Safeguarding Policy and Procedures

HRGB Safeguarding Procedures

An important aspect of the ethos of a Society whose members value the social aspects of membership is that we are alert to the well-being of our fellow-members, particularly if they appear to be behaving differently, or stressed. If a fellow-member (child or adult) is in distress for any reason we should try to listen and support. We should aim to support others as we would wish to be supported. If any of us are worried about a fellow-member at any time please say something to their team leader, or to the organiser of the event we are attending.

If you are concerned about an adult

If the person you are concerned about is an adult, it will be important for another adult who knows them to be made aware of their distress. A telephone call to their Emergency Contact may be helpful or even necessary, though their Team Leader is likely to be the first person to talk to. Once you have listened to the person and told their team leader (or in her / his absence another team members or the Event Organiser) you have done what you need to do, though you may wish to make contact with the person again later, to see how they are.

NB: for descriptions of the roles written in italics, please see section Roles and Responsibilities.

* Through the remainder of this document, the shorter form: “young people” will be used.

Listening to Young People

If a young person tells you something worrying, it’s likely to be true – it’s unlikely that they will be creating a fiction, so do listen to them and don’t dismiss what they say lightly.
Try to clarify what happened in a single conversation by allowing them to describe the incident from beginning to end. Try to do this without asking questions, and certainly do not ask leading questions
Don’t promise the young person that you will not say anything to anyone, especially if there appears to be a potential child safety or even criminal issue being described. In these cases you must tell them that you will speak to someone else about what they have told you, otherwise you could be withholding evidence.
Try to avoid being alone with the young person where no-one else can see you. Although it’s unlikely, it is possible that they might later tell a fictional story about you.
Talk to the Event Safeguarding and Child Protection Lead about what they have said as soon as you can, in order to get another view. This is particularly important if the young person feels unsafe.
get another view. This is particularly important if the young person feels unsafe.

Detailed Safeguarding Procedures

Section 1: Preparing for an event

Section 2: What might happen at an event and what should you do?

Section 3: What happens next?

Section 4: Referring to the Child Protection Authorities

Section 5: Roles and Responsibilities

Section 6: Disclosure Checks

HRGB Child Protection Procedures at events (on one page)

Download pdf of Procedures document: