Safeguarding Policy

Purpose

Conger Hill Trust is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who comes into contact with the charity.

The purpose of this policy is to protect children, adults at risk, volunteers, trustees, beneficiaries and members of the public from abuse, neglect, exploitation and other harm arising through their contact with the Trust.

Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone involved with Conger Hill Trust. The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for ensuring appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place and effective.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• all trustees;
• all volunteers;
• any employees or contractors engaged by the Trust;
• anyone acting on behalf of the Trust; and
• all activities, projects and services operated by the Trust, including Toddington Community Fridge.

The Trust does not permit anyone under the age of 18 to volunteer.

Children may nevertheless come into contact with the Trust's activities, for example by attending a community activity or Toddington Community Fridge with a parent or carer. The Trust therefore recognises its responsibility to safeguard children who come into contact with its work.

Our safeguarding principles

Conger Hill Trust will:

• take reasonable steps to protect people who come into contact with the charity from harm;
• treat safeguarding as a governance priority;
• promote a culture in which concerns can be raised openly and taken seriously;
• respond promptly and appropriately to safeguarding concerns;
• respect the dignity, privacy and rights of everyone using or supporting our services;
• not tolerate abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, harassment, discrimination or inappropriate behaviour;
• ensure volunteers and trustees understand their safeguarding responsibilities;
• work with statutory authorities where safeguarding concerns require referral; and
• learn from incidents, concerns and near misses.

The welfare and safety of a child or adult at risk will take priority over the reputation of the charity or any individual connected with it.

Children

For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone under the age of 18.

Conger Hill Trust does not recruit or accept children as volunteers.

Children attending Trust activities remain the responsibility of their parent, guardian or responsible adult unless the Trust has expressly agreed otherwise as part of a specifically organised activity.

Trustees and volunteers must:

• behave appropriately around children;
• maintain appropriate boundaries;
• never engage in sexualised, intimidating, discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate behaviour towards a child;
• avoid unnecessarily being alone with a child;
• never offer to transport a child alone in a vehicle on behalf of the Trust;
• never exchange personal contact details or establish private social media contact with a child encountered through the Trust's activities; and
• report any safeguarding concern promptly.

If a child becomes separated from their parent or carer during a Trust activity, where practicable two volunteers should remain present while attempts are made to locate the responsible adult.

Children accompanying volunteers

Children must not accompany trustees or volunteers while they are carrying out food collections, deliveries, stock movements or other operational duties on behalf of Conger Hill Trust. This applies whether the child remains in a vehicle, enters a supplier's premises, assists with loading or unloading, or otherwise accompanies the volunteer during the activity.

Volunteers must make their own childcare arrangements before undertaking duties for the Trust. A volunteer who is unable to do so should not undertake that collection or duty.

Adults at risk

An adult at risk is an adult who has needs for care and support, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect and, because of those needs, is unable to protect themselves from that abuse or neglect.

The nature of the Trust's community work means volunteers may come into contact with people who are experiencing difficult circumstances or who may be particularly vulnerable.

Trustees and volunteers must be alert to possible signs of abuse, neglect or exploitation and must report concerns in accordance with this policy.

No assumption should be made that a person is an adult at risk simply because they are elderly, disabled, experiencing financial hardship or receiving support from the Trust.

Types of safeguarding concern

Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

• physical abuse;
• sexual abuse or exploitation;
• psychological or emotional abuse;
• domestic abuse;
• financial or material abuse;
• neglect or acts of omission;
• self-neglect;
• discriminatory abuse;
• organisational abuse;
• bullying or harassment;
• modern slavery or human trafficking;
• exploitation or abuse of a position of trust; and
• extremism or radicalisation.

A concern does not need to amount to an allegation of criminal behaviour before it is reported internally.

