Policy Statement
This policy summarises current working practices in relation to safeguarding children and young people of any age, who may be at risk of abuse in the context of Bright World Education and Guardianships. The document details the policy aims, safeguarding measures, Safer Recruitment, response to individual concerns, use of IT and the internet, Information Sharing and Confidentiality.
Bright World Guardianships recognises our moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. We make every effort to ensure that students and adults feel safe, secure, valued and respected, and feel confident to talk if they are worried, believing they will be effectively listened to.
Aims of this Policy
The purpose of this policy is to provide staff, volunteers and host families with the framework they need in order to keep children safe and secure whilst they are in our care. The policy also informs parents, agents and partner schools how we will safeguard their children whilst they are in our care. This policy is based on guidance from the most recent versions of KCSIE and Working Together to Safeguard Children. It also makes use of guidance from the NSPCC website.
The Bright World Mission Statement and Main Aims
Safeguarding students is the responsibility of us all, including full-time, part-time, contracted, agency and volunteer staff including those who do not have cause to come into direct or regular contact with students in order to carry out their daily duties. It also applies to those who provide host family accommodation for our students and third party contractors.
Where there is a child protection concern Bright World Guardianships will ensure the child’s wishes and feelings are taken into account when determining what action to take and what services to provide. We provide clear information for students on the Bright World App. We check that students understand the information and are comfortable about how they can raise a concern. We explain how concerns will be treated seriously, and that students can safely express their views and give feedback.
All staff and host families should be aware that children may not feel ready or know how to tell someone that they are being abused, exploited, or neglected, and/or they may not recognise their experiences as harmful. This should not prevent staff from having a professional curiosity and speaking to the DSL if they have concerns about a child. We are committed to making sure that we do not have unconcious bias when working with children from wealthier families so we do not miss any form of affluent neglect.
It is important that staff and host families determine how best to build trusted relationships with children and young people which facilitate communication
The safety and welfare of children, or Child Protection, means protecting children from physical, emotional or sexual abuse or neglect where there is an identified risk. Safeguarding is the minimisation of the risk to children from all forms of child abuse including for example:
• Child sexual exploitation
• Child on child abuse
• Radicalisation and extremism
• Female genital mutilation
• Physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect or affluent neglect
• Domestic abuse
• Online abuse
• Bullying and cyber bullying
We aim to:
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ensure that we lead from the top by ensuring that our Directors and key safeguarding staff have the appropriate safeguarding knowledge and involvement in the procedures we have in place. This includes having oversight of arrangements. |
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promote an environment of trust, openness and clear communication between students, school and Bright World staff and our host families so that student welfare, safety and pastoral care is recognised as the top priority; |
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ensure that Bright World Guardianships students have a safe and child-centred environment which promotes and prioritises their safety and well-being, accepting that children with special educational needs and disabilities can face additional safeguarding challenges |
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support children’s development by protecting them from specific safeguarding issues and all forms of child abuse |
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create a culture of safe recruitment, adopt procedures that help deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children and create an environment where staff remain vigilant |
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ensure that we follow our Safer Recruitment policy and procedure and that all Bright World Guardianships staff and host families, and volunteers have a valid enhanced DBS check, understand their role and responsibility in respect of identifying safeguarding opportunities and reporting child protection concerns, are provided with regular appropriate training opportunities for staff to help them develop their knowledge, understanding and professionalism as is set out in our Staff Code of Conduct and our Host Family Code of Conduct. |
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ensure that Taxi Companies we recruit follow our Code of Conduct and that we view and approve a DBS check for all drivers transporting our students. |
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ensure that appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents or concerns of abuse being reported to Bright World staff and that support is provided to individuals who raise or disclose the concern |
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ensure that confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored |
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We maintain links with the appropriate agencies who have a statutory responsibility to deal with child welfare and child protection concerns. |
This policy will be reviewed every year or sooner if in response to changes in legislation/government guidance, as required by the LSP and as a result of any other significant change or event.
