Tysoe Village Hall - Safeguarding Policy

Policy Purpose and Scope

This policy applies to all users of Tysoe Village Hall. Everyone has a moral duty to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults.

All Tysoe Village Hall Committee members, volunteers, hirers and users of the hall have a moral and statutory responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (those under the age of 18) and vulnerable adults using the hall. 

The purpose of this policy is:

  • to protect children and young people and those attending or using Tysoe Village Hall from harm. This includes the children of adults who use the hall
  • to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Tysoe Village Hall including the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, suppliers, trade workers and anyone who otherwise participates (or visits) the hall. We expect contractors and partner organisations, including for example, suppliers and sponsors to adopt and demonstrate their commitment to the principles and practice as set out in this Policy and associated procedures. 

All bound by this policy must respond to any concerns they may have regarding the physical, sexual, emotional or psychological safety of a child or vulnerable person, or concerns relating to the discriminatory or financial violation or exploitation of a child or vulnerable person. This policy promotes good practice and is in place to protect all vulnerable persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

Policy Principles

Outlined below are the principles of this Safeguarding policy:

  • Everyone has a moral duty to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults
  • All children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse, whether physical, verbal, sexual, bullying, exclusion or neglect
  • All safeguarding concerns or allegations will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately 
  • We strive to create a culture and environment where everyone is empowered to protect themselves and others and feel able to raise concerns
  • We actively promote working together to ensure all children and vulnerable adults are safeguarded
  • Bullying, shouting, physical violence, sexism and racism towards anyone using the village hall will not be permitted or tolerated.

Legal Duty of Care

Under UK legislation, children and young people are defined as individuals up to the age of 18 years. They are entitled to additional protection and support to ensure their welfare. The Children and Families Act 2014 further extends this support to Looked After Children (under the care of the Local Authority/care leavers) up to 21 years of age, and up to 25 years of age for those with recognised disabilities as they transition into adulthood.

Recent social and scientific research, including studies by Oxford and Cambridge Universities, indicates that the adolescent brain continues to develop until approximately 25 years of age. This prolonged development can impact behaviour, risk assessment, and vulnerability. This understanding highlights the critical period of increased safeguarding risks as young people transition from universal services (such as schools) and familiar local communities into wider environments.

The Care Act 2014 extends statutory rights for support and protection to adults at risk. Various factors can increase vulnerability among individuals participating in activities, including social isolation, mental health issues, illness, neurodiversity, communication and learning differences, substance abuse, bullying, harassment, exploration of sexual or gender identity, poverty, transportation challenges, residential events, difficult familial contexts, relationship breakdowns, disabilities, relocation, and drug or alcohol misuse.

According to the Care and Support Statutory Guidance, adults at risk (formerly vulnerable adults) are defined as individuals over 18 years old who may require community care services due to mental or physical disability, age, or illness. These individuals may be unable to care for themselves or protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation. Tysoe Village Hall acknowledges that adults may not always self-identify as being at risk, depending on their circumstances. Therefore, Tysoe Village Hall uses the term ‘vulnerable adult’ to encompass a range of situations where safeguarding considerations are paramount.

Measures to Ensure a Safer Workforce: Volunteer and Paid Roles

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 initially established the legislative framework for vetting and barring schemes, leading to the creation of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). This service allows organisations to access information about individuals working with children, young people, and adults at risk, supporting assessments of their suitability for specific roles.

Under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, some roles, involving supervision, training, or sole responsibility for children and young people, fall under regulated positions. It is a criminal offence for organisations not to undertake sufficient checks through the DBS for individuals working in regulated positions.

Positions of Trust

The Sexual Offences (Amendments) Act 2003 introduced the offence of abuse of trust, which applies to sexual relationships between an adult (over 18 years old) and a child under that age, where the adult holds a position of trust in relation to the young person. 

Charity Commission

The Charity Commission regulates the charitable sector in England and Wales and provides safeguarding guidance for charities and trustees, last updated in November 2021. This guidance emphasises trustees' responsibilities to safeguard vulnerable beneficiaries and ensure compliance with relevant laws and best practices. Trustees are obligated to report safeguarding incidents promptly to the Commission, including abuse or mistreatment that may have occurred during charity activities.

