Safeguarding Policy

Last updated – May 2025

Introduction and Purpose 

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

St Aubyn Estates has a designated Safeguarding Lead and two additional Safeguarding Champions who are qualified to manage any concerns in the absence of the Safeguarding Lead.

From time-to-time staff of St Aubyn Estates may come into contact with children and vulnerable adults as employees or public beneficiaries of the work of the company. This Policy aims to safeguard those children and vulnerable adults from harm as well as supporting staff in the safeguarding of those children and vulnerable adults from harm. 

General Principles 

This Policy applies to all employees of St Aubyn Estates, Cornish Heritage Builders and the St Aubyn Foundation.  

For the purpose of this Policy, a child is anyone under the age of 18. A vulnerable adult is anyone aged 18 years or over and who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness and who is or may be unable to protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation.  

All suspicions or allegations of harm or abuse will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

If an employee is likely work alongside a child or vulnerable adult in an area where they are the only two employees present, then they will be required to have an ‘Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check (including child and/or adult barred list check)’. 

Wherever possible, all children and vulnerable adults who come into contact with St Aubyn Estates will be accompanied by a responsible adult. In the case of employees working directly with children and vulnerable adults, the principles listed below will be implemented by the Safeguarding Lead. 

Specific Principles 

Children and/or Vulnerable Adults taking part in the St Aubyn Foundation’s Education Programme 

• Children attending workshops as part of a school group remain the responsibility of the school’s staff for the duration of their visit. 
• Children and vulnerable adults attending workshops out of school time are treated under section 3.3, i.e. as members of the public. 
• At least one member of the St Aubyn Estate’s staff will hold a current Level 2 Safeguarding certificate. 

Children and/or Vulnerable Adults as employees, work experience students or volunteers 

• St Aubyn Estates will do its best to ensure that no adult has unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults.
• If possible, there will always be two adults in an area when working with children or vulnerable adults. 
• If it is predicted that an individual is likely to require unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults (who are employed by St Aubyn Estates) which is either frequent or intensive, then that individual will be required to have an ‘Enhanced DBS check (including child and/or adult barred list check)’. 
• All adults will maintain a safe and appropriate distance from children and vulnerable adults. 
• Adults will only touch children or vulnerable adults when it is absolutely necessary in relation to the particular activity. 
• Prior to any physical contact the purpose of the contact must be made clear to the child or vulnerable adult. 

Managing sensitive information 

• Permission will be sought from parents for use of photographic material featuring children for promotional or other purposes. 
• The Estate’s online materials and activities will be carefully monitored to safeguard against any inappropriate use. 
• St Aubyn Estates will ensure confidentiality of any sensitive information such as DBS checks.

Children as members of the public 

• No child under 16 will be admitted to St Michael’s Mount without a responsible adult.  
• The adult to child ratio for the general public (not including school groups) will be one adult to every three children under 12 and one adult to every ten children aged 12 to 15 (inclusive). 
• 16- and 17-year-olds will be admitted without adult supervision. 

Communicating with Children or Vulnerable Adults 

• No member of staff should communicate with a child or vulnerable adult using their personal mobile phone number or personal social media account. Calls should only be made through a work phone. Any exceptions to this must be agreed with the Safeguarding Lead (for example where there is a pre-existing relationship). 
• Contact with a child or vulnerable adult’s personal email address may occasionally be essential. Care must be taken that language used is formal. 
• Contact with children or vulnerable adults via social media should only be through organisational accounts or groups which children have been added to by their parents/carers. 
• Staff should not do any of the following: 
• Accept any requests to connect from children associated with St Aubyn Estates on social media. 
• Request to follow children or vulnerable adults associated with St Aubyn Estates on social media. 
• Send or respond to any private messages from children associated with St Aubyn Estates via social media (unless they have a pre-existing relationship which has been discussed with the Safeguarding Lead). 

Reporting a safeguarding concern 

Any concern must be reported immediately to either the Safeguarding Lead or Safeguarding Champions.

If you are a third party external to St Aubyn Estates, please contact the Safeguarding Lead or Safeguarding Champions to report any concern or for more information.

Safeguarding Lead: Duncan Murdoch – Duncan.murdoch@stmichaelsmount.co.uk

Safeguarding Champion: Kerry Rice – Kerry.rice@staubynestates.com

Safeguarding Champion: Nikki Quinn – Nikki.quinn@staubynestates.com