Complaints Policy
If for any reason you are unhappy with any of BELIEF’s services, the following tells you what you can do to help BELIEF improve its service to you.
Not satisfied?
Talk or write to the person responsible for providing the service, so that your problem may be dealt with immediately.
Still not happy?
Put your complaint in writing to Stephanie Field or, if your complaint is against that person, the Chair of the Trustees.
What will happen next?
In normal circumstances you will receive a written reply within 10 working days of receipt of your complaint.
Still not satisfied?
Write to Rev James Reveley asking that the matter be placed on the agenda of the Board of Trustees at its next meeting. Such a request will, in normal circumstances, be acknowledged within 5 working days of receiving it.
What happens then?
The Board of Trustees at its next meeting will discuss the complaint and Rev James Reveley will then reply to you within 5 working days of the meeting. The decision of the Board of Trustees will be final.
May 2018
Safeguarding Adults Policy
1. Introduction BELIEF is committed to ensuring that vulnerable people who use its services are not abused and that working practices minimise the risk of such abuse.
All people have a right to:
BELIEF is committed to:
BELIEF will:
2. DefinitionsThis policy relates to adults who may have care and support needs, whose independence and wellbeing would be at risk, permanently or periodically, if they did not receive appropriate support and who may be at risk of abuse, maltreatment or neglect. This includes adults with physical, sensory and mental impairments and learning disabilities however those impairments have arisen e.g. whether present from birth or due to advancing age, chronic illness or injury, and those who may or may not be eligible for community care services whose needs in relation to Safeguarding is for access to mainstream services and the police, or who are unable to protect themselves. This policy also includes any individual who may be at risk as a consequence of their role as a carer in relation to any of the above.
The duty to identify abuse and report it applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of BELIEF
3. Nominated safeguarding lead personThe nominated person, Rev James Reveley, should be notified immediately by any staff or volunteers who have concerns about a vulnerable adult if:
The nominated person will provide advice and support to staff unsure about how to proceed with a particular case, and take line management responsibility for the safe delivery, quality and effectiveness of BELIEF’s services. The nominated person is responsible for ensuring BELIEF is aware of developments in safeguarding best practice, advising on changes to policy and practice (in line with Local Safeguarding Board policies) and coordinating safeguarding audits and reporting.
One of BELIEF’s Trustees is nominated to take leadership responsibility for the organisation’s safeguarding arrangements. This includes ensuring that staff have sufficient time, funding, supervision and support to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities effectively;
4. How to raise concerns
Bedford Borough Council: 01234 276222 Central Bedfordshire Council: 0300 300 8122 Luton Borough Council: 01582 547730 o Out of office hours: 0300 300 8123
5. How to report an allegation made against staff or volunteersAn allegation may relate to a person who works with vulnerable adults who has:
Any such allegation should be reported immediately to Rev James Reveley. The relevant local authority should be informed within one working day of all allegations (by contacting the Local Authority Designated Officer LADO).
The local authority will provide advice and guidance on how to deal with allegations against people who work with vulnerable adults and will also ensure that there are appropriate arrangements in place to effectively liaise with the police and other agencies to monitor the progress of cases and ensure that they are dealt with as quickly as possible, consistent with a thorough and fair process. Support and advice will be available to individuals against whom allegations have been made.
If BELIEF removes an individual (paid worker or unpaid volunteer) from work (or would have, had the person not left first) because the person poses a risk of harm to children, the organisation must make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service. It is an offence to fail to make a referral without good reason.
6. Information sharingBELIEF will co-operate in the sharing of appropriate information based on the principles defined below:
BELIEF will keep secure records of any work undertaken under this policy including all concerns received and all referrals made, and the responses made to these concerns and referrals. We will keep a record of the decision – whether it is to share information or not - and the reasons for it. If we decide to share, then we will record what we have shared, with whom and for what purpose.
7. Being alert to signs of abuse and neglect and taking actionAll staff and volunteers should be alert to the signs and triggers of abuse, maltreatment, neglect and harm. The impact of harm on a person is what is important, not who did it or what the intent was. Our aim is to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm, whether deliberate or not.
Abuse is behaviour towards a person that either deliberately or unknowingly, causes him or her harm or endangers their life or their human or civil rights. Abuse can take place in any setting, public or private, and can be perpetuated by anyone. Abuse includes physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discriminatory abuse, organisational, modern slavery, domestic abuse, self-neglect and acts of neglect and omission.