Extremism and Radicalisation

The Counterterrorism and Security Act 2015 mandates specified authorities to prevent radicalization and involvement in terrorism.In line with the government's Prevent strategy, any concerns related to radicalization or extremism should be reported promptly to the Safeguarding Officer or the police if there is an immediate risk. The Prevent duty statutory guidance for England and Wales, effective from 31 December 2023, outlines these responsibilities and can be accessed online.

Tysoe Village Hall is committed to promoting safeguarding policies and procedures that meet national standards and protect all users of our venue. Adopting our safeguarding policy ensures compliance with Charity Commission requirements.

Responsibility for Safeguarding

The Village Hall Management committee has overall accountability for this policy and its implementation.

We have an appointed Safeguarding Officer who holds operational responsibility for safeguarding and is supported by the committee. The Safeguarding Officer is the first point of contact to raise a safeguarding concern involving a vulnerable person. 

They also play a proactive role in increasing an awareness of safeguarding within our Hall.

The Safeguarding Officer is:

Name: Ben Viollet

Phone number: 07775 500139

Email: tysoevillagehall@gmail.com

In the event that you should need to seek further or additional contact, the local authority contact details are:

Warwickshire Safeguarding 

Adults/Children's: 01926 410410

If any person within Tysoe Village Hall is perceived to be at immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, dial 999 and request the appropriate emergency service. 

All bound by this policy are responsible for raising safeguarding concerns in accordance with the ‘Reporting a safeguarding concern’ procedure (see Appendix A and B).Who is a vulnerable person?

A vulnerable person is:

  • Anyone who is under 18 years of age – children and young people
  • Anyone who is over 18 years of age, who may be unable to care for themselves, who may have learning difficulties, a physical disability, or who are unable to protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation, or those who may be in need of community/social care services
  • Frail, elderly people
  • People under the influence of alcohol or other substances

Tysoe Village Hall committee owe a duty of care to all those using their premises, which means that the safety of those who cannot read warning signs, who are frail, or physically less able, need to be borne in mind.

This policy applies to anyone working for or on behalf of the Village Hall Committee (including the committee members and trustees), whether in a paid, voluntary or commissioned capacity.

It also applies to any individual using the Village Hall facilities for the purpose of delivering any service to young people or vulnerable adults.

Policy Procedure 

All members of the committee and trustees will familiarise themselves with safeguarding procedures, including this policy. 

All committee members will be subject to safe recruitment processes including a referencing process and completing a self-declaration form. Where necessary, trustees/committee members will undergo a DBS check to enable them to oversee regulated activity* within the hall. 

*Definition of regulated activity: Regulated activity is defined as work (including voluntary and supervision) that must not be undertaken by individuals who are barred from working with children, young people, and adults who may be particularly vulnerable. In summary, this includes:

  • Unsupervised Activities: This encompasses teaching, training, instructing, caring for, or supervising children; providing advice or guidance on well-being; or driving a vehicle that is used exclusively for transporting children.
  • Regular or Frequent Work: This refers to activities performed regularly (at least weekly), frequently (four times a month or more), or overnight (between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.). It also includes work carried out in specific establishments ('specified places') that offer opportunities for contact, such as schools, children’s homes, and childcare facilities.

No member of the trustees, helpers or other volunteers or staff will have unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults unless:

  • They have been through the safe recruitment procedure (see Appendix 1)
  • Been subject to a Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check
  • They have received introductory Child Protection or Vulnerable Adults Protection training.

All suspicions or allegations of abuse against a child or vulnerable adult will be taken seriously and dealt with speedily and appropriately.

All trustees, staff, volunteers and hirers need to be aware of this policy, child protection, and vulnerable adult issues, and should be offered introductory training.  A copy of the appendices will be provided to all who request it.

There will be a nominated and named Vulnerable Users representative to whom any suspicions or concerns should be reported.  This person is Ben Viollet. This position will be reviewed annually at the Tysoe Village Hall AGM, or sooner if the representative becomes unavailable.

The committee will endeavour to provide and keep the premises safe for use by children and vulnerable adults and conduct regular safety assessments.  The committee recognises that a higher standard of safety is required where use is made by  children, those who cannot read safety notices and those with additional needs such as limited mobility.

Any organisations or individuals hiring the hall for the purposes of holding activities where OFSTED registration is required (see Appendix 1) should show their registration and their own Safeguarding Policy. Safe recruitment processes should be used to appoint staff who will be working with children or vulnerable adults in any kind of activity.

