Teens Unite is fully committed to ensuring the safety, protection, and well-being of all young people and vulnerable adults we support. We recognise our statutory responsibility for safeguarding and believe that every young person has a fundamental and equal right to be protected from harm, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Our safeguarding approach prioritises proactive prevention, immediate and appropriate responses to concerns, and a strong culture of accountability. This includes swift action in cases where there is any suspicion that a young person may be a victim of bullying, harassment, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), or neglect.

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1. Governance & Leadership Commitment Teens Unite demonstrates an absolute commitment to safeguarding through: • Senior Management and Board of Trustees leadership, ensuring safeguarding remains a top priority. • A robust safeguarding policy, aligned with current UK legislation and best practice. • Annual safeguarding audits and policy reviews, ensuring continued effectiveness and legal compliance.

2. Safer Recruitment & Staff Training To ensure the highest standards of safeguarding, we implement: • Comprehensive recruitment procedures with a clear safeguarding focus. • Mandatory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for all staff and volunteers before commencing roles. • Ongoing DBS monitoring and renewal processes. • Mandatory safeguarding training, delivered by a CPD-accredited provider, with regular refresher courses. • Safeguarding guidance documented in staff and volunteer handbooks, with a requirement to sign and acknowledge understanding before commencing work.

3. Identification & Accountability To ensure a safe and transparent environment, we enforce:

•  Photo ID lanyards for all staff and volunteers, including an up-to-date DBS certificate number.

• Branded Teens Unite workwear at all events, ensuring visibility and accountability.

​4. Listening, Engagement & Young Person-Led Safeguarding We actively encourage young people to voice their concerns and experiences, embedding their feedback into our safeguarding approach: • A culture of listening and engagement, ensuring young people’s views shape service development. • Multiple reporting channels, making it easy for young people to raise concerns in a safe, confidential, and supportive environment. • An age-appropriate, culturally sensitive approach, ensuring all young people feel heard and valued. 5. Reporting & Whistleblowing Teens Unite maintains a zero-tolerance approach to safeguarding breaches and ensures: • Clearly defined whistleblowing procedures, empowering staff and volunteers to raise concerns without fear of retaliation. • A transparent reporting structure, ensuring safeguarding concerns are addressed immediately and appropriately. • Strict confidentiality measures, ensuring reports are handled sensitively and in line with GDPR compliance.

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