Staying Safe

The following statement was agreed by the leadership:

•  Duke Street Evangelical Church is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults with care and support needs and ensuring their well-being.

• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent harm or Abuse to children and adults with care and support needs in all their recognised forms.

• We recognise that the personal dignity and rights of adults and children and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.

• We believe all people should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of the church.

• We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs.

• We believe every child and adult should be valued, safe and happy.  We want to make sure that all those we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are experiencing significant harm.

We are committed to:

• Following statutory denominational and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that as a place of worship all workers will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy.

• Implementing the requirements of all relevant legislation including, but not limited to; Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005, Equality Act 2010 and referring concerns about adults with care and support needs to the local authority under the Care Act 2014.

• Supporting, resourcing and training those who undertake this work.

• 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 this church.

• Supporting all in the church affected by abuse.

We recognise:

• Children’s Social Care (England, Wales, Scotland) 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 an adult with care and support needs.

• Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police, police Scotland or Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI) should be contacted as a matter of urgency.

• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.