Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

iFLY wants all children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation to feel safe, when experiencing the “dream of flight” and the sport of indoor skydiving. We recognise our responsibility to participants, and we demonstrate a pro-active approach to ensuring their welfare within all of our premises. Safeguarding forms part of iFLY’s core values and all company employees and non-company employees who operate within our premises have a duty to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, as part of their working practices. The iFLY Safeguarding Policy is supported by robust procedures and works in conjunction with the company’s Code of Conduct for employees and non-employees.

Objectives

  • We will, where possible, take measures to ensure children and vulnerable adults are protected from harm within an iFLY facility
  • We will guide and train employees to adopt best practice to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from harm
  • We will require non-employees to adopt best practice to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from harm
  • We are committed to take all allegations or suspicions of harm seriously and to record and fully investigate all such concerns

Safeguarding Definition

The Children Act 1989 defines Children as “people under the age of 18 years”.

The Department for Education defines Safeguarding and Child Protection as:

  • Protecting children from maltreatment
  • Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
  • Ensuring children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

The Department of Health defines Vulnerable Adults as:

“A person aged 18 or over who may need community care services because of a disability (mental or otherwise), age or illness. A person is also considered vulnerable if they are unable to look after themselves, protect themselves from harm or exploitation or are unable to report abuse”.

Legislation Framework

To safeguard and promote the welfare of children, iFLY will follow all legislation and government guidance:

England & Wales

  • Children Acts 1989 & 2004
  • The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2018)
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • The European Convention on Human Rights 1950
  • Police Act 1997
  • Data Protection Act 2018
  • Freedom of Information Act 2000
  • Sexual Offences (Amendments) Act 2003
  • Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
  • Care Act 2014 - implemented March 2015
  • Information Sharing Advice - March 2015
  • What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused. - March 2015
  • Procedures set out by the local Safeguarding Children Boards

The iFLY Safeguarding Framework

iFLY has formally adopted this policy and all associated policies, procedures, and guidance requirements. All those in a position of power and trust are informed and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. iFLY provides guidance and training on the associated safeguarding policies and procedures and adopts the following guiding principles.

Guiding Principles

Everybody within iFLY works together to provide a safe place for children and vulnerable adults to participate in indoor skydiving. This includes:

  • Promoting the principles of safeguarding that aligns with legislation and the mental well-being of all individuals
  • Creating a culture that highlights that everyone has a role to play when instructing or coaching children, vulnerable adults, their families, and other individuals
  • Requiring all employees and non-employees to fulfil their safeguarding responsibility and to act in a professional manner when instructing or coaching children and vulnerable adults; their approach should always be in the best interests of the child or adult
  • Creating the conditions to improve awareness in identify safeguarding concerns, which includes always taking a possible victim seriously when reporting abuse, sexual violence, or sexual harassment
  • Adopting a clear and open reporting system that enables concerns to be raised, recorded, and acted upon in a timely and sensitive manner

The UK Safeguarding Lead

iFLY has a UK Safeguarding Lead who is responsible for directing company policy and procedures, including formal reviews and updates to maintain wider compliance.  

The UK Safeguarding lead is:

The UK Safeguarding Lead will:  

  • Manage, coordinate, record and investigate all safeguarding concerns
  • Develop and maintain safeguarding policies and procedures
  • Coordinate with outside agencies where necessary
  • Review company policy at least every two years
  • Monitor company compliance and on at least a quarterly basis, feedback to the iFLY UK Country Manager
  • Provide support and guidance to the Safeguarding Officers at each location

Safeguarding Officers

A Safeguarding Officer and deputy are assigned to each iFLY location as follows:

The Safeguarding Officers manage all policies and compliance procedures at a local level and will, in most cases, be the first point of contact for any concerns. They are responsible for managing and recording training for their staff and for the compliance of non-employees in relation to their Safeguarding responsibilities (see below).

Recruitment and Training

Employees will undergo training in relation to safeguarding and the company relevant to their position and contact with U18s and vulnerable adults.  This will be reviewed every two years or as required in the event of changes in legislation.  The Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Officers will also have a valid Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Baring Service) check in place.  New staff will receive a safeguarding brief on commencement of their employment prior to formal training, as part of the induction process.

Employee Instructor  Responsibilities

iFLY Instructors have the most direct contact with customer and will be specifically trained to physically handle and communicate with customers appropriately irrespective of their age or disposition. They hold a duty of care in terms of Safeguarding for all customers undertaking indoor skydiving. They will adopt a professional approach and treat all individuals with respect and will demonstrate that they understand our core values. They also have a responsibility to take all allegations of misconduct seriously and to report any concerns to the Safeguarding Officer without delay, and with due respect to the subject.

Non-Employee Coach Responsibility

iFLY requires all external coaches to share the Safeguarding responsibilities and to embrace the wider iFLY policy. This includes compliance with the iFLY Non-Employee Code of Conduct within which we share our core principles and values. This requires external coaches to comply with our Safeguarding and other key policies. We require non-employees to treat individuals with respect and to demonstrate a duty of care when working with children and vulnerable adults and to have a pro-active approach in complying with legislation and reporting concerns. To support this, external coaches are required to present iFLY with a valid Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Baring Service) Certificate and a signed Parental Consent Form for any flyer under the age of 18 that is coached.  Where coaching is conducted as part of a team, this applies to each individual coach and flyer.