Safeguarding Policy

Table of Contents

APPENDICES

Charity Details

CHURCH in LONDON (The Church of the Londoners)

Bower House, Orange Tree Hill,Romford, RM4 1PB

01708 380 330

office@churchinlondon.org.uk

Charity No.  1093426

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Introduction

Welcome to the church in London’s Safeguarding Policy. 

The church holds several meetings during the week to which all are welcome. On most Lord’s Days, we meet in seven locations throughout London, and on Tuesdays we come together in various locations for prayer meetings. We also meet in many homes across London to enjoy the Lord, sing, pray, study the Bible and to have fellowship with one another. Each year, we hold several events, including events for children and young people (children). 

For such a rich church life, there is a need to have a number of policies in place, of which this Safeguarding Policy is one, in order to meet our various legal, insurance and other obligations that ensure that children who participate in our meetings and events are well-cared for, kept safe and are protected from harm or danger, so far as is reasonably possible. 

We take our duties and responsibilities under our policies very seriously, and we encourage all who meet with us to read, understand, accept and be guided by our policies and to cooperate with us for their effective working at all times.

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Mission Statement

The trustees of the CHURCH in LONDON (hereafter, “the trustees”) namely, Dennis Szubert and Terence Murray, recognise the importance of the church’s ministry to children and its responsibility to provide a safe and caring environment for them at all our events and during all our activities by having appropriate arrangements in place. 

The trustees are committed to:

  • Safeguarding and protecting children from harm;
  • Valuing, respecting and listening to children, and taking their views seriously;
  • Adopting and implementing this Safeguarding Policy with appropriate systems in place to ensure compliance;
  • Having robust procedures in place for responding to and dealing effectively with allegations, complaints, concerns or suspicion of child abuse or neglect;
  • Safe recruitment, training, supervision of and support for all persons in positions of trust, whether paid or volunteer, in particular, those who serve with children;
  • Ensuring all such persons are aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding and protecting children from harm;
  • Embedding safeguarding and child protection within all the church’s activities, and communicating the message that these are everyone’s responsibility;
  • Encouraging and supporting parents, carers and families;
  • Supporting those affected by abuse;
  • Maintaining good links and cooperating effectively with the relevant statutory authorities;
  • Reviewing and updating this Safeguarding Policy on a regular basis.

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Safeguarding Policy

The trustees of the church in London:

  • Acknowledge that children can be the victims of injury or harm due to physical, sexual, emotional or other exploitative abuse, as well as neglect, and that they have the right to be protected from all these forms of abuse;
  • Deem it unacceptable for anyone in a position of trust in the church in London, or anyone else who meets with the church regularly or at any of our sponsored events, to engage in any conduct or behaviour that might result in any form of abuse or neglect of a child, or that might result in allowing any sexual, abusive or other exploitative relationship to develop with a child; and,
  • Have therefore adopted this Safeguarding Policy (hereafter “the Policy”) and the Procedures set out hereunder, in accordance with statutory guidance; 

Commit to on-going safeguarding training for all those in positions of trust, in particular, those who serve with children; and 

  • Regular review and updating of this Policy as may be necessary or as is advised, in line with changes in statutory guidance.

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Definitions

Child: Anyone who has not yet reached their eighteenth birthday. “Children” therefore means “children and young people” throughout. (Children’s Act 1989; Working Together to Safeguard Children (rev. 2018)).

Child Abuse: A form of maltreatment of a child. A child may be abused or neglected by: inflicting harm, or by failing to prevent harm, in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them, or more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or by another child or children. Government guidance has four main categories of child abuse—physical, sexual, emotional and neglect. (Working Together to Safeguard Children (rev. 2018)).

Child Protection: Part of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. (Working Together to Safeguard Children (rev. 2018)).

Safeguarding Coordinators: The Safeguarding Coordinators of the church in London (two Coordinators and one Deputy Coordinator) are appointed by the trustees: (1) as advocates to speak for and on behalf of our children; (2) to act independently in managing and responding to safeguarding and child protection issues, including reporting allegations of abuse to the statutory authorities (Children’s Social Care or Children’s Services in England and/or the Police); and/or by taking advice from Thirtyone:Eight; and (3) to oversee the preparation and implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, ensuring it is regularly reviewed.

