Safeguarding

Pat Harvey oversees the training of all who work with children and adults in the church context, ensuring they have the relevant DBS checks and safeguarding training..

You can contact Pat with any safeguarding concerns or enquiries via e-mail at alan.harvey@mail.com.

Policy Statement on Safeguarding

Protection of Children and Adults Policy Statement

New Milton Evangelical Free Church

The following statement was agreed by the trustees on Monday 31 October 2022:

  • New Milton Evangelical Free Church is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults with care and support needs and ensuring their well-being.
  • We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, psychological, financial and discriminatory abuse and neglect of children and adults, and to report any abuse that we discover or suspect.
  • We recognise that the personal dignity and rights of adults and children, and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.
  • We believe all people should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of New Milton Evangelical Free Church.
  • We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs.
  • We believe every child and adult should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that all those we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are experiencing significant harm.

We are committed to:

  • Following statutory and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that as a place of worship/organisation all workers will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy.
  • Implementing the requirements of all relevant legislation including, but not limited to; Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005, Equality Act 2010 and referring concerns about adults with care and support needs to the local authority under the Care Act 2014.
  • Supporting, resourcing and training those who undertake this work.
  • Ensuring that we are keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.
  • Ensuring that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by New Milton Evangelical Free Church.
  • Supporting anyone in New Milton Evangelical Free Church affected by abuse.

We recognise:

  • Children’s Social Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs.
  • Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.
  • Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

We will review this statement and our policy annually.

If you have any concerns for a child or adult, then speak to one of the following who have been approved as safeguarding co-ordinators for New Milton Evangelical Free Church:

Pat Harvey (Safeguarding Co-Ordinator)

Catherine Simpkins (Deputy Safeguarding Co-Ordinator)

A copy of New Milton Evangelical Free Church’s policy can be seen on request to the Safeguarding Co-Ordinator.

Get In Touch

Find Us

What’s On