Our mission is to create an environment where the best interests and welfare of every child and adult is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to empowering those we serve by ensuring they are aware of their rights, listening to their voices, and involving them meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.
Our safeguarding policies and procedures are designed to ensure that every concern is recognised, taken seriously, and handled with the utmost respect. Whether supporting a child or an adult at risk, we are committed to provide fair treatment, transparent communication regarding outcomes, and an unwavering dedication to protecting the fundamental right of every individual to live free from harm.
At OpenSight our safeguarding policies ensure that our staff and volunteers are protected from allegations of abuse by setting out a framework for safe working and ensures that we have a robust process for identifying, reporting and investigating any concerns for adults and children that we work with.
OpenSight provides this training along with additional resources and our policies to ensure that staff and volunteers can:
- Recognise abuse.
- Respond: Take appropriate and sensitive action if abuse is disclosed.
- Record and share information appropriately.
- Report concerns at the right time to the right person or group.
This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, trustees, and anyone working on behalf of OpenSight. It is designed to ensure that children, young people and adults at risk are protected from harm and that any concerns about their welfare are addressed promptly and effectively.
Abuse may be a “one off” incident or a pattern of behaviour that occurs over a longer period of time. It is also important to understand that abuse may be a deliberate act or by the omission of appropriate care and support. Often abuse can be rooted in an imbalance of power sometimes within a family or relationship setting, it is essential to understand that abuse is never acceptable, and some forms of abuse are criminal in nature and will need to be reported to the appropriate authorities.
