Terms, Conditions and Policies

• • Smoking is not permitted throughout the building at any time;
  • No alcohol to be brought into the Hall without prior permission of the Management Committee;
  • The Hall, surrounding area and contents to be left in the same condition as found;
  • The hirer shall be responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement of any damage or loss caused to any part of the Hall;
  • All damage or loss must be reported to the Management Committee as soon as is possible;
  • The hirer or nominated responsible person will be responsible for the supervision of the premises, the fabric and contents and behaviour of all persons using the premises during the hire period. This will extend to the car park, surrounding area, in particular the hirer must ensure there is no disturbance to local residents and no car-park overflow;
  • When more than one event is taking place at the same time, each hirer must show consideration to the other;
  • The hirer or nominated responsible person must ensure that the Hall and its contents are left in a clean and tidy condition. DO NOT USE WATER OR MOPS ON THE HALL FLOOR. You are required to supply your own kitchen cleaning cloths and remove them after your event has finished.  RUBBISH TO BE TAKEN OFF THE PREMISES;
  • Children or animals are not allowed into the kitchen unless approved by the Management Committee.  Any incidents where this is not adhered to will be the full responsibility of the hirer;
  • If you wish to decorate or bring any entertainment equipment into the Hall for an event, the hirer must indicate this on the Booking Form;
  • The hirer or nominated responsible person is responsible for the safety of all persons at their event and for the safe and proper use of all equipment and also complying with all health & safety rules as displayed; and
  • The Management Committee reserves the right to charge a fee for repair or replacement for any of the above conditions that are broken.

You confirm you are satisfied with our GDPR arrangements by accepting the Terms and Conditions on the Booking Form.

The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) require organisations holding identifiable personal data to comply with a number of principles to protect

individuals. The main relevant points are:     

• Data must be collected for fair and lawful processing. The purpose of the data collection must be identified and the data must not be used for other purposes;
•       All committee members must have training in the principles of the GDPR, and understand their legal responsibilities;
•       The holder must ensure privacy of personal data, and take measures to ensure no unauthorised processing can take place (for example, by passing it on to others); and
•       The data must be adequate for the purpose, accurate, limited to the data necessary for the stated purposes, and kept only as long as it is relevant for thispurp ose. In our context, individuals must actively consent to the data being held and must be aware of the purposes for which they are held. They must also understand how to withdraw consent. It is also a requirement of the GDPR that organisations holding personal data have an identifiable data protection policy.

This policy describes 

•       The personal data held by the Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee herein after (the Committee);     
• The purpose of the data and how it will be used; and   
• The control and security measures taken to ensure compliance with data protection
  principles.

The Committee acts as the Data Controller as defined by the legislation, and holds
the following personal data:

• contact
  details for communication with residents of the area;
• bank account details required for audit and accounting purposes; and
• details relating to individuals who hire the hall or use its facilities.

 Confidentiality

It is an important policy of the Committee that no personal or contact details kept on the hall contact list are passed on to others outside the Committee
without the explicit consent of the individuals concerned at the time. Committee members asked by a resident about contacting another individual for a
legitimate reason should pass on the request and gain consent before any personal details are shared.

When using the hall contact list to send an email to multiple people, the Committee must use the Bcc (blind copy) field to maintain confidentiality of email
addresses.

Communication Data

The Committee holds limited personal data for the purposes of communicating information that may be of interest to or may affect residents of the area. In some cases, communications may include news about fundraising events or activities run by the Committee or other organisations. The Committee may
occasionally use the contact details for direct fundraising appeals.

In most cases only names and personal email addresses are held, but telephone numbers and house addresses may also be retained for contact purposes.

Individuals must explicitly request to be included on this contact list, giving consent for their data to be used for this purpose. In each communication, individuals should be informed of how to remove their consent.

Contact information is held in a ‘Cloud’ based contact list, which includes names, contact details, and date and method of consent. This list will hold similar
contact details for people who have volunteered to help with Committee activities. This is shared with Committee members involved with organising the activities.

Where an individual has requested removal from the mailing list either through the website, social media direct messaging or by email, their contact details must be removed and a record of their request maintained in the same file.

The files are managed by a limited number of Committee members on a ‘Cloud’ based storage medium such as Microsoft OneDrive.

Finance Data

The Committee members hold information about named individuals who have made donations or payments to the Hall. The data is held by the Treasurer for the purpose of providing an audit trail for the accounts, and includes the date and
amount received, payment method and, in some cases if required, contact details.

Names of individuals donating to the Hall must not be made public without the specific consent of the individual on each occasion.

Data Relating to Users of the Hall Facilities

Individuals using Hall facilities must accept the terms and conditions of use. These include contact details as required to facilitate the booking. These forms are retained securely by the booking clerk and data required for processing payments is passed on to the treasurer and incorporated into the finance data described above.

Booking forms are retained for as long as necessary to provide evidence in the event of future issues arising from the use of the Hall, for example for insurance purposes.

CCTV System

CCTV has been installed within the village hall for the purpose of safety and security and to discourage crime, antisocial activity, loss or damage to the hall and to give reassurance to members of the public.

• The use of the CCTV system and its associated images are governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• The trustees and committee comply with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) CCTV code of practice to ensure it is used responsibly. This code of practice is published on the ICO website.
• The CCTV system comprises of 4 cameras covering the main hall, rear of the stage area, kitchen and social club.
• CCTV images are automatically recorded on a secure, password protected control unit, and are automatically deleted after approximately 28 days, unless there is a valid reason to securely hold these images for longer whilst any investigations take place.
• CCTV cameras are only sited, so they capture images relevant to the purposes for which they are intended. Other than for routine testing purposes, real time CCTV images will not be monitored other than to confirm that hirers are preparing to leave the venue on time and that the venue has been been cleaned. CCTV live images will be monitored if it is thought that an incident is happening at that time. Recorded CCTV images will be accessed by authorised personnel only in the event of a qualifying incident or during routine system testing.
• Access to any recording is limited to the Trustees or designated committee members, the police, our insurance company loss adjusters (if required) and other parties for the purpose of our security and safety only. At all times, precautions will be taken to protect the rights of the people whose images have been recorded.  Please note that the system has sound recording which may be disabled.
• Individuals may apply for CCTV footage to be reviewed when a crime or incident has occurred and there is a reasonable likelihood that the event or incident was captured by the CCTV system. Any requests to access images can be made in writing by using the on-line request form on our website https://llanarth-hall.org .  These requests are subject access requests as part of GDPR and any requests will be reviewed in line with this policy.  Full reasons will be provided if any request is declined.
• Notices are displayed inside and outside the building to inform people of the presence of the CCTV system.

Llanarth
Village Hall Management Committee 

• The Management Committee reserves the right to refuse any application, postpone or cancel a hiring and revise the charges from time to time. Every effort will be made to give reasonable notice should any of these actions prove necessary. The Management Committee’s decision is final;
• The committee will not treat the booking as firm until the management committee has acknowledged the fully completed Booking Form, and received the requested deposit or payment in full;
• All deposits are non-refundable in the event of a cancellation;
• Single bookings will require payment in full on request; and
• The hirer must be over 21 years of age.

