Safeguarding
The Trustees, Minister and other Elders recognise the importance of the Church’s ministry / work with children and with adults with care and support needs. They recognise their responsibility to protect everyone entrusted to their care.
The following statement was agreed by the Trustees, the Minister and the other Elders.
The Church is committed to the safeguarding of children, and of adults with care and support needs, and ensuring their well-being. Specifically:
· We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect of children (those under 18 years of age) and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
· We believe every child should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that children we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.
· All children have the right to be treated with respect, to be listened to and to be protected from all forms of abuse.
· We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discriminatory and other types of abuse and neglect of adults with care and support needs and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
· We recognise the personal dignity and rights of adults with care and support needs and will ensure all our policies and procedures reflect this.
· We believe all adults should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of the place of worship / organisation unless they pose a risk to the safety of those we serve.
· We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of all those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs.
We are committed to:
· Following the requirements for UK legislation in relation to safeguarding children and adults and good practice recommendations.
· Implementing the requirements of legislation in regard to people with disabilities.
· Ensuring that workers adhere to the agreed procedures of our safeguarding policy.
· Keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.
· Supporting the Safeguarding Co-ordinator/s in their work and in any action they may need to take in order to protect children / adults with care and support needs.
· Ensuring that the Church and in particular everyone working with children / adults with care and support needs agrees to abide by this document.
· Supporting parents and families.
· Nurturing, protecting and safeguarding children and adults with care and support needs.
· Supporting, resourcing, training, monitoring and providing supervision to all those who undertake this work.
· Supporting all in the place of worship affected by abuse.
· Adopting and following the ‘Safe and Secure’ safeguarding standards developed by thirtyone:eight.
We recognise:
· Lewisham Council Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) (or equivalent) has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are serious concerns about a child. Lewisham Adult Social Care (or equivalent) has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are serious concerns about an adult with care and support needs.
· Where an allegation of abuse suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.
· Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
We will review this statement and our policy and procedures annually.
If you have any concerns for a child, or for an adult with care and support needs, then speak to one of the following who have been approved as Safeguarding Co-ordinators for GCB:
· Nic Srinivasan, Safeguarding Co-ordinator
· Simon Abrams, Deputy Safeguarding Co-ordinator
· Lin Allen, Deputy Safeguarding Co-ordinator
A copy of the Safeguarding Policy is provided below for reference.