MISSION STATEMENT
As one of its major activities Giggs Hill Church seeks to serve the
needs of young people and children, promoting holistic development.
In so doing, Giggs Hill Church takes seriously the welfare of who come onto its premises or who are involved in its activities.
Giggs Hill Church aims to ensure that they are welcomed into a safe, caring, Christian environment with a happy, friendly atmosphere.
Giggs Hill Church recognises that it is the responsibility of each one of its helpers to prevent the neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse of adults, young people and children and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.
Giggs Hill Church recognises its responsibility to implement, maintain and regularly review procedures, which are designed to prevent such abuse.
Giggs Hill Church is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with adults, young people and children and to provide supervision.
The Safeguarding Co-ordinator is the person
to whom all concerns or allegations should be addressed.
Rita Lewis
01689 812 372
rlewismail@yahoo.com
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Church Policy
We recognise that safeguarding is everybody's responsibility.
As a Church we are committed to the nurturing, protecting and safeguarding of all, especially the vulnerable.
All activities within the Church have a designated leader working under the authority of the church leadership. This leader is supported by other leaders authorised to work with members of the various groups.
The leaders are fully vetted using application, confidential declaration forms, and references of previous work with vulnerable adults. All leaders are D.B.S. checked. These records are accessible solely to the Safeguarding Officer.
No person with a history involving adult abuse offences will be allowed to undertake any role associated with adult care in the church, nor be present as an observer.
Non-leading helpers may assist with activities involving vulnerable adults. These people will be checked and approved by the children's leader and the C.P.O. under whose supervision they will be.
All leaders are to be familiar with Guidelines For Leaders and briefed on these annually.
Single sex groups require same sex leaders and mixed groups require mixed leadership.
All procedural guidelines are also to be followed on outings outside the church.
The leader will act as the contact for discipline and protection issues. He or she will quickly gather the available facts concerning any reports of abuse or serious incidents involving workers. He or she will then work with the C.P.O. and Minister (Pastor or senior Elder) to decide on the appropriate action.
Guidelines For Leaders
Leaders are to be fully conversant with the protection rules and to ensure their implementation.
Abuse
If a person confides in a leader concerning abuse whether at home or at the church then the leader has several duties to care for that person. The leader must:
- Listen carefully.
- Treat the allegation seriously.
- Keep calm.
- Look at them directly.
- Do not promise confidentiality. Tell them someone else will have to know.
- Reassure.
- Do not push for information.
- Make notes after, giving times and dates and all the information you have received and the conversation that took place.
- Do not discuss this with anyone else.
- Report this to the leader immediately (if it concerns the leader, then report to the Safeguarding Officer).
RESPONDING TO ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE
Under no circumstances should a church worker carry out their own investigations into an allegation or suspicion or abuse. The person in receipt of allegations or suspicions of abuse will do the following:
Concerns must be reported as soon as possible to the Leader and the Safeguarding Officer, nominated by Giggs Hill Church to act on their behalf in dealing with the allegation or suspicion of neglect or abuse, including referring the matter on to the statutory authorities.
Safeguarding Adults:
Contact numbers:
Bromley Social Services
During office hours
Call 020 8461 7777
If you need to contact a social worker outside of office hours please telephone 0300 303 8671.
For advice and support with safeguarding adults
within Southern Synod, please contact:
Synod Safeguarding link person(s) – adults:
Revd Colin Telfer, Tel. 01843 448705, Email colintelfer@uwclub.net
URC Safeguarding Officer
If the Southern Synod safeguarding personnel are unavailable and you need advice urgently, please contact the URC Safeguarding Officer:
Belinda Herbert, Tel. 07716 640 596, Email: safeguarding@urc.org.uk
The Safeguarding Officer may also be required by conditions of the Church Insurance Policy to immediately inform the Insurance Company. They may also be required, as part of their denominational policy to inform strategic personnel within the Denomination.
In the absence of the Safeguarding Officer, or if the suspicions in any way involve the Leader or Safeguarding Officer, then the report should be made to the Pastor, Ian Burbridge.
Suspicions must not be discussed with anyone other than those nominated above.
The Leader and Safeguarding Officer will accept that any information they may have in their possession will he shared in a strictly limited way only on a need-to-know basis. Confidentiality is of the utmost importance.
The role of the Leader/ Safeguarding Officer is to collate and clarify the precise details of the allegation or suspicion and pass the information on to the Social Services Department, whose task is to investigate the matter.
It is, of course, the right of any individual to make a direct referral to or seek advice from the protection agencies, although Giggs Hill Church hopes that the members of the church will use our procedure. If, however, the individual with the concern feels that the Safeguarding Officer has not responded appropriately, or where they have a disagreement with them to the appropriateness of a referral, they are free to contact an outside agency directly.
We hope that by making this statement, Giggs Hill Church demonstrates the commitment of the church to effective child protection.
Safeguarding Adults
For advice and support with safeguarding adults within Southern Synod, please contact:
Synod Safeguarding link person(s) – adults:
Revd Colin Telfer, Tel. 01843 448705, Email colintelfer@uwclub.net
URC Safeguarding Officer
If the Southern Synod safeguarding personnel are unavailable and you need advice urgently, please contact the URC Safeguarding Officer:
Belinda Herbert, Tel. 07716 640 596, Email: safeguarding@urc.org.uk
Fire Evacuation Procedure
All Leaders should make themselves acquainted with these procedures, and the location and operation of fire extinguishers/blankets and alarms: check at each meeting that extinguishers are in their correct places.
Should a fire start that is too fierce for extinguishers,
PRESS FIRE ALARM
and call the fire brigade on 999 as soon as possible.
In both the hall and the church there are two exits. If there is clear knowledge as to the location of the fire, then take the exit furthest away from the fire. Leave everything and lead the people outside. Gather outside on the grass and move away from the building until a safe distance has been reached.
If possible, inform Bromley Mind in the rear annexe. If not, advise the fire brigade of their presence.
Ensure everyone is out of the building. Count to check, and also ask the people gathered there if anyone is missing.
If someone is unaccounted for, inform the fire officers immediately.
Try to maintain a calm and controlled aspect, as this will promote calm.
On no account re-enter the building, until given the all-clear by the fire brigade.