Positions of Trust:  Persons in positions of trust in the church in London include: the trustees; the elders; leading or responsible ones in the Halls; workers, serving ones, parents and volunteers; and all other persons who serve with the children.

Statutory Authorities: The relevant statutory authorities for the purposes of Child Protection are: (1) Children’s Social Care or Children’s Services in England (note: formerly called Social Services); and (2) the Police.

Specialist Adviser: The trustees have engaged Thirtyone:eight (formerly the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS)) as the church in London’s specialist adviser on Safeguarding. Contact details are: PO Box 133, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7UQ. Telephone: 0845 120 4550. 

Statutory Guidance: Working Together to Safeguard Children (rev. July 2018), which applies to all statutory agencies and voluntary organizations, including churches, and states that they should have policies in place to safeguard and protect children from harm, which must be followed, and systems in place to ensure compliance.

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APPOINTMENT OF SAFEGUARDING COORDINATORS

The Trustees have appointed the following as Safeguarding Coordinators and Deputy Coordinator to act on their behalf in managing and responding to all allegations, complaints, concerns or suspicions of child abuse, including referring matters on to the statutory authorities.

Safeguarding Coordinators 

Emmanuel Freeman—telephone: 07878 653 775; email: ekofreeman@gmail.com

Dennis Szubert—telephone: 07740 626 537; email: dennis@szubert.co.uk

Deputy Coordinator

Terence Murray—telephone: 07740 281 450; email: terry.murray10@gmail.com

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APPOINTMENT, TRAINING, SUPPORT & SUPERVISION OF PERSONS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST

The trustees will ensure that all those in positions of trust are appointed, trained, supported and/or supervised in accordance with all current statutory guidance and best practice on safe recruitment and working practices.

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PHYSICAL INJURY, EMOTIONAL ABUSE OR NEGLECT

If a child makes an allegation or complaint of physical injury, emotional abuse or neglect against anyone; or, if they are seen to have a physical injury, to be suffering from emotional abuse or to have a symptom of neglect; or, where there are concerns or suspicions as to any of the above, the Co-ordinator(s) and/or Deputy Co-ordinator will:

  • Seek medical help for the child, if urgently needed, and inform the doctor of the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion;
  • Contact Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) for advice and/or referral of the matter, and especially if concerned about the child’s on-going safety, or if he or she is afraid to return home; 
  • NOT inform the parents or carers in order to protect the child from further abuse or injury, unless Children’s Social Care or (Children’s Services) advises it is safe to do so;
  • For non-urgent concerns, (e.g. signs of poor parenting), encourage the parent or carer to seek help, and assist them with a list of resources or support services in this field; but not if, in their view, this places the child at risk;  
  • Where the parent or carer is unwilling to seek help, offer to accompany them to access the necessary services.  If they still fail to act and there is on-going concern, contact Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) direct for advice and/or referral of the matter;
  • Seek and follow advice from Thirtyone:eight (who will confirm all advice in writing for future reference) if, for any reason, there is any uncertainty as to whether or not to refer a case to Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services).

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SEXUAL ABUSE

In the event of an allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion of sexual abuse, the Co-ordinator(s) and/or Deputy Co-ordinator will:

  • Contact the Children’s Social Care Department Duty Social Worker for Children and Families; or, will contact the Police Child Protection Team directly;
  • NOT inform the parent or carer or any other person;
  • Seek and follow the advice given by Thirtyone:eight if, for any reason, there is uncertainty as to whether or not to contact Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) or the Police. Thirtyone:eight will confirm all advice in writing for future reference. 

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RESPONDING TO ALLEGATIONS, COMPLAINTS, CONCERNS OR SUSPICION

 

Under no circumstances should any person who has received an allegation or complaint of abuse, or who has a concern or suspicion that a child has been abused or is at risk or in danger of being abused or harmed in any way, carry out his or her own investigation.

