ROTARY GUIDE TO SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS WHO ARE VULNERABLE
Whenever Faringdon Rotary Club run events which involve children (under 18 years), or adults who by definition are deemed vulnerable, a risk assessment must be carried out and Safeguarding rules applied.
To be eligible for an Enhanced DBS check, the position must be a ‘Regulated Activity.’ The term Regulated Activity is a legal phrase used to describe specific circumstances where individuals are working or volunteering with children or adults who are vulnerable because of help or treatment they are receiving.
REGULATED ACTIVITY RELATING TO CHILDREN
Unsupervised activities: teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children, or provide advice /guidance on well-being, or drive a vehicle only for children, is REGULATED ACTIVITY as long as done regularly i.e. carried out by the same person frequently (once a week or more often), or on 4 or more days within a 30 day period, or overnight between 2am and 6am.
OR in a specified place;
Schools, children’s homes and hospitals, juvenile detention centre, adult care homes.
(Unsupervised Activities definition-see above; if you are working directly to and under the instruction of a person who is DBS checked, e.g. teacher, hospital worker etc. you are in a supervised activity which does not require You to have a DBS clearance).
REGULATED ACTIVITY RELATING TO ADULTS
The new definition of Regulated activity relating to adults no longer labels them as ‘vulnerable.’ Instead, the definition identifies activities which, if any adult requires them, lead to that adult being considered vulnerable at that particular time. These are:
Providing health care; providing personal care; providing social care; assistance with cash, bills or shopping; conveying an adult because of their age, illness or disability to a place where they receive health care, personal care or social care. This will not include family, friends or taxi drivers.
PHOTOGRAPHY
At a Rotary Organised Event the organiser has the right to prohibit the taking of photographs by spectators and a notice should be displayed to this effect.
No photographs should be taken on a one to one basis without another adult/parent/Rotarian present
The written permission of the parent/guardian should be obtained in advance in the case of children and by the person responsible for an adult deemed vulnerable.
Additional written permission(s) should be sought for photographs to be published on a web-site, social media, magazine or newspaper and then only the child’s Christian name should be used.
When an event is run in the public arena, general photographs e.g. of crowds of people and/or activities does not present a problem. However, photos should not be taken of children in sports clothing or in changing rooms. Common sense should always prevail.
FARINGDON ROTARY CLUB ACTIVITIES.
Young Carers – Rotary principle organiser requires DBS check and that person should also ensure that the person(s) running the Youth Club is DBS cleared
AAA kids-out to Burford Wildlife Park. A one-off activity where Rotarians are supervised by Teachers/Carers – no requirement for DBS
Lights-on –A one-off event in the public arena where we ensure that F.C. is always accompanied – no requirement.
Senior Citizens party – one-off group activity – No requirement.
Fund-raising with Thomas – group activity in public area but photos only with parent(s) consent and not for publication without written permission – DBS not required.
Air Show R.I.A.T and Lockinge – Public arena – not required.
Rota-Kids and Interact Clubs – Only the Rotarian(s) with main and regular contact require clearance. Currently our principle Rotarians are DBS checked.
14 Club – This activity does fall within the definition, however I have discussed this with the Club Coordinator, Gary Shand (this week) and earlier with him and the Social Care Worker for Oxfordshire County Council, who have applied common sense and decreed that those who have previously been DBS (formerly CRB) checked and have carried this out for a number of years and also drive them infrequently, then DBS are not required. This applies to all other drivers who Volunteer in the Wantage area. However, my view is that new Rotarians who volunteer for 14 Club should have clearance and apply through me.