Safeguarding Statement

• This organisation is committed to safeguarding children and adults with care and support needs and ensuring their well-being.
• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent harm or abuse to children and adults with care and support needs in all their recognised forms.
• We recognise the personal dignity and rights of adults and children and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this. 
• We believe all people should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of the place of worship/organisation. 
• We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs.
• We believe every child and adult should be valued, safe and happy.  We want to make sure that all those we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are experiencing significant harm. 

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We are committed to:

• Following statutory denominational and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that all workers will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy. 
• Supporting, resourcing and training those who undertake this work. 
• Ensuring that we are keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding. 
• Ensuring that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by this organisation. 
• Supporting all in the organisation affected by abuse. 
• Implementing the requirements of all relevant legislation including, but not limited to,

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England

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 (England and Wales)
• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• The Care Act 2014 (For adults in England and Wales)

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Scotland

• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014
• Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
• National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014
• Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and the Code of Practice 2014

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Northern Ireland

• Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland 2017
• Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
• Children’s Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015
• Safeguarding Board Act (NI) 2011
• Adult Safeguarding: Prevention and Protection in Partnership key documents 2015

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Wales

• Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme etc.
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 (England)
• Working Together to Safeguard People 2018 (Wales)
• The Care Act 2014 (For adults in England and Wales)
• Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014

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We recognise:

• Children’s Social Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child.  Adult Social Care has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs. 
• Where an allegation 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. 

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We will review this statement and our policy annually.

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If you have any concerns for a child or adult, then speak to one of the following who have been approved as Safeguarding Leads for this organisation:

• Andrew Cunningham, Board of Directrors Safeguarding Lead
• Alan Moorhouse, Safeguarding Lead
• Dan Feeny, Deputy Safeguarding Lead