Any person in receipt of such an allegation or complaint, or who has a concern or suspicion of child abuse, should do the following:

  • Report the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion immediately, or as soon as possible, directly to the Safeguarding Coordinators or Deputy Coordinator;
  • In the absence of both the Safeguarding Co-ordinator(s) or, if the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion in any way involves them, then the report should be made directly to the Deputy Coordinator;
  • If the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion implicates both the Co-ordinator(s) as well as the Deputy Co-ordinator, then the report should be made in the first instance to:
  • Thirtyone:eight; (formerly the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS)) PO Box 133, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7UQ. Telephone 0845 120 4550; or, alternatively,
  • Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) Team at your local council. For the contact number of your local council, you will need to go to www.gov.uk/report-child-abuse and enter the postcode for your local council; or, alternatively,
  • The Police Child Protection Team. In an emergency situation, where the child is in immediate danger, call 999. If it is not an emergency, call 101.
  • Allegations, complaints, concerns or suspicions must not be discussed with anyone other than those nominated above, except if absolutely necessary, and then in a strictly limited way, and only on a need-to-know basis; 
  • A written record of the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion should be made and kept in a secure place for future reference;
  • Whilst allegations, complaints, concerns or suspicions of abuse should normally be reported to the Co-ordinator(s) or Deputy Coordinator, their absence or unavailability should never delay a referral to the Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) Department;
  • The trustees will support the Co-ordinator(s) and Deputy Co-ordinator in their roles;
  • It is, of course, the right of any individual to make a direct referral to the statutory child protection authorities or to seek advice, e.g., from Thirtyone:eight; however, it is the trustees’ hope and expectation that individuals will want to use the procedure outlined in this Policy;
  • If, however, an individual is of the view that the Co-ordinator(s) and/or Deputy Co-ordinator have not responded appropriately, or where he or she disagrees with them as to the appropriateness or otherwise of a referral, he or she is free to contact the statutory authorities directly. By making this statement the trustees hope to demonstrate the commitment of the church to effective safeguarding and child protection.

The role of the Co-ordinator(s) and/or Deputy Co-ordinator is to ascertain the precise details of the allegation, complaint, concern or suspicion, collate all the information together and refer the matter on to the Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services), and/or to take advice from Thirtyone:eight as may be necessary.

It is the role of the Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) to conduct all investigations into such matters (Section 47 of the Children Act 1989). 

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ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PERSONS IN POSITIONS OF TRUST

If an accusation is made against any person in a position of trust the procedure outlined above will be followed. 

Additionally, the Co-ordinator(s) and/or Deputy Coordinator will liaise with Children’s Social Care (or Children’s Services) regarding the suspension of that person from their duties, where relevant, pending subsequent investigations and any further proceedings.

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SUPPORT TO THOSE AFFECTED BY ABUSE

The trustees are committed to offering the appropriate support and care, working together with the statutory authorities as necessary, to individuals and families affected by abuse. 

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SUPERVISING PREVIOUS OFFENDERS

When any person attending any of our church meetings regularly, or at any of our sponsored events, is known to have previously abused or harmed a child or young person, the trustees will ensure the constant supervision of that person at all meetings and events, as well as offer him or her all reasonable support in order to overcome those tendencies.

However, the church’s commitment to safeguarding and child protection takes absolute precedence over all other needs and, to ensure the safety of our children, the trustees will set strict boundaries for the previous offender that he or she will be expected to keep while meeting with the church or take steps to exclude them either temporarily or permanently.

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REVIEW DATE

 

The next review date for this Policy will be 30/01/21.

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SAFEGUARDING POLICY STATEMENT

This policy statement was agreed by the trustees of the church in London on 31/01/2020. The trustees are committed to:
  • Supporting parents and families, and all those affected by abuse;
  • Nurturing, protecting and safeguarding children and young people;
  • Communicating the message that child protection is everyone’s responsibility;
  • Implementing the agreed procedures and all statutory guidelines and specialist advice;
  • Annual review of the Safeguarding Policy.
Anyone with concerns for any child in relation to any child protection matter should speak to one of the co-ordinators below, all of whom have been approved as Safeguarding Co-ordinators for the CHURCH in LONDON.

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Safeguarding Coordinators

Emmanuel Freeman

telephone: 07878 653 775
email: ekofreeman@gmail.com

Dennis Szubert

telephone: 07740 626 537
email: dennis@szubert.co.uk

Deputy Coordinator

Terence Murray

telephone: 07740 281 450
email: terry.murray10@gmail.com

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