Child Protection Policy
For Linguastay host families staff and Local Organisers
Version 1.0 • Updated 2 October 2026 • Next review 2 October 2027
1 Who to contact and when
Linguastay is committed to protecting all children in our care from abuse and neglect. This policy applies to everyone under 18. You do not need proof to report a concern — report what you have seen, heard or been told, even if you are unsure.
Safeguarding contacts
Mat Farnham–Burrows — Designated Safeguarding Lead and 24-hour contact 07955 279364 | From overseas +44 7955 279364
Caroline Holland — backup contact if Mat cannot be reached, and alternative contact if a concern involves Mat 07955 279363 | From overseas +44 7955 279363
When emergency help is needed now
Call 999 if a child is in danger now and needs an immediate police response, or has a medical emergency. Examples include an assault happening now, a credible threat of imminent serious violence, or a life-threatening injury. Do not delay an emergency call while trying to contact Linguastay.
For other concerns, including a disclosure about something that happened earlier where the child is currently safe, contact Linguastay’s safeguarding team immediately. If you cannot reach them, contact children’s social care or the police on 101, as appropriate. Do not wait for office hours.
Bullying and the Local Organiser route
Host families should report bullying concerns to their Local Organiser. The Local Organiser will raise the concern with the group leader and inform Linguastay so that appropriate action can be agreed.
Where bullying involves harm, threats, sexual behaviour, discriminatory abuse or another concern about a child’s safety, it must be reported directly and immediately to Linguastay’s safeguarding team.
Contact with the group leader must not delay this report. Any other suspected abuse or serious safeguarding incident must also be reported directly to Linguastay’s safeguarding team.2 Understanding child protection
Context
This policy has been drawn up to protect children from abuse and neglect. It sets out the procedures that must be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect. Linguastay’s duty to protect a child from harm comes before the need to maintain confidentiality. The safety of the child is the paramount consideration. Staff and hosts must recognise that suspicion of abuse may take the form of concerns rather than known facts.
Safeguarding information will be shared only with people who need it to protect the child. Linguastay’s safeguarding lead will decide, with advice from the relevant authorities where appropriate, whether and when to inform the agent, group leader or parents. Information must not be shared where doing so could increase risk or undermine an investigation.
Types of abuse and neglect
Someone may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm.
Physical abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates symptoms of, or deliberately causes, illness in a child. Unexplained or inadequately explained injuries may be an indicator.
Emotional abuse
Emotional abuse is persistent emotional ill treatment that causes severe and persistent adverse effects on a child’s emotional development. It may involve making a child feel worthless, unloved, inadequate or valued only when they meet another person’s needs. It may involve age or developmentally inappropriate expectations. The person responsible may be someone close to the child, such as a parent, relative or guardian.
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they understand what is happening. It may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts, or non-contact activities such as involving children in sexual images or watching sexual activities, or encouraging sexually inappropriate behaviour. Changes in behaviour may be an indicator; abuse may emerge through disclosure.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or psychological needs, likely to seriously impair their health or development. It may include failure to provide adequate food, shelter or clothing, failure to protect a child from harm or danger, or failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.3 Recognising concerns
Why a child may not tell someone
Children may feel responsible for abuse, fear being blamed or punished, have been threatened or subjected to violence, or have been bribed not to tell. International students may face additional barriers:
- Language difficulties or uncertainty about local laws and customs.
- Not knowing which adult to trust, with parents or guardians far away.
- Deciding not to tell because they will be going home soon.
Young people may communicate through clues and hints rather than a direct statement. Staff, Local Organisers and families should recognise possible signs and report concerns.
Possible signs of abuse
- Unexplained or untreated bruising or injuries; repeated stomach pains or other physical symptoms without a medical explanation.
- Aggressive or withdrawn behaviour, refusal to discuss injuries, unexpected fear of an adult, or flinching when touched or comforted.
- Sexually explicit behaviour or language; bedwetting; unexplained money or gifts.
- Fear of going home, of parents or carers being contacted, or of attending lessons, trips or activities.
- Changes in appearance or behaviour, such as weight loss, poor hygiene, constant tiredness or hunger.
- Being asked to keep secrets, or giving other hints about abuse.
A child may show fear or discomfort around a particular adult or another young person. Take this seriously, regardless of that person’s gender, role or relationship to the child.
These signs do not necessarily mean that a child is being abused; there may be other causes.
However, concerns must still be reported. Do not wait for certainty.
Bullying between students
Bullying, intimidation, harassment or abuse between children must be taken seriously, including when students share a host home. This includes physical behaviour, verbal abuse, deliberate exclusion and online bullying. Follow the reporting routes in section 1. Linguastay will assess the concern, support those involved and arrange separate accommodation where necessary. Behaviour must not be dismissed as teasing or “banter”.
4 Responding to a disclosure
Listen reassure and report
Stay calm, listen and reassure the child that they were right to tell you and that it is not their fault. Do not promise secrecy; explain that you must tell someone who can help keep them safe.
