Safeguarding | yourtown

At yourtown, we take safeguarding seriously.

We seek to ensure that all children, young people and adults at risk are safe from harm, and are respected and nurtured so as to reach their full potential in life.

yourtown is committed to ensuring that the rights of children and young people under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child are upheld.

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Position Statement

yourtown understands that the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and young people requires an organisational culture where everybody prioritises the wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk.

Children and young people are supported and encouraged to have their voices heard, to seek justice and to access counselling and other support services in order to overcome the impacts of harm.

Read our Position Statement

What is 'harm'?

‘Harm’ means any detrimental effect or impact on a child’s physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing.

Harm may be caused by all forms of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation, whether intentional or unintentional.

Safeguarding Principles & Policy

yourtown aims to safeguard children, young people and adults at risk by following the 10 principles outlined below.

Read Our Safeguarding Policy

Committed leadership, governance & culture

The safety and wellbeing of children, young people, and adults at risk is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.

Participation and empowerment

Children, young people, and adults at risk are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them, and are taken seriously.

Partnering with families, carers and communities

Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk.

Equity is promoted and diversity is respected

Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected. yourtown respects culturally diverse family systems and approaches to raising children, and practises cultural sensitivity.

Robust human resource management

People working with children, young people, and adults at risk are suitable, and supported to reflect safety and wellbeing values in practice.

Effective complaints management

Processes for raising complaints and concerns are responsive, easy to understand, and accessible to children, young people, adults at risk, families, carers, communities, and personnel.

Ongoing education and training

Our personnel are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children, young people, and adults at risk safe through information, ongoing education, and training.

Safe physical and online environments

Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children, young people and adults at risk to be harmed.

Continuous improvement

We regularly review and improve implementation of systems to safeguard children, young people, and adults at risk.

Safeguarding policies and procedures

Policies and procedures document how yourtown is safe for children, young people, and adults at risk.

Code of Conduct

All yourtown personnel have a shared responsibility to bring to life, through our actions and behaviours, our Values and our commitment to practices which ensure the safety and wellbeing of others, especially children, young people and adults at risk. All personnel are expected to act in accordance with this Code of Conduct in their interactions.

Read the Code of Conduct

Kids have a right to be safe, healthy and happy!

Safety, care, kindness, love and respect are universal human rights.

This means that they belong to everybody, without conditions.

You don’t just deserve these things - you also have a right to them.

Download as a PDF

Your specific rights include:

Safety and protection. This means having a safe place to live, and protection from being harmed by others.

Health. This includes safe drinking water, having enough to eat, having access to healthy and nutritious food and medical care.

Education. You have a right to go to school, access media like the news, and to be able to access and share information.

Privacy. The law protects your privacy so your information is safe.

Participation. You have a right to meet with other young people, or join groups and organisations. You also have a right to have a say and be heard.

Legal rights. You have a right to be treated fairly and access legal help if you break the law. You also have rights to be treated with respect and not experience discrimination.

To be who you are. Cultural and religious freedoms are protected by law.

Nobody has a right to take your rights away from you, or try to deny you of them.

Learn More About Rights

Learn About Safety & Abuse

Safeguarding is everyone's business