SAFEGUARDING AT GOOD CHANCE

If at any time you would like to contact Good Chance confidentially about any safeguarding related concern, please email safeguarding@goodchance.org.uk. Good Chance follows a transparent safeguarding reporting process to address any concerns, including offering support to anyone raising concerns.

How we approach Safeguarding

Good Chance’s Safeguarding Policy, which outlines our approach to safeguarding and the procedures we follow in all activities conducted by Good Chance around the world, has been developed in accordance with a range of international guidance.

Good Chance recognises that our work with displaced people in a variety of settings will bring us into contact with both adults at risk, young people and children. As such, we are in a position of trust and our responsibilities to them and the organisation must be taken seriously. It is important to recognise how our own attitudes and behaviour can impact on our participants.

We recognise the duty to protect the rights of children, young people and adults at risk and to comply with the principles enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1990), the Children Act (1989) and other relevant legislation. We acknowledge that the circumstances within which we are operating are complex, volatile and changeable, and our approach to safeguarding is designed to be flexible and responsive.

More recently, we also recognise the challenges that have arisen and will continue to arise following the COVID-19 pandemic, and acknowledge our responsibility to ensure the health and safety of those we are brought into contact with, in particular vulnerable persons and communities.

Our Safeguarding Procedures

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Good Chance will safeguard the rights of children, young people and adults at risk by:

• Ensuring children, young people and adults at risk are treated with respect.

• Ensuring the entire organisation is aware of and trained in safeguarding and reporting procedures and promoting a positive culture around these.

• Providing a code of good practice for all staff working, or coming into direct contact with children, young people and adults at risk.

• Clarifying the process for responding to disclosures, which can be found here.

• Ensuring all key staff working directly with children, young people and adults at risk have Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates (for the UK – or the relevant local Criminal Records Check for international work). All staff, volunteers and visitors will never be left alone with a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

• Acknowledging that we are not experts or trained to manage trauma that many of our participants will have experienced, and therefore will seek advice and guidance from other charities and NGOs who can advise on best procedures to follow.