Use of the Village Hall by groups for use with children, young people or vulnerable adults: leaders will be required to have their own public liability insurance, to have a suitable safeguarding policy and/or agree to work to the Village Hall’s policy, to ensure their members are aware of the policy and ensure that it is followed. Leaders must have appropriate DBS checks and know the location of the first aid box. They must also carry out risk assessments for individual activities. Users of the village hall must ensure they have the appropriate ratio of supervising adults to children. It is recommended to have at least two adults present when working with or supervising children and young people. 

The NSPCC recommends the following ratio to ensure adequate supervision of children present:

  • under 2 years - one adult to three children
  • 2 - 3 years - one adult to four children
  • 4 - 8 years - one adult to six children
  • 9 - 12 years - one adult to eight children
  • 13 - 18 years - one adult to ten children

When working with children and young people who have special educational needs, disabilities (SEND), or additional needs, a higher level of supervision than the standard ratios previously mentioned may be required.

It is essential to conduct a risk assessment for each activity to determine the appropriate supervision ratios. This assessment should consider the children and young people's behaviour, abilities, and mobility. To ensure that their needs are fully addressed, where possible, incorporate input from the children and young people themselves, as well as from their parents and carers.

Organisations hiring the hall for activities for children will be asked to show their Safeguarding policy before the first booking commences. Individuals hiring the hall for activities for children will be made aware of this policy.  Organisations hiring the hall for activities specifically involving vulnerable adults will be asked to show their Vulnerable Adults Protection policy before the first booking commences.  Other organisations hiring the hall whose activities may involve vulnerable adults will be made aware of this policy.

The committee will ensure that attendees at the Village Hall events are aware that parents/carers are responsible for their children’s safety and the committee will display on notice boards the relevant safeguarding contacts for advice and help.

The committee will ensure that hirers are made aware of their obligations under the Licensing Act 2003 to ensure that alcohol is not sold to those under the age of 18.  The committee will ensure that hirers are aware that no children may be admitted to films when they are below the age classification for the film or show.  No gambling or entertainment with an adult or sexual nature shall be permitted on the premises when children, young people and vulnerable adults are present.

The committee will require hirers to report any damage, breakages or safety issues needing attention to the booking secretary, who will inform the appropriate people.  These will be dealt with as soon as practicable.

A hiring agreement which includes appropriate clauses will be entered into for all hirings for licensable activities.  The committee will ensure that these provisions are observed when holding any licensable activities itself.  The committee will give written instructions to those selling alcohol concerning the licensing offences which must be avoided.

Contractors engaged to carry out work at the premises must not be allowed unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults.  Appropriate supervision will be arranged if necessary.

If the premises might be used by more than one hirer, the attention of hirers will be drawn to the need to ensure that children and vulnerable adults are supervised, especially when using toilets.

A copy of the policy will be displayed for the attention of all in the Village Hall and made available on request to hirers. These policies and procedures will be reviewed annually at the AGM and updated as appropriate in the interim periods. All trustees, committee members, volunteers and appropriate hirers will be given information about child protection and should attend introductory level Safeguarding training and Protection of Vulnerable Adults training where possible.

Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing is when someone reports wrongdoing on the basis that it is in the public interest for the wrongdoing to be brought to light. 

This can include:

  • Yours or another organisation doesn’t have clear safeguarding procedures to follow
  • concerns aren’t dealt with properly or may be covered up
  • a concern that was raised hasn’t been acted upon
  • you are worried that repercussions are likely to arise if you raise a concern.

This applies to incidents that happened in the past, are happening now, or may happen in the future.

Whistleblowers should contact the Safeguarding Officer/s in the first instance.  If the whistleblower does not wish to speak to someone within the venue or the Village Hall Safeguarding Team, the NSPCC Whistleblowing advice line can be contacted on 0800 028 0285 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk

Allegations against staff and volunteers of the Village Hall

  • Staff and volunteers should not put themselves in a vulnerable position with a child or vulnerable adult
  • The person receiving the allegation will immediately inform the chair of the Village Hall Committee
  • The Committee will follow Warwickshire Council procedures and not attempt to investigate before consultation with the Local Authority Designated Officer.
  • Whilst under investigation, the member of the committee alleged to have acted in an unacceptable manner, will be temporarily suspended from their position
  • All staff and volunteers should be aware of their own duty to raise concerns about colleagues and seek appropriate advice

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