Safeguarding

Working with children and vulnerable adults

When working with children and vulnerable adults we are acting in a position of trust. Staff and volunteers are likely to be seen as role models by children and vulnerable adults, and must act in an appropriate manner at all times. The following list provides a guide for what we consider to be important and appropriate:

Safeguarding code of conduct:

• Follow the Trust’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection policy and procedures at all times
• Ensure that your contact with children and vulnerable adults is only in direct pursuit of your role in this Challenge project
• Listen to and respect children and vulnerable adults at all times
• Avoid favouritism and treat children and vulnerable adults fairly and without prejudice or discrimination
• Value and take children’s and vulnerable adult’s contributions seriously, actively involving them in planning activities wherever possible
• Ensure language is appropriate to age and ability and not offensive and discriminatory
• Always ensure equipment is used safely and for its intended purpose
• Provide examples of good conduct you wish children and vulnerable adults to follow
• Challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations/suspicions of abuse to the organisation you are working with and to your ZCT Challenge Representative
• Ensure that wherever possible, there is more than one adult present during activities with children and vulnerable adults or if this isn’t possible that you are within sight or hearing of other adults
• Be close to where others are working. If a child or vulnerable adult specifically asks for or needs some private time with you, ensure that other adults from your team, and from the organisation you are working with, know where you and the child of vulnerable adult are
• Respect a young person or vulnerable adults right to privacy
• Recognise that special caution is required when you are discussing sensitive issues with children or vulnerable adults
• Please report any breaches of this to your ZCT Challenge Rep.

Things to avoid – in no circumstances must you ever:

• Develop inappropriate relationships such as contact with children and vulnerable adults
• Do things of a personal nature for a child or vulnerable adult that they can do for themselves
• Administer any medication
• Patronise or treat children or vulnerable adults as if they are silly
• Allow allegations to go unreported
• Let children and vulnerable adults have your personal contact details [mobile number or address]
• Make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of children or vulnerable adults
• Act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive
• Make inappropriate promises to children or vulnerable adults, particularly in relation to confidentiality
• Jump to conclusions about others without checking facts
• Either exaggerate or trivialise child or vulnerable adult abuse issues
• Rely on your reputation, or that of Zurich or Zurich Community Trust to protect you
• Allow allegations of abuse or misconduct to go unreported
• Conduct a sexual relationship with a child or vulnerable adult or indulge in any form of sexual contact with a child or vulnerable adult. Any such behaviour between an adult employee or volunteer and a child or vulnerable adult represents a serious breach of trust on the part of the employee or volunteer and is not acceptable under any circumstances.