Expected conduct

Everyone acting on behalf of Conger Hill Trust is expected to:

• treat people with dignity, courtesy and respect;
• maintain appropriate personal and professional boundaries;
• avoid behaviour that could reasonably be considered threatening, intimidating, discriminatory, exploitative or inappropriate;
• not use their position within the charity to establish inappropriate personal, financial or sexual relationships;
• not accept inappropriate gifts or financial arrangements from beneficiaries;
• not take photographs or share personal information about beneficiaries without appropriate permission;
• respect confidentiality while understanding that safeguarding concerns may need to be shared;
• challenge inappropriate behaviour where it is safe to do so; and
• report safeguarding concerns promptly.

Safeguarding Lead

The Board of Trustees will appoint a Safeguarding Lead and, where practicable, a deputy.

The Safeguarding Lead will:

• act as the main point of contact for safeguarding concerns;
• ensure concerns are appropriately recorded;
• determine whether concerns should be referred to statutory agencies;
• provide advice to trustees and volunteers;
• ensure safeguarding matters are reported appropriately to the Board;
• maintain appropriate confidentiality; and
• ensure this policy and associated procedures are reviewed regularly.

The appointment of a Safeguarding Lead does not remove the collective safeguarding responsibility of the trustees.

Where a concern relates to the Safeguarding Lead, it must be reported directly to the Chair of Trustees or another trustee.

Where a concern relates to the Chair, it must be reported to another trustee.

Reporting a concern

Anyone who sees, hears or becomes aware of something that causes them concern about the safety or welfare of another person should report it to the Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.

A person raising a concern does not need to investigate it or establish whether abuse has occurred.

If someone discloses abuse or neglect, the person receiving the disclosure should:

• listen calmly and take the person seriously;
• avoid expressing disbelief or making judgements;
• not promise complete confidentiality;
• avoid asking unnecessary or leading questions;
• explain that the information may need to be shared with somebody who can help;
• make an accurate written record as soon as possible, using the person's own words where appropriate; and
• report the matter promptly to the Safeguarding Lead.

Trustees and volunteers must not attempt to investigate safeguarding allegations themselves unless specifically authorised to do so as part of an appropriate process.

Immediate danger

If a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical attention, the priority is their immediate safety.

Call 999 where there is an immediate risk to life or serious harm.

A safeguarding concern should then be reported to the Safeguarding Lead as soon as reasonably practicable.

The need to notify the Safeguarding Lead must never delay contacting the emergency services where urgent intervention is required.

Referral to statutory authorities

The Safeguarding Lead will consider whether a concern needs to be referred to an appropriate authority, including:

• the police;
• local authority children's social care;
• local authority adult safeguarding services;
• the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), where appropriate;
• the Disclosure and Barring Service; or
• another relevant statutory or regulatory body.

The Trust will cooperate with statutory safeguarding enquiries and investigations.

Safeguarding concerns involving children or adults at risk will be handled in accordance with the procedures of the relevant local safeguarding arrangements.

Allegations concerning trustees or volunteers

Any safeguarding allegation involving a trustee, volunteer, employee or other person acting on behalf of the Trust will be taken seriously.

The Trust may temporarily restrict or suspend an individual's duties while a concern is considered. Such action is a precautionary measure and does not in itself imply that an allegation has been substantiated.

The Trust will not conduct an internal investigation where doing so could interfere with an investigation by the police, local authority or another statutory body.

Where required by law, the Trust will make referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service or other relevant bodies.

Recruitment and DBS checks

Conger Hill Trust will take reasonable steps to ensure that trustees and volunteers are suitable for the roles they undertake.

The Trust will assess each role to determine the appropriate safeguarding controls.

A Disclosure and Barring Service check will only be requested where the role is legally eligible for the relevant level of check or where a basic check is considered appropriate following a risk assessment.

The Trust will periodically review roles and safeguarding risks, particularly where its activities change.

No person under 18 will be recruited or accepted as a volunteer.

Lone working and home visits

Where Trust activities involve visiting or delivering to people's homes, volunteers should take reasonable precautions to protect both themselves and beneficiaries.

Unless specifically required and appropriately risk assessed, volunteers should not enter a beneficiary's home when making a delivery.

Where there is a safeguarding or welfare concern during a delivery or other activity, the volunteer should report it to the Safeguarding Lead rather than attempting to resolve the situation themselves.