BELIEF will ensure all staff and volunteers are aware of;
The seriousness or extent of abuse is often not clear when anxiety is first expressed. If a member of staff or volunteer is in any way concerned, they should raise their concerns with the nominated safeguarding lead person.
May 2018
1. Introduction BELIEF is committed to ensuring that vulnerable people who use its services are not abused and that working practices minimise the risk of such abuse.
All people have a right to:
- live a life that is free from violence, fear and abuse
- be protected from harm and exploitation
- independence which may involve a degree of risk
BELIEF is committed to:
- Safeguarding and promoting the independence, wellbeing and safety of people with care and support needs
- Raising public awareness of safeguarding
- Promoting work on the prevention of abuse
- Tackling abuse in all settings
- Ensuring that all staff and volunteers understand their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding
- Involving people who access services and carers in continual service improvements
- Applying learning from serious case reviews
- Ensuring that staff and volunteers are provided with appropriate training in safeguarding
BELIEF will:
- Ensure people accessing services receive information about how to raise concerns if they suspect or experience abuse in all its forms including neglect
- Empower individuals with knowledge and understanding so that they will be aware of what is appropriate or inappropriate behaviour towards them
- Enable staff and volunteers to recognise poor practice, or abuse and respond appropriately
- Raise awareness of how staff and volunteers can enable people to acknowledge they may be at risk of abuse, and signpost them to effective support
- Recognise that children may also be at risk when working with families and adults with care and support needs.
- Ensure rigorous recruitment and selection practice, and adhere to pre appointment checking requirements e.g. references will always be taken up. and the Disclosure and Barring process followed where appropriate
- Ensure clear service standards are maintained and where relevant staff and volunteers receive clear operational guidance and appropriate training
2. DefinitionsThis policy relates to adults who may have care and support needs, whose independence and wellbeing would be at risk, permanently or periodically, if they did not receive appropriate support and who may be at risk of abuse, maltreatment or neglect. This includes adults with physical, sensory and mental impairments and learning disabilities however those impairments have arisen e.g. whether present from birth or due to advancing age, chronic illness or injury, and those who may or may not be eligible for community care services whose needs in relation to Safeguarding is for access to mainstream services and the police, or who are unable to protect themselves. This policy also includes any individual who may be at risk as a consequence of their role as a carer in relation to any of the above.
The duty to identify abuse and report it applies to all staff, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers and sessional workers, agency staff, students or anyone working on behalf of BELIEF
3. Nominated safeguarding lead personThe nominated person, Rev James Reveley, should be notified immediately by any staff or volunteers who have concerns about a vulnerable adult if:
- abuse, maltreatment or neglect are occurring or suspected
- someone has behaved towards a vulnerable adult in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm
The nominated person will provide advice and support to staff unsure about how to proceed with a particular case, and take line management responsibility for the safe delivery, quality and effectiveness of BELIEF’s services. The nominated person is responsible for ensuring BELIEF is aware of developments in safeguarding best practice, advising on changes to policy and practice (in line with Local Safeguarding Board policies) and coordinating safeguarding audits and reporting.
One of BELIEF’s Trustees is nominated to take leadership responsibility for the organisation’s safeguarding arrangements. This includes ensuring that staff have sufficient time, funding, supervision and support to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities effectively;
4. How to raise concerns
- If someone is at immediate risk of harm, dial 999 for the police
- Contact Rev James Reveley by phone or email as soon as possible. A decision will be made which includes whether to make a referral, who will make the referral, and how information about the concern will be securely recorded, stored and, if appropriate shared.
- To report a concern or to get advice:
Bedford Borough Council: 01234 276222 Central Bedfordshire Council: 0300 300 8122 Luton Borough Council: 01582 547730 o Out of office hours: 0300 300 8123
5. How to report an allegation made against staff or volunteersAn allegation may relate to a person who works with vulnerable adults who has:
- behaved in a way that has harmed, or may have harmed a vulnerable adult;
- behaved towards a vulnerable adult in a way that indicates they may pose a risk of harm
Any such allegation should be reported immediately to Rev James Reveley. The relevant local authority should be informed within one working day of all allegations (by contacting the Local Authority Designated Officer LADO).
The local authority will provide advice and guidance on how to deal with allegations against people who work with vulnerable adults and will also ensure that there are appropriate arrangements in place to effectively liaise with the police and other agencies to monitor the progress of cases and ensure that they are dealt with as quickly as possible, consistent with a thorough and fair process. Support and advice will be available to individuals against whom allegations have been made.
