Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy

PURPOSE

The Gedney Hill Parish Council is responsible for limited assets in respect of areas where supervised activities take place. Nonetheless, the Council takes its responsibilities in respect of the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults very seriously and has a policy to ensure that any activities falling within the scope of their responsibility are managed within a safe and controlled manner.

To this end all Councillors, paid staff and volunteers are made aware of their responsibilities in respect of this policy. The policy is reviewed on an annual basis for its continued suitability and amended as necessary.

SCOPE

The Gedney Hill Sports Pavilion consists of a single storey building comprising of changing and shower facilities with toilets (including disabled toilet), and kitchen facilities.

The Pavilion is managed by the 5 elected Parish Councillors with assistance from the Parish Clerk and a part time paid employee.

Parish Councillors do not take part in user activities as part of their responsibilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

All Gedney Hill Parish Councillors, staff and volunteers have a duty to safeguard vulnerable users of the Sports Pavilion and those who may come into contact with vulnerable users.  (Vulnerable users could include: children, young people, adults with learning difficulties or physical disability, frail, elderly people and carers).

They shall respond to any concerns they may have regarding the physical, sexual, emotional or psychological safety of a vulnerable person or concerns relating to discriminatory or financial violation or exploitation of a vulnerable person. This policy is in place to protect all vulnerable persons regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion or faith.

PRINCIPLES

The welfare of the child or vulnerable adult is paramount and is the responsibility of everyone.  All children and vulnerable adults, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse, whether physical, verbal, sexual, bullying, exclusion or neglect. 

Bullying, shouting, physical violence, sexism and racism towards children or vulnerable adults will not be permitted or tolerated.

POLICY STATEMENT

No member of the Parish Council, helpers or other volunteers or staff will have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults unless they have been through the safe recruitment procedure and introductory Child Protection or Vulnerable Adults Protection training.

All suspicions or allegations of abuse against a vulnerable adult or child will be taken seriously and dealt with speedily and appropriately.

All Councillors, staff and volunteers need to be aware of this policy, child protection, and vulnerable adult issues, and should be offered introductory training.

There will be a nominated and named Vulnerable Users representative to who any suspicions or concerns should be reported. This person is ……………………… until …/…/….

The Parish Council will endeavour to keep the premises safe for use by children and vulnerable adults. The committee recognises that a higher standard of safety is required where use is made by small children, those who cannot read safety notices and physically disabled adults.

Any organisations or individuals hiring the Pavilion for the purposes of holding activities where Ofsted registration is required shall show their registration and their own Child Protection Policy. Other user groups concerned with vulnerable adults or children shall have suitable and sufficient policies in place to protect their charges and these should be made available to the Parish Councillors. Safe recruitment processes would be used to appoint staff should working with children or vulnerable adults in any kind of activity arise.

These policies and procedures will be reviewed annually and updated as appropriate in the interim periods.

 

Signed                                                            Vulnerable Users representative.  

 

Date            

Useful Procedures

All Parish Councillors, volunteers and staff will be given information about child protection and should attend introductory level Child Protection training and Protection of Vulnerable Adults training if necessary.

An annual review will take place following the AGM to allow for any required up-date of policies and or procedures. New Councillors, volunteers and staff must be given an induction to this policy and understand their responsibilities.

A copy of the policy will be available for the attention of all in the Pavilion and made available on request to hirers.

Organisations hiring the Pavilion for activities for children will be asked to show their Child Protection policy before the first booking commences.  Individuals hiring the Pavilion for activities for children will be made aware of this policy.  Organisations hiring the pavilion for activities specifically involving vulnerable adults will be asked to show their Vulnerable Adults Protection policy before the first booking commences. Other organisations hiring the Pavilion whose activities may involve vulnerable adults will be made aware of this policy.

The councillors will require hirers to report any damage, breakages or safety issues needing attention to the Parish Clerk or Councillors, who will take the necessary remedial actions. These will be dealt with as soon as practicable, in the light of the circumstances, with provision to prevent access by children and vulnerable adults pending repair where appropriate.

A hiring agreement, which includes appropriate clauses, will be entered into for all hiring activities. 

Contractors engaged to carry out work at the premises must not be allowed unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults.  Appropriate supervision will be arranged if necessary.

If the premises might be used by more than one hirer, the attention of hirers will be drawn to the need to ensure that children and vulnerable adults are supervised when using the toilets. 

 

RECORDS

Records are to be retained for 5 years minimum.

 

Reviewing the Policy

In line with the Gedney Hill Parish Council Standing Orders, all Policies will be reviewed on a 12 monthly basis for applicability in line with changes in current legislation and requirements of the council.

All policies therefore, will be reviewed and adopted at the AM irrespective of the date on which they were initially written.

This Policy was reviewed and adopted at a meeting held on……………………………