Your Teen Journey
Safeguarding Policy
 

​This policy applies to all retreats, activities, facilitators, guides, contractors, and volunteers involved in Your Teen Journey. It covers safeguarding responsibilities in relation to children and young people under the age of 18.

The purpose of this policy is to:

Protect children and young people from harm.
Provide clear guidance on safeguarding roles and responsibilities.
Ensure concerns are recognised, responded to, and recorded appropriately.
Promote a culture of safety, respect, and transparency.

Our safeguarding approach is guided by the following principles:
The welfare of the child is paramount.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Parents and carers retain responsibility for their child at all times during retreats.
Children and young people are treated with dignity, respect, and care.
Concerns are taken seriously and acted upon appropriately.

Your Teen Journey retreats are relational, experiential retreats designed to support connection between parents and teens.

They are not therapeutic interventions, clinical programmes, or assessment-based services. Parental presence is central to the model, and responsibility for the child remains with the parent or legal guardian at all times.

The Safeguarding Lead for Your Teen Journey (Laura Morton) is responsible for:
Overseeing safeguarding arrangements.
Ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are in place.
Acting as the point of contact for safeguarding concerns.

All facilitators and guides are responsible for:
Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
Being alert to safeguarding concerns.
Following this policy and escalation procedures.

All facilitators and guides involved in retreats:

Are appropriately vetted.
Hold relevant safeguarding training, refreshed regularly.
Hold appropriate background checks where required.
Safeguarding expectations are clearly communicated prior to involvement.

All adults involved in Your Teen Journey must:

Treat children and young people with respect.
Avoid being alone with a child without parental presence.
Use appropriate language and behaviour at all times.
Avoid physical contact unless appropriate and consented to.
Maintain confidentiality within safeguarding limits.

Any safeguarding concern, disclosure, or observation must be taken seriously.
Concerns should be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Where a child is at immediate risk of harm, emergency services will be contacted.
Concerns will be recorded factually and securely, in line with data protection requirements.

Risk assessments are completed for retreat activities and environments.
Our comprehensive insurance and health and safety procedures are in place to minimise risk and support wellbeing. Please review our separate Health and Safety Policy and for further guidance.

Parents or legal guardians retain responsibility for their child throughout the retreat.
Written consent is obtained prior to participation, including information sharing and medical needs.
Parents are expected to supervise and support their child appropriately during the retreat.

Your Teen Journey will follow local safeguarding procedures and refer concerns to appropriate statutory agencies where required.
Information will be shared on a need-to-know basis, and confidentiality will not be promised where safeguarding duties apply.

Safeguarding records are kept securely and confidentially.
Records are factual, dated, and stored in accordance with data protection legislation.

This policy is reviewed annually or sooner if legislation or guidance changes.
Safeguarding practices are continually monitored and improved.