Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

Minhaj Institute Walsall ("we", "us", "our") is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people, and vulnerable adults who engage with our mosque, education programmes, community events, and services.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. This policy sets out our approach to protecting those who may be at risk of harm, and applies to all staff, volunteers, trustees, and visitors involved in our activities.

This policy has been developed with reference to the Working Together to Safeguard Children statutory guidance, the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004, the Care Act 2014 (which sets out safeguarding duties for vulnerable adults), and guidance published by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Our Safeguarding Principles

Minhaj Institute Walsall believes that:

• The welfare of children and vulnerable adults is paramount in all the activities we undertake
• All individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, or belief, have an equal right to protection from harm or abuse
• All concerns, disclosures, and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
• It is our duty to work in partnership with children, parents, carers, and other agencies to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults
• Safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and everyone connected to our organisation has a role to play

Who This Policy Covers

This policy applies to:

• All children and young people under the age of 18 who attend our Quran classes, educational programmes, or community events
• Vulnerable adults, as defined under the Care Act 2014, who engage with our welfare, community, or outreach services
• All staff, volunteers, trustees, and committee members of Minhaj Institute Walsall
• Visiting speakers, contractors, and anyone delivering activities on our premises or on our behalf
• Parents, carers, and family members attending our events and activities

Roles and Responsibilities

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Minhaj Institute Walsall has appointed a Designated Safeguarding Lead who is responsible for overseeing safeguarding practice across the organisation, acting as the first point of contact for any concerns, and liaising with external agencies including children's social care and the police where necessary.

Trustees and Management Committee

The trustees are responsible for ensuring this policy is implemented effectively, reviewed regularly, and that adequate resources and training are provided to support safeguarding practice.

Staff and Volunteers

All staff and volunteers are responsible for familiarising themselves with this policy, attending relevant training, and reporting any safeguarding concerns promptly through the procedure outlined in Section 6.

Recognising Abuse and Neglect

Abuse can take many forms. In line with statutory guidance, we recognise the following categories of abuse:

• Physical abuse — causing physical harm, such as hitting, shaking, or otherwise injuring a child or vulnerable adult
• Emotional abuse — persistent emotional maltreatment causing severe and lasting adverse effects on emotional development
• Sexual abuse — forcing or enticing a child or vulnerable adult to take part in sexual activities
• Neglect — the persistent failure to meet a child's or vulnerable adult's basic physical and/or psychological needs
• Financial or material abuse — theft, fraud, or exploitation relating to a vulnerable adult's money, property, or possessions
• Discriminatory abuse — abuse based on race, religion, gender, disability, or other protected characteristics
• Radicalisation and extremism — in line with our duties under the Prevent Duty guidance, we remain alert to signs that any individual, particularly a young person, may be vulnerable to radicalisation or extremist influence

Staff and volunteers should remain alert to changes in behaviour, unexplained injuries, or disclosures made by a child or vulnerable adult, and should never dismiss or ignore a possible sign of harm.

Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

If you have a concern about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult connected with Minhaj Institute Walsall, you must act promptly:

1. If a child or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services on 999 without delay.
2. Report your concern to our Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible, and no later than the same day.
3. Do not attempt to investigate the concern yourself, and do not promise confidentiality to the person raising the concern.
4. Record what you have observed or been told as soon as possible, using the person's own words where a disclosure has been made.
5. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will determine whether the concern should be referred to children's social care, adult social care, or the police, in line with statutory guidance.

Safer Recruitment

We are committed to safer recruitment practices for all staff and volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults. This includes:

• Obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for all roles involving regular contact with children or vulnerable adults
• Verifying identity, qualifications, and employment history where relevant
• Obtaining references prior to confirming any role
• Ensuring all new staff and volunteers receive an induction covering our safeguarding policy and procedures
• Never leaving a new or unchecked volunteer unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults

Online Safety

We recognise our responsibility to protect children and vulnerable adults in online spaces, including our website, social media, and any virtual classes or events. We are guided by the principles set out in the Online Safety Act 2023 and safeguarding guidance from the ICO's Children's Code.

• Photographs or videos of children are only published online with parental or guardian consent
• We do not publish full names alongside photographs of children
• Any online or virtual learning session involving children is supervised by at least one appropriately vetted adult
• Staff and volunteers are advised not to communicate with children or vulnerable adults through personal social media accounts or private messaging

Training and Awareness

All staff and volunteers who work with children or vulnerable adults receive safeguarding training appropriate to their role, covering:

• How to recognise the signs and indicators of abuse and neglect
• How to respond to a disclosure
• Our reporting procedures and the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead
• The Prevent Duty and awareness of radicalisation risks
• Online safety and safe use of social media

Training is refreshed periodically to ensure staff and volunteers remain up to date with best practice and statutory guidance.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Information relating to a safeguarding concern will be handled sensitively and shared only with those who need to know, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and relevant data protection law.

Where a concern is serious enough to warrant referral to statutory agencies, we will share relevant information with children's social care, adult social care, the police, or other agencies as required, in line with the principle that the welfare of the child or vulnerable adult takes precedence over confidentiality.

All safeguarding records are stored securely and are only accessible to authorised personnel.

Policy Review

This Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually by our trustees, or sooner if there are changes in legislation, statutory guidance, or following any safeguarding incident that highlights a need for review.

Any changes to this policy will be communicated to all staff and volunteers and published on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.

Contact Us

If you have a safeguarding concern, or any questions about this policy, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead: