Privacy policy.
Overview
The Trustees of Rise Up UK hold an annual residential conference, and the majority of those attending are known to the Trustees and are adults. The Trustees recognise that occasionally conferences may be attended by vulnerable adults and that rarely has anyone under the age of 18 has attended.
In addition to the annual conference, Rise Up UK also support churches and charities by attending meetings at their premises or nominated venues. Those attending the meetings are unlikely to be known by the Trustees and could include children and vulnerable adults. Whilst such events will fall under the hosts safeguarding policy, the Trustees recognise they too can and should be alert to any safeguarding issues.
The Trustees do not intend to employ any staff but will draw upon volunteers and invited guests to assist at conferences and meetings. The Trustees understand that such individuals will be representing the CIO, and that this safeguarding policy will apply to them.
Further, the Trustees do not envisage owning a building nor having control of premises for anything other than one of meetings.
1. The Trustees commitment
• We acknowledge children’s and adults right to protection from abuse, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs. We consider that the welfare of children is paramount. We will follow legislation, statutory guidance and recognised good practice to protect vulnerable people attending our events.
• We will seek to establish a caring environment in which there is an informed vigilance about the dangers of abuse. This will be supported by careful selection and training of those with relevant responsibilities as our volunteers. We will continue this with ongoing support, supervision and advice. We will make use of relevant statutory guidance.
• We will ensure that activities are organised in such a way as to promote a safe environment and minimise the risk of harm to children and adults.
• We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, or put at serious risk of harm.
• We will co-operate with the Police and any other relevant statutory authority as required during any relevant investigation in line with legislation.
• We will refer all relevant concerns volunteers that meet the relevant criteria to the relevant Local Authority Designated Officer or as appropriate to the area we are in.
• This policy will be reviewed annually by the Trustees.
• This policy is based on the following safeguarding standards: -
1. Having a Safeguarding Policy
2. Raising Safeguarding Awareness
3. A Safe selection and oversight of volunteers and guest speakers
4. Working safely
5. Communicating effectively
6. Responding to concerns
8. Managing those who pose a risk
9. Working in partnership
2. Recognising and responding to an allegation or suspicion of abuse.
Understanding abuse and neglect
Defining child abuse or abuse against an adult is a difficult and complex issue. A person may abuse by inflicting harm or failing to prevent harm. Children and adults in need of protection may be abused within a family, an institution or a community setting. Very often the abuser is known or in a trusted relationship with the child or adult. Abuse and neglect can occur anywhere: in the home, at a church event or in a public place. There are many forms of abuse and neglect; sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, bullying; online and in person, criminal exploitation, non-recent abuse, emotional abuse, grooming, trafficking, domestic abuse, discriminatory abuse, financial abuse & neglect. In order to safeguard those attending our events, we adhere to the principal that everyone has the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
Safeguarding awareness
The Trustees are committed to on-going safeguarding training and development opportunities to help protect everyone and will collate and clarify the precise details of the allegation or suspicion and pass this information on to statutory agencies that have a legal duty to investigate.
If the suspicions implicate a Trustee, then the report should be made in the first instance to Social Services or the Police.
Recording concerns
The Chair of Trustees will log that a safeguarding concern is being dealt with and keep this is a secure place.
The CIO’s Insurance company would log that there is a possibility of a serious incident concerning safeguarding.
Appropriate external authorities will also retain their own statutory required notes. Suspicions will not be discussed with anyone other than those nominated above.
The Trustees will support the Chair of the Trustees in their role and accept that any information they may have in their possession will be shared in a strictly limited way on a need-to-know basis.
It is, of course, the right of any individual as a citizen to make a direct referral to the safeguarding agencies.
3. Allegations of abuse against a person who works with children or young People
If an accusation is made against a Trustee, volunteer or guest speaker whilst following the procedures within this policy, the Trustee receiving or noting the allegation will need to liaise with Children’s Social Services and any appropriate service that is required by statute.
In consultation with such appropriate authorities, consideration should be given as to whether a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) should be made, which maintains lists of those people deemed unsuitable for working with children or adults with care and support needs.
If a local authority is not involved, but the nature of the concern leads to the Trustees to end the voluntary role, or the individual has left voluntarily, then a Trustee needs to contact DBS.
4. Allegations of abuse against a person who works with adults with care and support needs
The Care Act 2014 places the duty upon Adult Services to investigate situations of harm to adults with care and support needs. This may result in a range of options including action against the person or organisation causing the harm, increasing the support for the carers or no further action if the ‘victim’ chooses for no further action and they have the capacity to communicate their decision. However, this is a decision for Adult Services to decide not the Trustees.
5. ’Whistle-blowing’
When an accusation is made by another Trustee or volunteer, it may be considered as ‘whistle-blowing’.
The ‘whistle-blowing’ accusation will be taken with the assurance that a Trustee will be allocated to provide support the individual making the disclosure throughout the safe-guarding process. The relevant statutory requirements would be followed.
6. Prevention
Safe selection of volunteers and guest speakers/support for events
The Trustees will ensure that those representing the CIO are appointed, trained, supported and supervised in accordance with government guidance on safe recruitment.
This could involve one or more of the following: -
o Those applying have completed an application form
o Qualifications, where relevant, have been verified.
o Those short listed have been interviewed.
o Safeguarding has been discussed.
o Written or oral references have been obtained and followed up where appropriate.
o Those applying have completed a self-declaration form.
o A Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) check has been completed.
o A suitable training programme is provided for the successful applicant.
o The applicant has been given a copy of the organisation’s safeguarding guide
and knows how to report concerns.
7. Working with offenders
When someone attends an event organised by the Trustees and is known to have abused children, or is known to be a risk to adults with care and support needs, the Trustees will supervise the individual concerned and offer pastoral care. The Trustee will discuss the circumstances and set boundaries for that person and outline the support that will be offered to them. It will be tailored specifically to the individual’s circumstances and, ideally, be informed by risk assessments from statutory agencies.
8 . Working in Partnership
The diversity of organisations and settings in which the CIO may be invited to minister means there can be great variation in practice when it comes to safeguarding children, young people and adults. This can be because of cultural tradition, belief and religious practice or understanding, for example, of what constitutes abuse.
The Trustees therefore have clear guidelines in regards to our expectations of those with whom we work in partnership, whether in the UK or not.
The Trustees will consider with all partners our safeguarding expectations. It is also our expectation that any organisation inviting us to contribute will have their own policy that meets acceptable safeguarding standards.
9. Behaviours
What to do if an allegation is reported
• Listen carefully
• Acknowledge what has been said and repeat back to confirm it has been understood
• Offer reassurance and a calm space
• Provide information as to what will happen next and in what time frame
• Act straight away
• Maintain support for the individual by acknowledging that it was appropriate for them to report what they have said and that they are being taken seriously, that they are not in the wrong nor at fault and that you may now need to pass on this information to appropriate people/authorities.
• Be open and honest.
• Provide contact information for them to follow up with anything further or to obtain updates.
What Not to Do
• Do not show disbelief, shock, or disapproval
• Do not minimise what is said
• Do not ask leading questions or push for information
• Do not promise confidentiality
• Do not offer reassurance
• Do not delay in dealing with the issue
• Do not contact the alleged abuser
• Do not trigger an investigation
• Do not discuss with anyone who does not need to know
• Do not leave the individual without an indication of what will happen next and in what time frame.