Safeguarding Policy Statement
The purpose and scope of this policy statement
This is the Statement of Bristol Astronomical Society (the Society).
The Society aims to advance the education of the public in astronomy through provision of:
Membership, providing easy access to facilities and like minded members
Regular meetings including lectures on the subject of astronomy, telescope workshops and member discussion
Provision of educational courses
Maintenance of an observatory for the use of members and the public
Outreach events such as star parties, social events, solar observing events, school visits and stands at exhibitions
Group observatory visits from organizations such as schools, brownies, cubs, guides and scouts
Public observing events
The purpose of this policy statement is:
- To protect children and young people who receive Bristol Astronomical Society’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services.
- To provide volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.
This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Bristol Astronomical Society including trustees, members and volunteers (the Society has no paid staff).
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England, including:
The Children Act 1989
The Children Act 2004
The Children and Social Work Act 2017
A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.
Supporting Documents
This policy statement should be read alongside our organizational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents including:
The Constitution
Guidance for visitors to the observatory
Fire procedures for the observatory
Code of conduct, bullying and whistleblowing policy
Health and safety policy
We believe that:
- Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
- We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practice in a way which protects them
We recognize that:
- The welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all decisions we take all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion of belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm and abuse.
- Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experience, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
- Working in partnership with children, young people, their parents carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
Valuing, listening to and respecting them.
- Appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people, a deputy and a lead trustee for safeguarding.
- Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for members and volunteers.
- Providing effective guidance for members and volunteers so that they all know about and follow our policies and procedures and behavior codes confidently and competently.
- Selecting members and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made.
- Encouraging events at which parents or guardians are present and, where events do not have such attendance ensuring that no single member is left alone with children or young persons and that a member who has been DBS checked is present at all times.
- Recording, storing and using information professionally and securely in line with data protection legislation and guidance.
- Making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern.
- Using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately.
- Using our procedures to manage any allegations against members and volunteers appropriately.
- Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.
- Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.
- Ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, members and volunteers by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.
- Building a safeguarding culture where members and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.
Contact Details
Nominated child protection lead
Name: Robert Massey
robert_mark_massey@hotmail.com
Deputy child protection lead
Name
Phone/e-mail
Trustee lead for safeguarding and child protection
Robert Massey
robert_mark_massey@hotmail.com
NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000
Annual Review
We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually. This policy was last reviewed on 4 September 2021
Signed
T Lunn