Gloucestershire Archery Society  provides the following activities:

• Archery
• Coaching
• Community Archery Sessions

Whilst these may not include direct services or support for children, young people and adults at risk Gloucestershire Archery Society recognises that safeguarding those members of society is everyone’s business and that all may become vulnerable at many stages in their lives.

Gloucestershire Archery Society is committed therefore to ensuring that the Management Committee, volunteers and those who participate in activities run by the organisation have an understanding of Safeguarding Children, Young People and Adults at Risk and what forms abuse may take and that they know where to raise concerns if abuse is suspected or reported.

This policy therefore applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of Gloucestershire Archery Society to safeguard children and young people and adults at risk.

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:

• The Children Act 1989
• United Convention of Rights of the Child 1991
• Data Protection Act 1998
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Children Act 2004
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Children and Families Act 2014
• Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice: 0-25 years – statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government 2014
• Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers; HM Government 2015
• Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government 2015

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this policy as:

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children's health or development
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care; and
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

(Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015)

 Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility

 “Everyone who works with children – including teachers, GPs, nurses, midwives, health visitors, early years’ professionals, youth workers, police, Accident and Emergency staff, paediatricians, voluntary and community workers and social workers – has a responsibility for keeping them safe.

 No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

 In order that organisations and practitioners collaborate effectively, it is vital that every individual working with children and families is aware of the role that they have to play and the role of other professionals. In addition, effective safeguarding requires clear local arrangements for collaboration between professionals and agencies.

 Any professionals with concerns about a child’s welfare should make a referral to local authority children’s social care. Professionals should follow up their concerns if they are not satisfied with the local authority children’s social care response.”

(Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015)

 Gloucestershire Archery Society believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind.  We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and adults at risk and to keep them safe.  We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.

Abuse can take various forms:

• physical
• emotional
• neglect
• sexual
• child Sexual Exploitation
• on Line abuse

All Gloucestershire Archery Society activities with children are run with the parents or carers of the children present.  Volunteers and Management Committee members are not permitted at any time to be alone with children.

All Gloucestershire Archery Society volunteers and Management Committee members and those who participate in activities run by the organisation are inducted into this policy and procedure and have an understanding of what forms abuse can take and how to report any concerns.

Gloucestershire Archery Society will ensure all who are arranging events on their behalf are made aware of this policy.

Safeguarding adults at risk

Safeguarding is aimed at people with care and support needs who may be in vulnerable circumstances and at risk of abuse or neglect.  In these cases, local services must work together to spot those at risk and take steps to protect them.  (The Care Act 2014)

Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.  It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action.  This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.

The following six key principles underpin all adult safeguarding work:

• Empowerment: people being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and give informed consent
• Prevention: it is better to take action before harm occurs
• Proportionality: the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented
• Protection: support and representation for those in greatest need
• Partnership: local solutions through services working with their communities – communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse
• Accountability: accountability and transparency in safeguarding practice.

 Definition of Adults at Risk

An adult who:

• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs)
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.

(The Care Act 2014)

The definition of an Adult covers all people over 18 years of age.

This means that not all adults are vulnerable but some may be vulnerable at times and others will be vulnerable all the time.  It is important to talk to the appropriate people (in South Gloucestershire this is the Adult Customer Service Desk in the Children, Adult and Health Department of the Council).

The Care Act also recognises the key role of carers in relation to safeguarding.  For example a carer may witness or report abuse or neglect; experience intentional or unintentional harm from the adult they are trying to support or a carer may (unintentionally or intentionally) harm or neglect the adult they support.  It is important to view the situation holistically and look at the safety and well-being of both.  The Act makes it clear throughout the need for preventing abuse and neglect wherever possible.  Observant professionals and other staff making early, positive interventions with individuals and families can make a huge difference to their lives, preventing the deterioration of a situation or breakdown of a support network

 Abuse includes:

Abuse is something that is done to another person, without their full understanding or consent, which harms them in some way.  It may consist of a single act or repeated acts.  Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly.

Abuse or neglect, can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual case should always be considered.  The following is a list of the types of abuse and neglect that can occur;

• Physical abuse; hitting, slapping, punching, burning
• Domestic violence and abuse; including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence
• Sexual abuse; rape, indecent assault, inappropriate touching
• Psychological abuse and emotional abuse; threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks
• Financial or material abuse; stealing, selling assets
• Modern slavery; encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment
• Discriminatory abuse; including racist, sexist, based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment)
• Organisational abuse; including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation
• Neglect and acts of omission; leaving in soiled clothes, failing to feed properly
• Self-neglect; neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding

People may make the choice to remain in abusive situations and if they have the mental capacity to make that decision that may be appropriate, however the decision about mental capacity is a complex one and it is important that the correct assessment of capacity is undertaken within the safeguarding process.

If you are concerned about a child's welfare or worried they are being abused, you can make a referral to Gloucestershire Children and Families Helpdesk:

Telephone: 01452 426565

Email: childrenshelpdesk@gloucestershire.gov.uk

The Multi-Agency Service Request Form can also be used to share information with your local office. More information on how to make a referral can be found here.

If you are unsure the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board Procedures Manual will be able to help guide you or the Gloucestershire Levels of Intervention Guidancewhich tells you which types of services a family may need to get support.

Alternatively you can call ChildLine for advice  on 0800 1111 or email them by visiting  www.childline.org.uk.

Adult Helpline

Gloucestershire County Council (Adult Help Desk / Advice Helpline)

01452 426868
socialservicesenq@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Contact details:

 Gloucestershire Archery Society

Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Miss V Ellis (Welfare Officer)

vje74uk@hotmail.com

CEOP

www.ceop.police.uk

NSPCC Helpline

0808 800 5000

 Record keeping

If a concern is raised this should be documented and sent through to the Welfare Officer of Gloucestershire Archery Society

 Managing allegations against staff or volunteers

Any allegation will be fully investigated and Gloucestershire Archery Society will support staff/volunteers during this process.  It is important that allegations are thoroughly investigated through the safeguarding process so that allegations can be either proved or disproved for the protection of the child(ren), adult(s) at risk and staff.

All allegations should be reported within one working day to the welfare officer of Gloucestershire Archery Society.

It is important to remember that abuse is defined by the impact on the individual not the intention of the abuser, in other words if someone does not have their needs cared for this can be just as damaging whether it is done deliberately or because a carer can no longer manage.  Obviously the way of then supporting the situation would be likely to be different.

People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds and walks of life.  They may be doctors, nurses, social workers, advocates, staff members, volunteers or others in a position of trust.  They may also be relatives, friends, neighbours or people who use the same services as the person experiencing abuse.

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

This policy was last reviewed on: ........................................................... (date)

Signed: ....................................................................................................

Chairman Gloucestershire Archery Society