Safeguarding policy.

Scope

This policy covers everyone who works or volunteers for Futures in Film CIC, including directors, staff, freelance crew, mentors and volunteers, and everyone who takes part in our programmes, on our premises, on location and online.

Our principles

• The welfare of children and adults at risk is paramount.
• Everyone, whatever their age, disability, sex, gender identity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, has an equal right to protection.
• We act on concerns promptly and share information with the right agencies when it is needed.

We follow Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023), the Children Act 1989 and 2004, and the Care Act 2014.

Responsibilities

• Designated Safeguarding Lead: Nina Karwalska, director. Concerns go to the DSL.
• The board owns this policy, receives an anonymised safeguarding report at each meeting and reviews the policy every year.

Working with under-18s

Our own programmes are for people aged 18 and over. Work with under-18s runs through schools, colleges and the Pinewood Futures Festival, under the host's safeguarding arrangements and ours. Adults working with under-18s hold the appropriate DBS check. There is no unsupervised one-to-one contact, and no private messaging or social media contact with young people.

Safer recruitment

Roles that involve regulated activity require an enhanced DBS check, references and a safeguarding induction before work starts.

Raising a concern

• If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
• Otherwise, tell the DSL straight away, or use the report a concern form. You can do this anonymously.
• Allegations about anyone who works with children are referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within one working day.

Records

Concerns are recorded factually, kept securely and shared only with those who need to know, in line with data protection law.

Review

Reviewed every year by the board, and after any serious incident.