Online Safeguarding Policy
ONLINE SAFEGUARDING POLICY STATEMENT: UPDATED SEPTEMBER 2025
Enterprise Causeway’s Online Safeguarding Policy reflects the evolving nature of our work, with audience engagement becoming a virtual rather than first-hand experience, and recognises the increasing online safeguarding needs of children, young people and adults at risk.
This policy will be reviewed as appropriate in line with Government advice and will be updated annually and should be read and understood in conjunction with our existing Child Protection Policy.
Enterprise Causeway’s current focus is to reach the community through digital and social media platforms. Online content will be carefully developed to suit the on-going situation. For primary school age, it is understood that participation in any of our projects requires the direct involvement and supervision of parents/carers or supporting adults.
The purpose of this document is to:
ensure that the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk is paramount when using the internet, social media or mobile devices.
provide staff, facilitators and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to online safety.
ensure that, as an organisation, we operate in line with our values and within the law in terms of how we use online devices.
Enterprise Causeway ’s Online Safeguarding Policy (updated September 2023) is based on legislation and guidance from the NSPCC and Online Teaching policy.
POLICY INTRODUCTION:
Enterprise Causeway believe that:
Children, young people and adults at risk should never experience abuse of any kind.
All children, young people and adults at risk, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
Children, young people and adults at risk should be able to benefit from the use of the internet for education and personal development, but measures need to be in place to ensure they are kept safe at all times.
Working in partnership with children, young people, adults at risk, their caregivers, social media providers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare and in helping young people to be responsible in their approach to online safety.
Children, young people and adults at risk should have an age appropriate and evolving understanding of the opportunities and risks which exist online.
Children, young people and adults at risk should be aware of their rights and responsibilities in the online world and should be equipped to help both themselves and their peers to keep safe.
Through family forums, we should include the views of children, young people and adults at risk, when reviewing this policy, taking into account their ideas or any issues they face.
Enterprise Causeway’s digital platforms and their functions:
Website: Used to share information relating to our projects and events.
Facebook: Content designed to provide informative insights into our work and the arts sector at large. Includes general posts (with both photos and videos) to advertise our activity, links to relevant articles, initiatives from our partners, polls for feedback etc. At present, our largest online following is on Facebook.
Twitter: Used in a similar way to Facebook (see above)
YouTube: Our video collection can be found on our channel, with coverage of our workshops.
Instagram: Immediate/timely sharing of images giving a snapshot into behind-the-scenes activity.
Microsoft Teams/Zoom: will play a part in developing future plans (see below)
Microsoft Teams or Zoom may be utilised to deliver workshops remotely in order to provide activities that support young people. MS Teams is a secure platform that enables collaborative working and online delivery in a secure and safe way. Participants’ parents/carers would receive an email invitation from Enterprise Causeway to join the session (as well as ID and password to enter Zoom’s waiting room facility) and the number of participants would be restricted (with maximum numbers being decided per project). Where possible, Enterprise Causeway will produce imaginative pre-recorded films (that remain interactive), limiting the potential for online abuse. Parents/carers and nurseries/schools would need an internet enabled device with a camera/webcam and a microphone in order to participate in Enterprise Causeway’s online workshops and should inform Enterprise Causeway in advance as to their preferred platform, which is most secure for them (always checking privacy settings) and Enterprise Causeway will act accordingly. Parents/carers and nurseries/schools should be aware that by joining an MS Team community their email address will be visible to other Teams participants. We would expect all Teams participants to respect the privacy of other Team members and not to use Team member’s data for any purposes whatsoever. Those staff members who require access to Microsoft Teams/Zoom to carry out delivery online will receive separate instruction on how to set up sessions and safely contact parents/carers/students to organise in line with Data Protection Act 2018 legislation.
Online Safety Coordinator: We have appointed Robin Wilson for this role and he can be contacted on robin@enterprisecauseway.co.uk He will provide clear and specific directions as to how staff, facilitators and volunteers should behave online.
Enterprise Causeway ’s Online Safety Coordinator, together with Enterprise Causeway ’s Management Team will:
support children, young people and adults at risk participating in our projects to access the internet, social media and mobile phones in a way that keeps them safe and shows respect for others.
support and encourage caregivers to do what they can to keep their children, young people and adults at risk safe online, which may include the implementation of correct parental controls.
develop clear and robust procedures to enable us to respond appropriately to any incidents of inappropriate online behaviour, whether by an adult or a child, young person or adult at risk
review and update the security of our information systems regularly.
ensure that usernames, logins, email accounts and passwords are used effectively.
ensure any personal information about the adults and children, young people and adults at risk who are involved in our organisation is held securely and shared only as appropriate.
ensure that images of children, young people, adults at risk and caregivers are used only after their permission has been obtained, and only for the purpose for which consent has been given.
provide supervision, support and training for staff and volunteers about online safety.
examine and risk assess our social media platforms and any new technologies before they are used within the organisation and work to make sure children, young people and adults at risk are less likely to come across or get access to content online that is unsuitable for them. spend much more or much less time than usual online, texting, gaming or using social media
be withdrawn, upset or outraged after using the internet or texting
be secretive about who they’re talking to and what they're doing online or on their mobile phone
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk to protect them from harm. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and child protection is part of the safeguarding process.
