Safeguarding Statement
Helping children and young people feel safe, listened to and respected.
We believe every child and young person has the right to feel safe, listened to and respected. Our services aim to be supportive, non-judgemental and appropriate to the young person's age and needs. Safeguarding takes priority over coaching arrangements or commercial interests.
What safeguarding means in our work
- Agreeing appropriate parent/carer involvement and consent arrangements before individual support.
- Listening to young people's views, while keeping safe professional boundaries in person and online.
- Recognising that confidentiality has limits when a child or another person may be at risk.
- Considering risks associated with the setting, supervision, communications and relevant information sharing.
- Reporting concerns promptly through appropriate safeguarding channels, including a school's designated safeguarding lead when working in that setting.
- Seeking separate appropriate permission before taking or publicly using identifiable photographs or recordings.
What we can and cannot provide
Understood Together provides coaching, mentoring and education. It is not a clinical, diagnostic, emergency or crisis response service. Our website form is not an emergency reporting route. Where someone's needs are outside our role, we may recommend specialist services.
Confidentiality and information sharing
We respect privacy, but cannot promise absolute secrecy about disclosures that suggest someone may be harmed or unsafe. We explain this, as appropriate, to young people and their parents/carers. When a concern needs to be shared, we aim to share only what is necessary with the right people or agencies and keep an appropriate record.
Raising a concern about Understood Together
For non-emergency concerns about our work or safeguarding arrangements, contact Matthew Love at matt@understoodtogether.co.uk. Please avoid sending detailed sensitive information through the general website enquiry form.
If the concern relates to the person named above, or you believe a child may be at risk, you can go directly to the relevant local authority children's services, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where appropriate, or the police. You do not need to wait for a reply from us.
Non-emergency police: call 101.
NSPCC advice: 0808 800 5000.
For children and young people: Childline 0800 1111.
How to report concerns about a child (GOV.UK).
When working with a school
We agree reporting routes and relevant safeguarding, supervision and consent responsibilities with each setting. We follow the school's relevant safeguarding procedures and promptly report concerns to its designated safeguarding lead.
Further arrangements
This public statement summarises our approach. Safeguarding and safe-working arrangements for a particular service are explained before work starts and can be discussed with parents/carers and commissioning organisations.