Safeguarding Statement

Slide Away offers bereaved children and their families an opportunity to explore the thoughts and feelings they have following the death of someone close and to find ways of coping.

The purpose of the Slide Away Safeguarding Policy is to outline our statutory commitment to the well-being of all children who come into contact with the charity. It also seeks to ensure that staff are supported, and are delivering appropriate services. Slide Away aims to be an exemplar of high-quality practice. We aim to provide an environment within Slide Away sessions that will help children to feel safe, secure and respected; enabling them to talk openly, and to feel confident that they will be listened to. We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and will follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support, protection and justice.

Slide Away's core safeguarding principles are as follows:

• It is the whole organisation's responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children as its paramount concern.
• All children (defined as those up to the age of 18) regardless of age, gender, ability, culture, race, language, religion or sexual identity, have equal rights to protection.
• All children have a right to be heard and to have their wishes and feelings taken into account.
• All staff understand safe professional practice and adhere to our appropriate policy and other associated policies.
• All staff have a responsibility to recognise vulnerability in children and act on any concern in accordance with Slide Away’s Safeguarding Policy.

A copy of the Slide Away Safeguarding Policy is available on request.