell me more?”. Don’t investigate yourself.
5. Tell her what happens next. Say who you will tell and when.
6. Write it down as soon as you can, the same day. Use her exact words. Record the date, time, who was there, and what you saw or heard. Sign it. Stick to facts, not opinions.
7. Tell the Safeguarding Lead the same day.

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999 straight away. Then tell the Safeguarding Lead.

6. What the Safeguarding Lead does next

• Decides what action is needed, on the same day.
• Tells the safeguarding lead at the organisation that booked the programme, and follows that organisation’s own safeguarding rules.
• If the young woman is under 18, contacts the local council’s children’s services if a child may be at risk of harm.
• If the young woman is 18 or over and may have care and support needs, contacts the local council’s adult social care team.
• Contacts the police (101, or 999 in an emergency) if a crime may have happened.
• Keeps a clear, private record of every concern, every decision and the reason for it.

Where possible, we tell the young woman before we share her information, and we ask for her views. But we will share information without her agreement if we need to, to protect her or someone else from serious harm. UK data protection law allows this.

7. If the worry is about someone who works with us
If you are worried about how Rose, or anyone working with TPS, behaves around young women, tell the safeguarding lead at the organisation that booked the programme straight away. If it involves a young person under 18, it will be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day. The LADO is the council officer who deals with concerns about adults who work with children. Our local LADO: Lado.essex.gov.uk.

If someone is removed from working with young people because they caused harm or might cause harm, we will refer them to the Disclosure and Barring Service, as the law requires.

You can also raise a concern outside TPS, for example with the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285. We will never treat anyone badly for raising a concern in good faith.

8. Records and privacy
We keep safeguarding records private and secure. Only the people who need to know will see them. See our Privacy Policy for how long we keep records.

9. Laws and guidance we follow

• Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government, 2023)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (when we work in schools and colleges)
• Care Act 2014 (adults with care and support needs)
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (DBS checks and barring)
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 (including the duty to report)
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR
• Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners (HM Government)
• Prevent guidance (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015)

10. Useful numbers for young women

• Emergency services (anyone in immediate danger): 999
• Police (non-emergency) (reporting a crime that isn’t an emergency): 101
• NHS 111 (urgent health advice, including mental health): 111
• Samaritans (anyone who needs to talk, day or night): 116 123
• Shout (text support, 24 hours): Text SHOUT to 85258
• Childline (young people under 19): 0800 1111
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (24 hours): 0808 2000 247
• NSPCC Helpline (adults worried about a child): 0808 800 5000

11. Reviewing this policy
We review this policy every year, and straight away after any serious concern or change in the law.

Approved by: Rosemary Folayan, Safeguarding Lead. Last updated23.10.26. Next review: October 2027.