Safeguarding and Drink/Drugs Policy

(Appendix to Aberhafesp Community Association’s Constitution)

Introduction

1. Aberhafesp Community Association (ACA) leases Aberhafesp Community Centre from Powys County Council. The Association is responsible for all aspects of its upkeep, running, hiring etc. Various policies have been adopted by the ACA General Committee to ensure the safe and smooth running of the Centre in line with the ACA’s Constitution and legal obligations.

2. The Community Centre comprises a main hall, a kitchen, toilets, store rooms, adjoining field and car park. It is for use by local groups for regular hiring, for one-off events such as weddings and fundraising events by the ACA. The hall is managed by the ACA, comprising of both elected trustees and those representing groups that regularly use the hall. Its physical upkeep is maintained by voluntary help as well as paid cleaners. There are no other hall staff and so the hall is unmanned in between bookings, apart from when cleaning is in progress. Hirers for public events/activities are therefore required to have carried out their own risk assessments and, where appropriate, have their own safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

3. This safeguarding document is for all trustees, other volunteers, any employees and hirers of the hall. It is reviewed biennially and is on display in the village hall itself.

The appointed safeguarding representative for the hall is: .

4. Also included (as it is deemed a safeguarding issue) is the ACA’s policy for proof of age/under-age drinking.

Safeguarding position

5. Activities and events that take place at the hall are organised and run by members of the public and by the ACA. Activities may include children and/or vulnerable adults, whether known or unknown. The Management Committee therefore recognises that all trustees, staff and volunteers and hirers have a duty to safeguard vulnerable users of the hall, and its premises, and those who may come into contact with vulnerable users. They should respond to any concerns they may have regarding the physical, sexual, emotional or psychological safety, or concerns relating to discriminatory or financial violation or exploitation, of a vulnerable person in relation to hall use. This policy is in place to protect all vulnerable persons regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, religion or faith.

Principles

6. The welfare of the child or vulnerable adult is paramount and is the responsibility of everyone. All children and vulnerable adults, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse, whether physical, verbal, sexual, bullying, exclusion or neglect. Bullying, shouting, physical violence, sexism and racism towards any person using the hall, will not be permitted or tolerated.

7. In addition, the ACA, all hirer’s and all other visitors to the Community Centre will be aware of their legal obligations as far as under-age drinking and substance of abuse use is concerned. They are not allowed.

Policy Statement

8. Any organised clubs, events or regulated activities, run by either volunteers, staff or committee members, involving vulnerable persons, will not be permitted to take place without first considering the safeguarding implications and making the appropriate provision (eg, risk assessments, policy changes, introductory training, safe recruitment procedures).

9. Organisers of activities knowingly involving children and/or vulnerable adults are advised to carry out safer recruitment processes when it comes to volunteers or staff. Safeguarding training and/or DBS checks should be considered and carried out if deemed appropriate.

10. The Management Committee will keep the premises safe for use by children and vulnerable adults. The Committee recognises that a higher standard of safety is required where small children, those who cannot read safety notices and physically disabled adults, use the hall. Users of the hall organising activities for these groups will be made aware of areas of concern in this regard when being shown the hall and will be expected to risk assess for these and mitigate accordingly.

11. Hirers must be aware of their obligations under the Licensing Act 2003 to ensure that alcohol is not sold to those under the age of 18. Furthermore, no children may be admitted to films when they are below the age classification for the film or show. No gambling or entertainment of an adult or sexual nature shall be permitted on the premises.

12. As part of everyone’s obligations under the Licensing Act 2003, those operating the Community Centre bar are allowed to challenge the age of users suspected of under-age drinking – and challenge those who may attempt to buy alcohol for under-age drinking. This policy is in-line with the retail industry’s ‘How to adopt Challenge 25’ which is appended to this document.

13. Appropriate signs will be displayed in and around the bar area.

14. All suspicions or allegations of abuse against any child or adult on hall premises will be taken seriously and dealt with speedily and appropriately, either directly by the ACA and/or by the relevant user group. Any suspicions or allegations of abuse involving a child or vulnerable adult made evident (either by disclosure or otherwise) during Community Centre activities, but occurring externally to Community Centre activities will be referred to the relevant bodies. Hirers of public events and activities will need to declare the relevant body in their own safeguarding policies and detail their own referral procedures. Members of the ACA committee will report any such incidents to the safeguarding representative who will then make the necessary referrals to the local authorities.

