Introduction
 

Navigator Insight Ltd (Navigator) is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of research participants. The company recognises its responsibility to take all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and to protect research participants from harm in line with the Market Research Society’s Code of Conduct Code of Conduct | Market Research Society and the Best Practice Guidance on Research Participant Vulnerability MRS Best Practice Guide:  Research Participant Vulnerability | Market Research Society, Mental Health, Microsoft Word - MRS Guide Essential Safeguards part 4 Jan 2021.docx and Conducting Data Collection Activities with Children MRS Guidelines for Conducting Data Collection Activities with  Children | Market Research Society.
 

All employees of Navigator will endeavour to work together to encourage the development of an ethos which embraces difference and diversity and respects the rights of children, young people, and adults at risk. 
 

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children and adults at risk in England. There are numerous pieces of legislation and guidance, however two are most relevant here.
 

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023); this government guidance applies to all organisations and agencies who have functions relating to children. Specifically, this guidance applies to all local authorities, ICBs, police and all other organisations and agencies. Although this does not apply to Navigator directly, it may apply to our clients.

• The Care Act 2014; this sets out a clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the health care system should protect adults at risk from abuse or neglect. Although this does not apply to Navigator directly, it may apply to our clients.
   

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that:

• Children, young people, and adults at risk are protected from harm.

• Everyone in the organisation is clear about their roles and responsibilities.
   

For the purposes of this policy, the following terms apply:

• ‘Adult at risk’ means any person who is aged 18 or over and is at risk of abuse or neglect because of their needs for care and support. Formerly the term was ‘vulnerable adult’

• ‘Child’ means anyone up to the age of 18 years (16 years in Scotland). In the context of this policy the child may be a service user or non-service user (e.g. children involved in participation and/or data collection activities or who are on work experience).

• ‘Individual’ means staff (including interns, temps and assessors), volunteers, students, those on work experience and contractors.

• ‘Prevent duty’ is one part of the government's counter-terrorism guidance. It can be found described in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015. The Prevent Duty is the duty of those in authorities to keep people and communities safe from the threat of terrorism.

• ‘Safeguarding’ means ‘keeping children and adults at risk safe from harm’.
   

The following aspects of Navigator’s work where contact (direct or indirect) with children, young people and adults at risk are covered by this policy:
 

Research Team Activities

The research team at Navigator is responsible for managing a range of research methodologies which could potentially include research with children and young people and/or adults at risk. These include postal/self-completion surveys, telephone surveys, face to face surveys, and face to face and virtual one-to-one interviews and focus groups.
 

Education Assessment Team Activities

The Education Assessment team are responsible for managing student assessors who go into schools across the country to conduct full class and one-to-one assessments with school pupils. This policy applies in conjunction with the team’s additional procedures stipulated by their clients.
 

Responsibilities

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The following section describes staff responsibilities. When working with external teams/subcontractors for interviews, etc, Navigator will request a copy of their safeguarding policy to ensure it is in line with our own.
 

Managing Partners

• Ensure that the designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Officers understand their responsibility to refer safeguarding concerns to the appropriate contact.

• Ensure that designated Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Officers have access to relevant training.

• Ensure that the safeguarding policy is reviewed at the agreed intervals.
   

Safeguarding Lead

• Responsible for reviewing/updating Safeguarding Policy.

• Acting as a central point of contact and support for other Navigator staff, including Safeguarding Officers and project managers.

• Ensuring that safeguarding concerns are acted on and logged appropriately.

• Endeavour to keep up to date with national developments relating to the care and protection of children/young people and adults at risk.
   

Safeguarding Officers

• Be available to hear safeguarding concerns from staff.

• Discuss the nature of the concern, ensure project manager adds the issue to the project safeguarding log and decide who the concern should be reported to e.g. the designated safeguarding representative within the client organisation or to the relevant local authority child protection agencies/adult social care team/police as appropriate.

• Endeavour to keep up to date with national developments relating to the care and protection of children/young people and adults at risk.
   

Project Managers

• Ensure all staff involved in research with children and young people and adults at risk are DBS checked as appropriate in accordance with client and contractual requirements. The Safeguarding Lead can support with questions in conjunction with Sarah Handley Sarah.Handley@emb-group.co.uk

• Complete a Safeguarding Risk Assessment at the start of each project involving children, young people or adults at risk.

• Establish who the client contact is for any safeguarding issues or concerns and keep a record of this.

• Seek support as needed from the Safeguarding Lead.

• Record any issues in a project safeguarding log.

• Ensure through discussion with the client, that measures are in place to identify adults at risk without the capacity to consent, e.g. by liaising with family member/carer as appropriate.

• Ensure that parents/carers/ responsible adults (acting in loco parentis) have access to all guidelines and procedures when requested.

