Important Documents
Launceston Camera Club Safeguarding Policy
Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults
1 OVERVIEW
The aim of the Club is to promote an interest and appreciation of photography within its membership and in the wider community. With this aim in mind, young people under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults are welcome to join or visit the Club. The Club has a legal duty of care to people in these groups and in order to safeguard the interests of all members, the following policy shall apply.
2 SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE GROUPS ACT 2006
The legislation refers to the protection of vulnerable adults and young people under the age of 18 in respect of: Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, health and safety issues and protection of personal data.
Please refer to ‘APPENDIX A’ for the definition of a ‘Vulnerable Adult’. As defined in the Children Act 1989, anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child.
3 ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
Young members and visitors under 18 years of age must be accompanied at all regular Club meetings, other Club meetings, and other events by a parent or guardian who will be responsible for their safety at all times. This also applies to Club outings, visits to other clubs and ad hoc meetings at members’ houses. When joining the Club, the membership application form must be signed by their parent/guardian to signify acceptance of this policy. If the Young Member or Vulnerable Adult is not to be accompanied at meetings by their parent/guardian, then a designated responsible adult(s) taking their place must be named on the membership form.
The needs of any vulnerable adult will be assessed on joining, depending on their vulnerability.
None of the activities of the Club fall within the definition of unsupervised or ‘regulated’ activity with vulnerable groups. Club members and officers will therefore not be required to work with a child or vulnerable adult unsupervised.
4 CLUB PROGRAMME
During club meetings and events, images covering a wide range of photographic styles and content are shown. The range and content of these images should be similar to those acceptable to be displayed in general public exhibitions. Whether or not images are appropriate to show at the club must be judged in this context on any given occasion.
5 HEALTH AND SAFETY
All members of the club must take reasonable care to consider the health and safety of young people and vulnerable adults who are members or visitors to the club. Club members must not be asked to handle or operate equipment, for example, which might be beyond their capability in any way.
6 REPORTING INCIDENTS OR ALLEGATIONS
Allegations of incidents set out in section (2) of this policy should be reported to any member of the committee in confidence, who in turn must pass these on immediately to the Chairman (or in his or her absence, another officer of the Club). The Chairman shall liaise with the committee in deciding what action should be taken. This could include sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know such as the Police or social services and involving parents or a guardian or carer as appropriate. A copy of all written records, reports, notes and correspondence relating to any incident, will be kept by the Secretary.
Anyone who has a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding at Launceston Camera Club should report it immediately to one or both of the following people:
Geoff Trevarthen (Chairman): geofftrevarthen@gmail.com Tel: 01566 782 010
Terry Jones: t.jones39@hotmail.com Tel: 01566 86251
7 CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
A database of members’ contact details is maintained by the Club Secretary. Care is taken to protect this information in line with the Data Protection principles and GDPR legislation. This information is not published or circulated to the club membership and is only supplied to a member if the secretary agrees that this is justified. The contact details, including email address, of any child member or vulnerable adult will be integrated into this database, unless a request for its omission is received from the child’s parent or guardian, or from the vulnerable adult concerned or their recognised agent.
8 POLICY REVIEW
This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, and immediately after any reported incident.
APPENDIX A:
Definition of “Vulnerable Adult”
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 or over, who “is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”.
Some people are always vulnerable, such as those mentioned above who are in need of community care services, but any person may be vulnerable at times.
This Policy could therefore be relevant to the treatment of any Club member or visitor.
Launceston Camera Club, April 2023.
Reviewed April 2024 – no action needed - GT.
The aim of the Club is to promote an interest and appreciation of photography within its membership and in the wider community. With this aim in mind, young people under the age of 18 and vulnerable adults are welcome to join or visit the Club. The Club has a legal duty of care to people in these groups and in order to safeguard the interests of all members, the following policy shall apply.
2 SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE GROUPS ACT 2006
The legislation refers to the protection of vulnerable adults and young people under the age of 18 in respect of: Sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, health and safety issues and protection of personal data.
Please refer to ‘APPENDIX A’ for the definition of a ‘Vulnerable Adult’. As defined in the Children Act 1989, anyone under the age of 18 is considered to be a child.
3 ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
Young members and visitors under 18 years of age must be accompanied at all regular Club meetings, other Club meetings, and other events by a parent or guardian who will be responsible for their safety at all times. This also applies to Club outings, visits to other clubs and ad hoc meetings at members’ houses. When joining the Club, the membership application form must be signed by their parent/guardian to signify acceptance of this policy. If the Young Member or Vulnerable Adult is not to be accompanied at meetings by their parent/guardian, then a designated responsible adult(s) taking their place must be named on the membership form.
The needs of any vulnerable adult will be assessed on joining, depending on their vulnerability.
None of the activities of the Club fall within the definition of unsupervised or ‘regulated’ activity with vulnerable groups. Club members and officers will therefore not be required to work with a child or vulnerable adult unsupervised.
4 CLUB PROGRAMME
During club meetings and events, images covering a wide range of photographic styles and content are shown. The range and content of these images should be similar to those acceptable to be displayed in general public exhibitions. Whether or not images are appropriate to show at the club must be judged in this context on any given occasion.
5 HEALTH AND SAFETY
All members of the club must take reasonable care to consider the health and safety of young people and vulnerable adults who are members or visitors to the club. Club members must not be asked to handle or operate equipment, for example, which might be beyond their capability in any way.
6 REPORTING INCIDENTS OR ALLEGATIONS
Allegations of incidents set out in section (2) of this policy should be reported to any member of the committee in confidence, who in turn must pass these on immediately to the Chairman (or in his or her absence, another officer of the Club). The Chairman shall liaise with the committee in deciding what action should be taken. This could include sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know such as the Police or social services and involving parents or a guardian or carer as appropriate. A copy of all written records, reports, notes and correspondence relating to any incident, will be kept by the Secretary.
Anyone who has a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding at Launceston Camera Club should report it immediately to one or both of the following people:
Geoff Trevarthen (Chairman): geofftrevarthen@gmail.com Tel: 01566 782 010
Terry Jones: t.jones39@hotmail.com Tel: 01566 86251
7 CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
A database of members’ contact details is maintained by the Club Secretary. Care is taken to protect this information in line with the Data Protection principles and GDPR legislation. This information is not published or circulated to the club membership and is only supplied to a member if the secretary agrees that this is justified. The contact details, including email address, of any child member or vulnerable adult will be integrated into this database, unless a request for its omission is received from the child’s parent or guardian, or from the vulnerable adult concerned or their recognised agent.
8 POLICY REVIEW
This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis, and immediately after any reported incident.
APPENDIX A:
Definition of “Vulnerable Adult”
A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 or over, who “is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation”.
Some people are always vulnerable, such as those mentioned above who are in need of community care services, but any person may be vulnerable at times.
This Policy could therefore be relevant to the treatment of any Club member or visitor.
Launceston Camera Club, April 2023.
Reviewed April 2024 – no action needed - GT.