Bright World Guardianships Contacts
Bright World recognises that safeguarding children is the responsibility of everybody and the owners and directors of the company have appropriate safeguarding training and oversight of company practices.
| Name | Title | Number | |
| Robbie Piper | DSL, Mental Health and Prevent Lead | robbie@brightworld.co.uk | Direct: 01273 836068 |
| Lana Foster | DSL | lana@brightworld.co.uk | Direct: 01273 836789 |
| Su Warren | Deputy DSL | su@brightworld.co.uk | Direct: 01273 836780 |
| James Foster | Deputy DSL | james@brightworld.co.uk | Direct: 01273 836788 |
Concerns in relation to the Managing Directors should be addressed to the Guardianship & Safeguarding Manager, Robbie Piper. Concerns in relation to the Senior Guardianship & Safeguarding Manager, Robbie Piper, should be addressed to Lana or James Foster. Concerns about any of the above can be directed to Crimestoppers which will remain confidential.
Guidance we refer to
Statutory Guidance for Schools and Colleges on Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education, Department for Education;
Keeping Children Safe in Education; Working Together to Safeguard Children;
National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland;
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act; and
‘What to do if you are worried that a child is being abused.Bright World Guardianships’ policies and processes are in line with the requirements of the
- Association of Education and Guardianship of International Students (AEGIS),
- National Minimum Boarding Standards
Bright World Guardianships refers to various expert sources advice on child abuse and safeguarding, for example National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) website, Barnardo’s and the Local Safeguarding Partnerships (LSP) when developing policies and managing incidents.
Child Protection Principles
The following principles underpin our provisions and practices in relation to safeguarding and child protection:
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Bright World Guardianships will provide a safe and secure environment for all students; |
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Host families and taxi companies provide a safe and secure environment for all students; |
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All students feel safe, secure and protected from harm; |
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All students know who to turn to for help, advice or support, can access services confidentially, quickly and easily and have access to 24-hour support; |
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The owners of the company, Lana and James Foster, have overall responsibility and accountability for the safeguarding and welfare of the students; |
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All staff, host families and volunteers share in the responsibility to protect students from harm, remain vigilant in identifying safeguarding and child protection issues and to follow policies and procedures relating to safeguarding and child protection |
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Students and staff have effective means by which they can raise child protection concerns or report issues; |
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Staff have at least one reliable means to contact all students quickly and directly; |
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Staff are aware of the medical or learning needs of individual students via the Student Record and these are shared with the host family on a need to know basis; |
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In cases where the whereabouts of a student under Bright World Guardianships is not known or the student is believed to be at risk of harm, procedures to locate the student by the safest and quickest means possible, or secure the safety of the student will be invoked immediately by following the Absent or Missing Student policy; |
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The company has procedures in place that enable child protection concerns and incidents to be dealt with promptly and effectively and in line with relevant legislation. |
Supporting procedures and documents
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the following policies and documents:
- Staff Code of Conduct
- Host Family Code of Conduct
Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children | is defined as: • protecting children from maltreatment; • preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development; • ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; • taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes. |
| Child Protection | Is a part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. |
| Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | This is the person identified as taking the lead in safeguarding matters in an organisation. This person (and any deputy) will be trained to a higher level. |
| Prevent | Prevent is the name given to part of the government’s strategy to prevent terrorism by reducing the possibility of radicalisation. |
| Local Safeguarding Partnership (LSP) | Formerly Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) and consisting of the local authority, the clinical commissioning group within the local authority and the chief office of police within the local authority. |
| LADO | The role of the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is to coordinate all allegations and concerns made against a person who works with children. |
| Children | ‘Children’ includes everyone under the age of 18. |
| MASH | Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub – MASH is the front door service, a team made up of social workers, police officers and health and education staff who aim to protect vulnerable children and young people. |
| CAMHS | Child and adolescent mental health services – part of the NHS who help with Mental Health illness. |
Types of Child Abuse
Bright World staff understand and are trained on the different types of child abuse as listed here.
