Introduction

Herefordshire Community Foundation (HCF) acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.

This policy reflects that through HCF’s day to day work, staff, trustees and volunteers do not work directly with children, young people or vulnerable adults. However, the Foundation is committed to safeguarding from harm those children and vulnerable adults that may come into contact with its staff members and employees during the course of its charitable work, including work with its charitable partners.

It recognises that the welfare of children and vulnerable adults is paramount and that no individual or group should be treated any less favourably than others when it comes to accessing services particular to their needs.

The Foundation believes that all children and vulnerable adults have the right to protection from all types of abuse and neglect without discrimination on the basis of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or belief.

This policy applies to all trustees, staff members, volunteers and stakeholders of HCF.

Grant Applicants

HCF places great importance on the safety of children and vulnerable adults. Any grant that it makes to organisations working with children and vulnerable adults is subject to having satisfactory safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

It is a requirement that any grant-seeking organisation that works with children or young people, or vulnerable adults, must have an appropriate Safeguarding Policy. No grants will be made without a sight of this policy. The Grants Panel should ensure that awards are paid only to groups that have an understanding of their responsibilities and have addressed them adequately and appropriately. An appropriate Safeguarding Policy is likely to include the following:

• Recruitment and selection policies.
• Staff induction and training in safeguarding.
• Safe arrangements for all work involving vulnerable adults/children and young people, including procedures for responding to and reporting abuse.
• Contact details, including at least one nominated Safeguarding representative.

 As part of its support for groups, HCF can signpost organisations to HVOSS for further guidance.

Team Responsibilities

In the course of their work for HCF, notrustee, staff member or volunteer may work alone with one or more children or vulnerable adults. In the event of visiting an organisation, they must under no circumstances allow themselves to be left in isolation with a child or vulnerable adult.

Any meetings with such people should only be carried out under the supervision of an appropriate member of the community group or charity which is being visited. Any such meetings held at the HCF premises must have another member of the team present.

Staff and trustees should be aware that a child or vulnerable adult might see a representative of HCF as someone who can be trusted and therefore disclose certain information to them.

No team member should put themselves in a situation that may make them vulnerable to claims of poor treatment or abuse by another party.

Staff Must:

• Treat all children and young people and vulnerable adults with respect.
• Provide an example of good conduct they wish others to follow.
• Remember that someone may misinterpret their actions, no matter how well intentioned.
• Be aware that any physical contact may be misinterpreted.
• Challenge unacceptable behaviour and report any disclosures/suspicions of abuse to the nominated person within HCF.

Staff must not:

• Give or receive gifts/lend or take money or property.
• Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with anyone.
• Allow themselves to be drawn into inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour, or make suggestive or derogatory remarks/gestures in front of anyone.
• Jump to conclusions without checking facts.
• Exaggerate or trivialise abuse issues.
• Show favouritism towards a child or young person or a vulnerable adult.
• Rely on their good name or that of HCF to protect them.
• Believe it “could never happen to them or someone they know”.
• Take any chances, leave it for a while, or think they are wrong.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

Recruiting

HCF committed to a safe recruitment and vetting process for all its staff, including trustees. Recruitment of staff is managed by the CEO and recruitment of trustees is overseen by the Chairperson. HCF will ask for references from previous employers and will conduct appropriate background checks as and when required by law.

All staff , trustees and volunteers are subject to DBS checks.

Please refer to the Recruitment and Selection Policy and the Trustee Recruitment Policy for further information

Training

The Foundation may provide additional training to staff and volunteers where they believe it would be necessary in accordance with the principles set out in this policy or where it might be helpful for staff and volunteers working on specific projects.

The Foundation’s grantees must provide safeguarding training to volunteers relevant to their particular activities and charitable purposes.

How to Respond to Abuse

HCF understands abuse to be the term which describes all the ways in which a child or a vulnerable adult’s development and health are damaged by the actions or in-actions of others (see Appendix 1). Abuse can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. The Foundation acknowledges that staff and volunteers must understand how to recognise signs of abuse in children and vulnerable adults.

Procedures to follow if a child or vulnerable adult discloses abuse:

• Never promise to keep a secret.  Explain that you may have to talk to someone about it and assure them it will be someone who will be able to help.
• Allow them to decide if they want to continue to open up.  Do not push them.  If they decide not to disclose, report the incident to the HCF nominated person.
• Avoid probing, leading or direction questions.
• Allow them to talk at their own pace, do not pressure them to disclose anything they do not wish to.
• Do not leave them until they are ready and then discuss the issue immediately with the nominated person.  If this is not possible, write a thorough report of the incident and speak to the nominated person as soon as possible. The nominated person will then follow inter-agency procedures as laid down by the Herefordshire Council Safeguarding Board.

Procedures to follow if there is concern about a potential instance of abuse:

• In the event of visiting an organisation, report the incident to the organiser of the programme, event or activity involving the child or vulnerable adult. The HCF designated safeguarding lead should also be informed.
• If at the HCF premises the Foundation’s nominated person should be informed.
• The nominated person will be responsible for informing any relevant charitable partners and determining the appropriate course of action, including deciding whether to contact the parents or carers of the individual concerned, social care services or the police.
• In an emergency and where neither the designated safeguarding leads are available, and the individual considers that the child or vulnerable adult is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm as a result of the incident, the individual should contact either the Police or Herefordshire Council Safeguarding Board   https://herefordshiresafeguardingboards.org.uk

Records:

HCF will record any incident, disclosure or observation relevant to the abuse or potential abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, including the date and time of any incident, the time of any disclosure by a child or vulnerable adult and if a referral is made to an outside agency.

Review

This policy is reviewed, approved and endorsed by the HCF Board of trustees when required by legislation, to ensure that it reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and best practice for the Foundation or every 12 months whichever is soonest