Safeguarding Policy
Policy Statement
In the interests of safeguarding children and the welfare and protection of adults with care and support needs, Paston Parish Council (“The Council”) is committed to ensuring that children and adults with care and support needs are protected and kept safe from harm whilst they are engaged in any activity associated with the Council.
Policy Objective
• To ensure that where possible all facilities and activities offered by the Council are designed and maintained to limit risk to children and adults with care and support needs.
• To develop procedures in recording and responding to safeguarding complaints and to alleged or suspected incidents of abuse and neglect.
As the Council does not directly provide care of supervision services to children and adults with care and support needs, it expects all children and adults with care and support needs using its facilities to do so with the consent and the necessary supervision of a parent, carer or other responsible adult.
Aims: The aim of this policy document is to guide members of the Parish Council and any co-opted members of Committees should any safeguarding children issue or any issues with adults with care and support needs arise during their work.
Responsibilities and Procedures: A Parish Councillor is be designated as Safeguarding Officer, whose responsibilities will include:
• Ensuring that participants are appropriately briefed before any Parish Council organised event with children or vulnerable people; [training will need to be organised for this person]
• Ensuring that councillors are aware of the risks they may face in certain circumstances whilst carrying out their duties;
• Ensuring that whilst councillors are unlikely to be involved with children during the performance of their duties they are mindful of the risks they face.
All new councillors are to be provided with a copy of the Safeguarding Policy and are required to acknowledge they will abide by it. Councillors will adhere to the ‘List of Recommended Behaviours’ namely:
• A minimum of two adults to be present when supervising children
• Not to play physical contact games
• Ensure that accidents are recorded in an accident book
• Never do anything of a personal nature for a young person
• Keep records in an incident book of any allegations a young person may make to any parish councillor or volunteer
• A child abuse incident, if one occurse, to be reported to the Safeguarding Officer who will be responsible for ensuring the matter is handled in accordance with the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Board procedures and also referred to the Parish Council for further action as appropriate and future risk assessment
• Facilities offered by the Parish Council to be inspected on a regular basis. and the play areas inspected annually by a fully independent qualified inspector
• In the event of a contractor, working directly for the Parish Council, being deemed to be working in any area where children or adults with care and support needs may be at risk, that contractor to be asked to provide their Safeguarding Policy.
Any organisation which is engaged by the Parish Council (for example the YMCA) to work with children or adults with care or support needs on their behalf shall be required to show proof of its own Safeguarding Policy before being contracted by the Parish Council. The organisation’s policy must, as a minimum, adhere to the standards set out within this policy. The Safeguarding Officer will need to review such policies.
Referrals
If there are safeguarding concerns for a child or an adult with care and support needs, the Safeguarding Officer will seek advice from:
For children: Norfolk Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (known as Norfolk MASH) 0344 800 8020.
For adults: Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board 0344 800 8020
Declaration
Paston Parish Council is fully committed to safeguarding the well-being of children and adults with care and support needs.
All members of the Council should read the Safeguarding Policy. Having read the policy, they should be proactive in providing a safe environment for children and adults with care and support needs who are involved in Parish Council activities.
Paston Parish Council
Equality Policy
1. Background
The Equality Act 2010 applies to all organisations that provide a service to the public or a section of the public.
2. Council’s commitment
Paston Parish Council (“The Council”) aims to ensure that its services and activities meet the varied needs and expectations of the local people and that everyone has equal access to all services regardless of age, gender, sex and sexual orientation, disability, marital status, ethnicity, religious belief or any other individual characteristics which may limit a person’s opportunity in life.
The Council will endeavour to:
• Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a characteristic and those who do not
• Foster good relations between people who share a characteristic and those who do not.
In order to promote equality of access to services the Council will aim to ensure the following:
• The services provided are in response to the needs of the whole community
• The Council will monitor views and take into account parishioner views
• The information on services and activities is widely available to ensure maximum awareness of provisions
• That in advertising and publicity the Council will be presented as an authority committed to promoting equality of access to employment and services
• That staff will be consulted and their contribution valued in the information and promotion of equality of access to Council services
• That staff will be trained and supported in carrying out their duties in line with implementing equal opportunities policies.
3. Monitoring
The Parish Clerk will establish appropriate systems to monitor the service delivery on the basis of age, gender, sex and sexual orientation, disability, marital status, ethnicity, religious belief or any other individual characteristics to ensure that they act fairly and without discrimination.
4. Employment
It is the policy of Paston Parish Council to afford equal treatment to all its employees and prospective employees. The aim is to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, sex or sexual orientation, marital status, physical or other handicap.
While the main responsibility for providing equal opportunity rests with the Council, individual employees also have responsibilities. The elimination of discriminatory practices depends upon the co-operation of all employees. In particular employees should:
• Co-operate with measures introduced to make sure there is equality of opportunity and no discrimination
• Ensure that they do not discriminate against colleagues
• Draw the Parish Clerk’s attention to discriminatory acts or practices
• Not victimise individuals on the grounds that they have made a complaint or provided information about discrimination
• Not harass, abuse, bully or intimidate employees.
Where employees commit such acts in the course of their employment it will be considered a disciplinary matter and the appropriate action taken.
