SmithMartin Ethical Framework
(These policies/statements were last reviewed and updated in January 2023)
Diversity Statement:
SmithMartin is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity, ensuring the elimination of discrimination on improper grounds.
We value and promote equality of access and opportunity for all, including people disadvantaged through multiple forms of discrimination.
SmithMartin Mission Statement:
SmithMartin will always ensure that all its activities work in concert with the needs of users, the philosophies of its partner organisations and within the boundaries of good practice.
SmithMartin will always ensure that project associates, staff and volunteers are appropriately qualified and have access to recognised training and personal development programmes.
SmithMartin will strive in its work, to encourage access to, and provide gateway towards, training, education and holistic personal development for all.
SmithMartin is a family friendly organisation.
How we think about our work and the environment:
SmithMartin, operating a variety of services, is committed to the principle of environmental sustainability, safety, energy efficiency and the reduction of waste.
We work as a distributed network of practitioners who combine their knowledge and expertise in the service of partnership clients. We maximise our communication and collaboration by making full use of email, virtual facsimile, shared workspaces, voice over internet protocols and instant messaging and chat through virtual networks.
We exercise care in using our vehicles and utilise public transport as our travel mode of choice. We used recycled materials wherever possible and embrace Open Source software, deploying it in our client projects wherever possible, thereby freeing up more client fiscal resources for the delivery of their sustainable projects.
SmithMartin actively seeks to work with service users, associates, employees, volunteers and all partners in projects, local, regional and national to promote its environmental policy.
SmithMartin seeks to establish all current environmental regulations, laws and codes of practices as minimum standards of operation. The project will work in concert with all its partners to develop and build operational practices that continually reflect change, revised best practice and learned experience.
SmithMartin disseminates an understanding of its environmental policy to associates, service users, volunteers and staff through publication of operational developments, staff training and opportunities for inclusive debate.
Purchasing, disposal of waste, material recycling and all consumption of resources are factored in the light of SmithMartin’s commitment to a sustainable environment.
SmithMartin reviews its environmental policy and procedures annually.
Health and Safety Statement:
The SmithMartin Partnership will operate within the boundaries of all current and future Health and Safety legislation. SmithMartin will strive to provide a safe environment for associates, staff, volunteers, service users and partnership visitors.
All areas of risk within the Partnership will be assessed on a regular basis ensuring that all reasonable steps have been taken to reduce the risk of injury.
Statement of intent:
It is the policy of the Partners to adhere to the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), and any and all subsequent legislation, so that nobody involved in SmithMartin activity is exposed to risks to their health and safety. So far as is reasonably practical the Partners will…
Provide and maintain a safe and healthy environment for all associates, staff, volunteers, service users and visitors.
Provide a safe system for work and research by ensuring that adequate information, instruction, training and supervision is given to all associates, staff, volunteers, service users and visitors as appropriate.
Encourage awareness of health and safety issues by associates, staff, volunteers, service-users and visitors to the facilities and premises of SmithMartin, or those used by the Partnership.
Monitor the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Policy, revise it as necessary and bring any changes to the attention of all associates, staff, volunteers, service users and visitors.
Recruiting staff and associates
Recruitment Policy Statement:
As an equal opportunities employer SmithMartin treats all applicants for positions with the Partnership fairly and equitably. The Partners recognise the importance of equality of opportunity for all and also recognise the benefits derived from having a diversity of talent, skills and potential within the partnership.
SmithMartin recognises its responsibilities with regard to the fair treatment of associates, staff, volunteers and service users. This fair treatment will be effected regardless of age, race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation,and responsibilities for dependants.
All candidates will be selected for interview on the basis of their skills, qualifications and experience in relation to the requirements of the job.
All recruitment information, interview processes and interview outcomes will be conducted in accordance with these statements.
For positions where it is considered relevant, a disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau of the presence of a criminal record will be required. This will be made clear to applicants during the recruitment process.
Consequently, it follows that any offer of employment to such positions will be conditional upon further assessment of the relevance of any conviction/s to the job in question before being confirmed.
It is Partnership policy that no employment may be undertaken without the completion of all these relevant checks and references.
Children’s Services
SmithMartin framework for children and young people’s service:
Children’s Services
SmithMartin provides project services for clients and they should involve actual and potential users (children, young people and their families) in service development and operation.
These project services should be available when users need the most rather than when it is convenient to provide them.
SmithMartin provision should not discriminate against anyone through work hours, for example – services should reflect the needs of working parents.
These services should be provided in locations that are most convenient and acceptable to users, to include having a strategy for reaching black and ethnic minority users, traveling people, those with disabilities irrespective of their numbers in the population.
