Safeguarding and Young People Policy

Scope

This policy applies to IILM activities involving people under the age of 18, and to everyone acting on behalf of the Institute, including officers, staff, facilitators, volunteers and partners delivering IILM activities.

Principles

• The best interests of the young person come first.
• Young people are treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
• Clear professional boundaries are maintained at all times.
• Communications are respectful, appropriate and purposeful.
• Inappropriate private or personal relationships with young participants are not permitted.
• Contact takes place through appropriate official channels.
• Concerns are reported promptly.

Online Participation

Online sessions are delivered with appropriate privacy and safeguarding controls, including managed access, appropriate supervision and settings suitable for young participants.

Only information that is reasonably necessary is collected, and data minimisation is applied to registration and participation records.

Parents, Guardians and Permissions

Parents and guardians are given appropriate information about IILM activities involving young people, and their involvement or consent is sought where appropriate or legally required.

Appropriate permissions are obtained before images, recordings or names of young participants are used.

Reporting Concerns

Safeguarding concerns must be reported promptly through the Institute safeguarding contact route. Concerns are handled sensitively and, where necessary, referred to safeguarding, emergency, statutory or law enforcement authorities.

The Institute has not yet made a formal appointment to a named safeguarding role. Until such an appointment is made, safeguarding concerns should be raised using the Institute contact details published on the Contact page, marked for the attention of safeguarding.

Confidentiality

Safeguarding information is treated confidentially and shared only with those who need to know, or where sharing is necessary to protect a young person or to comply with legal obligations.

Safer Participation and Review

The Institute applies proportionate safer participation procedures to activities involving young people, including appropriate checks on those working directly with them.

This policy is reviewed periodically.