 

Project Teams

• Ensure informed consent is obtained from all participants undertaking research activity. Consent of a parent or responsible adult (acting in loco parentis) will be obtained before interviewing a child under 16. A responsible adult (acting in locoparentis) is an individual who has personal accountability for the well-being of a child, for example, a teacher. Under special circumstances (for example, an evaluation of a confidential children’s telephone line) permission to waive parental consent may be obtained, in these circumstances prior approval of the MRS Market Research Standards Board would be sought.

• Ensure assent is sought from the child/young person or adult at risk – if the child/young person or adult at risk does not want to participate in the research then this overrides consent from parent/carer or other appropriate/proxy adult.

• Ensure the consent process makes clear the boundaries of confidentiality in the event of a disclosure and that the person disclosing is fully informed about the next steps.

• It is not Navigator Research policy to work alone with children (under 18) in person or online. It should be made clear in any Participant Information Sheets and at the recruitment stage that a parent/carer must be present.

• The appropriateness of working alone, in person or online with a vulnerable adult should be risk assessed on a case by case basis by the Project Manager. Vulnerable adults should be offered the opportunity to have a carer/supporter with them during a research interview to enable them to take part.

• Ensure all researchers report any safeguarding concerns to the Project Manager in the first instance.
   

Education Assessors

• All the same responsibilities of the project teams listed above.

• If Education Assessors witness something suspicious or witness a safeguarding incident, whilst visiting a school they must report this to an appropriate staff member at the school as well as reporting to Navigator.

• Always follow the Assessor Code of Conduct found in the Navigator Insight Education Assessor Handbook which is given to all student assessors at their initial training session.

 

 

Training

 

All permanent members of research staff at Navigator and telephone interviewers receive initial training on safeguarding at induction alongside MRS Code of Conduct training. More detailed training is provided within project briefings before they begin a project with likely safeguarding implications. Specific training may also be provided to meet the requirements of client contracts. Refresher/top-up training is delivered within internal workshop training sessions.

 

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Procedure for Reporting a Concern

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This procedure applies to safeguarding concerns relating to children or adults at risk in the context of a Navigator Research project. If there is an immediate risk to life or safety contact the emergency services on 999.

 

If there is a concern about a child or adult being at risk explain (unless to do so would in any way increase risk to them) that you are concerned about their safety/well-being and will need to speak to someone else. Assume capacity unless there is reason to believe that the person cannot understand. Refer to Navigator Research Guidelines on Capacity to Consent if needed. If out doing fieldwork in a community setting, please speak to a member of staff and explain your concerns. Establish that they will then follow their procedures.
 

Make a note of what you have done/who you have spoken to/nature of the safeguarding concern. Discuss with Project Manager and/or Navigator Research Safeguarding Officer or Lead and ensure the issue is added to the project safeguarding log.
 

If the issue arises via a survey completion, CATI interview or qual depth/group, report to Project Manager (who can seek support of Safeguarding Officer or Lead to agree next steps), log the issue on the project safeguarding log. Project Manager to raise the issue with the client as appropriate.
 

Safeguarding Allegations Against Navigator Personnel

The person who receives a safeguarding allegation must make a note of the basic details of the allegation, to include the:
 

• Name of the individual who the allegation is about and any other identifying information, including location.

• Name of any child/adult at risk involved.

• Date and time of the allegation arising.

• Name and contact details of the person making the allegation.

• Key information about the nature of the safeguarding allegation.
   

Please contact EMB Group People Services Manager, Sarah Handley for advice on next steps Sarah.Handley@emb-group.co.uk

                             

 

Key Safeguarding Contacts

Internal Safeguarding Contacts:

 

Designated Safeguarding Lead:

Kay Silversides (Research Manager)

Email: Kay.Silversides@navigator-insight.co.uk

Telephone 07500 123 888

 

Safeguarding Officer (Education & Fieldwork Team):

Katie Morris (Head of Education Assessments)

Email: Katie.Morris@navigator-insight.co.uk Telephone: 07500 124231

 

Health & Safety Officer: Lorraine Ellmers

Lorraine Ellmers (Executive Assistant)

Email: Lorraine.ellmers@emb-group.co.uk

Telephone 07825 426 764

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External Contacts:
 

In Case of Emergency (National)

Phone: 101 (non-urgent) or 999 (emergency)
 

NSPCC

Phone: 0800 800 5000 or help@NSPCC.org.uk
 

Police Anti-terrorist Hotline

Phone: 0800 789 321

 

This policy should be read in conjunction with other relevant policies and procedures. These include:

• Recruitment & Selection Policy

• Health & Safety Policy

• Lone Working

• Whistleblowing Policy

• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

• Education Assessment Team Procedures

 

EMB Group reserves the right to amend this policy in accordance with the needs of the business and in light of any employment law considerations.