Safeguarding Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Safeguarding Policy applies to all staff, volunteers, facilitators, partners and anyone who acts on behalf of Project iPadAGirl. It sets out our commitment to protecting the children and young people we work with from harm, abuse, exploitation and neglect.

2. Our Commitment

Project iPadAGirl commits to:

• Prioritising the safety and wellbeing of every child at every outreach and event
• Ensuring all outreach activities are conducted in the presence of school staff and designated adult supervisors
• Never conducting one-to-one sessions between an adult facilitator and a student in isolation
• Treating every child with dignity, respect and sensitivity to her culture and individual needs
• Taking all allegations or concerns of abuse seriously and responding promptly
• Working in partnership with schools, parents and local authorities to safeguard children

3. Safe Behaviour Standards

All iPadAGirl representatives must:

• Conduct themselves professionally and respectfully at all times in the presence of children
• Never use language that shames, humiliates or demeans a student
• Never photograph or film students without explicit permission from the school and parent or guardian
• Never share personal contact details with students or solicit personal information from them
• Never offer gifts, money or favours to individual students outside of approved kit distribution
• Report any safeguarding concern immediately to the designated safeguarding lead

4. Outreach Safety Procedures

Before every outreach, Project iPadAGirl will:

• Obtain written permission from the school principal or headteacher
• Confirm that school staff will be present throughout the session
• Brief all facilitators and volunteers on this safeguarding policy
• Ensure sessions are delivered in open, visible spaces such as classrooms or assembly halls
• Provide a safe channel for students to ask questions anonymously

5. Photography and Media Consent

Project iPadAGirl only uses photographs of students where written consent has been obtained from the school and, where required, from parents or guardians. Photos are used solely for impact reporting, awareness and fundraising purposes. No photographs showing distress, vulnerability or sensitive situations will ever be shared publicly.

6. Reporting a Concern

Anyone who witnesses or suspects abuse, harm or inappropriate behaviour involving a child connected to our work should report it immediately. Do not attempt to investigate the concern yourself.

7. Volunteer and Staff Screening

All volunteers and staff who interact directly with students are required to complete a safeguarding induction before participating in any outreach. Where applicable, we conduct background reference checks. This policy must be read and acknowledged by all representatives before their first outreach.

8. Policy Review

This Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually and updated whenever significant changes occur in our operations. All representatives will be notified of any updates.