Responsibilities

Trustees

The Trustees have ultimate responsibility for Safeguarding on behalf of the Charity.  

The Trustees are required to complete the Safer Recruitment/DBS  process in their capacity as Trustees and to receive regular Safeguarding  awareness training.

The Trustees will appoint a Safeguarding Coordinator to help them to fulfil their Safeguarding obligations (see Home Page for current appointee).    

Safeguarding Coordinator

The role of the Safeguarding Coordinator is:

To coordinate Safeguarding policy and procedure in the church

●       To be familiar with statutory and church policies, procedures, and recognised best practice in Safeguarding and to keep up-to-date with any changes and developments.

●       To ensure that church policies and procedures are subject to review annually, kept up to date, and are fit for purpose.

●       To ensure others in the church have both an awareness of their responsibility for the Safeguarding  of children and of the church’s Safeguarding policies and procedures (including how to raise Safeguarding concerns) and that these are adhered to.

●       To ensure suitability checks for all adults volunteering/appointed to work with children, including (but not exclusively) ensuring that the relevant workers have up-to-date DBS checks and a that a Single Central Record of all DBS checks is maintained.

 To be the first point of contact for Safeguarding issues

●     To be a named person that children / adults at risk, church members and outside agencies can talk to regarding any issue to do with Safeguarding.

●   To take appropriate action in relation to any Safeguarding concerns which arise within the church (keeping Trustees aware of any issues as appropriate).

●   To be aware of/cooperate with relevant external agencies/statutory authorities as appropriate.

●     To ensure that appropriate records are kept by the church and that information in relation to Safeguarding issues (including consent forms and the recording of safeguarding concerns) is handled confidentially and stored securely in line with our legal duties outlined in the Grace Church Beckenham Data Protection Policy (including para 4.4).  Further Guidance can be found on the NVCO website (National Council for Voluntary Organisations).

 To be an advocate for good Safeguarding practice in the church

●   To promote a culture of positive Safeguarding procedures and practice, involving children, young people, their parents or carers and adults at risk of abuse in our safeguarding processes wherever possible.

●       To arrange and/or promote opportunities for training in Safeguarding to any relevant members of the leadership team and congregation, including both paid staff and volunteers.

●   To update their own Safeguarding training every three years.

●   To seek appropriate support and advice in carrying out this role.

Volunteers & Employees

All Volunteers / Employees working with children are required to:

●   Undergo the Safer Recruitment/DBS process

●   Attend the next available safeguarding training session

●   Read, consent to and sign the Grace Church Beckenham Safeguarding Code of Conduct