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Published: June 2024

Review Date: June 2025

 

 

  1. What is safeguarding 

 

  • Safeguarding refers to measures designed to protect the health, wellbeing and human rights of individuals.  These measures allow adults and children to live free from abuse, harm and neglect.  

  • Abuse, harassment and harm can happen to anyone including people we meet with, socialise with. This includes club members, walk leaders and volunteers. It’s not always visible and often not spoken about. 

 

  1. Purpose

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk from abuse or neglect.

  • This policy defines how Rushden Rambling Club operates to safeguard children, young people, and adults at risk of abuse or neglect. We have a duty of care and are committed to the protection and safety of everyone undertakes our activities including children, young people and adults at risk involved. We also have a duty to safeguard and support our members, walk leaders and volunteers.

  1. Policy principles

Rushden Rambling Club is committed to the following principles:

  • The welfare of the child, young person or adult at risk is paramount.

  • All children, young people and adults at risk have the right to protection from abuse.

  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

  • All suspicions and allegations of abuse must be properly reported to the relevant internal contact and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

 

  1. Definitions

This policy will apply to all members, walk leaders and volunteers and will be used in carrying out activities or any other undertakings organised by the club.

Children and young people are defined as those persons aged under 18 years old.

Safeguarding and ensuring the welfare of children is defined as:

  • protecting children undertaking activities under the direction of the club from maltreatment and preventing any impairment of their health and development.

  • ensuring that any children in the under the supervision of the club are given safe and effective care.

 

Adults at risk of abuse or neglect

For the purposes of this policy, adult at risk refers to someone over 18 years old who, according to Section 42 of the Care Act 2014:

  • has care and support needs.

  • is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect.

  • as a result of their care and support needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

If someone has care and support needs but is not currently receiving care or support from a health or care service, they may still be an adult at risk.

  1. Persons affected

  • All members, walk leaders and other volunteers.

  • All those attending any activity or undertaking that is being delivered by the Rushden Rambling Club.

  • All service providers and or contractors.

 

  1. Our commitment to safeguarding 

 

  • Rushden Rambling Club is committed to following good practice.  We take our responsibilities for safeguarding extremely seriously, recognising that we have a duty of care to our members, walk leaders, volunteers, supporters and members of the public.   

  • The welfare of children and adults is paramount in all the events, activities and programmes we carry out, as well as the decisions we make.  It is important to value, listen to and respect all views and opinions.  All children and adults, regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital or gender status have the right to be protected from abuse and poor practice and to participate in an enjoyable and safe environment. 

  • We will seek to ensure that we are inclusive and make reasonable adjustments for any ability, disability or impairment, we will also commit to continuous development, monitoring and review.  The rights, dignity and worth of all children and adults will always be respected.  We recognise that ability and disability can change over time and that some children and adults may be additionally vulnerable to abuse, in particular those with care and support needs. 

  • We all have a shared responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all and will act appropriately and report concerns. 

  • It can be difficult to distinguish poor practice from abuse, whether intentional or accidental.  It is not the responsibility of any individual involved to make judgements regarding whether or not abuse is taking place. Everyone is responsible for recognising and identifying poor practice and potential abuse, and to act on this if they have concerns. 

  1.  Procedures

  • All members of the Rushden Rambling Club Committee, Walk Leaders and organisers will work together to promote a culture that enables issues about safeguarding and promoting welfare to be addressed.

  • If there is an immediate danger, missing or risk to life, then the person leading the event or walk leader should immediately contact 999 

  • A member of the committee will be appointed to be responsible for child and adult at risk safeguarding matters. This person will have responsibility for reporting concerns that arise, as a matter of urgency, to the relevant safeguarding agency.

  • The named person is Jaqueline Parker until the policy is reviewed in June 2025. This person may be contacted at rushdenramblers@gmail.com

  • All suspicions or allegations of abuse against a child or adult at risk will be taken seriously and dealt with speedily and appropriately. The appointed person will know who to contact and where to go for support and advice in relation to an allegation, a concern about the quality of care or practice or a complaint.

  • The committee will ensure that all walk leaders or organisers of events have signed to agree to this safeguarding policy. This will require walk leaders and organisers who lead groups on walks or activities which include children and adults at risk to adhere to the principles and procedures outlined in this safeguarding policy.

  • The Rushden Rambling Club Committee will carry out an annual review of this policy.

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