Safeguarding Policy

This Safeguarding Policy was last updated August 15, 2025.

1. Our Commitment to Safeguarding

The Digital Start Coding Club (part of Dasikaa®) is wholly committed to creating and maintaining a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment where all our students can thrive. The welfare, safety, and protection of every child who participates in our club is our paramount concern and at the heart of everything we do.

 

This policy has been developed in accordance with UK statutory guidance, including ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE), and sets out our procedures for ensuring the highest standards of child protection. It applies to all staff, students, and parents/carers.

2. Governance and Safeguarding Leadership

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): The designated person with overall responsibility for safeguarding and child protection at the Digital Start Coding Club is:

    • Name: Rukayat Johnson
    • The DSL is a senior and experienced member of staff with the appropriate authority and training to carry out their duties effectively. The DSL’s training is updated every two years.

Responsibilities of the DSL:

    • Acting as the primary point of contact for all staff, students, and parents/carers to report safeguarding concerns.
    • Ensuring all staff are aware of and adhere to this policy and the club’s Code of Conduct.
    • Making timely and appropriate referrals to external agencies, such as local authority children’s social care, the police, or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
    • Maintaining secure, detailed, and confidential records of all safeguarding concerns and actions taken.
    • Ensuring all staff receive appropriate safeguarding training.

3. Safer Recruitment and Vetting

We follow a strict safer recruitment process to ensure all individuals working with children are suitable for their roles. This process applies to all current and future instructors and staff.

    • DBS Checks: All instructors must have a valid Enhanced DBS check, which includes a check of the Children’s Barred List, before they commence any work with children. These checks are renewed every three years.
    • Formal Vetting for New Staff: The suitability of all new instructors is assessed through a formal application, interview process, and the verification of professional references.
    • Mandatory Training: All instructors must complete a dedicated online safety course before joining the club.
    • Policy Adherence: All instructors are required to read, understand, and formally sign this Safeguarding Policy and our Code of Conduct before they begin working with students.

4. Our Online Safety Framework

We have a duty to protect children from harm online. Our approach is based on the four key areas outlined in KCSIE:

    • Content: We ensure all curriculum materials and third-party platforms (e.g., Scratch, Code.org) are age-appropriate, educational, and do not expose children to illegal, inappropriate, or harmful material.
    • Contact: All communication between instructors and students is restricted to our official, monitored platforms (Google Classroom and Google Meet). Instructors are strictly prohibited from contacting students via personal email, social media, or any other private channel.
    • Conduct: We promote positive and respectful behaviour through our Code of Conduct. We have clear procedures for addressing any instances of cyberbullying or inappropriate conduct between students, which are managed by the session instructor and escalated to the DSL if necessary.
    • Commerce: We protect children from online financial scams, gambling, and inappropriate advertising by using reputable, ad-free educational platforms.

5. Procedures for a Safer Online Environment

To ensure our live sessions on Google Meet are safe, we implement the following measures:

    • Secure Access: Sessions are accessed via a secure link available only within our private Google Classroom, which is shared only with registered students.
    • Cameras Off Policy: To protect the privacy of all students and their homes, cameras are not expected or required to be switched on during our sessions.
    • Controlled Environment: Instructors manage screen sharing and chat functions to ensure all interactions are appropriate and on-topic.
    • Parental Supervision: We require that a parent or responsible adult is within hearing distance for all students during our sessions, particularly for younger children (Code Cubs), to provide support and supervision.

6. Data Protection and Confidentiality

    • UK GDPR Compliance: We handle all personal data in strict compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). We will only collect and process data that is necessary for the running of the club, and we will always seek explicit parental consent.
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    • Confidentiality: All safeguarding concerns and records are kept strictly confidential and are only shared with relevant professionals on a need-to-know basis to protect a child.

7. Reporting a Safeguarding Concern

Any concern about the safety or welfare of a child must be reported. We operate on the principle that it is always better to report a concern, however small it may seem.

    • How to Report: Please report any concerns immediately to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Rukayat Johnson, via our official email address: digital.start@dasikaa.com.
    • Our Process:
      • Acknowledge: The DSL will acknowledge receipt of your concern as soon as possible.
      • Assess: The DSL will assess the information and determine the appropriate course of action. This may involve speaking to the individuals involved or gathering more information.
      • Action: Actions may include internal measures (such as reinforcing the Code of Conduct) or, if a child is believed to be at risk of harm, an immediate referral to external agencies.
      • Record: All concerns, discussions, and actions taken will be recorded in a secure, confidential safeguarding log.
    • Escalation: If the DSL determines that a child is at risk of significant harm, or if a criminal offence may have been committed, they will make a referral to the relevant statutory agencies, which may include:
      • Local Authority Children’s Social Care
      • The Police
      • The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), if the concern relates to an instructor.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call the police on 999.

8. Policy Review

This policy is a living document. It will be reviewed and updated annually, or sooner if there are changes in legislation or guidance, to ensure it continues to meet the highest standards of child protection.

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