The Trust believes that each child is unique and their welfare is paramount.
The Trust values feedback from service users and adopts the following principles.
The Trust actively promotes equality, respects all forms of diversity and challenges negative discrimination. The Trust provides a neutral venue and services. The Trust does not pre-judge service-users, regardless of gender, sexuality, disability, cultural heritage, past involvement with other agencies, mental health, religious beliefs, age or socio-economic background.
The underpinning principles of the Children Act 1989 are adhered to by all staff, as is Article 9 of the UN Convention on the Rights if the Child which states:
“Parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis except if it is contrary to the child’s best interests”.
Children have the right to feel safe, be protected, be treated with respect and dignity, be encouraged, nurtured, supported, have their heritage valued, be consulted, considered and be helped towards a personal sense of worth, well-being and independence.
The Trust recognises that parents and other family members also have needs and rights that should be respected without interference, but only if they do not conflict with the best interests of their children. The parents, carers and relatives of children have the right to be kept informed, involved and consulted as appropriate and to expect the very best professional care from the Trust. Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights states:
“Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence”.
All staff and those that work on behalf of the Trust are appropriately qualified, skilled and experienced within their chosen discipline and are fully covered individually by both public liability and professional indemnity insurance. All staff, including independent experts, adhere to the ethical values and regulatory requirements of their professional bodies and are in receipt of an up-to-date, enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check.
All information provided to the Trust relating to service users, or potential service users, will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Without the express direction of the Trust’s Service Manager, Directors or Board of Trustees, such information will not be shared, divulged or relayed to third parties by the Trust’s employees, commissioned experts, contact supervisors and/or sessional workers unless express directions are contained in a Letter of Instruction, upon receipt of written consent/direction of the relevant commissioning agency or individual concerned.
