Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

The Inclusive Stories Neurodivergent Education & Community Hub CIC (TISNECH) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people (aged 5 to 17) and the adults at risk to whom it extends its support (aged 18 to 25) who access our services.

Safeguarding is central to all aspects of our work. It underpins our respite provision, community activities, family support, and our developing educational provision. Safeguarding responsibilities apply equally across all settings, roles, and activities delivered by the organisation.

We recognise that many of the individuals supported by TISNECH are neurodivergent and may experience additional vulnerability due to communication differences, sensory processing needs, emotional regulation challenges, health needs, trauma history, or reliance on adults for care, advocacy, or decision making.

The welfare of the child or young person is always paramount. Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone who works for, volunteers with, or engages in activities delivered by TISNECH.

TISNECH is committed to creating a culture where safeguarding is embedded, understood, and actively practised. Safeguarding is not viewed as a standalone process, but as an integral part of daily practice, relationships, and decision making.

Our safeguarding culture is built on the following principles:

• Children and young people are treated with dignity and respect at all times.
• Their views, wishes, and feelings are taken seriously.
• Neurodivergent communication styles are recognised and supported.
• Behaviour is understood as communication.
• Concerns are acted upon promptly and proportionately.
• Safeguarding takes priority over organisational convenience.

All staff and volunteers are expected to maintain a safeguarding mindset, exercise professional curiosity, and challenge unsafe practice when it is identified.

This policy applies to all physical and digital activities delivered by TISNECH, including:

• Respite provision
• Community-based sessions
• Group activities and sensory hubs
• One-to-one support and therapeutic music sessions
• Family support activities and peer groups
• Educational and learning-based provision
• Online or digital engagement

Physical Delivery Base: 217 Maryon Road, London, SE7 8DB (Charlton / Royal Borough of Greenwich)

This policy applies to all Directors, Employees, Volunteers, Sessional workers, Students and trainees, Contractors and external providers, and Visitors. Failure to follow safeguarding procedures may result in disciplinary action, termination of involvement, or referral to external agencies.

• Child or young person: any person under the age of 18.
• Adult at risk: for TISNECH's purposes, an individual aged 18 to 25 who continues to access TISNECH's support and who has needs for care or support. The statutory definition under the Care Act 2014 applies to any adult aged 18 or over who has needs for care and support, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves as a result of those needs.
• Safeguarding: protecting children, young people, and adults at risk from maltreatment, preventing impairment of health or development, ensuring safe and effective care, and taking action to enable the best possible outcomes.
• Abuse: any action or failure to act that results in harm, exploitation, or risk of harm.
• Early help: support provided at the earliest opportunity to prevent escalation of need.

• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Care Act 2014
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Equality Act 2010, including the Public Sector Equality Duty
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR

TISNECH works directly within the safeguarding arrangements of the Greenwich Safeguarding Children Partnership and the Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board.

TISNECH recognises that neurodivergent children, young people, and adults at risk may experience increased vulnerability to harm. This may be due to:

• Communication differences and difficulty expressing distress
• Reliance on others for care or advocacy
• Sensory sensitivities and emotional regulation differences
• Difficulty recognising unsafe situations
• Previous experiences of trauma or exclusion

Safeguarding practice is adapted to ensure non-speaking individuals are supported, behavioural changes are explored with care, support is developmentally appropriate, and power imbalances are recognised and addressed.

TISNECH recognises that abuse and harm can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, financial, discriminatory, peer-on-peer, online, and exploitation. Neurodivergent individuals may face additional barriers to disclosure. Indicators of harm may include sudden changes in behaviour, emotional presentation, routines, communication, sleep, or engagement. Concerns must never be dismissed due to assumptions about disability or communication style.

Peer-on-peer abuse — including bullying, emotional harm, physical harm, sexual harassment, coercion, or online abuse — is never minimised or treated as normal behaviour. All incidents are treated as safeguarding concerns. Victims are supported and protected, and alleged perpetrators are supported with behaviour addressed through safeguarding processes.

• All concerns must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy.
• A written safeguarding record must be completed within 24 hours.
• If a child or adult at risk is in immediate danger, call Emergency Services on 999 without delay.
• The safeguarding lead will assess and determine whether internal support, Early Help referral, or direct referral to Greenwich Social Care or Police is required.
• Safeguarding concerns override confidentiality. Consent is sought where appropriate but is not required where there is risk of harm.

TISNECH works in direct partnership with statutory agencies across the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

When a child, young person, or adult at risk discloses harm, staff and volunteers must:

• Listen calmly and attentively.
• Allow the individual to communicate in their preferred way, including non-verbal or communication tools.
• Avoid asking leading or investigative questions.
• Never promise confidentiality.
• Reassure them that they have been heard and explain what will happen next clearly.

Report immediately to the DSL. Staff must never attempt to investigate concerns themselves.

All safeguarding concerns must be recorded promptly and factually within 24 hours, using clear objective language and distinguishing between fact, observation, and opinion. Records are stored securely with access restricted to DSLs and authorised Directors. Data handling complies fully with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

• Clear role descriptions with explicit safeguarding expectations.
• Identity verification and Right to Work checks.
• A minimum of two satisfactory professional references.
• Enhanced DBS checks, with Barred List checks, for all roles in regulated activity.
• Mandatory safeguarding and SEND induction before any unsupervised contact.

Allegations Meeting LADO Threshold: if an individual has behaved in a way that has harmed a child, may have committed a criminal offence, or poses a risk, the DSL will consult the Greenwich LADO within 1 working day.

Low-Level Concerns Policy: TISNECH maintains a dedicated Low-Level Concerns Log. Minor boundary slips or professional practice issues that fall below the statutory LADO threshold must be reported to the DSL, recorded confidentially, and reviewed regularly.

Induction: all staff and volunteers receive formal safeguarding induction covering this policy, indicators of abuse, neurodivergent communication differences, and reporting pathways before starting sessions.

Ongoing Training: mandatory and refreshed annually for operational staff, and at least every two years for governance.

Designated Leads: DSLs undergo enhanced Level 3 Safeguarding Lead training and statutory multi-agency updates.

Safeguarding standards apply equally online. TISNECH ensures that digital activities, sensory support tools, and communication channels are monitored to protect beneficiaries from online grooming, cyberbullying, or content misuse.

TISNECH provides predictable, sensory-safe environments. Where safeguarding concerns arise, support is offered respectfully and in partnership with carers, accessing Greenwich Early Help services wherever appropriate. Safeguarding support is never withdrawn as a result of raising concerns.

Annual Safeguarding Audit: the Board of Directors conducts an annual audit of safeguarding practice against Working Together to Safeguard Children.

Incidents and Themes Review: the Board reviews anonymised safeguarding logs and low-level concerns quarterly to ensure continuous organisational learning.

This policy is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors, or immediately following any major incident, legislative change, or statutory audit.