If BELIEF removes an individual (paid worker or unpaid volunteer) from work (or would have, had the person not left first) because the person poses a risk of harm to children, the organisation must make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service. It is an offence to fail to make a referral without good reason.
6. Information sharingBELIEF will co-operate in the sharing of appropriate information based on the principles defined below:
- Information will be shared on a need to know basis when it is in the best interest of the individual and especially to protect people with care and support needs.
- Confidentiality must not be confused with secrecy
- Informed consent must be obtained, but if this is not possible and other adults are at risk, it may be necessary to override the requirement
- It is inappropriate to give absolute confidentiality in cases where there are concerns about abuse, particularly when other people may be at risk or there is a legal duty to report criminal activity.
- Any exchange of information must be in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998, and Caldicott Principles
BELIEF will keep secure records of any work undertaken under this policy including all concerns received and all referrals made, and the responses made to these concerns and referrals. We will keep a record of the decision – whether it is to share information or not - and the reasons for it. If we decide to share, then we will record what we have shared, with whom and for what purpose.
7. Being alert to signs of abuse and neglect and taking actionAll staff and volunteers should be alert to the signs and triggers of abuse, maltreatment, neglect and harm. The impact of harm on a person is what is important, not who did it or what the intent was. Our aim is to protect people from abuse and avoidable harm, whether deliberate or not.
Abuse is behaviour towards a person that either deliberately or unknowingly, causes him or her harm or endangers their life or their human or civil rights. Abuse can take place in any setting, public or private, and can be perpetuated by anyone. Abuse includes physical, sexual, psychological, financial, discriminatory abuse, organisational, modern slavery, domestic abuse, self-neglect and acts of neglect and omission.
BELIEF will ensure all staff and volunteers are aware of;
- the signs of abuse and neglect,
- how to handle a disclosure
- through induction, training and supervision.
The seriousness or extent of abuse is often not clear when anxiety is first expressed. If a member of staff or volunteer is in any way concerned, they should raise their concerns with the nominated safeguarding lead person.
May 2018
Data Privacy Policy
What Personal Data we hold
Belief holds names, email addresses and sometimes telephone numbers of those who are wanting to receive information about Belief Courses or other Ecumenical event
These records shall be kept on our computers or storage devices, or manually on paper filing systems.
All such information shall kept with care, so that it can only be accessed by authorised staff or others (eg auditors) working on our behalf. Data held on computers shall be password protected and paper records are kept in a locked filing cabinet.
Lawful Basis
Legal grounds for processing your data is the consent that you have given on your GDPR consent form. If at any time you wish to withdraw that consent please email [email protected]
What is your data used for?
If you have opted in to receive information about Belief Courses only then this is all that your information will be used for. Telephone numbers will only be used to contact you if your email address is no longer valid.
If you have opted in to receive information about other Ecumenical Events then you will also receive information forwarded by Belief.
Who Can see your data?
Only the Belief Coordinator/Data Controller has access to the data
Links to other websites
Our websites or mobile apps may contain links to websites operated by other organisations that have their own privacy notices. Please make sure you read the terms and conditions and privacy notice carefully before providing any personal data on another organisation’s website as we do not accept any responsibility or liability for websites of other organisations.
Social media features
Our websites or mobile apps may contain social media features such as Facebook or Twitter, Please make sure you read their terms and conditions and privacy notice carefully before providing any personal data as we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these features.
Accessing and updating your personal data; and complaints
Belief will not sell, rent, lease or exchange any information to any other agencies. All information supplied will be for the sole use of Belief. Enquiries or complaints in this area should be made to Mrs Stephanie Field
Anyone whose information we hold shall have the right to see the data held, on request with appropriate notice . Please contact the the Data Controller Mrs Stephanie Field ([email protected]) for details.Data Retention
Belief will only retain such information as is necessary, and information no longer needed will be destroyed. Information that is deleted or destroyed will be disposed of in such a way as to ensure that it cannot be retrieved by anyone else.
Changes to our Notice
This Notice replaces all previous versions. We may change the Notice at any time so please check it regularly on our website(s) for any updates. If the changes are significant, we will provide a prominent notice on our website(s) including, if we believe it is appropriate, electronic notification of Privacy Notice changes.
Belief will regularly check to ensure we are in compliance with relevant Data Protection legislation, including GDPR legislation.
May 2018
