Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

At ABC Mental Health Support we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare, safety and wellbeing of all children, young people and families who use our services — whether in-person in Somerset or online across the UK. We recognise that providing specialist support for neurodivergent children (autism, ADHD), trauma, anxiety, play and video-gaming therapy places extra responsibility on us to maintain professional boundaries and safe practice.

This policy applies to all staff, contractors, volunteers, trainees and associates working under our brand, including through our website, video-gaming therapy, remote counselling, assessments, SEN consultancy and parenting courses. Any reference to 'staff' includes all staff, contractors, volunteers, trainees and associates for the purpose of the is policy statement.

We will:

• Prioritise the safety, dignity and rights of every child and young person.
   
• Provide a safe, low-arousal, neurodiversity-affirming environment aligned with the language on our home page. ABC Mental Health Support Ltd
   
• Recognise children and young people as experts in their lived experience, and work in partnership with them and their caregivers.
   
• Act quickly and appropriately if we believe a child or young person is at risk of harm.
   
• Ensure online and gaming-based interventions follow best safeguarding practice.
   
• Work transparently with parents, schools, local authorities and relevant professionals, while maintaining confidentiality.
   
• Comply fully with UK legislation and statutory guidance including but not limited to:
   
  • Children Act 1989 & Children Act 2004
     
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
     
  • Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR
     
  • Counter‑Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent Duty)
     
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
     
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023
     

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Amanda Budden
Safeguarding inbox email: your amanda@abcpsychotherapy.co.uk

Phone/contact number: 07535 673665

The DSL has overall responsibility for safeguarding across all services (in-person and online). Any adult working on behalf of ABC Mental Health Support must immediately inform the DSL of any safeguarding concern.

Safeguarding means:

• Protecting children from maltreatment.
   
• Preventing the impairment of children’s mental or physical health or development.
   
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
   
• Taking action to enable children to have the best outcomes.

We remain alert to all forms of harm, including but not limited to:

• Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect.
   
• Child sexual exploitation (CSE) and child criminal exploitation (CCE).
   
• Online harms: grooming, inappropriate contact, exposure to harmful content (especially relevant in gaming therapy environments).
   
• Mental health crises, self-harm, suicidal ideation.
   
• Domestic abuse witnessed by children.
   
• Fabricated or induced illness.
   
• Radicalisation and extremist influences.
   

Given that we support neurodivergent children and young people, we ensure our staff are aware of how additional presentations (sensory differences, executive functioning difficulties, social communication differences) may affect how harm is expressed or disclosed.

• All staff working with children and young people undergo appropriate DBS checks and ongoing suitability checks.
   
• Staff hold relevant qualifications and receive regular supervision and CPD in safeguarding.
   
• Clear boundaries: staff will only communicate with clients through approved channels (not private personal social media).
   
• Parents/caregivers are informed about the nature of sessions, especially online and video-gaming based, including how data is managed, how disclosures are handled, and how safety is maintained.
   

• Sessions delivered via secure, approved platforms with appropriate moderation.
   
• Video gaming therapy (e.g., Minecraft, Roblox) takes place in moderated or private therapeutic servers; peer interactions are supervised.
   
• Staff avoid one-to-one unsupervised gaming sessions outside planned therapeutic time.
   
• Chat logs or session records are maintained in line with professional standards.
   
• Any disclosures or safeguarding concerns arising in the gaming setting are treated with the same urgency as face-to-face work.
   

• All safeguarding concerns are logged by the DSL (or deputy) within 24 hours of becoming aware.
   
• Records include: date/time of disclosure, what was said/observed, action taken, who was informed.
   
• Records are stored securely, encrypted where possible, and retained for the defined period (as per organisational retention policy).
   
• Sharing of information is restricted to those with a “need to know” and in the best interests of the child/young person.

If a child or young person is believed to be at risk of harm, the following steps apply:

1. Listen — with care, respect, and without judgement. Let the child speak in their own way.
    
2. Record — write down exactly what was disclosed, by whom, when, using their words where possible.
    
3. Refer to the DSL — the DSL reviews the concern and decides next steps.
    
4. Take action — depending on the severity:
    
   • Contact local authority children’s services (MASH) or equivalent safeguarding team.
      
   • Contact the police if the child is in immediate danger (call 999).
      
   • Inform the child’s school or SENCO if relevant and safe to do so.
      
   • Initiate internal safeguarding procedures (staff concerns, allegations, etc.).
      

1. Inform the parent/carer — unless doing so increases risk to the child. The DSL will determine whether and how to inform parents/carers.
    
2. Follow up — monitor, review and update the case file with outcomes and any further actions.
    

Where appropriate (typically for older children / young people), we assess their competency to consent to therapy independently. Our steps include:

• Explaining the nature, purpose and possible risks of the intervention in age-appropriate language.
   
• Determining if the young person understands the implications and can make informed decisions.
   
• Documenting the assessment of competence.
   
• Respecting the young person’s autonomy while safeguarding their rights and needs.
   
• Where confidentiality is agreed, sharing with parents/caregivers only what has been explicitly authorised or when required by safeguarding.
   

If an allegation is made against a staff member, the following actions will be taken:

• Immediately inform the DSL (or deputy) who will inform the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for the region.
   
• Seek advice from the LADO and follow local children’s services procedure.
   
• The staff member may be suspended from direct contact with children until the investigation concludes.
   
• Clear records of the allegation, actions taken and outcomes are maintained securely and confidentially.
   

We maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy of children, young people and families. However, confidentiality will be breached if:

• A child or young person is at risk of significant harm.
   
• Another person is at risk of harm.
   
• There is a legal obligation to share information.
   
• We believe withholding information would be contrary to the child’s best interests.
   

Information sharing will follow:

• The principles of the Data Protection Act 2018 / UK GDPR.
   
• The concept of “necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure” information sharing.
   
• Guidance on safeguarding disclosures and multi-agency working.
   

• All staff complete safeguarding training on induction and refresh annually.
   
• Additional training covers neurodiversity-affirming practice, online/gaming therapy safety, trauma-informed approaches, and the needs of children with SEND.
   
• Regular clinical supervision includes safeguarding case review, emerging risks and reflection on safeguarding culture.
   
• The DSL remains up to date with national guidance and local procedures.
   

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there are changes to:

• Legislation, statutory guidance or best practice.
   
• Our service delivery (e.g., new online platforms, gaming therapies).
   
• Significant safeguarding incidents or new learning emerges.