SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS
All voluntary, community and faith organisations need to understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities (alongside those of other organisations and services) to help keep children and young people safe from abuse and neglect, and promote their well-being.
There is a range of help and support for voluntary, community and faith organisations working in Wolverhampton from Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council. This includes safeguarding support which you can access as follows:
1. Specific support for faith groups
- There are over 250 faith groups in Wolverhampton which you can find details for all of these on the Wolverhampton Faith Map
- To access this support, please contact Pavitter Kaur Mainn - (Faith Engagement Worker) by email: pmainn@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk or phone: 07538 105780
2. Individual and group support for any voluntary or community organisation
- contact Stephen Dodd (Youth Organisations Wolverhampton Co-ordinator) by email: steve@yow.org.uk or phone: 01902 328985 / 07981 931849
- or Sharon Nanan-Sen (Voluntary and Community Sector Support Worker) - by email: snanan-sen@wolverhamptonvsc.org.uk or phone: 01902 328982
Please ask for any help you need - there is no such thing as a silly question and we are used to working with organisations at all levels of awareness in relation to safeguarding.
Click here to view and download basic safeguarding responsibilities doc
WVSC has a policy template for both safeguarding children and safeguarding adults. This can be shared with any organisation that wants to review its safeguarding arrangements. Just get in touch with any of the contacts above.
Click here to view managing allegations against employees and volunteers page
NSPCC Safeguarding in Faith Communities' resources - created by the NSPCC these provide a range of practical information, advice and useful videos and policy templates.
The NSPCC have developed a fantastic range of resources and tools to support voluntary, community and faith organisations with their roles and responsibilities relating to safeguarding children in the NSPCC SAFEGUARDING TOOL These easy to use and relevant resources cover key areas to support you with your safeguarding roles and responsibilities:
- Child Protection
- Safer staff and volunteers
- Avoiding accidents and running safe activities
- Preventing, and responding to, bullying
- Recording
You will find the following resources really helpful: Safeguarding Self Assessment
Click here to view Guidance on handling safeguarding allegations in a charity
Click here to view GOV UK - Guidance - Charities how to protect children and adults at risk
The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is a partnership between the NSPCC and Sport England, Sport Northern Ireland and Sport Wales.
It offers advice, guidance and information as well as resources to assist with the safeguarding of children in sport.
Click here to view the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit website.
Sign up for a newsletter, checkout the CPSU NEWS page with its list of Safeguarding in Sports groups and you can also follow on Twitter.
What can we do to keep children and young people safe in our sport group?
Click here to view information on putting safeguards in place in your sports group. It links to a range of resources including:
- a self assesment tool - how good is your safeguarding
- an example of a safeguarding policy statement suitable for adaptation for your sports group
- responding to and reporting concerns
- how to record disclosures
- codes of conduct for volunteers / employees, children / young people, and parents / carers
- safer recruitment of volunteers and paid staff
- whistle blowing.
Click here for City of Wolverhampton Council - Safeguarding checklist for all clubs (including new and small clubs).
What do I do if I have suspicions a child or young person is at risk?
If a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm call the Police on 999
To report your concerns in Wolverhampton, click here or call 01902 555392