Safeguarding

Butterfly Haven CIC is committed to promoting the wellbeing, safety, confidence and development of girls and young women.

We provide programmes and activities designed to support girls and young women, including mentoring, workshops, educational resources, confidence and self-esteem programmes, personal development activities and access to appropriate support.

Our work primarily supports girls aged 10–16 and young women, including those who may experience disadvantage, low self-esteem, social or emotional difficulties, inequality or other circumstances that may increase their vulnerability.

The purpose of this safeguarding policy is:

• to protect children, young people and vulnerable young women who participate in or receive services from Butterfly Haven CIC from harm;
• to promote their welfare and wellbeing;
• to provide staff, volunteers, facilitators, mentors and partners with clear principles for safeguarding;
• to ensure that concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child, young person or vulnerable young woman are taken seriously and responded to appropriately;
• to provide children, young people and their families with confidence that safeguarding is taken seriously within Butterfly Haven CIC.

This policy applies to everyone working on behalf of Butterfly Haven CIC, including directors, staff, volunteers, mentors, facilitators, sessional workers, contractors, placement students and anyone representing or delivering activities on behalf of the organisation.

Where Butterfly Haven CIC works with partner organisations, schools, community organisations or other agencies, appropriate safeguarding responsibilities will be agreed and communicated before activities take place.

Butterfly Haven CIC believes that:

• every child and young person has the right to be safe from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm;
• the welfare and best interests of children and young people are central to our work;
• safeguarding is everyone's responsibility;
• children and young people should be listened to, respected and taken seriously;
• concerns about a child's safety or wellbeing should never be ignored;
• safeguarding should be embedded into the way we plan, deliver and evaluate our programmes;
• appropriate action should be taken when a safeguarding concern is identified.

We recognise that some children and young people may be more vulnerable to harm because of their circumstances, previous experiences, disability, communication needs, additional needs, family circumstances or other factors.

We will therefore consider individual needs and put appropriate safeguards in place.

Butterfly Haven CIC is committed to safeguarding all children and young people regardless of their age, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or background.

We recognise that children and young people may experience additional barriers to reporting concerns or seeking help.

We will seek to create an inclusive environment where children and young people feel:

• safe;
• respected;
• valued;
• listened to;
• able to speak to a trusted adult;
• confident that concerns will be taken seriously.

Where a child or young person has additional communication or support needs, reasonable adjustments will be considered to enable them to participate safely and communicate concerns.

We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

Safer recruitment

• taking appropriate steps when recruiting staff and volunteers who will work with children and young people;
• carrying out appropriate references and background checks;
• undertaking DBS checks where the role and relevant legislation require them;
• ensuring safeguarding expectations are discussed as part of induction.

Safeguarding training

• ensuring relevant staff and volunteers understand their safeguarding responsibilities;
• providing appropriate safeguarding training and refresher training;
• making sure staff and volunteers understand how to recognise and respond to concerns;
• ensuring safeguarding information is accessible to those delivering Butterfly Haven CIC activities.

Safe programmes and activities

• considering safeguarding when designing and delivering workshops, mentoring, clubs and other activities;
• carrying out appropriate risk assessments;
• maintaining appropriate adult-to-child supervision arrangements;
• establishing clear boundaries between staff, volunteers, mentors and participants;
• ensuring activities are delivered in safe and appropriate environments.

Listening to children and young people

We will:

• listen to children and young people;
• take their concerns seriously;
• provide appropriate ways for them to raise concerns;
• avoid making promises about confidentiality that cannot be kept;
• explain, where appropriate, what will happen when a concern is raised.

Responding to safeguarding concerns

Any safeguarding concern will be taken seriously. Where someone believes that a child or young person may be at risk of harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation, the concern must be reported promptly in accordance with Butterfly Haven CIC's safeguarding procedures.

Staff and volunteers must not investigate concerns themselves or make promises that the information will remain secret.

Where appropriate, concerns will be shared with relevant safeguarding professionals or statutory agencies in accordance with safeguarding procedures and applicable information-sharing requirements.

Managing allegations

Butterfly Haven CIC will have appropriate procedures for dealing with allegations or concerns relating to staff, volunteers, mentors, facilitators or other people working on behalf of the organisation.

