SENSE Learning - Lone Working Policy

1. Introduction, scope and status

This policy sets out how SENse Learning keeps people safe when they work alone with students, in students' homes or in the community. It applies to:

• employees of SENse Learning; and

• associates: self-employed tutors, mentors and other professionals who deliver sessions through SENse Learning under a contract for services.

In this policy, "SENse professionals" means employees and associates together.

SENse Learning recognises that lone working carries risks, to mental health as well as physical safety. We have a duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to protect the health and safety of our employees, and of others affected by our work, including associates. The requirements in this policy arise from that duty and from our safeguarding responsibilities.

For associates, these requirements form part of their contract for services. They do not create an employment or worker relationship.

Read this policy alongside the Home Visit Handbook, the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and the Driving for Work Policy.

2. Before working alone

Before their first session, every SENse professional must:

• complete SENse Learning's lone worker safety briefing and watch the lone worker webinar. For associates, this is a condition of being offered referrals;

• read the risk information for the student and their home or community setting. SENse Learning gathers this through the referral form and, where a young person has social care involvement, from the social care team, and shares it before the first session; and

• give a friend or relative the Emergency Information Card (section 7).

Before every session, make sure:

• your car is safe to drive, and you follow the Driving for Work Policy;

• your phone is charged; and

• you are carrying your SENse Learning ID, so that families and schools can confirm who you are.

3. During every session

3.1 Checking in and sharing your location

1. Before going into the home or setting, check in to your session on Isimio.

2. Before starting the session, share your location with the safeguarding team email using Google Maps. This video shows how.

3. As soon as the session ends, check out on Isimio and stop sharing your location.

Check-ins and location sharing are safety measures. They let head office know where you are and that you are safe, and trigger the emergency procedures in section 6 if you do not check out. Location is shared for the duration of the session only and is used only for this purpose, in line with our privacy notice.

3.2 Staying safe

• Follow the lone worker advice from your safety briefing.

• If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe in a home or setting at any time, end the session immediately, leave, and report it to a Pathway Lead, the Pathway Manager or a Director.

• Raise any concern about your safety with a Pathway Lead or a Director at the earliest opportunity, or discuss it with your case coordinator or head office.

• Follow the professional standards in your contract for services (associates) or the Staff Code of Conduct (employees).

3.3 Fire

When you arrive for each session, find the nearest exits from the home or venue.

If a fire occurs, leave immediately with the student and call 999. In a community setting, follow the venue's fire evacuation procedures. Once the situation is under control, tell head office.

4. Wellbeing and support

Lone working can affect mental health as well as physical safety. If you would like to talk to someone:

• associates can arrange a wellbeing check-in with our pastoral team, or contact the Education Support helpline;

• employees can also use reflective supervision through their line manager; and

• any member of the Senior Leadership Team is available to talk.

5. Emergency phrase and emergency line

5.1 The emergency phrase

If you are in danger and can call head office, use the emergency phrase:

"Please can you let my child's/grandchild's nursery know I will be late to pick them up?"

Everyone in head office knows this phrase. When it is used, they will follow the emergency action plan in section 6.1: a Director will be told immediately, will alert the police that you are in an emergency and need immediate support, and will manage the situation.

5.2 The emergency line

The head office number, 01444 400896, has an emergency option (option 8) that diverts the call to a company Director, who will manage or support the situation. It is available 24 hours a day, Monday to Friday.

6. Emergency action plans for head office

6.1 The emergency phrase has been used

1. The member of head office staff who took the call tells a Director immediately.

2. The Director finds the SENse professional's location from their Google Maps location sharing or the student's address on the system.

3. The Director calls the police, explains that the emergency phrase has been used, and that this means the person on the home visit is in immediate danger.

4. The Director liaises with the police until the incident has ended.

5. The Director follows up with everyone involved and writes a report, with recommendations where appropriate.

6.2 A SENse professional cannot be contacted or located

This plan applies if a SENse professional has not checked out of Isimio and cannot be contacted 1 hour 45 minutes after their session started, or if they cannot be located at any other time.

1. The mentor, head office or safeguarding team calls them by phone and WhatsApp, on their personal number and any work number.

2. If there is no answer, they call a Director with the SENse professional's name, the address and the name of the young person they should be with.

3. The Director calls the home, or the parents or carers, to ask whether the SENse professional is there and whether they can speak to them to confirm they are safe.

4. If there is still no answer, the Director calls the SENse professional again.

5. If they have not been reached 2 hours after the session started, the Director calls the police and explains the situation.

6. The Director liaises with the police until the incident has ended.

7. The Director follows up with everyone involved and writes a report, with recommendations where appropriate.

7. Emergency information card

Give a copy of this card to a friend or relative, so they have someone to contact if you do not return from a session or they are worried about you.