Whole Site bookings include:-

• Use of Car Park;
• Use of Main Hall, stage and its facilities;
• Use of Social Club;
• Use of licensed bar with separate arrangements with Llanarth Cricket Club;
• Use of Meeting Room;
• Use of all toilet facilities;
• Use of all chairs and tables;
• Use of crockery and cutlery;
• Use of kitchen for:-
  • preparation of hot and cold drinks;
  • hot and cold water;
  • ceiling infra-red heaters;
  • laying out food; and
  • use of the refrigerator.
• Use of broadband;
• Use of stage and associated spaces;
• Use of audio visual equipment, with separate fee payable;
• Use of heating, with seasonal surcharge; and
• Use of Electric Vehicle charging point with additional payment.

Whole Site bookings exclude:-

• Use of kitchen for food cooking purposes; and
• Use of your own mains powered heaters;

Main Hall bookings include:-

• Use of Car Park;
• Use of toilet facilities within entrance lobby;
• Use of chairs and tables;
• Use of crockery and cutlery;
• Use of kitchen for:-
  • preparation of hot and cold drinks;
  • hot and cold water;
  • ceiling infra-red heaters;
  • laying out food; and
  • use of the refrigerator.
• Use of broadband;
• Use of stage and associated spaces;
• Use of audio visual equipment, with separate fee payable;
• Use of heating, with seasonal surcharge; and
• Use of Electric Vehicle charging point with additional payment.

Main Hall bookings exclude:-

• Use of kitchen for food cooking purposes;
• Use of your own mains powered heaters;
• Use of Meeting Room;  and 
• Use of Social Club.

• Use of ceiling infra-red heaters;
• Use of broadband;
• Use of tables and chairs;
• Use of toilets in main entrance lobby;
• Use of Car Park.

• Use of Kitchen;
• Use of Main Hall and its facilities;
• Use of crockery and cutlery;
• Use of Social Club; and
• Use of your own mains powered heaters.

• Access through Social Club entrance;
• Use of broadband;
• Use of tables and chairs supplied within Social Club;
• Use of toilets in Social Club entrance lobby;
• Use of Car Park.
• Use of licensed bar with separate arrangements with Llanarth Cricket Club.

• • Use of Kitchen;
  • Use of Main Hall and its facilities;
  • Use of crockery and cutlery;
  • Use of the Meeting Room; and
  • Use of your own mains powered heaters.

All user groups must familiarise themselves and the people in their  charge with the following fire precautions:-

• The person in charge (Temporary Responsible Person) who would be present throughout the event, must ensure they are aware of the evacuation procedure and the location of the Fire Assembly Point (Information on the Fire Action Notices);
• On entering the building locate the fire alarm panel, the fire alarm call points, the fire-fighting equipment, and the location of all fire exits appropriate to the area you are occupying (Fire exits are marked with green exit signs);
• Ensure the fire exits are maintained free and unobstructed throughout the use of the hall;
• At the start of the event notify all those present of the fire safety arrangements and procedures in the event of fire;
• Identify a person who will contact the Fire Brigade in the event of a fire (Hall address is located on the Fire Action Notices); and
• Ensure the NO SMOKING policy of the Hall is adhered to.

Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee, herein after (the Committee), believe in the value of diversity and
promoting equality. We seek to maximise the potential of all our members to be responsive to new ideas, and to equip them for life in a multicultural and
diverse society. We seek to be an organisation that more fully reflects the society we serve, recognises, respects and values the differences that people
bring to the workplace and community, and seeks to serve the interests of all sections of our diverse society. Accordingly no member, employee, client or
contractor shall be discriminated against on the grounds of gender, age, marital status, sexuality, ethnic or racial origin, colour, social class, religion or disability. It is our aim to provide a supportive environment where we will treat each other with dignity, courtesy and respect. We will take such steps as are reasonable and practicable to ensure that opportunities for employment, membership and clients are equally accessible to all. We recognise that the ethos of valuing diversity and promoting equality rests on a firm foundation of good equal opportunities practice. To that end we intend to uphold and, wherever possible, exceed the guidance provided by anti-discrimination and related legislation.

For the Implementation of this Policy 

we will:

·        Communicate our commitment to valuing diversity and promoting equality, in conjunction with related policy documents, and other communications as appropriate;

·        Promote and support the development of good practice at all levels both internally, and externally during delivery of our services;

·        Ensure that the procedures for members and hall users who believe they have suffered from the unacceptable behaviour of others are fair and unbiased. All allegations of unacceptable behaviour will be investigated thoroughly and will be dealt with appropriately;

·        Fulfil our statutory obligations under current and subsequent legislation;

·        The Committee will take the lead in implementing this policy, and associated action plans; and will give their support to identifying and changing processes and practices which deny or limit fair and equal treatment; and

·        All members have a duty to comply with this policy. Any breach will be regarded as serious, and could lead to removal from Committee membership in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Committee Membership Practices. 

We will actively assess our working practices to ensure equality of membership opportunity and best practice by:

·        Providing, where practicable, a variety of forms of flexible engagement, to suit committee members; and 

·        Formally investigating where committee members needs for flexibility have not been provided.

Recruitment of Members. We will make every effort to effectively recruit committee members that broadly reflect the diverse make-up of the local community by;

·      Ensuring that young and old applicants, are not disadvantaged during recruitment, by virtue of their age;

·        Using objective, simple and clear application procedures which contain our Equal Opportunities Policy Statement;

·        Ensuring persons responsible for selection procedures are competent to make recruitment decisions on an objective basis; and

·        Applying only criteria which are specifically required for the role, and avoiding other issues which do not affect ability to carry out the role.

Monitoring and Review. We shall regularly monitor the standard of our services to ensure that we continue to uphold and promote good equality practices. 

NAME
The name of the organisation shall be Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee.
AIM
The aim of the Group shall be to provide and maintain a valuable community asset, the village hall, that supports the local community and offers others from further afield the opportunity to use a facility within a beautiful landscape.
POWERS
To further this aim the committee shall have power to:

1. Obtain, collect and receive money or funds by way of contributions, donations, grants and any other lawful method towards the aim of the Group;
2. Associate local authorities, voluntary organisations and the residents of Bryngwyn, Clytha and Llanarth in a common effort to carry out the aim of the Group; and
3. Do all such lawful things as will further the aim of the Group.

MEMBERSHIP

1. Voting membership shall be open to anyone over the age of 18 who supports the aim of the group; and
2. The Management Committee shall have the power to approve or reject applications for membership or to terminate the membership of any member provided that the member shall have the right to be heard by the committee before a final decision is made.

MANAGEMENT

1. A Management Committee elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall manage the Group;
2. The committee shall consist of a chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and other voting members;
3. The committee may co-opt up to a further 10 voting members who shall resign at the next Annual General Meeting;
4. The committee shall meet at least once each year;
5. At least 3 committee members must be present at a committee meeting to be able to make decisions; and
6. A proper record of all transactions and meetings shall be kept.

