Friends of Duxford Green Spaces – Child Safeguarding Policy
Policy Statement
In the interests of child protection, Friends of Duxfords Green Spaces is committed to ensuring that children are protected and kept safe from harm whilst they are engaged in any activity associated with the Association. This Policy will apply to its employees, its members, its contractors and any volunteers engaged in the Associations events/activities.
A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ means ‘children and young people’ throughout.
Policy Objective:
- To ensure that where possible all facilities and activities offered by the Association are designed and maintained to limit risk to children.
- To promote the general welfare, health and development of children by being aware of child protection issues and to be able to respond where appropriate as a local government organisation.
- To develop procedures in recording and responding to accidents and complaints and to alleged or suspected incidents of abuse and neglect.
- As the Association does not directly provide care of supervision services to children it expects all children using its facilities to do so with the consent and the necessary supervision of a parent, carer or other responsible adult.
Aims
The aim of this policy document is to guide members of Friends of Duxfords Green Spaces should any child protection issue arise during their work.
Responsibilities & Procedures
The Safeguarding Officer is the Secretary and his/her responsibilities will include:
- Ensuring that before any Association organised event with children, the relevant systems, processes and documentation is in place.
- Ensuring that members are aware of the risk they may face in certain circumstances whilst carrying out their duties.
- Ensuring that whilst Association members are unlikely to be involved with children during the performance of their duties they are mindful of the risk they face.
- Ensuring that any volunteers or paid members of staff recruited to work with children are aware and abide by the safeguarding policy.
- Decisions on whether any person should be DBS checked will be made by the Chairman after consultation with the Secretary following a risk assessment.
- All new Association members are to be provided with a copy of the Safeguarding Policy and are required to acknowledge they will abide by it.
- Ensuring the relevant insurances are in place
Good practice guidelines
- All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.
Good practice means:
- Always working in an open environment (e.g. avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication with no secrets).
- Treating all young people with respect and dignity.
- Always putting the welfare of each young person first, before winning or achieving goals.
- Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with children
- Keep records in an incident book of any allegations a young person may make to any committee member or volunteer. Incident book to be presented to The Association meetings for inspection.
- If there is a child abuse incident it should be reported to the Safeguarding Officer who will be responsible for ensuring the matter is handled in accordance with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and also referred to the Chairman for further action as appropriate and future risk assessment.
- Facilities offered by the Association have been inspected on a regular basis and at least annually by a representative of ROSPA or a similar organisation.
- Sharing information about child protection and good practice with partner organisations, employees, volunteers, parents and carers.
- In the event of a contractor, working directly for the Association, being deemed to be working in any area where children or vulnerable adults may be at risk, then that contractor will be asked to provide their Safeguarding Policy.
Any organisation which may make contact with children shall be required to show proof of its own appropriate Safeguarding Policy before being allowed to participate in the use of any council owned facilities.
If you are worried about any child you should contact The Secretary with your concerns who will take appropriate action.
Declaration
Friends of Duxfords Green Spaces are fully committed to safeguarding the well-being of children and vulnerable adults by protecting them from physical, sexual, emotional harm and neglect.
All members of the Friends of Duxfords Green Spaces should read the Safeguarding Policy. Having read the Policy they should be proactive in providing a safe environment for children who are involved in The Association’s activities.
This Policy will be reviewed annually.
Adopted this 28th day of July 2018