Safeguarding Children Policy

The York Philatelic Society acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who any member of the Society comes into contact with whilst undertaking a Society activity. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any Society activity.

The key principles of York Philatelic Society’s Safeguarding Children Policy are that:

  • The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration

  • All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith or belief

  • All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

The York Philatelic Society acknowledges that every child or young person who participates in Society activities should be able to do so in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. The Society has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. This applies to everyone in the Society whether an Officer of the Society or any member or visitor who participates in any Society activity. Every member of the Society accepts that this is a requirement of their membership of the Society.

To afford every child and young person who wishes to engage in Society activities, the York Philatelic Society applies the following rules without exception:

  1. Children and young persons are welcome to attend any Society event provided they are accompanied, for the duration of the event, by a parent or guardian.

  2. Any Society member who is invited to visit a school, institution or group in which children and young people are involved shall only do so when accompanied at all times by a responsibly qualified adult from that school, institution or group. That person shall be deemed to be responsible for safeguarding the children in their care.

  3. Any Society member who visits the house of a member of the public on Society business, such as for the valuation of that persons collection or philatelic material, and where children or young people are present, shall only do so at the invitation of a responsible person in that house and that that person shall be deemed to be responsible for safeguarding the children in the house.