GENERAL MEETINGS

1. An Annual General Meeting shall be held within 12 months of the date of the adoption of this constitution and each year thereafter;
2. Notices of the AGM shall be published three weeks beforehand and a report on the Group’s financial position for the previous year will be made available at the same time;
3. A Special General Meeting may be called at any time at the request of the committee, or not less than one quarter of the membership. A notice explaining the place, date, time and reason shall be sent to all members three weeks beforehand;
4. One third of membership or four members being present, whichever is the greater, shall enable a General Meeting to take place; and
5. Proposals to change the constitution must be given in writing to the secretary at least 28 days before a general meeting and approved by a two thirds majority of those present and voting.

 ACCOUNTS

1. The funds of the group including all donations, contributions and bequests, shall be paid into an account operated by the management committee. All cheques or mandates drawn on the account must be signed by at least two members of the Management Committee;
2. The funds belonging to the group shall be applied only to further the aim of the group; and
3. A current record of all income, funding and expenditure will be kept.

Introduction
This policy sets out the arrangements and responsibilities for carrying out risk assessments of work activities and workplaces within the organisation.

Policy Statement
Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee recognises that its members are its most valuable resource in delivering high quality services to the community and will take all practical steps to ensure the health and safety of its members, contractors and visitors to and users of the village hall.

Scope
This policy has been agreed with the members of the Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it is in line with current legislation.
The effective date of the policy is 20th November 2017

Definitions
Risk Assessment is a careful examination of the workplace and/or work activities, considering what could cause harm. This allows consideration of what controls are in place and whether anything else should be done to reduce/control the risk.
Hazard means anything that has the potential to cause harm e.g. chemicals, electricity, working from ladders etc.
Risk is the chance (high or low) that somebody will be harmed by the hazard and the severity of that harm.

Legislation
This policy along with its supporting procedures and guidance is designed to ensure that our organisation meets its legal obligations as stated in: The Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

Responsibilities
NB All members have a legal responsibility to comply with health and safety law and to comply with the provisions of this policy. Failure to do so could result in personal and / or corporate liability.

• The members of Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee will be ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy within the organisation; and
• Ensure that appropriate resources are made available for the effective operation of the policy including staff and volunteer training.

The Management Committee will:-

• Ensure that specific risk assessments are carried out where required by law e.g. display screen assessments, manual handling assessments, COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health) assessments;
• Ensure that the findings of the risk assessments are communicated to all members, contractors etc., who may be affected by the assessment;
• Ensure that the findings of any risk assessments are recorded and a copy of the risk assessment is kept until a new assessment is produced or the assessment is revised;
• Ensure actions and recommendations arising from the risk assessment are implemented and adequate resources are allocated to control the risks identified;
• Ensure the risk assessments are monitored and reviewed periodically, this would be at least every two years and more frequently if there are any changes which may affect the validity of the assessment e.g. changes in work activity, work processes, technology. This would also include an accident/incident/near-miss/dangerous occurrence, which would prompt a review;
• Ensure this policy is communicated to their members, contractors and hall users; and
• Ensure their members and contractors comply with this policy and any risk assessment derived from this policy.

Each member will:

• Assist the competent person (or risk assessment team) in carrying out a risk assessment where required;
• Comply with any working procedure or precautionary measure introduced to reduce or control identified risks; and
• Ensure the Chair or Vice-Chair is notified immediately if they become aware of anything which may constitute a risk e.g. faulty work equipment, work processes/arrangements.

The Chair will:

• Ensure that the risk assessment policy is reviewed at least annually to ensure it is in line with current legislation;
• Provide advice and information on legislation or guidance relating to risk assessment;
• Audit compliance with the policy; and
• Carry out spot checks on risk assessments to ensure they are completed, up to date and are being followed.

Risk Assessments:
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 places a duty on members and contractors to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the Health and Safety risks to which their members (and others not in their employment) may be subjected.
Risk Assessments must be carried out by a competent person. This is somebody with the necessary training, qualifications and experience. This will usually be somebody familiar with the work activity who has completed a risk assessment training course.
It is the Chair’s responsibility to ensure the assessment is completed by a competent person and the recommendations completed and actioned.
Risk assessment should be a team approach and should be carried out in association with the members/volunteers who carry out the work activity. This ensures the assessment considers what actually happens rather than what procedures state should happen.

Identification of hazards: (Appendix 1)
The assessment must identify anything with the potential to cause harm in the workplace or work activity.
Manufacturer’s instructions or data sheets, accident records and ill-health trends can help to identify hazards.
Other things to be considered when carrying out a risk assessment include:

• The fitting out and layout of the workplace and the particular site where they will be working;
• The nature of any physical, biological and chemical agents they will be exposed to, for how long and to what extent, e.g. cement, glues, mastics and sealants, asbestos, cleaning chemicals;
• What type of work equipment will be used and how this will be handled;
• How the work and processes involved are organised;
• The need to assess and provide health and safety training; and
• The requirement for any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

As well as routine activities the risk assessment should consider any foreseeable activities that would take place during emergencies e.g. arrangements for somebody to be called out of hours to respond to an emergency.

Decide who might be harmed and how: (Appendix 2)
This should include all members/volunteers and pay particular attention to those at high risk e.g. young people, new and expectant mothers, people with special needs, service users and trainees.
The assessment should consider cleaners, visitors and contractors who may not be in or around the village hall all of the time. The assessment should also take into account members of the public, service users and others who may share our facility.
When considering who might be harmed, the assessment should also take into account the number of people who could be involved. More controls may be needed depending on the number and ages of people at risk.
Evaluate the risk and decide whether existing precautions are adequate or more should be done.
Look at what control measures are already in place to address the risk and whether this is adequate or whether more needs to be done e.g. a contractor working alone might be high risk, however if there is a booking in/out procedure, arrangements for checking as to whether the person to be visited has any history of violence/aggression, visits are only carried out in office hours, there is a procedure for working in pairs if there is any uncertainty, a mobile phone is provided and the contractor has received training then the real risk might in fact be low and no further action might be needed. Please note that all of the above controls might not be necessary and this would depend on an assessment of the risk.
Consideration must be given to any legal requirements as well as relevant industry standards. The overall aim is to make the risk as small as possible whilst still allowing the activities to take place.
Assign a risk rating to any hazards identified taking into account any controls already in place to minimise the risk.
The principles of risk control must be applied to managing any risk identified. This means that the measures at the top of the list are preferable and should be used to control the risk if possible:

• Elimination
• Substitution
• Enclosure
• Guarding
• Safe System of Work
• Written Procedures
• Adequate Supervision
• Adequate training/competence
• Information (signs etc)
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

When the risk has been controlled the remaining risk from the hazard identified should be low.
Implementing the finding of the risk assessment.
Following the assessment the findings of the risk assessment must be actioned to ensure the risks are eliminated or suitably controlled.
Actioning the findings from the risk assessment may take considerable time and or money. During the process depending on the degree of risk it may be necessary to put in place interim control measures.
The control measures implemented should be based on the priority rating following on from the risk assessment rather than based on cost.
If the resources are not available to act on the findings of the risk assessment, then the findings and details of recommended actions must be passed to a higher level of management for consideration. Advice may need to be sought from the Chairs on the contents of the risk assessment and recommended actions.

