Safeguarding

        Policy

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community

   Safeguarding Children & Vulnerable Adults

Statement of safeguarding principles

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Wessex Liberal Jewish Community, including visitors from Liberal Judaism and other organisations.

The purpose of the guidance and procedures within this document is to protect all children, young people and vulnerable persons who receive Wessex Liberal Jewish Community’s services.

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community believes that no person should ever experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable persons to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

Who to Contact Regarding Safeguarding Concerns

Contacts:

Tammy Sleet: tammy.sleet@gmail.com

Rabbi Miri Lawrence: via Liberal Judaism Head office  +44 (0) 20 7580 1663

Reporting Concerns & Finding Support

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community is not currently able to offer either an emergency or 24-hour response. If you have information about a safeguarding situation where a child or adult is in immediate danger or requires immediate medical attention call the emergency services on 999. Do not delay.

We understand reporting abuse may be very difficult and distressing to you and it may add to your hurt by our not being able to immediately assist you. Here are the contact details of other agencies that are available to assist either on a 24-hour basis or through specialist helplines and services.

Phone if you are child or young person and are worried about anything.

Phone if you feel you are struggling to cope and need someone to talk to.

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community take all reports of abuse within their services, whether current or historic, seriously and will immediately enact our safeguarding policy and contact the relevant authorities as appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am worried that a child or adult may be at risk of abuse or neglect by someone in a family, household or community. What should I do?

Report the matter to the Local Authority Social Services department or Police (the telephone numbers for these will be in your local telephone directory or websites)

I am worried that a child or vulnerable adult may be being abused by a Rabbi, or volunteer in Wessex Liberal Jewish Community. What should I do?

If your concern is regarding a volunteer within a Wessex Liberal Jewish Community setting you should contact the community’s safeguarding officer directly. If you do not feel able to do so, please contact Liberal Judaism and they will support you as appropriate.

If your concern is regarding a rabbi or member of staff who works directly or indirectly for Liberal Judaism immediately inform the Liberal Judaism Safeguarding Officer/s.

I am being abused by someone in Wessex Liberal Jewish Community. What should I do?

Tell someone as soon as possible. What you say will be taken seriously. You can choose to whom you talk. You can either contact the local Police or the local authority Local Authority Social Services child or adult protection team in your area (the telephone numbers for these will be in your local telephone directory or websites) and/or the Wessex Liberal Jewish Community Safeguarding Officers.

It is the policy of Wessex Liberal Jewish Community to inform statutory authorities (Police and Local Authority Social Services) that abuse has been alleged, if there is a risk that others may continue to be at risk of abuse or to make sure that past abuse is properly dealt with.

I have suffered abuse by someone in Wessex Liberal Jewish Community in the past. What should I do? Understandably, many people find it difficult to tell anyone about the abuse they have suffered. It may be many years after the event before a disclosure is made. Even if the abuse occurred many years ago, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will still act. Tell someone about the abuse. You will be listened to and what you have to say will be taken seriously.

You can choose to whom you talk. You can contact the local Police or the Local Authority Social Services child or adult protection team (the telephone numbers for these will be in your local telephone directory or websites) and/or the Wessex Liberal Jewish Community Safeguarding Officers.

It is the policy of Wessex Liberal Jewish Community to inform statutory authorities (Police and Local Authority Social Services) that abuse has been alleged, if there is a risk that others may continue to be at risk of abuse or to make sure that past abuse is properly dealt with.

Where can I get support?

The Liberal Judaism rabbinic team are always available to provide pastoral support.

However, the organisations below are experts in offering support to victims of abuse:

Details of independent support groups will also be offered. Please see below for some resources (this is not an exhaustive list):

NAPAC - National Association for People Abused in Childhood

They provide support to adults who have been abused in any way as children

Rape Crisis England & Wales

They provide support to women and girls who have experienced sexual trauma.

The Survivors Trust

They provide support to men who have experienced sexual abuse, adult sexual assault or rape.

The Lantern Project

They provide help and support for survivors of sexual abuse.

MOSAC

They provide support for all non-abusing parents and carers whose children have been sexually abused.

Stop it Now!

It campaigns to stop child sexual abuse by encouraging abusers and potential abusers to seek help and by giving adults the information they need to protect children effectively.

Salvation Army-Modern Slavery

It provides support services for adult victims of trafficking and modern slavery.

Women and Girls Network

It provides counselling and support for domestic or sexual violence, FGM and trafficking

CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection)

They work towards eradicating the sexual abuse of children; part of UK policing helping to track and find offenders.

Ann Craft Trust

They offer advice to professional, parents, carers and family members on issues relating to the protection of disabled children and vulnerable adults



What will happen when I inform someone that a child or adult at risk of abuse or neglect may be being abused by someone working for Wessex Liberal Jewish Community?

It is the policy of Wessex Liberal Jewish Community to ensure that all allegations of abuse are referred immediately to the Police and Local Authority Social Services departments (statutory authorities). We do this in the interests of the vulnerable. To make sure that all information available is shared with those with the legal and professional responsibilities to investigate. In cases where the statutory authorities decide that they will not, or cannot investigate, but concerns remain about the safety of children or adults at risk of abuse or neglect, enquiries will be made by those with responsibility for safeguarding within Wessex Liberal Jewish Community.

In all cases, the safety and welfare of the child/ren or adult/s at risk of abuse or neglect is the first consideration. Where allegations of abuse are made, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community, where possible, will suspend the person accused from the role that brings them into contact with children, young people and adults at risk of abuse or neglect, while investigations or enquiries are going on. These are neutral actions to ensure that cases can be investigated dispassionately and to protect all parties involved.

What about confidentiality?

Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will treat all information connected with a safeguarding matter as confidential between the agencies working together to protect children, young people and adults at risk of abuse or neglect. In very broad terms, information will be shared with the relevant authorities where there is a concern that a person may be suffering harm or in order to prevent another person suffering harm.

If the person who has suffered abuse does not want to tell, or cannot tell the Police or Local Authority Social Services him/herself, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will do so if there is a risk that others may continue to be at risk of abuse.

An alleged abuser does not have an automatic right to access information that is held about him or her.

What happens to people working in Wessex Liberal Jewish Community who are accused of abuse? All concerns and allegations are taken seriously by Wessex Liberal Jewish Community, regardless to whom they relate to. The precise circumstances differ from case to case, but the following information gives an indication of what happens when an allegation is made:

Sometimes people accused of abuse are arrested and after full investigations, some may be prosecuted.

What if the person accused of abuse is dead?

Even if information about abuse within Wessex Liberal Jewish Community’s services relates to an accused person who is dead, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will take this seriously and follow it up. It is still important for such information to be shared with the Police and Local Authority Social Services as it could be relevant to other enquiries.

How can people who have abused within Wessex Liberal Jewish Community be prevented from carrying out further abuse?

When Liberal Judaism receives information that someone has abused a child or adult, it will stop that person from working within Wessex Liberal Jewish Community. Furthermore, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will inform the leadership of Liberal Judaism to prevent the person from working within the wider Liberal Judaism community.

When someone applies for a job or volunteer position working unsupervised with vulnerable groups, Wessex Liberal Jewish Community will conduct appropriate criminal record checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) before a person can be appointed.


Dorset 12.08.21 Updated June 2023