Ormiston Families is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults identified as being at possible risk of abuse and neglect, as well as the staff and volunteers that work with them.

To achieve this, Ormiston Families:

  • has suitable policies and procedures in place to safeguard and protect the welfare of children, young people, and adults
  • will ensure safe practices are used to recruit staff and volunteers, introduce them to their role and help them carry out their duties safely
  • will protect its staff and volunteers, encouraging them to discuss any concerns they may have about the behaviour or conduct of another employee or volunteer with an appropriate manager
  • will ensure the security of children, young people and adults’ records and the quality of the information they contain
  • recognises that inter-agency working is vital in safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children, young people and adults
  • will securely share relevant concerns and/or information with partner agencies, the police and/or other statutory services in a timely manner to meet the needs of the people accessing our services and our legal responsibilities

If you access Ormiston Families’ services, you should be aware that if there is a safeguarding issue where you (or another) are likely to be at risk of harm, our employees are under a legal duty to follow safeguarding procedures and cannot offer confidentiality.

You can download Ormiston Families’ safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk policy here.

What to do if you have concerns about the welfare of a child, young person or adult:

If you believe a child, young person or adult is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 straight away.

If you are worried about the welfare of a child, young person or adult, please contact your local authority’s child protection or adult social care services

Alternatively, you can get also advice and help from the NSPCC [NSPCC | The UK children’s charity | NSPCC] by calling their Helpline on 0808 800 500 or emailing help@NSPCC.org.uk.

Child Sexual abuse:

If you are concerned about child sexual abuse, you can get confidential help and support from:

Domestic abuse:

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, it’s important to tell someone and remember you’re not alone.

Extremism and radicalisation:

If you are worried about someone expressing extreme views or hatred which could lead to them harming themselves or others, you can get advice and support about extremism and radicalisation from:

Mental Health:

Whether you’re a child or young person and struggling with how you’re feeling or you’re a parent or carer worried about a child or your own mental health, you’re not alone and there is support available.

If you feel like you might attempt suicide, or may have seriously harmed yourself, you need urgent medical help. Please:

If you can’t do this by yourself, ask someone to help you.

If you can keep yourself safe for a short while, but you still need urgent advice:

NHS urgent mental health helplines are for people of all ages in England. You can call for:

  • 24-hour advice and support for you, your child, your parent or someone you care for
  • help speaking to a mental health professional
  • an assessment to find the right care for you

If you are not in need of urgent medical help, you’ll need to talk to someone who can put you in touch with your local mental health services. This is usually called a referral.

You could speak to:

  • a teacher or school nurse
  • a GP
  • a youth worker
  • a social worker

Alternatively, information and support on seeking help for a mental health problem is also available from Mind. How to seek help for a mental health problem – Mind

Online Safety

If you would like advice, guidance or support on how to keep children and young people safe online, you can access resources through:

Safeguarding and information sharing:

Ormiston Families believes that information sharing is essential to enable early intervention. Such interventions help people families achieve positive outcomes and reduce inequality.

Information sharing is also vital to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults through the accurate recording, sharing and understanding of information and taking appropriate action in relation to known or suspected abuse or neglect.

All Ormiston Families’ staff who provide a service to children, young people and adults have a duty to record information about meetings, telephone calls, interviews and correspondence received.

Ormiston Families will keep this information securely and confidentially.

If you use our services, you have a right to see the information held about you, subject to other people’s rights to keep their information private. This right to see information is known as a Subject Access Request (SAR).

If you use our services and would like to make a Subject Access Request, please contact our Privacy Officer with the following information:

  • your full name, address and contact telephone number;
  • any information used by Ormiston Families to identify or distinguish you from others of the same name;
  • details of the specific information you require and any relevant dates, for example: your personal file; emails between ‘A’ and ‘B’ (between 1/6/11 and 1/9/11); copies of case notes (between 2020 & 2023) held by your office in (insert address).

If you would like to find out more about how to request your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer at 333 Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9BU or email: privacyofficer@ormistonfamilies.org.uk

You can download Ormiston Families’ Data Protection policy by clicking here.

You can download Ormiston Families’ Information Sharing and Confidentiality policy here.

How to contact us:

Ormiston Families believes that the people who use our services are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their individual needs and wishes.

If you are a member of the public and would like to comment, complain or compliment any aspect of our services, you can download our complaints, compliments and comments policy here.

All complaints will be treated confidentially. They will only be shared with other agencies if we are concerned that there is a potential risk of harm to others.

Please send your comments, complaints or compliments to:

The Head of Quality and Governance, Ormiston Families, 333 Felixstowe Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP3 9BU or email: enquiries@ormistonfamilies.org.uk