auditing-certification-pas-5222

PAS 5222 is a new standard, developed to support organisations and individuals to safeguard children where they engage with children (U18) in out-of-school settings. It includes a framework specifically designed to reduce the risks of harm, abuse, exploitation, and neglect that children may encounter.

PAS 5222 follows an approach that helps organisations and individuals integrate child safeguarding principles into their governance, policies and procedures. It recognises the importance of safeguarding children, irrespective of whether children engage with organisations that are staffed by paid staff or volunteers. Its aim is to elevate safeguarding practices, equip any organisation that comes into contact with children with effective risk management processes, instil confidence, establish compliance frameworks, and promote consistent implementation of child safeguarding. There is considerable regulation for safeguarding children within school settings, however, there is limited guidance and uncertainty regarding safeguarding practices for children in out-of-school settings. PAS 5222 helps plug this gap by establishing a safeguarding specification standard tailored specifically for these organisations. 

In essence, PAS 5222 is designed to create a safer environment for children while raising trust and assurance among providers and clients. It demonstrates the serious way those who meet this standard take in protecting children. 

Those conducting activities in such settings carry a profound responsibility for the safety and well-being of the children involved. Identifying and mitigating risks competently is crucial to safeguarding children.

Regardless of whether these activities are provided for free or at a cost, and whether by paid staff or volunteers, all providers must integrate safeguarding into their governance, policies, and operations.

PAS 5222 is a fast-track standardisation document, the result of an expert consulting service from the BSI (British Standards Institute). Sponsored by Mark Bramah MSc, Bramah HR and facilitated by the BSI, it provides a framework for safeguarding children in out-of-school settings.

• At Bramah HR, we are committed to assisting organisations in the critical area of safeguarding, guiding them to meet British Standard (PAS 5222) certification.

• With a focus on safeguarding, we provide specialised support tailored to the unique needs of your organisation. Our expert team offers comprehensive audits, recommendations, and implementation strategies designed to ensure compliance and certification with PAS 5222.

• Join us on the journey to safeguarding excellence and secure your PAS 5222 certification with Bramah HR!

The standard aims to:

• Raise the benchmark for safeguarding good practice.
• Help activity providers manage risk and enhance safeguarding expertise.
• Provide assurance to children, parents, and carers, fostering trust.
• Establish a common set of requirements for consistent standards.
• Support cost-effective implementation of safeguarding measures.
• Facilitate seamless adoption across diverse geographical regions.

• Mitigate the risk of abuse in your organisation.
• Mitigates the risk of vicarious lability.
• Demonstrate your commitment to customers and employees as the leader and your organisation takes protecting children. Creating a safe and secure environment fosters trust among individuals and within communities.

By adopting PAS 5222, you commit to safeguarding children, creating safer environments, and building trust among stakeholders. Together, let’s prioritise the well-being and safety of our children in out-of- school settings.

Enhanced Child Safety

• Better Protection: Independent scrutiny and BSI PAS5222 ensure that safeguarding practices are in place and effective, leading to better protection for children against abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

• Early Intervention: Effective safeguarding practices help in early identification of risks, allowing timely intervention and support for at-risk children.

Increased Public Trust

• Accountability: Regular external evaluations increase transparency and accountability, fostering public trust in institutions responsible for child welfare.

• Community Confidence: Families and communities feel more secure knowing that robust safeguarding measures are in place.

Improved Standards Across Sectors

• Consistency: Adherence to BSI PAS5222 creates a consistent safeguarding approach across any organisation that has any contact with children, ensuring that all children receive the same level of protection.

• Best Practices: Organisations can learn from each other and adopt best practices, leading to overall improvements in child welfare services.

Long-term Societal Benefits

• Healthier Future Generations: Safeguarding children effectively contributes to their overall well-being, helping them grow into healthy, productive adults.

• Reduced Social Costs: Effective safeguarding can reduce the long-term social and economic costs associated with child abuse and neglect, such as healthcare, legal, and social services expenses.

• Much has been heard about grooming gangs, and the disturbing process of grooming and exploitation often occurs in open society, such as fast food outlets, taxi and private hire services, hotels, and the hospitality industry. One significant benefit of certification, such as BSI PAS 5222, is that it raises awareness of these behaviours among staff in these organisations. By providing comprehensive training and clear guidelines, certification equips employees to recognise the signs of grooming and exploitation, enabling them to take appropriate action. This increased awareness not only helps protect vulnerable individuals but also contributes to reducing the prevalence of grooming gangs. In essence, certification empowers organisations to become active participants in safeguarding their communities and creating safer environments for everyone.

In summary, independent scrutiny and the BSI PAS5222 standard not only enhances child safety but also builds trust, improves service standards, and contributes to a healthier, safer society in the long run.

• Raises the benchmark of safeguarding good practice by providing a clearly outlined and proportional step-by-step process that organizations or individuals can use to assess and improve their child safeguarding efforts;  

• Offers its users a framework upon which they build their child safeguarding expertise, including elements some providers might not be familiar with, such as risk assessment and management;  

• Causes its users to develop, test and refine their child safeguarding policy, procedures, and responses in line with the nature of their activities and corresponding costs;  

• Promotes a common, professional approach to safeguarding in out-of-school activities by stating the same requirements for all providers to follow, regardless of their size or geographic location; confidence in children, parents, and carers, thus fostering trust. Furthermore, it establishes a common set of requirements, facilitating consistency of child safeguarding across providers of activities in out-of-school settings.  

• Reassures children, parents, and carers that a provider who follows its requirements are responsive to and proactive about child safeguarding, and may be audited and inspected against standardized requirements;  

• Enables paid and voluntary staff contemplating a move to other activity providers to evaluate compliance with the standard, thereby enabling a more confident and well-informed decision making process; and  

• Contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being, and Goal 15 on life on land through its focus on child safeguarding policy and procedures development.  

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