Please see further information about the Church of England Safeguarding Framework below.

Promoting a Safer Church

Parish Safeguarding Handbook

Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children and adults at risk in England as follows.

• The Care Act 2014
  
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
  
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  
• The Children Act 1989 and 2004
  
• The Children and Social Work Act 2017
  
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
  

Definitions

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or are in hospital.

Adult at risk:

• An adult who has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs),
  
• is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
  
• as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.
  

Child and Adult Abuse: Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives.

There are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and neglect.

It is important to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

• Bullying and cyberbullying
  
• Child sexual exploitation
  
• Child Criminal exploitation
  
• Child trafficking
  
• Domestic abuse
  
• Female genital mutilation
  
• Grooming
  
• Historical abuse
  
• Online abuse
  

Safeguarding children: Safeguarding children is defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018  as:

• protecting children from maltreatment.
  
• preventing impairment of children’s health or development.
  
• ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care.
  
• taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Supporting Documents

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents:

• role description for the designated safeguarding officer
  
• dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
  
• managing allegations against staff and volunteers
  
• code of conduct for staff and volunteers
  
• safer recruitment
  
• whistleblowing
  
• health and safety
  

Myriad recognises that

• the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
  
• all children, regardless of any protected characteristic, have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
  
• some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
  
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
  
• we recognise our role in protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.
  
• we have a responsibility to prevent and respond to concerns of abuse, harm or neglect of adults.
  
• we will work in partnership with others to ensure adults are:
  
  • Safe and able to protect themselves from abuse and neglect;
    
  • Treated fairly and with dignity and respect;
    
  • Protected when they need to be;
    
  • Able easily to get the support, protection and services that they need
    

Myriad will seek to keep children, young people and adults at risk safe by

• valuing, listening to and respecting them
  
• appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people and adults at risk, a deputy and a lead trustee/board member for safeguarding
  
• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
  
• developing and implementing an effective online safety policy and related procedures
  
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
  
• recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
  
• recording and storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance [more information about this is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for organisations]
  
• providing resources and training to the churches and worshipping communities we support to promote the importance of safeguarding and the duty that everyone has a responsibility to protect children, young people and adults at risk from harm
  
• supporting the churches and worshipping communities we work with to share information about safeguarding and good practice with children and those adults at risk and their families via leaflets, posters, group work and one-to-one discussions
  
• making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
  
• using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, adults at risk, parents, families and carers appropriately
  
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
  
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
  
• ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
  
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our beneficiaries, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
  
• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, contractors and suppliers, children, young people, adults at risk, and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Training and Awareness

Myriad will ensure an appropriate level of safeguarding training is available to its trustees, employees, volunteers and any relevant persons linked to the organisation who requires it (e.g. contractors).

For all employees who are working or volunteering with children or adults at risk this requires them as a minimum to have awareness training that enables them to:

• Understand what safeguarding is and their role in safeguarding children and adults at risk.
  
• Recognize a child or adult at risk potentially in need of safeguarding and take action.
  
• Understand how to report a safeguarding concern.
  
• Understand dignity and respect when working with children and vulnerable adults.
  
• Have knowledge of the Safeguarding Policy.
  

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Myriad expects all employees, volunteers and trustees to maintain confidentiality.  Information will only be shared in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection.

However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if a child or adult at risk is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed.

Recording and Record Keeping

A written record must be kept about any concern regarding a child or adult at risk with safeguarding needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decisions made and why they were made.

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Safer Recruitment & Selection

Myriad is committed to safe employment and safe recruitment practices that reduce the risk of harm to children and adults at risk from people unsuitable to work with them or have contact with them.

Myriad has policies and procedures that cover the recruitment of all trustees, employees and volunteers. [Refer to Myriad Safer Recruitment Policy, Code of Conduct, Managing Allegations against Staff Policy].

Social Media

All employees and volunteers should be aware of Myriad social media policy and procedures [Refer to Myriad social media policy]

Use of mobile phones and other digital technology

All employees, trustees and volunteers should be aware of the Myriad policy and procedures regarding the use of mobile phones and any digital technology and understand that it is unlawful to photograph children and young people without the explicit consent of the person with parental responsibilities. [Refer to Myriad Acceptable Usage Policy]

Whistleblowing

It is important that everyone within Myriad has the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistle blowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrong- doing within their organisation. This includes concerns about another employee or volunteer. There is also a requirement by Myriad to protect whistleblowers. [Refer to Myriad whistleblowing policy].

Important Contacts:

Senior Lead for Safeguarding
Name: John McGinley
Email address: safeguarding@myriad.church

Deputy Senior Lead for Safeguarding
Name: Stephen Gorton
Email address: safeguarding@myriad.church

Police
Emergency – 999
Non-emergency – 101

NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000