Fellowship 3.45 Safeguarding Policy

Statement of intent

Fellowship 3.45 is committed to fostering an environment where everyone is able to worship and participate in the fellowships activities in safety.

Fellowship 3.45 therefore will:

• Recognise the personal dignity and rights of all children and adults as set out in the Human Rights Act 1998 and the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• Robustly and consistently implement safeguarding policies procedures and guidance that conform to the current legislative and guidance framework and accepted best practice.
• Promote a culture which listens to children and adults at risk.
• Properly recruit, train and support all those in positions of trust.
• Ensure that when concerns are raised they are taken seriously and dealt with appropriately.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, all those who participate in who work for the Fellowship, including clergy, employees and volunteers, are regarded by the Fellowship 3.45 as persons working in positions of trust within the Fellowship and as such are expected to adhere to this safeguarding policy and associated procedures and practice guidance.

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 defines "child" as a person who is aged under 19.  In this document "children" therefore means "children and young people aged under 18".

Introduction

Fellowship 3.45 wants to provide a safe, happy and supportive environment of mission and ministry in which all God's people can grow and develop in their Christian commitment.  Those who work for and support the Fellowship, both lay and ordained and whether volunteers or paid, are crucial to ensuring that all people are treated with dignity and respect and valued at all times, whether they be children, adults at risk, adults who are vulnerable in the Fellowship, survivors of abuse or offenders.  Fellowship 3.45 has a responsibility to ensure that all fellowship members, including those who are a part of the leadership group, are cared for and protected by providing effective training and appropriate support.  To this end Fellowship 3.45 is committed to being a Safe Fellowship.  Key principles of safeguarding:

• Everyone has the right to live their life free from coercion, intimidation or oppression physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse or neglect.
• Children and adults at risk have the right to be supported and empowered to achieve well-being and fulfil their potential.
• The welfare of children and adults at risk is paramount.
• They have the right to be protected from harm and exploitation.

Any organisation that works with children and adults must ensure that those people are properly cared for and protected.

Fellowship 3.45 undertakes to operate safely and in a manner that complies with relevant legislation and good practice.  To be a Safe Fellowship, we will take all reasonable steps to:

• Create and maintain an open and transparent organisational culture that reflects the importance of safeguarding children and adults at risk.
• Ensure that all who work for the Fellowship, whether ordained or lay and whether in a paid or unpaid capacity, act responsibly and with integrity; ensuring that their position of trust is upheld and that no advantage is taken of those in their care.
• Ensure that all who work for the Fellowship are suitable for their roles with children and adults at risk by the careful selection and training of those with any responsibility within the fellowship in line with safer recruitment principles.
• Ensure that all public worship, events and activities are organised and delivered safely to a high standard; and with the particular needs of children and adults at risk in mind.
• Ensure that all pastoral care is delivered safely.
• Promote safer practice in all work undertaken with children and adults at risk.
• Take seriously and respond appropriately to every concern, disclosure or allegation which suggests that a child or adult at risk may have been harmed or could be harmed, including by involving the statutory authorities.

In this document, adults who are vulnerable in the Fellowship 3.45 context refers to someone who does not meet The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 definition of an adult at risk but who is vulnerable because of specific circumstances, including in the context of spiritual abuse.  Fellowship 3.45 will:

• Ensure that all complaints are handled promptly and robustly in accordance with the law and in line with best practice.
• Ensure that those who have suffered abuse or harm are safely supported within our Fellowship community and that we learn lessons form the past to strengthen safeguarding processes.
• Ensure that offenders' rights to worship are observed within the context of robust and proportionate safeguarding agreements.
• Challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.
• Keep under review our policy, operational procedures and practice guidance.

Fellowship 3.45 is committed to managing safeguarding concerns and promoting safeguarding through its Leadership group.

The Safeguarding Officer will:

• Take responsibility for dealing with all reported concerns, disclosures and allegations of a safeguarding nature.
• If a concern is referred directly to the statutory authorities, they should be notified as soon as practicable.
• Remain in contact with the police and/or local authority social services department until enquiries and subsequent statutory interventions are concluded.
• Keep relevant people informed of actions and decisions during and following the statutory process.
• Update the Leadership group of all safeguarding activity including case updates and recommendations.
• Put the policy into action.

Fellowship 3.45 is committed to the adoption, implementation and review of this policy.  All parts of the Fellowship must take account of this policy. as it underpins the Fellowship's commitment to continuous improvement of safeguarding practice.  Fellowship 3.45 must adopt, promote and publicise this policy.

All suspicions, concerns, knowledge, disclosures or allegations of abuse should be reported immediately to the Fellowship 3.45 Safeguarding Officer or, in an emergency to the statutory authorities.

If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical attention, please call the emergency services on 999 - DO NOT DELAY. If you think that a child or adult is at risk of harm but is not in immediate danger, please call the local authority social services department.