SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Clwyd Special Riding Centre (CSRC) fully accepts its legal and moral obligation to protect children in the course of its work and it is our policy to make every reasonable safeguard to protect those who are involved in any aspect of our work.

In pursuit of this, CSRC is committed to ensuring that:
• The welfare of children is paramount.
• All children are able to participate in a fun and safe environment.
• All children have the right to protection from physical, sexual and emotional harm and from neglect and bullying.
• All reasonable and practical steps are taken to protect children from harm, discrimination and degrading treatment; respecting children’s rights, wishes and feelings.
• All suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
• All trustees, employees and volunteers have a responsibility to report any concerns with regards to child protection matters.

It is the responsibility of experts to determine whether or not abuse has taken place, but it is everyone’s responsibility to report any concerns:
• CSRC has a designated Safeguarding Officer.
• Safeguarding Officers and other relevant staff/volunteers receive appropriate training and guidance on child protection.

Adherence to Policy
Clwyd Special Riding Centre adheres to the local policies named below:
• Wales Policy and Procedures for the Protection of Vulnerable Adults from Abuse –Commissioned by the adult Protection Fora.
• All Wales Child Protection Procedures – Produced on behalf of All Local Safeguarding Children Boards in Wales.

The above policies are available in full at Clwyd Special Riding Centre.

The suspected abuse of a child or adult must be reported to social services or to the police, who are the agencies with statutory powers to investigate suspected abuse.

CSRC must not undertake their own internal inquiries but refer their concerns.

If the concern involves a member of staff, CSRC must not make their own internal decisions about whether it is a disciplinary issue or a safeguarding matter. These complex considerations should only take place with the involvement of social services and the police.

CSRC should be mindful that the police have statutory powers and responsibility for determining whether a criminal investigation is to be undertaken.

As defined in the Children Act 1989, for the purposes of this policy anyone under the age of 18 should be considered a child. All organisations, which provide for children, should be able to demonstrate the existence, implementation and effectiveness of child protection policies.

The policies and procedures apply to everyone within RDA, whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, including trustees, committee members and designated medical and veterinary staff. Everyone should be aware of the child protection procedures and best practices and ensure they are implemented.

Additional Legal and Procedural Framework
The practices and procedures within CSRC are based on the principles contained within the UK and International legislation and Government guidance taking the following into account:
• Children Act 1989 (England and Wales) & 2004
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989
• The Protection of Children Act 1999
• The Human Rights Act 2000
• Every Child Matters 2006
• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE, 2015)

August 2024