Do not ask leading questions, investigate or confront the person involved. Report immediately to Linguastay’s safeguarding team, then record the child’s words as accurately as possible, with the date, time and any action taken. Do not delay reporting while completing the record.
Make sure the child is safe, supported and reassured. Remain calm and return them to their normal routine only if it is safe and appropriate.
Online abuse
Abuse and bullying can happen online as well as in person. This may include threatening messages, harassment, grooming, pressure to share sexual images or sharing images without consent. Follow the same reporting routes as for incidents in person.
Do not copy or forward sexual images of children. Report the concern immediately to Linguastay’s safeguarding team and seek advice about preserving evidence.
Recording the phone report
Families report concerns by phone first. Linguastay staff will complete a confidential Concern or Allegation Record following the phone report. Families may be asked to provide a factual written account, including the child’s own words where possible. Do not delay reporting while looking for or completing a form.
Records will be stored securely with access restricted to those who need them for safeguarding.
Families and Local Organisers must not share details in group chats or with other families.
External help if Linguastay cannot be reached
For a child in Cheshire West and Chester, contact children’s social care iART on 0300 123 7047:
Monday to Thursday 8.30am–5pm and Friday 8.30am–4.30pm. Outside these hours, contact the
Emergency Duty Team on 01244 977277. Use 101 for non-emergency police matters and 999 only as described in section 1.
These social care contacts apply to Cheshire West and Chester. In other hosting areas, contact the relevant local authority for the child’s current location. Local referral contacts must be available in the programme information. Inform Linguastay as soon as possible after contacting an external service.5 Procedures for safeguarding concerns
Concerns during a child’s stay
Staff, hosts and Local Organisers must report suspected abuse immediately to Linguastay’s safeguarding team using section 1. Make sure the child is safe and supported. Linguastay staff will complete the concern record and pass it promptly to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. The safeguarding lead and appropriately trained senior management will coordinate support and referrals to children’s social care or the police as appropriate.
Any concern must be reported immediately to Linguastay’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, who will seek advice from the appropriate UK safeguarding authorities. Group leaders and agents may be involved where safe and appropriate, but their involvement must not delay a referral or replace Linguastay’s safeguarding procedures.
Concerns about the child’s home country
Follow the same immediate reporting and recording process if abuse has occurred, or may have occurred, in the child’s home country. Linguastay’s safeguarding lead must seek advice from the appropriate UK safeguarding authorities about the child’s safety, any overseas referral and risks on return home. Do not use the group leader, agent or parents as a substitute for this process. Follow the information sharing rules in section 2.
Allegations against adults working with children
Immediate action must be taken to keep the child safe. Where an allegation concerns an adult working with children, Linguastay will consult the Local Authority Designated Officer, known as the LADO, promptly. Emergency protection or referrals to children’s social care or the police must not wait for the LADO’s response.
The LADO oversees allegations about adults working with children. This includes relevant concerns about staff, hosts, volunteers and others involved in the programme. Linguastay’s senior safeguarding manager must inform the relevant LADO within one working day of allegations meeting the referral threshold and follow the local procedure. LADO involvement does not replace a referral about the child to children’s social care or a police report.
For Cheshire West and Chester, follow the published LADO referral process through safeguardinglado@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk. This is not an emergency response mailbox.
If the concern involves Mat Farnham–Burrows, report directly to Caroline Holland on 07955 279363.
Caroline is also the backup contact if Mat cannot be reached. If neither can be reached, use the external reporting routes in sections 1 and 4.6 Records training and policy review
Confidential records
The Concern or Allegation Record must identify the person making the report and the staff member recording it, and be dated and signed. Add any later actions, monitoring, developments and discussions to the record, with the date and time. Keep facts, the child’s words and professional opinions clearly distinguished.
Child protection records are highly sensitive. The safeguarding lead will ensure paper records are kept in a locked place and electronic records have restricted access. Records must be securely stored separately from routine student and staff records. Follow advice from children’s social care, the police or the LADO as appropriate before contacting parents or carers where contact may increase risk.
Making the policy understood
Linguastay will ensure that adults with responsibility for, or substantial access to, under-18s understand their duty to follow the correct procedures. We will:
- Refer to our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies in recruitment advertisements for staff and host families.
- Provide the policies to prospective hosts, staff and hosting institutions, and train staff in their use.
- Ask hosting institutions for a statement about their recruitment and checking processes for staff on site during our courses.
- Provide this policy to agents and group leaders. Give group leaders a further copy on arrival and explain their responsibilities and Linguastay’s reporting procedures.
Annual audit and review
Senior management will carry out an annual safeguarding audit and write a report. It will review the concerns raised, any patterns, the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements, training completed, when further training is due and feedback from relevant staff.
This policy will be reviewed at least annually, and sooner if safeguarding guidance, contact details or working arrangements change. Host families and Local Organisers will be informed of relevant changes.
Guidance and local referral information
Reviewed against current England guidance and local referral information on 2 October 2026. The links below provide guidance and current Cheshire West and Chester procedures.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
Information sharing guidance updated September 2026