1. Statement of intent
Pets on the Green Ltd (PawSteps) is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and young people who use our platform and who take part in our in-person animal sessions. We recognise that the welfare of the child is paramount and that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. This policy reflects our duties under the Children Act 1989/2004, Keeping Children Safe in Education (current edition), and Working Together to Safeguard Children.
2. Key people
| Role | Name | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) | Ciera O’Rourke, Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead | orourkeciera@gmail.com / 07748 656269 |
| Deputy DSL | Ciera O’Rourke, Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead | orourkeciera@gmail.com |
| Safeguarding trustee/director | Ciera O’Rourke, Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead | orourkeciera@gmail.com |
Our founder is a qualified Animal-Assisted Therapy practitioner with specialist SEND training and holds current safeguarding training at Safeguarding Children Level 3 — Care Learning, completed 28 January 2026 (renew 28 January 2027).
3. Scope
This policy applies to all directors, staff, volunteers, freelancers and anyone representing PawSteps online or during in-person visits. It covers both our digital platform and animal-assisted sessions delivered on school or community premises.
4. Recognising and responding to concerns
All representatives are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect (physical, emotional, sexual, neglect) and to specific risks including online harm, exploitation and radicalisation. Anyone with a concern about a child must:
- Record what they saw or heard using the child’s own words, factually and promptly.
- Report it immediately to the school’s DSL when working on school premises, and to the PawSteps DSL.
- Never promise confidentiality, and never investigate themselves.
- Where a child is at immediate risk, contact the police (999) and/or local children’s services Surrey C-SPA — 0300 470 9100 (out of hours 01483 517898).
5. Working with schools
When PawSteps operates on school premises or under a school licence, the school’s safeguarding policy takes primacy. We agree reporting routes with the school’s DSL before any visit, and any safeguarding disclosure that arises through platform content or a session is passed to the school DSL without delay.
6. Online safety
- Children’s areas contain no open chat, user-to-user messaging or public comments.
- No third-party advertising is shown to children.
- Adult tools (reports, EHCP evidence) sit behind an adult check, and children never see adult-only metrics.
- Content is age-tiered and moderated; external links are curated and reviewed.
- The wellbeing journey uses no timers, pressure or failure states, and is designed to support — not replace — professional help.
7. Prevent duty
We have regard to the Prevent duty and will report concerns about radicalisation through the same routes as other safeguarding concerns, escalating to the Channel programme or police where appropriate.
8. Safer recruitment & conduct
Anyone engaging in regulated activity with children is subject to an enhanced DBS check with barred-list check (see the DBS & Safer Recruitment Statement). All representatives follow a code of conduct covering appropriate behaviour, physical contact during animal handling, photography consent and use of personal devices.
9. Photography & images
Photographs or video of children are only taken with the school’s and parents’ documented consent, stored securely, used only for the agreed purpose, and never linked to identifying personal data without consent.
10. Training & review
Safeguarding training is completed on induction and refreshed at least annually. This policy is reviewed annually or sooner following any incident or change in statutory guidance. Last reviewed: 13 July 2026.