The Central and Sothern GSP Society needs to ensure that the way it engages with children and vulnerable adults keeps them safe and does not place them at risk of harm. It is also the responsibility of the Society to ensure that any members, officers or volunteers who encounter children and vulnerable adults who use its services are protected and understand the procedures to follow if there are any concerns. This policy provides guidance on how to proceed, should a concern about safeguarding, be raised by anyone.
The purpose of Central and Sothern GSP Society safeguarding policy is to ensure that all officers, members and volunteers in the Society are aware of a framework to prevent and minimise the risk of harm to children and vulnerable adults who use our services.
Scope
This policy covers all officers, volunteers, casual visitors and other agencies. This may be amended it at any time.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up based on legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in the UK.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the approach that we as a Society take to ensure that anyone using our services is safe. Safeguarding means putting processes in place to ensure that children or vulnerable adults are not abused in any way, including verbally or physically.
Prevention
The Society has:
How to raise a concern
It's not the Society’s responsibility to diagnose a type of abuse or decide what kind of help a child or vulnerable adult needs. It is the Society’s responsibility to share its concerns. You can:
Confidentiality
We hope that everyone will feel able to voice safeguarding concerns openly under this policy. Completely anonymous disclosures are difficult to investigate. It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns this will ensure information relating to the concern and individual’s identity will only be shared as necessary to investigate the concern and will be always kept secure.
External disclosures
The law recognises that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for the Society to report its concerns to an external body.
Protection and support
The Society aims to encourage openness and will support anybody who raises safeguarding concerns under this policy. Individuals must not suffer any detrimental treatment because of raising safeguarding concerns.
Individuals must not make false allegations of such detrimental treatment maliciously or with a view to personal gain. They must not threaten or retaliate against individuals who raise safeguarding concerns in any way.
The purpose of Central and Sothern GSP Society safeguarding policy is to ensure that all officers, members and volunteers in the Society are aware of a framework to prevent and minimise the risk of harm to children and vulnerable adults who use our services.
Scope
This policy covers all officers, volunteers, casual visitors and other agencies. This may be amended it at any time.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up based on legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in the UK.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the approach that we as a Society take to ensure that anyone using our services is safe. Safeguarding means putting processes in place to ensure that children or vulnerable adults are not abused in any way, including verbally or physically.
Prevention
The Society has:
- appointed a nominated safeguarding lead;
- developed a safeguarding policy which reflects best practice;
- designed and undertake all activities in a way that protects children and vulnerable adults from any risk of harm when using the Society’s services;
- recruited officers and volunteers safely;
- ensured relevant officers and volunteers receive training and support on safeguarding at a level appropriate to their role;
- ensured effective reporting procedures are in place;
- follow up reports on safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process;
- share concerns with relevant authorities who need to know, and involve children, vulnerable adults, parents, families, and guardians/carers as appropriate.
How to raise a concern
It's not the Society’s responsibility to diagnose a type of abuse or decide what kind of help a child or vulnerable adult needs. It is the Society’s responsibility to share its concerns. You can:
- speak to an officer of the Society;
- report it to your designated safeguarding officer of the Society;
- contact social care or the police directly;
Confidentiality
We hope that everyone will feel able to voice safeguarding concerns openly under this policy. Completely anonymous disclosures are difficult to investigate. It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns this will ensure information relating to the concern and individual’s identity will only be shared as necessary to investigate the concern and will be always kept secure.
External disclosures
The law recognises that in some circumstances it may be appropriate for the Society to report its concerns to an external body.
Protection and support
The Society aims to encourage openness and will support anybody who raises safeguarding concerns under this policy. Individuals must not suffer any detrimental treatment because of raising safeguarding concerns.
Individuals must not make false allegations of such detrimental treatment maliciously or with a view to personal gain. They must not threaten or retaliate against individuals who raise safeguarding concerns in any way.