Recording the findings: (Appendix 3).

The findings of the risk assessment must be recorded. This is a legal requirement and is necessary to show that a risk assessment has been carried out.

The risk assessment should be recorded on the Llanarth Village Hall Risk Assessment form (appendix 1).

The risk assessment does not need to document all of the safety procedures but can refer to health and safety arrangements, manuals, handbooks etc.

Risk assessments should be kept by the Manager.

Reviewing and revising the assessment:

A risk assessment is not a one off exercise but should be reviewed and revised periodically.

The risk assessment should be reviewed if there are any changes in working practises/arrangements/machinery/substances used etc which might affect the validity of the assessment.

Risk assessments should also be reviewed following an accident/incident/near-miss/dangerous occurrence.

Even if there have not been any changes, which might affect the risk assessment, and there has not been any accident/incident, which would prompt a review, the assessment should still be reviewed periodically (this means at least every 2 years).

When the risk assessment is reviewed, in addition to making any changes which are necessary, the assessment should be dated and signed to show that it has been reviewed.

Communication of Risk Assessments:

Any significant findings from the risk assessment together with control measures must be communicated to those who may be affected and records must be kept to show that this information has been communicated e.g. notes of teams meetings, signed and dated check sheets showing that members and contractors have received copies of relevant assessments.

The findings of the risk assessment can be communicated by giving member s (and other who may be affected) a copy of the risk assessment.

Records will be kept in the Managers office.

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 – Hazard Information

Examples of hazards include:

. Working at height

. Use of objects at height

. Slippery Floor

. Objects (or people) to be moved / lifted etc.

. Use of machines – exposed rotating parts

. Operation of vehicles

. Fire

. Electricity

. Excavations

. Flammable / explosive materials

. Fragile surfaces e.g. a glazed door/window

. Chemicals / dusts e.g. asbestos

. Cold / hot surfaces

. Mechanical lifting operations

. High noise levels

. Biological agents

. Lone working

. Dealing with the public

. Vibration

. Use of hand tools

. Adverse weather

. Stacking objects

. Housekeeping

. Intruders

. Lighting

. Confined space

. Cleaning operations

. Pressure systems

* Please note this list is guidance only and is not an exhaustive list of all hazards likely to be encountered.

Appendix 2 – Who is at risk and how?

Once you have identified the hazards, you need to identify who is at risk from those hazards and how they are at risk. For example, operators are at risk of being cut on an unguarded rotating blade, or operators, cleaners, and all visitors to an area are at risk of tripping on an uneven floor. Identify everyone who comes into contact with the hazard including people not directly involved e.g. cleaners or visitors to the area. Give special attention to vulnerable people involved in the activity e.g. young persons or pregnant women. Consider the list of hazards again, examples of who could be harmed and how have been identified in the second and third column.

THIS TABLE IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE

HAZARDS

EXAMPLE WHO COULD BE AT RISK

EXAMPLE HOW THEY COULD BE

AT RISK

Working at height

Contractors, member s working at height

Falling and associated injuries

Use of objects at height

Anyone who may be walking / working underneath (member s, contractors, members of the public etc.)

Struck by falling object and associated injuries

Slippery Floor

Anyone walking on that floor (member s, contractors, members of the public etc.)

Slipping on the floor, falling and associated injuries.

Objects to be moved lifted etc.

Anyone who needs to lift the object.

Any injuries associated with the lifting operation. *

Use of machines – exposed rotating parts

Anyone using the machinery or who could come into contact with it accidentally

Injuries associated with contact with the moving parts, cuts, bruising, amputation etc.

Operation of vehicles

Anyone who could come into contact with moving vehicles. Member s, members of the public, pupils at schools etc.

Injuries associated with being struck by moving vehicles

Fire

Member s, contractors, members of the public (anyone in the area where the fire may be)

Burns, smoke inhalation etc. *

Electricity

Member s, contractors, members of the public (anyone who could be affected by a discharge of electricity (either directly or through arcing)

Burns, shocks from faulty equipment, live working etc.

Excavations

Contractors, member s, members of the public (anyone who may fall into or be trapped by a collapsing excavation)

Falling into unguarded excavation, being trapped in a collapsing excavation and associated injuries

Flammable / explosive materials

Anyone who may be affected by these materials, member s, contractors, members of the public etc.

Burns, etc. if explosions occur or flammable materials are set alight.

Chemicals / dusts

Anyone who may come into contact with these substances

Exposure to the substance and any subsequent short or long term ill health or injury, e.g. dermatitis, burns, occupational asthma etc.*

Cold / hot surfaces

Anyone who may come into contact with these surfaces

Burns

Mechanical lifting operations

Anyone operating lifting equipment or who is likely to be struck if equipment fails

Any associated injuries if mechanical lifting equipment fails

High noise levels

Anyone who is exposed to very high noise levels or who is exposed to certain levels of noise for a long period of time

Chronic or acute noise induced hearing loss *

Biological agents

Anyone who is exposed to biological agents

Variety of illnesses e.g. HIV, legionella, weils disease from contact with bodily fluids, water courses or through contact with needles etc.*

Lone working

Anyone who works on their own

Someone may be injured / ill and is unable to raise an alarm, coming into contact with violent members of the public on their own etc. any associated injury verbal or physical. Stress

Dealing with the public

Member s or contractors who may be exposed to violent members of the public through verbal or physical abuse

Associated injuries Stress

Vibration

Anyone using vibrating equipment

Long term chronic syndromes associated to excessive vibration, e.g. vibration white finger

Use of hand tools

Anyone using them or coming into contact with them

Electric shock if not maintained

Adverse weather

Member s, contractors working in adverse weather or members of the public exposed to adverse weather

Associated injuries that could result from activities carried out in bad weather, e.g. working at height in strong winds. Or, lighting at outdoor event

Workload, work patterns, support

Member s

Stress

Stacking objects

Anyone who may be struck by falling objects

Associated injuries with being struck by falling objects

Workstation equipment

Members

Injuries and ill health associated with poor set up and use of display screen equipment. Pain in back, wrist etc.

NB Due to the nature of some hazards and the existence of legislation the hazards marked with an asterisk require further specific risk assessments to be carried out, e.g. COSHH risk assessments, fire risk assessments, noise risk assessments, DSE risk assessments (not exhaustive). A general risk assessment should highlight the requirement for these to be carried out.

Please note this list is guidance only and is not an exhaustive list of all hazards likely to be encountered.

