Safeguarding, Equality and Empowerment Policy

Policy for: Empower Your Roots Community Interest Company (EYR CIC)

Website: www.eyrcic.org

Policy Number: POL-SEE-001

Date Adopted: 09/12/2025

Last Reviewed: 25/11/2025

Next Review Date: 10/12/2026

1.Statement of Intent

Empower Your Roots CIC is committed to nurturing a safe, respectful, and empowering environment for all children, young people, and adults at risk who engage with our services. Our name reflects our mission: to strengthen individuals through their cultural heritage and identity. We believe that true empowerment can only happen in an environment where everyone is protected from harm, their rights are respected, and their individuality is celebrated.

We adhere to all relevant legislation and guidance, including but not limited to the Children Act 1989/2004, Care Act 2014, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, and the Equality Act 2010.

2. Guiding Principles

• Empowerment is our goal: We support individuals to be strong, resilient, and informed, with a positive sense of identity.
• Safety is our foundation: The welfare of all children and vulnerable adults is paramount.
• Equality is non-negotiable: We proactively promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, challenging all forms of discrimination.
• Culture is a strength: We respect, value, and actively celebrate the diverse cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds of our community.
• Partnership is key: We work collaboratively with participants, families, carers, and other agencies to achieve the best outcomes.

Part A: Safeguarding

3. What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting an individual’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. We are alert to the signs of:

• Physical Abuse
• Emotional Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Neglect
• Bullying and Cyberbullying
• Exploitation (including child criminal and sexual exploitation)
• Domestic Abuse
• Radicalisation
• Financial or Material Abuse
• Modern Slavery
• Discrimination-based abuse (e.g., racism, homophobia, disablism)
  

4. Our Safeguarding Structure

• Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Furad Miah 
• Contact: furad@eyrcic.org | 07940 012346 
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL): Tufayal Ahmed
• Contact: tufayal@eyrcic.org | 07846 108987

The DSL is responsible for:

• Being the first point of contact for all safeguarding concerns.
• Assessing and managing reported concerns.
• Making referrals to statutory services (Social Care, Police) where necessary.
• Ensuring all staff and volunteers are trained appropriately.
• Maintaining confidential and secure safeguarding records.

 
5. Procedure for Reporting a Concern

1. Listen & Reassure: If a disclosure is made, listen carefully without asking leading questions. Reassure the individual they have done the right thing by telling you.
2. Record: As soon as possible, write down exactly what was said or observed, using the individual’s own words. Date, sign, and pass this record to the DSL.
3. Report: Immediately inform the DSL or DDSL. If the concern is about the DSL, report to the Chair of the Board of Trustees or directly to the Local Authority.
4. Refer: The DSL will decide on the next steps, which may include a referral to external agencies. In an emergency, where someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Part B: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

6. Our Commitment to Empowerment through Equality

Empower Your Roots CIC actively works to create an inclusive community where no one experiences discrimination based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010).

We will:

• Integrate Culture: Ensure our programmes, resources, and environment reflect and celebrate the diverse heritage of our community.
• Challenge Discrimination: Actively challenge any prejudicial language, behaviour, or attitudes.
• Promote Positive Identity: Deliver activities that build pride and confidence in personal and cultural identity.
• Ensure Accessibility: Make our services physically and communicatively accessible to all.

7. Working with Children, Young People & Families

We recognise that our work often involves exploring personal and cultural identity, which can bring up sensitive emotions. We will:

• Always work in an open environment.
• Ensure activities are age-appropriate and facilitated by trained staff.
• Foster a culture of peer respect and support.
• Work in partnership with parents/carers, communicating our approach and listening to their insights.

8. Code of Conduct for Staff & Volunteers

All team members are required to:

• Prioritise the welfare of participants above all else.
• Act as positive role models.
• Respect confidentiality (while understanding its limits in safeguarding contexts).
• Avoid being alone with a child or vulnerable adult where possible, and always report any situation where this is unavoidable.
• Use positive and inclusive language at all times.
• Adhere to our safer working practices and online safety guidelines.

9. Safer Recruitment

We operate a robust safer recruitment process for all staff and volunteers, which includes:

• Application forms.
• Face-to-face interviews.
• Verification of identity and qualifications.
• Obtaining two satisfactory references.
• An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

10. Policy Review & Availability

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees in consultation with the DSL. It is available to all staff, volunteers, participants, and parents/carers upon request and is published on our website: www.eyrcic.org

Reviewed and adopted on behalf of the Board of Trustees:

Name: Amin Fakhrul

Role: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Name: Furad Miah 

Role: Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Date: 09/12/2025

Key Contacts:

• Local Authority Children’s Social Care: 0208 708 3885 / 0208 708 5897 (emergency)
• Local Authority Adult Social Care: 0208 708 7333
• Police (Non-Emergency): 101
• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000
• Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): 0208 708 5350