Winshill Allotments & Cottage Gardens Association
Safeguarding
Policy and Procedures
Winshill Allotments and Cottage Gardens Association hereinafter referred to as WACGA acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice.
The policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children and vulnerable adults are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socio-economic background, all children and vulnerable adults involved with activities sponsored managed by WACGA:
•
Have
a positive and enjoyable experience in as safe an environment as possible.
•
Are
protected from abuse whilst participating in activities taking place under the
auspices of WACGA.
WACGA
acknowledges that some children and adults, including disabled children and
adults, those with mental health problems or those from ethnic minority
communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the
responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their
welfare.
As part of
our safeguarding policy WACGA will:
•
Designate
a member of the WACGA committee as Safeguarding Lead. The current Safeguarding
Lead is Mitch Steel Allotment Secretary
•
Promote
and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and
vulnerable adults.
•
Ensure
everyone on the Committee understands their roles and responsibilities in
respect of safeguarding.
•
Ensure
appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse or
attempted abuse.
•
Ensure
that all concerns of abuse and all aspects of safeguarding concerns are related
through the Safeguarding lead or in their absence the Chair of WACGA to those
organisations (Police and Social Services) who have the lead and specific
authority in their area.
•
So
far as reasonably practicable prevent the deployment of unsuitable individuals.
The policy and
procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in
the WACGA Committee or those employed by them.
Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in the termination of membership of the organisation.
Reporting procedures
a) Reporting concerns about yourself
If you believe you are in immediate danger or need immediate medical assistance, contact the emergency services 999.
If you are experiencing harm within WACGA,
contact winshillallotments@outlook.com the account is monitored daily by the
designated Safeguarding Lead. Alternatively, you can contact another member of
the committee who will help you raise the issue to the Safeguarding Lead. If
the Safeguarding Lead is implicated or you think has a conflict of interest,
then you can contact the Chairman of the Association for further guidance. You
can also contact the Police, Social Services, your doctor or other
organisations that can provide information and give help and support.
b) Reporting concerns about others
If you are concerned about harm being caused to someone else, please follow the guidance below.
• It is not your responsibility to prove or decide whether someone has been harmed or abused. It is however, everyone's responsibility to respond to and report concerns they have.
• If someone has a need for immediate medical attention call an ambulance on 999.
• If you are concerned someone is in immediate danger or a serious crime is being committed, contact the Police on 999 straight away. Where you suspect that a crime is being committed, you must involve the police.
• Remember to be person centred / make safeguarding personal. If it will not put them or you at further risk, discuss your concerns with the person and ask them what they would like to happen next. Inform them that you must pass on your concerns to your Safeguarding Lead. Do not contact the person before talking to your Safeguarding Lead or Welfare Officer if the person allegedly causing the harm is likely to find out.
• Remember not to confront the person thought to be causing the harm.
c) Responding to a Direct Disclosure
If someone indicates that they are being
harmed or abused, or information is received which gives rise to concern, the
person receiving the information should:
•
Stay
Calm and take it seriously and be sensitive
•
Listen
carefully to what is being said and allow the person to continue at their own
pace
•
Reassure
the individual that they have done the right thing
• Be mindful and only ask a question if you need to identify/clarify what they are telling you.
•
Ask
them what they would like to happen next
•
Explain
that you will have to share the information with the Safeguarding Lead
•
Ask
for their permission for the information to be shared outside the organisation
•
Arrange
how you/the Safeguarding lead can contact them safely
•
Help
them to contact other organisations for advice and support (e.g. Police,
Domestic Abuse helpline, Victim Support)
•
Act
swiftly to report and carry out any relevant actions
•
Record
in writing what was said using the person’s own words as soon as possible
• It is important NOT to:
•
Dismiss
or ignore the concern, panic or allow shock or distaste to show
•
Make
negative comments about the alleged perpetrator
•
Make
assumptions or speculate or come to your own conclusions
•
Probe
for more information than is offered, promise to keep the information secret
•
Make
promises that cannot be kept or tell everyone
•
Confront
the person(s) thought to be causing harm
d) How WACGA will take action:
Once a concern has been passed to WACGA
Safeguarding Lead, they will coordinate the response in line with the
Safeguarding Adults Procedure outlined above. The Safeguarding Lead will keep
clear records of decision making, actions taken, and the outcomes achieved.
They will also collect feedback from the person who is at risk.
Monitoring