When considering risk think about ill health as well as accidents, some risks may be long term, e.g. noise induced hearing loss or contact dermatitis from using a chemical or latex over many years. When considering risk, think about what’s reasonably foreseeable, e.g. is it likely to happen or has it happened before? If it has then it may happen again.

Appendix 3 – Risk Assessment Form

Activity / Workplace Assessed: Location / Department:

Persons consulted / involved in risk assessment: Risk Assessment Reference Number:

Date: Review Date:

Reviewed On: Reviewed By:

Significant Hazard (* see prompt list below – not exhaustive)

People at risk and what is the risk. Describe the harm that is likely to result from the hazard (e.g. cut, broken leg, chemical burn etc.) and who could be harmed (e.g. member s, contractors, visitors etc.)

Existing control measures What is currently in place to control the risk?

Risk rating. Use matrix identified in guidance note Likelihood (L) Severity (S) Multiply (L) * (S) to produce Risk Rating (RR)

Further action required

What is required to bring the risk down to an acceptable level? Use hierarchy of control described in guidance note when considering the controls needed.

Actioned to:

Who will complete the action?

Due date:

When will the action be complete by?

Completion date: Initial and date once the action has been completed L S RR L/M/H

Risk Assessor(s)

Signature(s)

Designation

DEFINITIONS: Hazard – Something with the potential to cause harm Risk – Chance that the harm will be realised

Hazard Prompt List: asbestos, glazing, noise, vibration, electrical, poor ergonomics, repetitive motion, manual handling, heat / cold, fire, flammable materials, slip, trip, fall, fall from height, falling object, collision, glare, adverse weather, sharps, substances (dusts/liquids/gases), stress, lone working, confined space, moving parts, crushing, entrapment, compressed air, lighting, operation of vehicles, unstable stacking/storage, violence (Physical/verbal)

Likelihood (L) Severity (S) Multiply (L) by (S) to produce the risk rating (RR)

LIKELIHOOD

SEVERITY

1 Unlikely

2 Possible

3 Very Likely

1 Slight/minor injuries/minor damage

1

2

3

2 Medium Injuries/Significant damage

2

4

6

3 Major Injury/Extensive Damage

3

6

9

Likelihood

3 – Very likely

2 – Possible

1 – Unlikely

Severity

3 – Major injury/Extensive damage

2 – Medium injury/significant damage

1 – Slight/minor damage

Result

1 = Low risk, action should be taken to reduce the risk if reasonably practicable.

2,3,4 = Medium risk, is a significant risk and would require an appropriate level of resource.

6 & 9 = High risk, may require considerable resource to mitigate. Control should focus on elimination of risk, if not possible control should be obtained by following the hierarchy of control.

Appendix 4 – Assigning a Risk Rating

A risk rating is used to identify significance and prioritise actions. When awarding a risk rating, take into account the controls already in place to minimise the risk.

Risk rating is a combination of the severity of the exposure to the hazard and how likely exposure to the hazard is to occur.

Likelihood

3 = Very likely

2 = Possible

1 = Unlikely

Severity

3 = Major injury / extensive damage

2 = Medium injury / significant damage

1 = Slight / minor damage

Multiply the severity number by the likelihood number to arrive at the risk factor for each hazard. This will produce a number between 1 and 9. This number will give an indication of the extent of the risk and therefore the priority. The higher the number, the greater the priority and risk and therefore the more resources which may be needed to control the risk.

Risk Rating and Priority

1 = Low risk – Action should still be taken to reduce the risk if reasonably practicable.

2, 3, 4 = Medium risk – Is a significant risk and will require an appropriate level of resource.

6 or 9 = High risk – may require considerable resource to mitigate. Control should focus on elimination of risk, if not possible control should be obtained by following the hierarchy of control.

1. Introduction

The Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee recognises the right that people have to participate in the life of their communities through volunteering. The Committee also acknowledges the unique and valuable contribution that volunteers can make to the benefit of local services, staff, communities and the volunteers themselves. The Committee is committed to working in ways that are encouraging and supportive in the development of volunteers.

The Committee recognise that organisations, which use the services of volunteers, have particular responsibilities towards them. This policy has been developed to ensure that where volunteers are involved in the activities of The Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee they do so within a framework of good practice.

2. Definition of a volunteer

A volunteer is anyone who freely commits time and energy for the benefit of others in the community, the environment and for themselves. They do so by choice and without concern for personal and financial gain.

3. Policy Guidelines

• Volunteers shall have the support and approval of the Board / Committee / Staff and administration.
• All paid staff will be fully informed about the rights and responsibilities of the volunteers and that volunteering tasks complement the work of paid staff and do not substitute for it.
• The Committee / Staff will ensure that volunteers are covered by adequate insurance and by the same health and safety provision as paid staff
• Written volunteer job descriptions should be drawn up, which detail time commitments, necessary skills and actual duties.
• Records containing information on the volunteer must be maintained with appropriate safeguards for confidentiality, and volunteers should have access to their records, where requested.
• Recruitment and appointment of volunteers should adhere to the Committee Equal Opportunities Policies and follow good practice as laid down in the Recruitment and Selection Policy.
• Volunteers working with children and young people will be subject to a Criminal Records Bureau check and taking up of at least two satisfactory references.
• Volunteers will have clearly defined tasks and limitations of tasks within the organisation.
• Volunteers will have a designated person responsible for them to whom they must have reasonable access for support and supervision

4. Basic rules of good practice when working with volunteers

• Volunteers should be made aware of the aims and objectives of the organisation
• Volunteers must be made aware of and understand all policies
• Volunteers should have clearly defined tasks and duties, and should know who is the designated person to provide support and supervision
• Volunteers should be properly prepared for their volunteering through an induction programme that includes all necessary information and training to enable them to carry out their volunteering duties
• Volunteers should be fully reimbursed for appropriate out of pocket expenses
• Volunteering is a matter of choice, and volunteers should have the time and opportunity to consider whether to undertake the tasks offered to them.

INTRODUCTION

This policy provides the context applicable to the trustees and committee of the “Llanarth Village Hall” charity (called organisation). Safeguarding, in this context, pertains to the ongoing efforts made by the organisation to ensure the safety of individuals and prevent instances of harm, neglect, or abuse.

Notably, our organisation operates with a structure relying on volunteers and trustees who might not have physical interactions with one another or with the users of our organisation’s services. Despite this, the safeguarding policy is explicitly directed towards the committee members, outlining its applicability when they communicate with each other, with trustees, and with users of our services.

The policy is distributed to the committee, emphasising the importance of ensuring that they fully understand their responsibilities. Moreover, the statement specifies that full compliance with the safeguarding policy is a prerequisite for maintaining membership with our organisation. This indicates the organisation’s commitment to upholding safety standards and creating a secure environment, even in situations where physical contact may be limited.