How students can raise a concern of any type of abuse
• It is important that students understand that any concern they raise will be treated seriously.
• Students will be encouraged to talk to any trusted adult, including school staff, their parents, homestay carer, their guardian or the guardianship organisation DSL/ DDSL. This will be explained to them verbally, with a written reminder included on the student app. There is also an easy to fill in form on the Bright World App. where students can send in a report of a concern.
Procedures
All staff members and host families have a duty to identify and respond to suspected / actual abuse or disclosures of abuse. Any member of staff, volunteer or host families who receives a disclosure or allegation of abuse, or suspects that abuse may have occurred must report it immediately to the DSL (or, in their absence, the DDSL). Anyone can make a referral direct to the LSP or LADO. The contact details are included in this document.Actions to be followed if there are concerns about a child or young person
• Where there is risk of immediate harm, concerns will be referred immediately by telephone to the LSP in that area or the Police.
• Less urgent concerns or requests for support, including for Early Help, will be sent by the DSL to the LSP in that area.
• The DSL may also seek advice from Social Care or another appropriate agency about a concern, if we are unsure how to respond to it.
• The DSL will refer any safeguarding concerns that relate to an incident in school to the school. Concerns will be referred to the school DSL. If an allegation is made against a member of school staff, the guardianship organisation will check the school policy to see who to refer such matters so. This is usually the Head of the School. If the allegation involves the Head, then usually the chair of governors should be informed.
• Where a concern is not seen to reach the threshold for a referral, the DSL will keep the concern on file and will monitor the situation. Should the concern escalate, a referral will be made to the LSP.
• Wherever possible, we will share any safeguarding concerns, or an intention to refer a child to Children’s Social Care, with parents or carers. However, we will not do so where it is felt that to do so could place the child at greater risk of harm or impede a criminal investigation. On occasions, it may be necessary to consult with the LSP and/or Police for advice on when to share information with parents / carers.
• If a member of staff or host family member continues to have concerns about a child and feels the situation is not being addressed or does not appear to be improving, the staff member or host family member concerned should press for re-consideration of the case with the DSL.
• If, for any reason, the DSL (or DDSL) is not available, or you do not feel that your concern is being taken seriously, this should not delay appropriate action being taken. Any individual may refer to the LSP or Police where there is suspected or actual risk of harm to a child. The contact details are included at the beginning of this policy.
• Full records of reports and action taken will be maintained by the DSL and securely stored in a specific safeguarding file.
Click here to see a flowchart of our procedure.
Child on Child Abuse – how Bright World will respond
All staff and host families should be aware that children can abuse other children (often referred to as child on child abuse) and that it can happen both inside and outside of school or college and online. That may mean it happens whilst students are in the care of host families. It is important that all staff and host families recognise the indicators and signs of child on child abuse and know how to identify it and respond to reports.
All staff and host families should understand, that even if there are no reports in their organisation it does not mean it is not happening, it may be the case that it is just not being reported. As such it is important if staff or host families have any concerns regarding child on child abuse they should speak to the designated safeguarding lead (or deputy).
Bright World Guardianships adopts a zero- tolerance to abuse. It is essential that all staff and host families understand the importance of challenging inappropriate behaviours between peers, many of which are listed below, that are actually abusive in nature. Downplaying certain behaviours, for example dismissing sexual harassment as “just banter”, “just having a laugh”, “part of growing up” or “boys being boys” can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviours, an unsafe environment for children and in worst case scenarios a culture that normalises abuse leading to children accepting it as normal and not coming forward to report it. It is recognised that it is more likely that girls will be victims and boys’ perpetrators, but all child on child abuse is unacceptable and will be taken seriously.
Bright World Guardianships has the following procedures that help to minimise the risk of child on child abuse:
• Regular training for staff and host families
• Educating students through our handbooks and through discussion
• Providing students with clear guidelines within the student handbook on the Bright World App on how to raise a concern.
• Fostering effective channels of communication so that students feel comfortable approaching their host family carer or guardian with any concerns. This includes a feedback request via email each time they stay with a host family.
• Effective communication between the DSL (and DDSL) with the DSL in schools where students are placed.
In the event of a report of child on child abuse, staff and host families should inform the DSL or DDSL as soon as possible.
How allegations will be recorded, investigated and dealt with
• All reports of child on child abuse will be made on a case by case basis with the DSL or the DDSL taking a leading role using their professional judgement and supported by other agencies such as social care or the police as required.
• Bright World Guardianships asks staff and host family members to follow the procedures outlined within this policy for receiving a disclosure from a child or young person and for actions to be followed if there are concerns about a child or young person.
• Where a report includes an online element, Bright World Guardianships will follow advice on searching, screening and confiscation. Staff or host families must not view or forward images unless unavoidable and only if another member of staff (preferably the DSL) is present. (The publication Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people section 2.10 explains the procedure to follow if it is felt that there is a clear reason to view such imagery.)
• The DSL will notify the DSL of the school that the student attends as soon as possible.
Risk Assessment
When there has been a report of sexual violence between children, the DSL (or DDSL) will make an immediate risk and needs’ assessment. Where there has been a report of sexual harassment between children, the need for a risk assessment should be considered on a case-by-case basis. The risk and needs’ assessment should consider:
• The victim, especially their protection and support;
• The alleged perpetrator; and
• All the other children (and, if appropriate, homestay family members) residing at a homestay, especially any actions that are appropriate to protect them;
Risk assessments will be recorded on our online system and be kept under review.
The DSL (or a DDSL) will ensure they are engaging with the relevant LSP.
How victims, perpetrators and any other children affected by child on child abuse will be supported
• Bright World Guardianships will support students who have been involved in child on child abuse.
This could include:
o Maintaining regular contact with the student/s to check on their welfare and provide an opportunity to talk.
o Providing host families and staff information on a need-to-know basis so that they are able to offer support where appropriate.
o Working with the student’s school to provide consistent support
o Making available the details of charities and helplines who can help students who have been affected by child on child abuse.
Management of the report
The DSL will decide how any cases of child on child abuse should be managed, in line with LSP thresholds. Depending on the severity, a report may be handled in the following ways:
• Manage internally (including liaising with the students’ school DSL where appropriate)
• Early help
• Report to the LSP: Where a child has been harmed, is at risk of harm, or is in immediate danger, we will make a referral to the LSP.
• Report to the police. Where a report of rape, assault by penetration or sexual assault is made, Bright World Guardianships will consult with the police regarding how this case should be managed.
Bright World Guardianships expects all staff and host families to be clear on the policy and procedures with regards to child on child abuse outlined in this policy and the important role they have to play in preventing it and responding where they believe a child may be at risk from it. Bright World Guardianships acknowledges that addressing inappropriate behaviour (even if it appears to be relatively innocuous) can be an important intervention that helps prevent problematic, abusive and/or violent behaviour in the future.
Allegations of abuse against a member of staff or homestay
Allegations that meet the threshold
This guidance should be followed where it is alleged that anyone working, volunteering or hosting students for Bright World Guardianships has:
• behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child and/or;
• possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child and/or;
• behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates he or she may pose a risk of harm to children; and/or
• behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children (known as transferable risk)
- In the event that there is an allegation against a member of staff, volunteer or homestay, Bright World Guardianships will follow the guidance in the most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education Part 4.
• Allegations against a member of guardianship organisation staff, volunteers or host families should be directed to the Lana or James Foster, who will act as “case manager”. The Lana and James must contact the LADO immediately and follow their advice. They must not investigate themselves. If the allegation is about the owner/ director, please contact the LADO directly.
