Ensuring children, adults at risk, and staff are safeguarded is our key aim and by endorsing these principles you will help to ensure that the placement is a secure and productive environment for both you and the young person/adult at risk:

• Environment: If possible, try to avoid being on your own in an isolated or closed environment with a young person/adult at risk
• Travel: ensure that there is a known destination and check-in times logged with a third party in situations where a young person/adult at risk will be travelling alone with an adult during placement
• Supervisor: staff placed in immediate charge of a young person/adult at risk on placement should be competent in their work role, mature in their attitudes but also be at ease with young people/adults at risk
• Physical contact: There may be occasions when physical contact may be inevitable e.g. when guiding him or her through a technical operation, but this should be kept to a minimum and explained carefully to the individual
• Behaviour: be aware of your own behaviour and conduct and the impact that may have on the young person/adult at risk; conversation and interaction should be appropriate at all times; staff should not socialise inappropriately or attempt to build an inappropriate relationship with a young person/ adult at risk – whilst it is important to reassure a young person who may be nervous in a new placement, and is reliant on guidance and support, avoids being over-familiar
• Disclosure: Occasionally a young person/adult at risk may disclose information to a work colleague that gives rise to concerns for their safety and welfare – in such situations, it is important that the information is passed to your NowSkills contact immediately, or a member for the NowSkills Safeguarding Team (details below) so that appropriate action can be considered
• Disqualification: you are reminded that you are required by law to protect young people from harm and that any employees are required to declare if they are disqualified from working with young people
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You might become involved because:

• – You might see an injury for which there is no clear explanation
• – A young person might tell you about what is happening to him or her
• – Another person may express concerns about a young person/adult at risk’s wellbeing
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What to do initially:

• – Listen, carefully
• – Ask ‘open’ questions to clarify details (What? When? Where? How?) but do not investigate, take witness statements or ask direct questions
• – Do not promise confidentiality, explaining you may need to talk to someone else
• – Reassure the individual
• – Inform NowSkills immediately
• – Write down what the individual said
• – Maintain contact with the individual for reassurance
• – Be professional and do not discuss the matter openly with anyone who does not need to know