CONTENTS

1. Legislative framework
2. Purpose
3. Scope
4. Responsibilities
5. Information
6. Safeguarding within the context of our organisation
7. Confidentiality and information sharing
8. Record keeping
9. Reviewing this policy
10. Appendix 1. Procedure in the event of a disclosure or safeguarding concern
11. Appendix 2. Recording concerns and disclosures
12. Appendix 3. Reporting a safeguarding concern to the local authority.
13. Appendix 4. Dealing with allegations made against a trustee or committee member or employee
14. Appendix 5. Types and indicators of abuse

1. LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR SAFEGUARDING

The appropriate legislation that supports safeguarding work in Wales is the Social Services and Well-Being (WALES) Act 2014. This includes information on the duty to report.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to outline the duty and responsibility of our organisation in respect to safeguarding. The key objectives of this policy are to:

• Explain the responsibilities of the trustees and committee, Safeguarding Lead, and employees in respect of the safeguarding of children and adults at risk.
• Enable trustees, committee members and employees who receive disclosures of, witness, or suspect abuse to make informed and confident responses.
• Ensure that prompt action is taken to minimize the risk of harm occurring from any further abuse.
• Ensure that information relating to safeguarding is kept securely and only shared on a need-to-know basis.

3. SCOPE
   • Safeguarding is about protecting the safety, independence, and wellbeing of people at risk of abuse, and is everybody’s responsibility.
   • This policy relates to all children, young people and adults who become known to our organisation through the course of our work and who may be at risk of abuse.
   • Assessing whether children or adults are experiencing abuse is the responsibility of professionals within the local authority. Our organisation role is therefore not to assess whether abuse has taken place, but to safeguard by informing the local authority if information becomes known to us that could indicate that abuse may have taken place, or that a child or adult may be at risk of abuse.
   • For this policy, a child is defined as a person under 18 and an adult as a person aged 18 years or over. A young person is a child aged 13 years and over.
   • For this policy, an adult at risk is defined as: “an adult that needs care and support, and is unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect”
4. RESPONSIBILITIES
   • Safeguarding Lead
     • Our organisation delegates overall responsibility for safeguarding the membership to the Louise Phillips as the Safeguarding Lead.
     • The Safeguarding Lead should ensure that the trustees receive the necessary reports on safeguarding issues and may call a special meeting of the trustees where a safeguarding matter requires our organisation’s urgent attention.
     • The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for implementing arrangements for safeguarding the welfare of children and adults at risk throughout the organisation.
     • The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for dealing with all instances relating to safeguarding of children or adults at risk that arise within Our organisation. The Safeguarding Lead will respond to all safeguarding concerns and make appropriate referrals to the local authority.
     • In the absence of the Safeguarding Lead, The Chair of the trustees is the person responsible.
   • Workers
     • All members of our organisation and employees have a duty to promote the welfare of children and adults at risk. It is everybody’s responsibility to recognise the signs of, and to report, abuse wherever it is seen, suspected, or disclosed. Employees must also respond appropriately to any disclosure and take any immediate action necessary to protect children and adults at risk.

5. INFORMATION
   • All employees will be provided with information to enable them to recognise signs of abuse and to respond appropriately. This information will form appendices to this policy. The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for ensuring this information is kept up to date. It is the responsibility of all workers to familiarise themselves with this information, particularly the information in Appendix 5. Types and indicators of abuse.
   • The Safeguarding Lead should complete training on safeguarding children and adults once every 2 years.
6. SAFEGUARDING WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OUR ORGANISATION
   • Most direct work with service-users is done in the context of our on-line or Microsoft Teams. Occasionally there may be “in person” meetings provided in a public space such as our village hall.
   • Our organisation does not run services specifically for children and young people, although children and young people may be present at meetings with either a parent/carer who is a representative of a community group.
   • Our organisation does not, in general, provide one-to-one advice sessions for young people. Should an organisation’s representative or employee provide an advice session to a young person, there must be at least one other person always present in the room (another young person, an accompanying adult, or another organisation’s representative). Such a session would be exceptional, as our organisation is aimed at and used by adults. Young people organising a group together will usually be referred to as a suitable youth service or organisation.
   • The roles of our organisation trustees and committee members do not fall within the legally defined eligibility criteria for requesting enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks (as outlined in the DBS eligibility guidance). Our organisation does not, therefore, request enhanced DBS disclosures for trustees or committee members. Our organisation builds up long-term working relationships with members of community groups who use our services regularly. It is therefore possible that disclosures of abuse could be made to trustees or committee members, or that indicators of abuse may be observed by trustees or committee members.
7. CONFIDENTIALITY AND INFORMATION SHARING
   • Our organisation trustees and committee members have a responsibility to share information about children and adults at risk if that information may indicate that the child or adult at risk is experiencing abuse.
   • If a disclosure is made to a trustee or committee member or employee, or they have a concern about the welfare of a child or adult at risk, the person should follow the organisation’s procedure in the event of a disclosure or safeguarding concern (Appendix 1). This includes ensuring that the person making a disclosure is aware that the worker may need to share the information and cannot promise to keep it secret.
   • Information should only be shared on a strictly need-to-know basis. This means:
     • The person who receives the information should inform the Safeguarding Lead on the same working day. If the person who receives the information is the Safeguarding Lead, then they should inform the Chair, or in their absence, the vice-Chair.
     • The Safeguarding Lead and the person will discuss the concern and decide whether to inform the relevant safeguarding team at Monmouthshire County Council, www.gov.wales/safeguarding. The decision about whether to make a referral should be based on.
       • The welfare of the child or adult at risk is paramount. Protecting the welfare of the person who may be experiencing abuse should be the only consideration when deciding whether a referral is needed.
       • If the Safeguarding Lead and/or the other person is in any doubt as to whether a referral is needed, a referral should be made.
       • It is not the role of our organisation’s trustees to assess whether abuse has taken place. A referral should be made if information indicates abuse may have occurred.
     • In the event of a disclosure, efforts should be made to get informed consent from the person making the disclosure before a referral is made to the local safeguarding team. However, a referral may be made without consent if the person does not give consent and there are concerns about the welfare of a child or adult at risk.
   • Information should not be shared with other organisation trustees, committee, or members or as a matter of course. Any information that is shared should be on a strictly need-to-know basis and kept to a minimum. Unlike most areas of our organisation’s work, it is not necessary or appropriate for all trustees or committee members to be informed on the details of safeguarding concerns.
   • In the event of a disclosure, the person who made the disclosure should be kept informed about what information has been shared and with whom.
8. RECORD KEEPING
   • In the event of a disclosure or safeguarding concern, a detailed written record must be made by the person who receives the information, as soon as possible, and always on the same day, following our organisation procedure for recording concerns and disclosures (Appendix 2).
   • These records must be stored securely, in a locked drawer or password protected file, indefinitely.
   • Our organisation trustees may not access these records except on a need-to-know basis.
9. REVIEWING THIS POLICY
   • This policy and its appendices will be reviewed by the trustees and committee every 2 years.

10. APPENDIX 1. Procedure in the event of a disclosure or safeguarding concern.

It is important that children, young people, and adults at risk are protected from abuse. All complaints, allegations or suspicions must be taken seriously, including those received anonymously. This procedure must be followed by trustees whenever a disclosure of abuse is made or when there is a suspicion of abuse.

• IN THE EVENT OF A DISCLOSURE
  • Reassure the person concerned.
  • Listen to what they are saying.
  • Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible.
  • Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief.
  • Tell them that the information will be treated seriously.
  • Do not start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions. Only ask questions to clarify the basic facts of what they are already telling you.
  • Do not promise to keep it a secret.
• MAKE SURE THE INDIVIDUAL IS SAFE
  • If the person is in immediate danger, the police or ambulance must be called straight away on 999. Ensure prompt action is taken to minimise the risk of harm from any further abuse or neglect.
  • This is particularly important if: the person remains in or is about to return to the place where the alleged abuse occurred as the alleged abuser is likely to have access to the person or others who might be at risk.
• RECORD THE INFORMATION
  Make a full record of the disclosure, allegation, or incident as soon as possible, within one working day. Refer to Appendix 2. Recording concerns and disclosures.
• REPORT TO THE SAFEGUARDING LEAD
  • Report the disclosure or concern to the Safeguarding Lead immediately or as soon as possible within one working day. In the first instance this may need to be done verbally. If the Safeguarding Lead is unavailable, report to the Chair. Do not report the information to more than one person, and do not circulate it to the trustees
• SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL
  Keep in contact with the person who made the disclosure, or you have the concern about, and ensure they know they can contact you again. Ask for their permission before sharing information, but make sure they know you may have to share it without permission. Keep them informed about who the information has been shared with.

11. APPENDIX 2. Recording concerns and disclosures
    • It is important to ascertain and establish the basic facts, based on evidence of what is seen, heard, or smelled and to make careful notes, clearly distinguishing fact from opinion. A full record of the disclosure, allegation or incident must be recorded as soon as possible and always on the same day.

Print, sign, date, and time the record. A copy should be stored by the Safeguarding Lead in a secure place in line with our organisation’s Safeguarding policy.

If handwriting, use black ink so that documents can be photocopied if necessary. If you make a mistake, put a line through it -do not use correction fluid.

Be aware that the report may be required later as part of legal action or disciplinary procedure and that you may need to appear at a hearing or court (although this is unlikely).

• WHAT TO INCLUDE
  • Exactly what the person has told you, or exactly what you have witnessed. Do not include opinions or assumptions
  • A description of any injuries observed and the exact location of the injuries. Give as much detail as possible. Any immediate actions that you have taken to reduce risk.
  • The name of the person making the disclosure and, where different, the name of the child, young person or adult at risk who has allegedly been abused.
  • Where and when disclosure was made, including date, time, and the names of others present. If you witnessed abuse, write down the date, time, and place that it happened. Also include any of this information that is known to you:
  • When and where the alleged abuse took place, including date(s) and time(s).
  • Whether anybody else was present when the alleged abuse took place or was involved in the abuse.
  • Details about the alleged perpetrator (including name, address, place of work).

12. Appendix 3. Reporting a safeguarding concern to the local authority
    • Information relating to safeguarding children and adults at risk should be reported to the relevant safeguarding team. Decisions about whether to make a referral should be made in line with our organisation’s safeguarding policy, and always from the position that the welfare of the child or adult at risk is paramount. The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for making a referral and for communicating with the local authority. However, if the Safeguarding Lead is not available, or another worker believes a referral should be made and the Safeguarding Lead has not made one, any trustee who is concerned should make a referral.
    • Information in the written record should be used to make the referral. However, do not delay making the referral if a written record is not yet complete – it can be sent later.
    • For adults at risk in Monmouthshire, contact [email protected] Telephone on 01873 735493
    • For children at risk in Monmouthshire contact [email protected] Telephone 01291 635669
    • When the concerns relate to a person who lives or receives services in another local authority area, both local authority safeguarding teams must be contacted. If you have an immediate concern about somebody’s safety, contact the police on 999.
    • If contact is made with the local authority safeguarding teams by telephone or email, the Safeguarding Lead must make a written record of the date, time and content of the conversation, and the name and position of the person in the Safeguarding team who was communicated with.
    • The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for keeping workers and volunteers appropriately informed and up to date on what is expected of them as any investigation proceeds; and for ensuring that they are aware of their rights to representation when being interviewed; and for ensuring they receive ongoing personal support.
13. Appendix 4. Dealing with allegations made against a trustee or committee member or employee.
    • Anyone wishing to make an allegation about an organisation trustee, a committee member, or an employee, either in relation to any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse or neglect, or non-adherence to these procedures should report it to the designated Safeguarding Lead in the first instance. Concerns about the designated Safeguarding Lead should be reported to the Chair, or vice-Chair in their absence.
    • Allegations against trustees, committee members or employees should be dealt with according to:
      • Our organisation’s safeguarding policy
      • Our organisation’s disciplinary policy
      • Our organisation’s equalities policy
    • The protection and welfare of children and adults at risk should be considered paramount when making decisions regarding managing allegations against trustees and committee members.
14. Appendix 5. Types and indicators of abuse.
    • Abuse, maltreatment, and neglect can be passive or active; they can consist of a single act or repeated acts. They may be physical, verbal, or psychological, or may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter a relationship to which they have not consented or cannot consent. Abuse can vary from treating someone with disrespect in a way that significantly affects the person’s quality of life, to causing actual physical suffering or failing to prevent harm. It is behavior towards a person that can be either deliberate or an act of neglect or an omission to act, perhaps because of ignorance, or lack of training, knowledge or understanding. Individuals may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. Anyone can be a perpetrator of abuse; it could be a paid carer, volunteer or a health or social care worker; a relative, friend, neighbour or an occasional visitor; another resident or service user, or someone who is providing a service.
    • ABUSE OF CHILDREN

Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children. The government guidelines “Working Together to Safeguard Children” identify the following types of abuse. The NSPCC identifies indicators of abuse (detailed below).

• Physical abuse

This may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child.

Indications of possible physical abuse include bruising on the head, ear, neck, abdomen, back, buttocks, upper arm, back of leg, hands, or feet; burns and scalds; bite marks; scarring; broken bones (including those in various stages of healing); effects of poisoning such as vomiting and drowsiness; respiratory problems.

• Emotional abuse

This is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as causing severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless, unloved, or inadequate. It may involve bullying, causing children to feel frightened or in danger, humiliating them, or ignoring them. It may also involve a child witnessing domestic abuse.

