Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Safeguarding Child Protection Policy - August 2025

 

Company Name:

Supply Education Alliance Ltd

Policy Name:

Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy

Date:

22nd August 2025

Version:

1

 

Supply Education Alliance Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and all candidates on its register to share this commitment and to be fully aware of the importance of child protection.

 

All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Five areas have been highlighted within the Every Child Matters agenda as being vital to children’s and young people’s wellbeing to be addressed by  school:

  • stay safe
  • be healthy
  • enjoy and achieve
  • make a positive contribution
  • achieve economic wellbeing

 

To achieve this, children need to feel supported and valued by a network of reliable professionals. Supply Education Alliance Ltd’s policies and procedures adhere to the current legislation as defined in the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the guidance given by the Government in the report “Working Together to Safeguard Children”.

 

Keeping children safe in education – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education)

 

Please take time to read through this.

 

Everyone in the education service shares an objective to help keep children and young people safe by contributing to:

 

  • Providing a safe environment for them to learn in education
  • Identifying children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer significant harm and taking appropriate action with the aim of making sure they are kept safe both at home and in the education setting.

 

In view of their daily contact with children, candidates working through Educated Recruitment are well placed to observe abuse or neglect. It is their responsibility to report suspected or alleged abuse.

 

If a candidate is working within a school or nursery it is his/her duty to take note not only of major incidents, but also of signals which give cause for suspicion or concern. When this occurs the candidate must report any concerns to the school’s designated member of staff with particular responsibility for child protection work and liaison with youth services. It is also the candidate’s responsibility to adhere to the specific guidelines set out in each school’s Child Protection Policy.

If a candidate is working outside of the school or nursery environment it is his/her duty to report any concerns to the Social Services Department. Candidates have a responsibility of explaining on first contact that they cannot keep information confidential. If abuse is suspected the concern should be recorded at branch level and then discussed with the Operations Director and reported to Social Services. If a candidate has reason to believe that a young person is being abused then the safety and welfare of that child has to be the paramount consideration in deciding what action needs to be taken.

If there is an allegation of abuse made against a candidate working through Education Recruitment it should be reported to the Branch Manager and Line Managers. Action will be taken in accordance with Supply Education Alliance Ltd’s Complaints Procedure.

 

Under no circumstances should a candidate ever intervene on his/her own. Supply Education Alliance Ltd wishes to inform all candidates of the position outlined in the 1996 Education Act that any form of physical contact with a child in the form of corporal punishment is prohibited. Supply Education Alliance Ltd adopts a ‘hands off’ policy.

Our policy's purpose

This policy’s purpose is to:

  1. Provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time or full-time
  2. Not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of: 
  • age
  • disability
  • gender reassignment
  • marriage or civil partnership
  • pregnancy and maternity
  • race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
  • religion or belief
  • sex
  • sexual orientation
  1. Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in:
  • pay and benefits
  • terms and conditions of employment
  • dealing with grievances and discipline
  • dismissal
  • redundancy
  • leave for parents
  • requests for flexible working
  • selection for employment, promotion, training or other development opportunities

Our commitments

The organisation commits to:

  1. Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace as they are good practice and make business sense.
  2. Create a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.
  • This commitment includes training managers and all other employees about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity and inclusion policy. Responsibilities include staff conducting themselves to help the organisation provide equal opportunities in employment, and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination.
  • All staff should understand they, as well as their employer, can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, against fellow employees, customers, suppliers and the public.

  1. Take seriously complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination by fellow employees, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of the organisation’s work activities.
  • Such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice.
  • Further, sexual harassment may amount to both an employment rights matter and a criminal matter, such as in sexual assault allegations. In addition, harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 – which is not limited to circumstances where harassment relates to a protected characteristic – is a criminal offence.
  1. Make opportunities for training, development and progress available to all staff, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
  2. Make decisions concerning staff based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
  3. Review employment practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness, and also update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law.
  4. Monitor the make-up of the workforce regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.

  • Monitoring will also include assessing how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action plan, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, and considering and taking action to address any issues.

Agreement to follow this policy

The equality, diversity and inclusion policy is fully supported by senior management and has been agreed with trade unions and/or employee representatives.

Our disciplinary and grievance procedures

Details of the organisation’s grievance and disciplinary policies and procedures can be found at in SEA LTD’s staff handbook. This includes with whom an employee should raise a grievance – usually their line manager.
Use of the organisation’s grievance or disciplinary procedures does not affect an employee’s right to make a claim to an employment tribunal within 3 months of the alleged discrimination.