Keeping everyone safe

Safeguarding

Every child and young person who comes to City of God Christian Centre has the right to be safe. This page explains how we protect them, who to talk to, and how to raise a concern.

If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

If you are worried about a child but they are not in immediate danger, tell us using the form below or speak to our Safeguarding Lead.

Who to talk to

At the church

Safeguarding Lead: Sister Loveth: 07780105816

Outside the church

NSPCC Helpline, for adults worried about a child: 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline, for children and young people: 0800 1111 (free and confidential)
Police: 999 in an emergency, 101 if it is not an emergency
Report a concern to your local council's children's services →

How we keep children safe

We follow the law and national guidance.This includes the Children Acts 1989 and 2004, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, the government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children, and the Charity Commission’s safeguarding guidance for charities and trustees. A child is anyone under 18.
We recruit carefully.Anyone who leads, teaches or cares for children is asked for references and an Enhanced DBS check (with a check of the children’s barred list where the law allows), and we talk with them about our standards before they start.
Children are never alone with one adult.At least two unrelated adults are present at every children’s activity, and no adult is alone with a child out of sight of others.
Our children’s team is trained.Everyone working with children has safeguarding training, has read this policy and follows our code of conduct. Training is refreshed regularly.
Parents and carers are in the picture.Children are registered by a parent or carer, who gives written consent, tells us about medical needs and says who may collect them. We only take or share photos with consent.
We have clear responsibility.We have a named Safeguarding Lead and a deputy, the trustees are responsible for safeguarding, and we review this policy at least once a year.
We listen, and we act.We take every concern seriously. We never promise to keep a secret, and we never carry out an investigation ourselves: concerns go to the people with the legal duty to look into them.

If a child tells you something

Stay calm and listen. Let them speak in their own words and at their own pace.
Reassure them they were right to tell you. Do not promise to keep it secret; explain that you may need to tell someone whose job is to keep children safe.
Do not ask leading questions or press for details, and do not confront the person they are talking about.
Write down what the child said, as close to their own words as you can, with the date and time, as soon as you can.
Pass it on the same day, using the form below or by speaking to the Safeguarding Lead. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.

Raise a concern

Anyone can use this form: a parent, a leader, a member of the congregation, or a young person. It goes only to our Safeguarding Lead. You do not have to give your name.

What are you worried about?

Say what you saw, heard or were told, as plainly as you can. If a child told you something, use their own words. Please do not question the child or look into it yourself.

A child may be in danger right now.

When and where did it happen? (if you know)

My concern is about someone who works or volunteers at the church.

Child's name (if you know it)

Their age or date of birth (if you know it)

Has anyone else been told, or has anything been done so far? (optional)

Your details (optional)

You can send this without giving your name. It helps us if we can contact you with questions, but it is your choice.

Your name

How are you connected to the church?

Phone

Please ask the Safeguarding Lead to contact me.

Only our Safeguarding Lead and the people who need to act on this will see it. We keep it securely and may share it with children's social care, the police or other agencies where that is needed to protect a child. See our Privacy Policy.

What happens next

Our Safeguarding Lead reads every concern as soon as possible and decides what needs to happen. Where a child may be at risk of harm, that means passing it to children's social care, the police or another agency straight away. We do not investigate ourselves, and we do not tell the person concerned before we have taken advice. If you gave us your details and asked us to, we will contact you.

A concern about someone who works or volunteers with us

Tick the box on the form, or contact the Safeguarding Lead. Concerns about a person in a position of trust are reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). If your concern is about the Safeguarding Lead, speak to the deputy or one of our trustees, or call the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.

Parents and carers

To register your child, give photo consent or offer to volunteer with our children's team, use the forms on the Children's Ministry page.

We review this policy at least once a year. To ask for a copy of the full policy, contact the church office.