Safeguarding at Roots

Everyone, as a citizen, has a responsibility for the safety, well-being and protection of others. Everyone within Roots also has a responsibility to ensure that there is a welcome for all people, including those seen as vulnerable. Everyone should be alert to situations where those who might be vulnerable are exposed to unacceptable risks. 

If you have a concern, or would like to talk about safeguarding within Roots, get in touch with us to talk about it.

Our Safeguarding Policy

We as Roots IWC will:

1.      Adopt the Practice Guidance issued by the Church of England and the Diocese of Leicester Safeguarding Handbook. We will continue to promote safe practice by those in positions of trust, and exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of all volunteers (safe recruitment). We will ensure that health and safety policies and procedures are in place and are reviewed annually, and that risk assessments are undertaken and reviewed regularly. We will review the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, procedures and practices at least annually.

2.      Have a named Safeguarding Officer to work with Roots leaders and the Diocesan Safeguarding Team to implement policy and procedures, and make their contact details and responsibilities known to everyone in Roots to ensure that everyone knows who to contact if any safeguarding concerns arise. We will ensure that any volunteers with responsibility for children, young people or vulnerable adults receive appropriate training and support to recognise and respond appropriately to situations of abuse.

3.      Promote and cultivate a safe and caring community for all, take seriously every disclosure, and commit ourselves to respectful pastoral care for everyone in Roots. We will endeavour to prevent the physical, emotional, sexual, financial and spiritual abuse of vulnerable people and to promptly report and record any such abuse that we discover or suspect. We will offer support to victims/survivors of abuse regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred. We will care for and monitor any member of Roots who may pose a risk to children and adults, whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality and the safety of all parties.

4.      Promote the inclusion and empowerment of people who may be vulnerable. We recognize that everyone has different levels of vulnerability and that each of us may be regarded as vulnerable at some time in our lives. We commit ourselves to the safeguarding of people who may be vulnerable, ensuring their wellbeing to the best of our abilities whilst attending any Roots activities.

Volunteers

Volunteers need to be clear about the procedures which should be followed when there are concerns about people being harmed or abused. Volunteers within Roots should have a good knowledge of the guidelines for good practice and should be implementing them; they should know what to do if they learn of any incidents where vulnerable people are being mistreated or abused.

Roots leaders will ensure that all volunteers are carefully appointed and supported. Recruitment to positions of trust will be carried out sensitively but thoroughly to try to prevent inappropriate appointments being made.

Safeguarding officer

The Roots Safeguarding Officer is Chantal Griffin - get in touch with her or with Kat Gibson if anything of concern should arise. Regarding safeguarding issues, we regularly liaise with and seek advice from the designated people in the diocese: Rachael Spiers and/or Peter Holloway.

Children and young people

Parental consent will be acquired before under-18s engage with Roots online, over the telephone or in person if their parent or guardian is not present. If a minor is to participate in an in-person session or an online video call, all Roots members are expected to share appropriately with respect to age. No adult Roots member should be contacting under-18 members directly unless they are a safely-recruited member of the Roots leadership team, and any under-18s should alert the Safeguarding Officer or Roots leaders should any such contact take place.

Code of Conduct for online gatherings

Everyone in Roots is expected to:

-         Speak respectfully to one another at all times. Racism and hate-speech will not be tolerated in any form.

-         Not share inappropriate, graphic or offensive comments or images with the group or individuals within it, and to alert a Roots leader if such content is shared. (Such content will be removed promptly and acted upon appropriately by Roots leaders).

-         Alert the Safeguarding Officer or Roots leaders if any concerns arise relating to potential abuse or harm towards themselves or anyone else in Roots.

-         Celebrate one another’s cultural, denominational, generational and theological backgrounds, beliefs and traditions in a respectful way that builds healthy relationships and promotes the love of God.

-         Abide by Roots Core Values.

Each person who serves in a paid or voluntary capacity within Roots will agree to abide by this policy and the safeguarding guidelines established by the Church of England and the Diocese of Leicester.