Atlas Foundation Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy

1. The Atlas Foundation acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children involved in The Atlas Foundation and its third party delivery partners from harm.

2. A child is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any activity funded by The Atlas Foundation.

3. The Key Principles of The Atlas Foundation Safeguarding Policy are that:

• The welfare of the child is, and must always be, paramount to any other considerations.
• All participants regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, race, faith, culture, size, shape, language or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse or harm.
• All allegations or suspicions of abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly, fairly and appropriately.
• Working in partnership with other organisations, statutory agencies, parents, carers, children and young people is essential for the welfare of children.
• Children have a right to expect support, and personal and social development delivered by an appropriately recruited, vetted and managed project worker in relation to their participation in The Atlas Foundation funded activities.

4. The Atlas Foundation recognises that all children have the right to participate in sport in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment whilst at the same time being protected from abuse, neglect, harm and poor practice. The Atlas Foundation recognises that this is the responsibility of everyone involved, in whatever capacity, in its funded projects.

5. The Atlas Foundation Safeguarding Officer is: Sally Hoddell, sally@theatlascharity.org , 07596 909530

6. If you witness or are aware of an incident where the welfare of a child has been put at risk you must, in the first instance, inform the Project or Club Safeguarding Officer. If an incident involves one of the Club Safeguarding Officers you should inform the Chairman of the project or club, or The Atlas Foundation’s officer.

7. The Atlas Foundation will ensure that all its staff and volunteers comply with this policy. The following are NOT acceptable and will be treated seriously by The Atlas Foundation and may result in disciplinary action or termination of project contracts.

• Working alone with a child.
• Consuming alcohol whilst responsible for children.
• Providing alcohol to children or allowing its supply.
• Smoking in the presence of children.
• Humiliating children.
• Inappropriate or unnecessary physical contact with a child.
• Participating in, or allowing, contact or physical games with children.
• Having an intimate or sexual relationship with any child developed as a result of being in a ‘position of trust.’
• Making sexually explicit comments or sharing sexually explicit material.

8. The Atlas Foundation require that their funded projects have their own, appropriate safeguarding and protection policies and procedures in place and that they have provided a copy to The Atlas Foundation.

9. Atlas Foundation funded projects must manage changing facilities and arrange for them to be supervised by two adults of the appropriate gender for the players using the facilities. Atlas Foundation funded projects must ensure that all coaches, parents, officials and spectators are aware that adults must not change at the same time, using the same facilities as children.

10. Atlas Foundation funded projects must ensure that their coaches and project staff and volunteers receive the support and training considered appropriate to their position and role.

11. We take extremely seriously any allegation of abuse or inappropriate behaviour. This extends to donors, supporters and partners as well as project workers. If allegations are made, we will suspend activities with donors, supporters or partners until the allegations are resolved.

Signed Sally Hoddell

Created: September 2017

Last revision: November 2023

Last reviewed by trustees: December 2023