15. Advice on how to handle disclosures from a child or vulnerable adult can be found at the end of this document.

16. All Trustees, hall employees, volunteers and hirers are to be made aware of this policy. Should anyone require further information or guidance, please contact any member of the ACA General Committee in the first instance.

Procedures

17. A copy of this policy will be displayed for the attention of all in the Community Centre and made available to hirers prior to their bookings being confirmed. New Trustees, volunteers and employees will be provided with a copy of this policy on appointment.

18. Any organisations or individuals hiring the hall for the purposes of holding activities where Ofsted registration is required, should show their registration and their own Child Protection Policy to the Hall Booking Secretary and Safeguarding representative. Ofsted registration is required if you work as a childminder, or provide day care for children under 8 years old for more than two hours each day you must register with Ofsted and be inspected regularly. These requirements cover playgroups, nurseries, after school clubs and holiday clubs, amongst others. It is best to check the Ofsted website for any changes to ensure your information is current and up to date. Safe recruitment processes should be used to appoint staff who will be working with children or vulnerable adults in any kind of activity.

19. Organisations/groups hiring the hall for activities specifically for children will be asked to submit their Child Protection/Safeguarding policy and procedure to the Bookings Secretary for approval by the safeguarding representative before the first booking commences. Organisations hiring the hall for activities specifically involving vulnerable adults will be asked to submit their Vulnerable Adults Protection/Safeguarding policy and procedures to the Bookings Secretary for approval by the safeguarding representative before the first booking commences.

20. The Committee will require hirers to report any damage, breakages or safety issues needing attention to the Booking Secretary, who will inform the appropriate people. These will be dealt with as soon as practicable, in the light of the circumstances, with provision to prevent access by children and vulnerable adults pending repair where appropriate.

21. A hiring agreement that includes appropriate clauses will be entered into for all hirings for licensable activities. The Committee will ensure that these provisions are observed when holding any licensable activities itself. The Committee will give written instructions to those selling alcohol concerning the licensing offences that must be avoided.

22. Contractors engaged to carry out work at the premises must not be allowed unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults. All contractual work will be arranged outside of times when the hall will be being used by children or vulnerable adults. If this is unavoidable (eg in the case of an emergency repair) the hirer will be made aware and if necessary, should provide additional necessary supervision (for example, during trips to the toilets).

23. When one part of the Community Centre is being used by an organisation/group/hirer involving vulnerable persons, no other part of the Community Centre premises will separately be available for hire at the same time.

24. Anyone undertaking a risk assessment on behalf of the ACA must take this policy and implications into account.

To be reviewed biennially and updated as appropriate in the interim periods.

File: ACA_Policy_safeguarding_v3

Adopted: 19th September, 2024 Next review: by 19th September, 2026

Advice on how to handle disclosures from a child or vulnerable adult:

Do treat any allegations extremely seriously and act at all times towards the

child/vulnerable adult as if you believe what they are saying.

Do tell the person they are right to tell you.

Do reassure them that they are not to blame.

Do be honest about your own position, who you have to tell and why.

Do tell the person what you are doing and when, and keep them up to date with what

is happening.

Do take further action – you may be the only person in a position to prevent future

abuse – tell your nominated person immediately.

Do write down everything said and what was done.

Do seek medical attention if necessary.

Do inform parents/carers/family members unless there is suspicion of their

involvement.

Don’t make promises you can’t keep (for example you won’t tell anyone else).

Don’t interrogate the person – it is not your job to carry out an investigation – this will

be up to the police and social services, who have experience in this.

Don’t cast doubt on what the person has told you, don’t interrupt or change the

subject.

Don’t say anything that makes the person feel responsible for the abuse.

Don’t Do Nothing – make sure you tell your nominated child protection person

immediately – they will know how to follow this up and where to go for further advice.