SmithMartin project services should reflect the knowledge and understanding of other service providers and ensure that our own service users also share this information.
SmithMartin project services should be branded in a way that is non-stigmatising and focuses on positives rather than negatives in how services are described.
SmithMartin will strive to consult at all times with the children and young people in its orbit, also conducting surveys to assess satisfaction and to determine what proportion of potential users within the area the service reaches and to counterbalance provision wherever possible to accommodate the needs of under represented groups.
SmithMartin will offer services to children and young people that are planned, focused and persistent, with early intervention, intensive action at key transition points, sustained follow through, and with a guided return route for those who have become misdirected or diverted.
SmithMartin will ensure that all associates working directly with children and young people will hold a recent Criminal Record Bureau/DBR Enhanced Disclosure.
The United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child places equal emphasis on all of the rights for children.
There is no such thing as a ‘small’ right and no hierarchy of human rights. All the rights enumerated in the Convention – the civil and political rights as well as the economic, social and cultural rights – are indivisible and interrelated, with a focus on the child as a whole. ( www.unicef.org )
A position statement on SmithMartin policies and activities directed towards the well being of children, young people and adults:
SmithMartin actively supports best practice.
SmithMartin will strive to be current with all initiatives for the support, development and care of children and young people.
SmithMartin believes, in line with Every Child Matters that children should be…
- Be healthy.
- Emotionally secure and confident.
- Be able to stay safe.
- Live in a safe place.
- Be able to enjoy and achieve.
- Succeed at school and in life.
- Be able to make a positive contribution.
- Offered opportunities to contribute and stay out of trouble.
- Be able to have economic well-being.
- Overcome socio-economic disadvantages.
In line with the Children’s Fund Charter for Participation all children in SmithMartin projects should…
- Be clear about why we want to know what they think.
- Know why we need information and what we will do with it.
- Feel safe and confident enough to share information.
- Have as much time as they need.
- Be given as much opportunity as possible to let their feelings and ideas be known.
- Be supported and assisted in the giving of information and ideas.
- Be listened to carefully and be understood.
- Understand why some changes or developments can be done and others cannot.
- Be involved in service provision at all levels and be kept informed continually.
Child Protection Procedure:
The designated partner taking a lead on oversight and delivery of
child protection issues for SmithMartin is Sue Martin
The designated partner for assisting best operational co-ordination of this policy and procedure is Tim Smith
We use the booklet What to do if you are worried a child is being abused (Department of Health Summary 31815 – A publication developed to assist practitioners to safeguard and promote the welfare of children).
What to do if you are concerned about a child or young person, either through noticing possible signs of abuse, physically, emotionally or through comments from the child?
1. Calmly and appropriately listen to the child and young person.
2. Reassure the child or young person in your care appropriately.
3. Be mindful of who else can hear your conversation.
4. Listen carefully to what is being said, be observant.
5. Do not seek to ask leading questions – let the child or young person know that you may have ot share what they have said to help them.
6. Discuss the situation with the nearest ‘designated person’ as above and follow their advice.
7. Make a record of the conversation.
(Contact numbers for the designated persons are found in your SmithMartin ‘system of work’ or project papers, where appropriate.)
How to complain
What to do if you wish to make a complaint
The SmithMartin Partnership is committed to providing good quality services to its clients and their service users.
In every relationship or complex piece of work we recognise that things can go wrong or that conflicting interests can emerge.
This policy statement is about how we deal with these matters to the satisfaction of all parties. No complaint, formally made, is seen as trivial and we will take action immediately to resolve issues straight away, if we can.
1. Deal with the issues locally and informally in the first instance. Often talking to our partner or associate on the ground, informally, can be the best way to share information and put things right.
2. If you are still worried or concerned, speak to your organisational line manager – get them share the problem with our consultant.
3. If this does not resolve the issue and the complaint becomes formal, you may use the information below to contact us by telephone, letter, email or fax.
4. A SmithMartin managing partner will acknowledge your written complaint formally within three days of receipt.
5. This partner will arrange for the matter to be investigated – engaging with all the relevant parties with tact and discretion.
6. We will formally issue a response and details of actions being taken within three weeks of the complaint being received.
7. If this response does not fully satisfy the complaint you may make representations to outside agencies to pursue the matter.
8. SmithMartin, its partners and associates will cooperate fully in this process.
9. The aim of our policy is to deliver successful, supportive and effective work to all the organisations we engage with.
You may write in the first instance to The Partners at…
SmithMartin Partnership LLP
EcoTech Business Centre, Unit 27d, Turbine Way, Swaffham, Norfolk, PE37 7XD
01223 911416
office @ smithmartinpartnership.com