• Bright World Guardianships will report promptly to the DBS any person whose services are no longer used for regulated activity because they have caused harm or posed a risk of harm to a child.
• Any historical allegations should be referred to the police.
Allegations that do not meet the threshold (Low level concerns)
Bright World Guardianships has a Low Level Concerns policy that outlines the processes we will follow to deal with concerns (including allegations) which do not meet the harm threshold set out above. We also have a staff code of conduct that explains professional boundaries.
Staff, host families and volunteers are expected to act within these boundaries, and in accordance with the ethos and values of Bright World Guardianships. It is imperative that staff understand the importance of reporting any concerns that they may have.
Concerns may arise in several ways and from a number of sources. For example: suspicion; complaint; or disclosure made by a student, parent or other adult within or outside of the organisation; or as a result of vetting checks undertaken.
The term ‘low-level’ concern does not mean that it is insignificant, it means that the behaviour towards a child does not meet the threshold set out above. A low-level concern is any concern – no matter how small, and even if no more than causing a sense of unease or a ‘nagging doubt’ – that an adult working in or on behalf of the school or college may have acted in a way that:
• is inconsistent with the staff code of conduct, including inappropriate conduct outside of work, and
• does not meet the allegations threshold or is otherwise not considered serious enough to consider a referral to the LADO.
Examples of such behaviour could include, but are not limited to:
• being over friendly with children;
• having favourites;
• taking photographs of children on their mobile phone;
• engaging with a child on a one-to-one basis in a secluded area or behind a closed door; or,
• using inappropriate sexualised, intimidating or offensive language.
Such behaviour can exist on a wide spectrum, from the inadvertent or thoughtless, or behaviour that may look to be inappropriate, but might not be in specific circumstances, through to that which is ultimately intended to enable abuse.
The safety and wellbeing of students in our care is dependent on the vigilance of all our staff, volunteers and host families and their prompt communication to the DSL of any concerns, no matter how small, about any conduct by an adult which causes you to doubt that adult’s suitability to work with or have access to children. Bright World Guardianships is conscious of its duty of care to students and will always act, including if alerted to the possibility of abuse arising from situations or persons outside our care. The notification and prompt handling of all concerns about adults is fundamental to safeguarding students. It helps to identify and prevent abuse and to protect adults against misunderstandings or misinterpretations. It also encourages openness, trust and transparency and it clarifies expected behaviours. Our separate Low Level Concern Policy outlines how we will manage and record any low level concerns and take appropriate action to safeguard children.
Learning Lessons
Throughout the process of handling allegations and at conclusion of a case in which an allegation is substantiated, the LADO should review the circumstances of the case with the case manager to determine whether there are any improvements to be made to our procedures to help prevent similar events in the future.
This should include issues arising from any decision to suspend the member of staff, the duration of the suspension and whether or not suspension was justified. Lessons should also be learnt from the use of suspension when the individual is subsequently reinstated.
The LADO and case manager should consider how future investigations of a similar nature could be carried out without suspending the individual.
For all other cases, where the allegation concluded to be either, unfounded, false, malicious or unsubstantiated the case manager (and if they have been involved the LADO) should consider the facts and determine whether any lessons can be learned and if improvements can be made
How to receive a disclosure from a child or young person
See our Good Recording Practice Guide here
Sharing Safeguarding Information
There will be occasions when safeguarding information will need to be shared with other parties in order to safeguard the individual/s concerned. Information will be shared with guardianship organisation staff, host families and the school’s DSL (of the school that the student attends) who ‘need to know’ and with children’s social care, the safeguarding partners, other organisations, agencies, and practitioners as required. Staff and host families must ensure that any confidential information shared with them remains confidential and is handled in line with our data protection policy.
Bright World Guardianships will be proactive in sharing information as early as possible to help identify, assess, and respond to risks or concerns about the safety and welfare of children, whether this is when problems are first emerging, or where a child is already known to the local authority children’s social care.
