Purpose

This policy defines how Friends of Goadby Marwood Village Hall (FoGMVH) operates to safeguard children, young people and adults at risk of abuse or neglect. It applies to all trustees, volunteers, contractors and any employees and will be used to support their work.

We have a duty of care and are committed to the protection and safety of everyone who enters our premises including children, young people and adults at risk involved as visitors and/or as participants in all activities and events. We also have a duty to safeguard and support our trustees, volunteers, and anyone that we employ.

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Definitions

Children and young people are defined as those persons aged under 18 years old. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:

• protecting children from maltreatment

• preventing impairment of children’s health and development

• ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with provision of safe and effective care

• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

  

Adult at risk of abuse or neglect

For the purposes of this policy, adult at risk refers to someone over 18 years old who, according to paragraph 14.2 of the Care Act 2014:

• has care and support needs

• is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect

• as a result of their care and support needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

If someone has care and support needs but is not currently receiving care or support from a health or care service, they may still be an adult at risk.

 

Persons affected

• All trustees, committee members, volunteers, and employees

• All those attending any event, activity or service that is being delivered from the property

• All visitors and contractors

 

Policy principles

There can be no excuses for not taking all reasonable action to protect children and young people, and adults at risk of abuse, exploitation, radicalisation, and mistreatment. All citizens of the United Kingdom have their rights enshrined within the Human Rights Act 1998. People who are eligible to receive health and community care services may be additionally vulnerable to the violation of these rights by reason of disability, impairment, age, or illness.

 

FoGMVH has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse.

 

FoGMVH recognises that under the Care Act 2014, it has a duty for the care and protection of adults who are at risk of abuse. It also recognises its responsibilities for the safety and care of children under the Children Act 1989 and 2004. 

 

FoGMVH is committed to promoting wellbeing, harm prevention and to responding effectively if concerns are raised.

 

FoGMVH Trustees are committed to the following principles:

• The welfare of the child, young person or adult at risk is paramount

• All children, young people and adults at risk have the right to protection from abuse.

• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility: for services to be effective each professional and organisation should play their full part, and all suspicions and allegations of abuse must be properly reported to the relevant internal and external authorities and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

• All members of the trustees have signed the Trustee Statement of Eligibility which includes a declaration that they have no convictions in relation to abuse.

• All members of the trustees and committee will familiarise themselves with safeguarding responsibilities, undertake training where appropriate on safeguarding issues including whistleblowing and ensure that they understand the principles set out in this policy.

• All members of the trustees and committee will work together to promote a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting welfare to be addressed.

• Members of the trustees, committee, helpers or other volunteers will not have unsupervised access to children or adults at risk unless appropriately vetted.

• The hall committee will follow safe recruitment practices.

• A named member of the trustees has been appointed to be responsible for child and adult at risk safeguarding matters, and have responsibility for reporting concerns that arise, as a matter of urgency, to the relevant authority:

 

Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children Partnership and Safeguarding Adults Board,

The Safeguarding Partnerships Business Office,

Room 600, County Hall, Glenfield, Leicestershire, LE3 8RF.

Telephone: 0116 305 7130.

Contact the Safeguarding Boards Business Office - Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Partnerships Business Office (lrsb.org.uk)

 

The named person for FoGMVH is: Gerry Downes

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• All suspicions or allegations of abuse against a child or adult at risk will be taken seriously and dealt with speedily and appropriately. The appointed persons know who to contact and where to go for support and advice in relation to an allegation or concern about the quality of care or practice or a complaint. An allegation may relate to a person who works with children or adults at risk who has:

  • behaved in a way that has harmed a child or adult at risk;

  • possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child or adult at risk; or

  • behaved towards a child or children or adult at risk in a way that indicates a risk of harm.

• The Trustees will ensure that all hirers of the hall are familiar with the Terms & Conditions of Hall Hire, and have signed a Hiring Agreement. This will require all hirers who wish to use the hall for activities which include children and adults at risk, (other than for hire for private parties arranged for invited friends and family), to produce a copy of their Safeguarding Policy and evidence that they have carried out relevant checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

 

This policy will be reviewed annually.

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Issue: 1

Last Reviewed: January 2024

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