Enterprise Causeway staff, facilitators and volunteers must ensure that safeguarding carries the same importance during online sessions as it does during face-to-face workshops and events. This means that Enterprise Causeway staff should:
Take all suspicions and/or allegations of abuse or risk to children seriously, respond swiftly and appropriately using the Child Protection procedures as set out in Enterprise Causeway ’s Child Protection Policy.
Support the timely sharing of information, with relevant authorities, when there are concerns about a child’s welfare.
Allow access for Enterprise Causeway ’s Management to join online sessions if they wish to do so.
What is online abuse?
Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the internet, facilitated through technology like computers, tablets, mobile phones and other internet-enabled devices (Department for Education, 2018) and includes communication via social networks, text messages and messaging apps, email and private messaging, online chats, comments on live streaming sites and voice chat in games. We should be mindful that the impact of online abuse continues offline, also.
Recognising the signs of online abuse:
A child or vulnerable adult who is experiencing abuse online may:
spend much more or much less time than usual online, texting, gaming or using social media
be withdrawn, upset or outraged after using the internet or texting
be secretive about who they’re talking to and what they're doing online or on their mobile phone
have lots of new phone numbers, texts or e-mail addresses on their mobile phone, laptop or tablet.
If online abuse occurs either directly or indirectly as a result of Enterprise Causeway ’s activity, Enterprise Causeway will:
Report the abuse/block the sender on the specific online platform, e.g. Through the enterprise causeway Facebook page respond with robust procedures including contacting the police on 999 if we, or a parent/care-giver suspects a child may be in immediate danger, or on 101 if it is less urgent where trained professionals are available to talk through concerns and give expert advice.
Ensure that our response takes into account the needs of the person experiencing abuse, any bystanders and our organisation.
Provide support and additional training for all staff and volunteers on dealing with all forms of abuse, including bullying/cyberbullying, emotional abuse, sexting, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation regularly review the processes for addressing online abuse and ensure that long-term issues are resolved.
Guidance for using Online platforms for workshop delivery and group discussions:
Microsoft teams or zoom, may be utilised to deliver workshops remotely in order to provide activities that support young people and/or vulnerable people.
Enterprise causeway staff will undertake communications using only their work email addresses: staff must be physically located in safe, neutral working spaces where nothing distracting or inappropriate can be seen in the background (ms teams offers participants the option to blur their background during calls and taking up this feature is considered good practice).
The set up should be tested before going ‘live’ – is the camera and microphone working properly and at the optimum setting etc. Others from within the household who are not assisting should not be seen/heard on screen. If this is not possible, then headphones should be worn, and screens angled away.
under no circumstances should staff/facilitators’ personal contact details be shared. Private chat or sharing of images between staff/facilitators and participants is completely unacceptable.
Enterprise causeway staff should present themselves professionally at all times and are required to be dressed appropriately for online sessions. Clothing which would ordinarily be worn when attending a workshop is expected.
Enterprise causeway staff can only make a recording of an MS teams session or zoom meeting with express prior permission from all parents/carers of participants and for a specific purpose – i.e. For feedback/evaluation/evidence of impact and in line with Data Protection Act 2018.
If a recording is going to be made of a ‘live’ session, participants should be informed/reminded at the start of the session, and they do have the right to object. Individuals are free to exercise this right – so anyone over 12 can object. For anyone under 12, their parent/carer has the right to object on behalf of the child. If an objection is noted, the session will not be recorded. If a recording is made and shared with the student(s), the student(s) must only use that recording for personal study purposes and must not share or distribute it any further. Enterprise Causeway would retain a
copy of the recording and store it securely for a period of up to 1 year (kept only as long as necessary), thereafter the recording would be securely deleted.
At the end of the session, the workshop leader will make participants aware that the session is coming to a close.
Guidance for young people and families participating at home:
Participants will be required to register in advance, following advice set out by Enterprise Causeway and where appropriate, parents/carers should sign an agreement, allowing the online participation.
Participants should be physically located in safe, neutral spaces participants under 16 should be actively supervised by a responsible adult and should have their parent/carer/teacher as the ‘principal email address’ contact. Adults should support with the set-up of online sessions before and during delivery taking place.
We ask that all participants listen to instructions given, join in as best they can and respect others.
Parents/carers or teachers should then ‘sign off’ as needed. Tips to keep everyone safe when they participate in a Enterprise Causeway activity at home:
Keep any electrical cables tidy to avoid trip hazards.
If standing and moving, make sure you have clear floor space for the activity you are doing.
Take breaks from screens - at least 5-10 minutes every hour but ideally 5 minutes every 25 minutes.
Keep hydrated by drinking water regularly.
Ensure the lighting in the room you are using is suitable for the activity.
If possible, use a space that has a window that opens for ventilation.
Try to keep the temperature at a comfortable level for you but if you feel tired or too hot take a break.
All parties involved must be made aware that time spent on MS Teams or Zoom (which will be during ‘nursery/school session times) will be used exclusively for the purpose of delivering workshop/feedback sessions and not for any private discussion.