All staff and host families must be aware that they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and that the Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulations are not a barrier to sharing information where a failure to do so would place a child at risk of harm. There is a lawful basis for child protection concerns to be shared with agencies who have a statutory duty for child protection.
All staff and host families must be aware that they cannot promise a child to keep secrets which might compromise the child’s safety or wellbeing. However, staff and host families are aware that matters relating to child protection and safeguarding are personal to children and families, in this respect they are confidential and the DSL and DDSL will only disclose information about a child to other members of guardianship organisation staff, host families or the DSL of the school that the student attends on a need to know basis.
The DSL will always undertake to gain parent/carers consent to refer a child to Social Care unless to do so could put the child at greater risk of harm, or impede a criminal investigation.
Role of DSL and DDSL
The DSL will take lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection (including online safety). This is explicit in the role holder’s job description. This person has the appropriate status and authority within the guardianship organisation to carry out the duties of the post.
The DDSL is trained to the same standard as the DSL and the role is explicit in their job description.
The designated safeguarding lead, Robbie Piper, is expected to:
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refer cases of suspected abuse to the local authority children’s social care as required; |
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support staff and host families who make referrals to local authority children’s social care; |
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refer cases to the Channel programme where there is a radicalisation concern as required – Robbie Piiper is also the Prevent Lead |
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refer cases where a crime may have been committed to the Police as required. |
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act as a point of contact with the three safeguarding partners; |
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liaise with fellow DSL Lana and DDSLs Su Warren and James Foster to inform them of issues |
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liaise with staff and host families on matters of safety and safeguarding (including online and digital safety) and when deciding whether to make a referral by liaising with relevant agencies; |
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act as a source of support, advice and expertise for all staff and host families. |
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understand the importance of information sharing, both within Bright World Guardianships, and with the safeguarding partners, the DSL for the school the student attends, other agencies, organisations and practitioners |
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encourage a culture of listening to students and taking account of their wishes and feelings, among all staff, host families and volunteers and in any measures Bright World Guardianships may put in place to protect them; |
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understand the difficulties that students may have in approaching staff and host families about their circumstances and consider how to build trusted relationships which facilitate communication. |
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ensure the Bright World Guardianships’s Safeguarding and Child protection policies are known, understood and used appropriately; |
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ensure this Safeguarding and Child protection policy is reviewed annually (as a minimum) and the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly, and work with Lana and James Foster regarding this; |
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ensure the child protection policy is available for all relevant parties in manuals and on the Bright World website. |
Record keeping
Bright World Guardianships will keep full records of any safeguarding concern reported to them. All concerns, discussions and decisions made, and the reasons for those decisions, will be recorded in writing. Safeguarding records will be stored securely and separately to the general student files. These will be stored confidentially by the DSL as a password protected file. Only the DSL and DDSL will have access to these files.
Records will be detailed and accurate. These will include all concerns about a student even if there is no need to make an immediate referral and record the rationale for decisions made and action taken.
In summary, records should include:
• a clear and comprehensive summary of the concern;
• details of how the concern was followed up and resolved;
• a note of any action taken, decisions reached and the outcome.
Copies of any correspondence or notes from conversations with the LSP, school DSL or other external agency will be included in the file.
Bright World Guardianships will ensure that the indication of the existence of the additional child protection file is marked on the student file record. Information will only be shared in a need to know basis in order to safeguard the student.
If in doubt about recording requirements, staff or host families should discuss with the DSL (or DDSL).
Training and updates
Bright World Guardianships will ensure that all head office staff and Local Coordinators receive training and regular updates that is suitable for their roles. A formal record of all safeguarding training will be kept.
DSL and DDSL.
The DSL and DDSL will attend suitable training as approved or provided by the Local Safeguarding Partners (LSP), AEGIS or the NSPCC. This training will be renewed every two years.
