Please read our policy and procedures.
1. General statement of policy
The Clara Vale Village Hall Association (CWHA) is committed to the belief that all children and adults have a right to be protected from harm whilst using the Hall’s facilities and whilst engaging with Hall representatives. The CWHA recognises it’s responsibility for the protection of children and of adults.
(The legal definition of a child is up until the age of 18 years)
All CWHA’s employees, volunteers and contractors are required to comply with this policy.
In summary. CWHA will:
- Promote good practice;
- Enable all staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific issues around safeguarding children and adults; and
- Provide an understanding of who to contact and how to act if there are safeguarding concerns identified.
2. CWHA: working with children and adults
The role of CWHA is to provide facilities for recreation, education and amenity and to encourage a community spirit, with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents of Clara Vale and the surrounding area.
This entails managing Clara Vale Village Hall, which is available for hire, and providing community and fundraising events and activities. Contact between staff/volunteers of CWHA and children and adults are through use of the premises by external groups or clubs, or individual attendance at events and activities.
CWHA is not a provider of regulated activity. If any paid or unpaid staff were to be involved in regular contact with children and adults, as part of their work for CWHA, they would be required to be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check; this check to be undertaken prior to commencement of this contact.
The Chair of the Management Committee and the Designated Safeguarding Officer will be required to be DBS checked.
3. Responsibilities
All employees, trustees and volunteers working on behalf of CWHA have a responsibility for the welfare of children and adults they have contact with and have a duty of care to ensure that any suspected incident, allegation or other issue relating to child and adult protection is reported using the reporting procedures detailed in this policy.
CWHA will appoint a Designated Safeguarding Officer from among the members of the Management Committee. All staff and volunteers will be made aware of the named Designated Safeguarding Officer and how to contact them.
- Both the Designated Safeguarding Officer and the Chair of the Management Committee must be informed of issues which arise under this Policy. It is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that appropriate action is taken by the Designated Safeguarding Officer following any expression of concern and to ensure that any required referrals have been made to the appropriate agencies.
- In the event of the unavailability of the Designated Safeguarding Officer the Chair of the Management Committee will act as the responsible officer.
4. Reporting procedures
All staff, volunteers and others working in direct or indirect contact with children and adults as part of the organisation’s activities, or as part of the environment where the activities take place, must be alert to the signs of abuse and harm.
Anyone who suspects that abuse is or has taken place or to whom a child or adult discloses issues relating to safeguarding matters including radicalisation, should contact the Designated Safeguarding Officer and in their absence the Chair of the Management Committee.
Any suspicion or allegation of abuse must be recorded by the observer on an incident reporting form, which must be kept strictly confidential and stored securely following Data Protection procedures. All stages of the reporting procedure must be documented.
When recording a concern, it is important to avoid giving opinion; stick to facts as seen or heard and write down as best and as quickly as possible exactly what was said.
It is not the responsibility of anyone working for or volunteering with CWHA to decide whether or not abuse has taken place.
However, there is a responsibility to act on and to report any concerns with the appropriate authorities.
Contact should be made with relevant statutory professionals such as Children’s and Adults Social Services (and the Police in an emergency) as quickly as possible.
Gateshead Council Safeguarding contact – 0191 433 7033
Immediate protective action may be required to be taken; the Chair of the Management Committee must be informed in a timely manner also.
The Designated Safeguarding Officer will represent CWHA at any external safeguarding meetings held in relation to reported abuse and will also liaise, as required, with statutory agencies.
The current designated safeguarding officer is Joan Atkinson, Hall Manager available on 07543 281 301. If unavailable contact Gill Hale, Chair of the Management Committee on 07821 490 308.
5. Allegations against employees, trustees or volunteers
When any form of safeguarding concern is made against a Village Hall employee or volunteer it must be taken seriously. The complaint must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Officer, or if they are unavailable, to the Chair of the Management Committee.
If either of the above are the person against whom a safeguarding concern has been made, they will be excluded from the processing of the complaint. The Management Committee will in these circumstances appoint a Committee member to be representative.
It may be necessary to suspend an employee, trustee or-volunteer in the event of an allegation pending investigation and the outcome may be- reinstatement or exclusion from further involvement dependent upon findings.
6. Disclosure of abuse
In cases where a child or adult makes a disclosure of abuse or where there is strong suspicion of abuse, staff and volunteers must not try to investigate the matter themselves or question a child or adult for further information.
This is a specialist task and is the responsibility of the statutory agencies Children’s and Adults Social Services Department who work in conjunction with the Police Child and Adults Protection Teams.
Inappropriate questioning i.e., asking leading questions, can lead to vital evidence being inadmissible as evidence. It is also essential that any potential physical evidence is not discarded or tampered with.
The centre user must immediately report the concerns/incident to the Duty Team at Gateshead Children or Adults Social Services Department who will decide what action to take
7. Good practice guidelines
Staff and volunteers at CWHA will come into contact with children and adults at community events and activities, and in these situations good practice involves:
- Always working in an open environment avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication;
- Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance;
- Treating all children/young people and adults equally with resped and dignity;
- Always putting the welfare of each child or adult first;
- Making adivities fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play;
- Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust and empowering children and adults to share in decision making;
- Ensuring that if any fonn of manual/physical support is required, it should be provided openly;
- Involving parents/carers as much as possible;
- Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism;
- Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given. This should be recorded-in the accident book located in the Hall’s main kitchen; and
- Group organisers should secure parental consent in writing in case the need arises to administer emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment.
8. Use of cameras and filming equipment
CWHA may take photographs of children, young people and adults participating in activities and events, but at all times written pennission will be obtained from parents and guardians in respect of children and consent from the adults concerned before photographs are taken. If there is any doubt about the ability to consent then photographs etc., should not be taken.
CWHA may prohibit use of cameras, videos and mobile telephones with pidure taking capacity on its premises if this is required to ensure the safety of children and adults.
9. Outside organisations
Any club, society, organisation or individual undertaking any adivity that has been sanctioned by CWHA will be required to adopt CWHA’s Safeguarding Policy or show proof that they have their own robust policies.
10. Medical emergency
Hall users should call an ambulance if a child or adult requires emergency medical treatment. Ambulance or hospital staff should be informed immediately if there is any suspicion that the injury may be non-accidental.
Staff and volunteers should not transport children or vulnerable adults in their own cars.
Parents/guardians or carers should be contacted immediately.
Group organisers should secure parental consent in writing, in case the need arises to administer emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment.
11. Policy review
This policy has a review date due by May 2025.