The Trust will maintain appropriate lone-working arrangements for activities where volunteers operate independently.

Photography, social media and personal information

The Trust uses photographs and social media to communicate its work and promote community involvement.

Photographs of identifiable individuals should only be taken and published with appropriate permission.

Particular care must be taken when photographing children. Appropriate permission from a parent or guardian must be obtained before an identifiable image of a child is deliberately taken or published by the Trust.

Trustees and volunteers must not use information obtained through their role to make inappropriate private contact with beneficiaries.

Personal information relating to safeguarding concerns must be handled securely and only shared with those who need the information to protect people or fulfil the Trust's legal responsibilities.

Confidentiality and record keeping

Safeguarding information will be treated as confidential but confidentiality is not absolute.

Information may be shared where this is necessary to protect a child or adult at risk, prevent harm, comply with the law or enable an appropriate authority to investigate a concern.

Safeguarding records will:

• be factual and accurate;
• record dates, times and relevant people;
• distinguish between facts, observations and opinions;
• be stored securely; and
• only be accessible to those who require access.

Safeguarding records should not normally be kept within general volunteer or beneficiary records.

Training and awareness

All trustees and volunteers will be made aware of this policy and how to report a concern.

Safeguarding information and training will be proportionate to the person's role and the risks associated with the Trust's activities.

Trustees will ensure that the Safeguarding Lead has sufficient knowledge and support to undertake the role effectively.

Whistleblowing and raising concerns

Anyone connected with the Trust should feel able to raise concerns about unsafe, inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour.

No person will be disadvantaged for raising a genuine safeguarding concern in good faith.

Where somebody does not feel able to raise a concern with the Safeguarding Lead, they may raise it with the Chair or another trustee.

Nothing in this policy prevents anyone from reporting a concern directly to the police, local authority, Charity Commission or another appropriate authority.

Partner organisations

Where Conger Hill Trust works with another organisation to deliver activities, the Trust will consider safeguarding as part of its arrangements with that organisation.

Responsibilities for safeguarding and reporting concerns should be clear, particularly where another organisation is responsible for delivering an activity on the Trust's behalf.

Serious safeguarding concerns involving a partner organisation must be brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees.

Serious incidents

The trustees will consider whether a safeguarding incident meets the criteria for reporting a serious incident to the Charity Commission.

Where a report is required, it will be made promptly in accordance with Charity Commission guidance.

Safeguarding incidents and near misses will be reviewed to identify any lessons and improvements required.

Trustee oversight

The Board of Trustees retains overall responsibility for safeguarding.

Safeguarding will be considered regularly as part of the Trust's governance and risk management arrangements.

The trustees will:

• monitor significant safeguarding concerns and incidents;
• ensure safeguarding risks are reflected in the Trust's risk register;
• ensure appropriate policies and procedures remain in place;
• consider safeguarding implications when establishing new activities or significantly changing existing activities; and
• ensure appropriate action is taken following incidents or identified weaknesses.

Review

This policy will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees at least annually.

It will also be reviewed following:

• a serious safeguarding incident;
• a significant safeguarding concern or near miss;
• significant changes to the Trust's activities;
• changes to relevant legislation or statutory guidance; or
• identification of weaknesses in the Trust's safeguarding arrangements.

The Board will record its approval of this policy and any significant amendments.

Key safeguarding contacts

Conger Hill Trust Safeguarding Lead Name: Bridget Chevalier Telephone: +44 7754 668979 Email: Bridget@chevalier.me.uk

Emergency services: 999

Police non-emergency: 101

Central Bedfordshire Council safeguarding contacts: Children: Call 0300 300 8585 immediately (office hours). For out of hours reports call 0300 300 8123.

Adults: Call 0300 300 8000 (Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5:30pm and Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm). Outside of these hours, please call the Emergency Duty Team on 0300 300 8123

LADO: Email: lado@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk Telephone: 0300 300 8142

Charity Commission: Serious incidents should be reported in accordance with the Charity Commission's serious incident reporting arrangements.