Safeguarding at Orchard Theraputic Care

Orchard Therapeutic Care recognises the importance of creating and maintaining a safeguarding culture that will help all young people to feel safe, secure and respected, encourage them to talk openly, and enable them to feel confident that they will be listened to.

We are committed to providing an environment where children are safeguarded and are enabled to disclose if they are being harmed in some way.

What is Safeguarding?

'Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of young people and protect them from harm. Safeguarding involves keeping young people and vulnerable adults safe from abuse and maltreatment, ensuring they have the best outcomes and are provided with safe and effective care, and that they are able to grow and develop happily and healthily without the risk of abuse or neglect.' NSPCC

Safeguarding means:

protecting young people from abuse and maltreatment
preventing harm to young people's health or development
ensuring young people grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
taking action to enable all young people and young people to have the best outcomes.
Safeguarding young people and child protection guidance and legislation applies to all young people up to the age of 18.

Safeguarding Team

The ‘safeguarding Team’ are called Designated Safeguarding Leads.

The safeguarding team is in charge of keeping young people safe. The Safeguarding Team will also liaise with other agencies and other professionals relating to young people who have been referred to our homes.

Local Contact Numbers

For urgent Child Protection / Safeguarding advice:

Please call MASH on 01865 815843 or email oscb@oxfordshire.gov.uk. The phone line is open 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 4pm Friday excluding bank holidays.

Outside of these hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0800833408

Local Authority Officer (LADO): 01865 810603 / LADO.safeguarding@oxfordshire.gov.uk