Any allegation will be taken seriously and managed appropriately, fairly and promptly.

Butterfly Haven CIC recognises that safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

• physical abuse;
• emotional or psychological abuse;
• sexual abuse;
• neglect;
• bullying and harassment;
• online abuse and exploitation;
• grooming;
• criminal or sexual exploitation;
• domestic abuse affecting a child or young person;
• discrimination and hate-related behaviour;
• inappropriate behaviour by adults working with children;
• risks arising from unsafe environments or activities.

Staff and volunteers are not expected to diagnose abuse or determine whether abuse has occurred. Their responsibility is to recognise concerns, respond appropriately and report them through the correct safeguarding route.

Butterfly Haven CIC recognises that children and young people may be vulnerable to safeguarding risks online.

We will establish clear expectations regarding:

• online communication between staff, volunteers, mentors and participants;
• the use of social media;
• photography and sharing of images;
• online mentoring or workshops;
• appropriate professional boundaries;
• the protection of personal information.

Staff and volunteers should use only approved communication methods when communicating with children and young people on behalf of Butterfly Haven CIC.

Personal social media accounts should not be used inappropriately to communicate privately with participants.

Butterfly Haven CIC will take appropriate steps to protect children's and young people's privacy.

We will obtain appropriate consent before photographs, videos or other images are taken or used, where required.

Images will only be used for legitimate organisational purposes and in accordance with our consent, safeguarding and data protection arrangements.

Personal information will be collected, stored and shared responsibly and securely.

Where appropriate and safe to do so, Butterfly Haven CIC will work collaboratively with parents, carers, schools and other relevant organisations to promote the welfare of children and young people.

We recognise that information may sometimes need to be shared without parental or carer consent where there is a safeguarding reason to do so.

Safeguarding concerns will be handled in accordance with the organisation's procedures and relevant safeguarding requirements.

Butterfly Haven CIC respects the privacy of children, young people, families, staff and volunteers.

However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information indicates that a child or young person may be at risk of significant harm or where information needs to be shared to protect them or others.

Information will be:

• recorded appropriately;
• stored securely;
• accessed only by those who need it;
• shared appropriately where safeguarding requires this.

Butterfly Haven CIC is committed to creating a safeguarding culture in which:

• everyone understands that safeguarding is their responsibility;
• children and young people feel safe to speak;
• staff and volunteers feel confident to raise concerns;
• concerns are never dismissed;
• safeguarding is considered when planning activities and making decisions;
• staff and volunteers are supported to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities.

We will regularly review our safeguarding arrangements and learn from concerns, incidents, feedback and changes in good practice.

This policy forms part of Butterfly Haven CIC's overall safeguarding arrangements and should be read alongside any relevant policies, procedures and guidance in place within the organisation.

Butterfly Haven CIC will develop and review its safeguarding procedures as the organisation grows and the nature of its work develops.

Safeguarding Lead

Butterfly Haven CIC has a designated person responsible for safeguarding and child protection within the organisation.

The identity and direct contact details of our safeguarding lead are held securely within our internal safeguarding records and are available to relevant staff, volunteers, partners and professionals where appropriate.

For safeguarding concerns, please contact Butterfly Haven CIC via:

Email: butterflyhavencic@gmail.com — please mark the subject line “Safeguarding Concern”.

If a child or young person is in immediate danger, please contact the emergency services by calling 999.

Local safeguarding authority / relevant statutory safeguarding contact

Kent Children's Safeguarding Hub

• Phone: 03000 411111 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm); Out of hours: 03000 419191

For all child protection concerns — Kent Adult Safeguarding

• Phone: 03000 416161

Police

• Emergency: 999 (immediate danger or crime in progress)
• Non-emergency: 101

Emergency: Where a child or young person is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.

Butterfly Haven CIC is committed to reviewing this safeguarding policy at least annually and whenever there are significant changes to the organisation, its activities, relevant legislation or safeguarding guidance.

Date policy approved: 5th November 2026

Date last reviewed: 5th November 2026

Date next review due: 5th November 2027

Signed: Temitope Agbaje — Director — 5th November 2026