- Policy Statement
Bristol Hebrew Congregation have a legal and moral duty to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child or young person who is at the synagogue, and to take action against the abuse of the child by whomever it is perpetrated.
The synagogue believe that:
- The welfare of the child, young person and vulnerable adult is paramount.
- All children, young people and vulnerable adults regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
- Policy aims
The aim of this Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice to:
- ensure children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected during activities on the premises.
- allow all freelance workers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.
- Good practice guidelines
- For all members who are responsible for children in a class or workshop to have an Enhanced DBS.
- Never to run a class or workshop with less than two adults present in the premises.
- Be vigilant about other adults at the event and if you have concerns report them immediately to the Safeguarding Officer.
- If a child needs first aid or physical care, do not deal with it yourself. Stay with the child and reassure them and contact a First Aid trained adult on site. This depends on the severity of the first aid needed.
- If a child is bullying or intimidating other children please ask them to leave the event. Contact the one of the other adults present if further support is required.
- Do not physically restrain or lift children unless they are causing physical danger to themselves or others.
- If you have any concerns about a child/young person or a child/young person makes a disclosure please contact another appropriate adult onsite.
- Avoid private or unobserved situations and encourage open communication with no secrets.
- Act as a good role model and treat all children, young people and vulnerable adults with respect.
- Practices never to be sanctioned
You should never:
- engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay.
- allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching.
- make sexually suggestive comments to a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
- reduce a child, young person or vulnerable adult to tears as a form of control.
- allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon.
If you witness any of the above please report immediately to the Safeguarding Officer.
- Responding to allegations or suspicions
If you have any concerns about a child/young person or a child/young person makes a disclosure to you, contact the Safeguarding Officer immediately.
- Listen carefully to what is said. Allow the person to tell you at his or her own pace and ask questions only for clarification.
- Don’t promise to ‘keep it a secret’. Use the first opportunity you have to say that you will need to share the information with others that are appropriate. Make it clear that you will only tell the people who need to know and who should be able to help.
- Reassure the child, young person or vulnerable adult that they have done the right thing in telling someone.
- Tell the child, young person or vulnerable adult what you are going to do next.
- Report immediately to one of the Safeguarding Officers.
- As soon as possible after disclosing the conversation, make a note of what was said, using the individual’s own words. Note the date, time, and any names that were involved or mentioned, who gave you the information to you.
– Do NOT attempt to deal with the situation yourself.
– Do NOT make assumptions, offer alternative explanations or diminish the seriousness of the alleged incident.
– Do NOT keep the information to yourself or promise confidentiality.
– Do NOT take any action that might undermine any future investigation or disciplinary procedure, such as interviewing the alleged victim, potential witnesses or informing the alleged perpetrator or parents or carer.
– Do NOT confront the alleged abuser.
If a disclosure is reported the Safeguarding Officer will then liaise with the relevant authorities.
Accidents and injuries
The Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for recording the injury in the accident book at BHC.
Safeguarding Officer: Linsey Clark (June 2024)
Other BHC policy documents are available on request, including:
BHC Diversity & Inclusion
BHC Health & Safety
BHC Risk Assessment