Authors: Lloyd Fleming, Group Finance Director
SMT Sponsor: Adirupa Sengupta (Group Chief Executive of Common Purpose Charitable Trust)
Area of Governance: Board of Trustees
Date for Renewal: January 2021
Approved by: Common Purpose Board of Trustees
Geographical Scope: For all Common Purpose employees, volunteers and representatives worldwide, except in countries where the following policy contravenes local legislation. In these cases, local legislation must be followed with guidance from the People & Operations Director. This document will apply if Common Purpose policy is more stringent than local legislation.
Confidentiality: Public, additional guidelines and materials are available internally
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to protect our trustees, staff, volunteers and programme participants (including children and at risk adults) from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Common Purpose. This includes harm arising from:
The policy lays out the commitments made by Common Purpose, and informs trustees, staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
This policy does not cover:
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.
In relation to Common Purpose, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.
The practices and procedures within this policy are based on the principles contained in UK legislation and guidelines from the Charity Commission for England. They take the following into consideration:
Scope
The following people are expected to comply with this policy:
Programme participants and members of the public are not within the scope of the policy. Programme participant behaviour is addressed through the Common Purpose Conventions.
Policy Statement
Common Purpose believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Common Purpose will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
Common Purpose commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.
It is the responsibility of all representatives of Common Purpose to raise any concerns you have or any concerns which are reported to you according to this policy.
This policy does not form part of an employees' terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to change at the discretion of management.
Prevention
Common Purpose responsibilities
Common Purpose will:
Staff responsibilities
Common Purpose staff and associated personnel must not:
Additionally, Common Purpose staff and associated personnel are obliged to:
Enabling reports
Common Purpose will establish safe, appropriate and accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns for staff and the programme participants we work with.
Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be protected by Common Purpose’s Whistleblowing Policy.
Common Purpose will also accept complaints from people other than staff, such as programme participants and members of the public. Participants and members of the public can report concerns to the People & Operations Director, Common Purpose Charitable Trust.
How to report a safeguarding concern – staff
Staff members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to David O’Connor, People & Operations Director, Common Purpose Charitable Trust (david.oconnor@commonpurpose.org or telephone +44 (0)2076088115). If the staff member does not feel comfortable reporting to the People & Operations Director (for example, if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other appropriate senior staff member or trustee.
How to report a safeguarding concern – people other than staff (programme participants, etc)
Programme participants and members of the public who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should contact David O’Connor, People & Operations Director, Common Purpose Charitable Trust (david.oconnor@commonpurpose.org or telephone +44 (0)2076088115) in the first instance.
Response
Common Purpose will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to the processes set out in the Safeguarding Reporting Procedures, and legal and statutory obligations within the timelines set out therein (see procedures for reporting and response to safeguarding concerns in Associated Policies). Common Purpose will make any relevant authorities aware of any allegations made.
Common Purpose will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy. Where staff or associated personnel have caused harm to a person, regardless of whether or not a formal internal response is initiated (such as an internal investigation), Common Purpose will offer appropriate support to that person.
Confidentiality
Staff and associated personnel will maintain confidentiality at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management will be shared strictly on a need to know basis, and will be kept secure at all times.
Associated policies
This document will be reviewed and updated where required every 12 months.
Last reviewed: 14 January 2020
Common Purpose Charitable Trust
38 Artillery Lane,
London E1 7LS
United Kingdom
www.commonpurpose.org