Other staff and host families
All other members of staff, volunteers and host families will receive appropriate safeguarding training for children to an appropriate basic awareness level (previously referred to as level 1), every three years. This will either be done online or in person. Members of staff, volunteers and host families who have already completed suitable safeguarding training for another provider that is still in date will not be required to re-train. In this case the DSL will still need to ensure that the person fully understands Bright World Guardianships’ own procedures for safeguarding.
All staff and host families will receive regular safeguarding updates, at least once per year – normally in June at our annual conference for Head Office staff and Local Coordinators and termly in the form of newsletters to Host Families. This policy is reviewed annually with Head office staff. These will be given by one of the DSLs.
Whistleblowing
Bright World Guardianships has a separate policy that outlines the whistleblowing procedures. These protect staff members who report colleagues they believe are doing something wrong or illegal, or who are neglecting their duties.
Local Safeguarding Partnerships (LSPs)
Bright World Guardianships will liaise with their Local Safeguarding Partnership (LSP) if necessary, and work in partnership with other agencies in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Partner schools have their own safeguarding policies. These can be found on their website and will include the contact details for their LSP. Bright World Guardianships recognises that if any safeguarding concerns occurred whilst a student was in a host family that was out of the schools county then a different/additional LSP arrangement would be required as well.
In this case, Bright World Guardianships will contact the relevant LSP and follow their procedures.
The website here provides a link to all of the LSPs in the country:
Details can be found on the Local Authority website.
In the event of any contact information difficulties then Bright World Guardianships will call the police as they are one of the partners.
Bright World Guardianships is aware of how to access local agency contacts; this includes Local Safeguarding Partnerships across the country and how to access locally agreed inter-agency procedures and guidance. In addition, Bright World Guardianships is aware of the non-emergency reporting procedures via the Local Authority’s Children’s Services relevant to the area or Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), or by telephoning the non-emergency Police number 101.
For emergency situations, the company is aware of the need to contact the relevant police force for the area by dialling 999, this includes in Wales and Police Scotland.
The company is aware that in Scotland, for a non-emergency referral or concern they can contact the local children’s social work team. Their contact details can be found on the website for the local authority the child lives in, and in the table below. Alternatively they can contact the local office of Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration: https://www.scra.gov.uk/contact-us/
The company is aware that in Wales for a non-emergency referral or concern they can contact the local child protection services.
Liaison with parents/ agents and partner schools
• Bright World Guardianships may be required to share confidential safeguarding information with the DSL of the school or college that the student attends. When a student moves school or college, safeguarding information may be shared with the DSL of the new school. All schools and colleges have their own safeguarding and child protection policies that outline their procedures. These can be found on their websites.
• Whilst Bright World Guardianships will work openly with parents as far as possible, it reserves the right to contact the LSP or the police, without notifying parents if this is believed to be in the child’s best interests.
• Bright World Guardianships will not usually share safeguarding information with agents unless it is necessary to safeguard the student. In this case information will be provided on a need-to- know basis and on the understanding that it should be kept strictly confidential.
Complaints
Bright World Guardianships has a ‘Complaints Policy and Procedure’ as we recognise that there may be legitimate concerns from students, parents, agents host families or transfer companies about the service we provide. As a company we encourage these concerns being made known to Bright World staff so that they can be addressed in partnership with us, and we can continuously improve our service.
14.2 Bright World Guardianships has an internal complaints policy and procedure for staff who have complaints and these are detailed in the Staff Handbook.
14.3 If complainants are not satisfied with the outcome as decided by Bright World, they can contact AEGIS to report their concerns if they wish to do so (as detailed in the Complaints Policy). The relevant contact details are set out below:
Yasemin Wigglesworth
Executive Officer,
Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students (AEGIS)
The Wheelhouse,
Bond’s Mill Estate,
Bristol Road,
Stonehouse,
Gloucestershire,
GL10 3RF
+44 (0) 1453 821293
www.aegisuk.net
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
This policy was last reviewed on: 29th October 2023
Signed: 
Lana Foster, Managing Director, DSL
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