• Babies and younger children who are experiencing emotional abuse may:

• be overly affectionate towards strangers or people they have not known for very long
• lack confidence or become wary or anxious
• not appear to have a close relationship with their parents, e.g., when being taken to or collected from
  nursery etc.
• be aggressive or nasty towards other children and animals

• Older children may:
  • use language, act in a way, or know about things that you would not expect them to know for their age.
  • struggle to control strong emotions or have extreme outbursts
  • seem isolated from their parents
  • lack social skills or have few, if any, friends.
  • Sexual Abuse
    • This type of abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether the child is aware of what is happening. Examples of physical contact include sexual touching of any part of the body whether the child’s wearing clothes or not; rape or penetration by putting an object or body part inside a child’s mouth, vagina, or anus; forcing or encouraging a child to take part in sexual activity; making a child take their clothes off, touch someone else’s genitals or masturbate. Examples of non-contact abuse include: encouraging a child to watch or hear sexual acts; not taking proper measures to prevent a child being exposed to sexual activities by others; meeting a child following sexual grooming with the intent of abusing them; online abuse including making, viewing or distributing child abuse images; allowing someone else to make, view or distribute child abuse images; showing pornography to a child; sexually exploiting a child for money, power or status (child exploitation). Children who are being sexually abused may: avoid being alone with people, such as family members or friends; seem frightened of a person or reluctant to socialise with them; become sexually active at a young age; be promiscuous; use sexual language or know information that you wouldn’t expect them to; have physical symptoms such as anal or vaginal soreness, unusual discharge, STIs or pregnancy.
  • Neglect

Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child’s basic needs and is the usual form of child abuse. A child may be left hungry or dirty, without adequate clothing, shelter, supervision, medical or health care. A child may be put in danger or not protected from physical or emotional harm. They may not get the love, care, and attention they need. Neglect is dangerous and can cause serious long-term damage. It can be just as damaging as other types of abuse.

Children who are being neglected may: have poor appearance and hygiene (e.g., be smelly and dirty); be hungry; have untreated medical conditions; be tired; be underweight; not have appropriate clothing (e.g., no warm coat in winter); be caring for other family members.

• Bullying / Cyberbullying

Bullying may involve name calling, hitting, pushing, spreading rumours, threatening, or undermining someone. If it happens online, it is called cyberbullying.

Children who are being bullied may: lose their possessions; have unexplained physical injuries; be afraid to go to school or a club or have mysterious ‘illness’ whenever they are due to go there; not perform well at school; ask for or steal money; become nervous or withdrawn, or lose confidence; have problems with eating or sleeping; bully others.

• ABUSE OF ADULTS

Adult abuse can occur in any relationship, and it may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) identifies the following types of abuse and indicators.

• Physical Abuse

Including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, rough handling, force feeding, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate sanctions (e.g., deprivation of food, clothing, warmth, and healthcare).

Possible indicators of physical abuse include: no explanation for injuries or inconsistency with the account of what happened; injuries inconsistent with the person’s lifestyle; bruising, cuts, welts, burns and/or marks on the body or loss of hair in clumps; frequent injuries; unexplained falls; subdued or changed behaviour in the presence of a particular person; signs of malnutrition; failure to seek medical treatment.

• Domestic abuse

Domestic violence and abuse include any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence, or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. It also includes so called ‘honour’ -based violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage.

Indicators of domestic abuse include low self-esteem; feeling that the abuse is their fault when it is not; physical evidence of violence such as bruising, cuts, broken bones; verbal abuse and humiliation in front of others; fear of outside intervention; damage to home or property; isolation – not seeing friends and family; limited access to money.

• Sexual Abuse

Including rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult at risk has not consented or could not consent or was pressured into consenting.

Possible indicators of sexual abuse include: bruising, particularly to the thighs, buttocks and upper arms and marks on the neck; bleeding, pain or itching in the genital area; unusual difficulty in walking or sitting; infections, unexplained genital discharge, or sexually transmitted diseases; pregnancy in a woman who is unable to consent to sexual intercourse; the uncharacteristic use of explicit sexual language or significant changes in sexual behaviour or attitude; incontinence not related to any medical diagnosis; self-harming; poor concentration, withdrawal, sleep disturbance; excessive fear/apprehension of, or withdrawal from, relationships; fear of receiving help with personal care; reluctance to be alone with a particular person.

• Psychological and Emotional Abuse

Including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, enforced social isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.

Indicators of psychological and emotional abuse include: an air of silence when a particular person is present; withdrawal or change in the psychological state of the person; insomnia; low self-esteem; uncooperative and aggressive behaviour; change of appetite, weight loss/gain; signs of distress: tearfulness, anger.

• Financial or Material Abuse

Including theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions, or benefits.

Possible indicators of financial or material abuse include: missing personal possessions; unexplained lack of money or inability to maintain lifestyle; unexplained withdrawal of funds from accounts; the person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative; the family or others show unusual interest in the assets of the person; recent changes in deeds or title to property; rent arrears and eviction notices; disparity between the person’s living conditions and their financial resources, e.g. insufficient food in the house; unnecessary property repairs.

• Neglect and Acts of Omission

Including failure to meet medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social-care, or educational services, withholding of necessities of life, such as medication, clothing, adequate nutrition and heating, failure to give privacy and dignity.

Indicators of neglect or acts of omission include poor environment – dirty or unhygienic; poor physical condition and/or personal hygiene; pressure sores or ulcers; malnutrition or unexplained weight loss; untreated injuries and medical problems; inconsistent or reluctant contact with medical and social care organisations; accumulation of untaken medication; uncharacteristic failure to engage in social interaction; inappropriate or inadequate clothing.

• Modern slavery

Types of modern slavery include human trafficking; forced labour; domestic servitude; sexual exploitation; debt bondage – being forced to work to pay off debts that realistically they never will be able to.

Possible indicators of modern slavery include: signs of physical or emotional abuse; appearing to be malnourished, unkempt or withdrawn; isolation from the community, seeming under the control or influence of others; living in dirty, cramped or overcrowded accommodation and or living and working at the same address; lack of personal effects or identification documents; always wearing the same clothes; avoidance of eye contact, appearing frightened or hesitant to talk to strangers; fear of law enforcers.

• Discriminatory Abuse

Including racist or sexist abuse and abuse based on a person’s disability, age or sexuality and other forms of harassment, slurs, or similar treatment.

Indicators of discriminatory abuse include: the person appears withdrawn and isolated; expressions of anger, frustration, fear, or anxiety; the support on offer does not take account of the person’s individual needs in terms of a protected characteristic.

• Organisational and institutional abuse

This is systematic abuse by an organisation to service-users who are at risk. It includes failure to meet physical, medical, emotional, and social needs.

Indicators of organisational or institutional abuse include people being hungry, cold, dirty, or inappropriately dressed; people not receiving suitable medical care; absence of visitors; lack of social activities.

• Self-neglect

Self-neglect may require intervention if the person is unable to take care of themselves. Types of self- neglect include lack of self-care to an extent that it threatens personal health and safety; neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health, or surroundings; inability to avoid self-harm; failure to seek help or access services to meet health and social care needs; inability or unwillingness to manage one’s personal affairs.

Indicators of self-neglect include poor personal hygiene; unkempt appearance; lack of essential food, clothing, or shelter; malnutrition and/or dehydration; living in squalid or unsanitary conditions; neglecting household maintenance; hoarding; collecting many animals in inappropriate conditions; non-compliance with health or care services; inability or unwillingness to take medication or treat illness or injury.

Llanarth Village Hall Management Committee