HOPE Community Hub safeguarding

Hope Community Hub Safeguarding Statement:

Children and Vulnerable Adult

Protection and Safeguarding Statement

Hope Community Hub regards the protection and safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults and good working practice as a priority. The Hope Community Hub adheres to the formal safeguarding policy of New Life Church, which is registered with Thirtyone: eight.

Hope Community Hub is committed to ensuring that everyone working with children or young people:

• has been safely recruited,

• is adequately trained and supervised,

• understands and follows New Life Church’s safeguarding policy.

The safeguarding policy may be viewed by contacting New Life Church.

As part of the Hub’s commitment to children, young people and vulnerable adults we have our own designated Safeguarding Coordinators, Wanangwa Kyumba and Gillian Smith who are also New Life Church’s designated Safeguarding Coordinators. All the children and young people and vulnerable adults involved in activities within the church know who they are.

Should Hope Community Hub have any safeguarding concerns it will seek the advice Thirtyone: eight [Formerly the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service, CCPAS] and if appropriate contact the statutory authorities.

Hope Community Hub:

Is committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and ensuring their well-being.

Believes all adults and children should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of Hope Community Hub

Undertakes to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and vulnerable adults.

Believes every child should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that children we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.

Recognises that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, psychological, financial and discriminatory abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.

Recognises the personal dignity and rights of vulnerable adults and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.

NSPCC Guidelines for appropriate levels of supervision:

Hope Community Hub works within the ratio guidelines suggested by the NCPCC for working with young children. Currently:

0-2 years =1 adult: 3 children

2 -3 years = 1 adult: 4 children

4-8 years = 1 adult: 6 children

9-12 years = 1 adult: 8 children

13-18 years =1 adult: 10 children

It is important to note that children attending our ‘Make Lunch’ programmes do so with their parents, who are expected to stay and form part of the ratio for these activities.

We are committed to:

Following specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that all workers and volunteers will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy.

Implementing the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 and all other relevant legislation, with regard to safeguarding.

Supporting, resourcing and training those who volunteer with us.

Ensuring that we are keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.

Ensuring that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by New Life Church.

Supporting all who are affected by abuse.

We recognise:

Children's Social Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a vulnerable adult. Our volunteers know not discuss concerns with a parent or carer and to refer any concerns immediately to the Hub or NLC safeguarding co-ordinators who will contact Thirtyone: eight.

Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.