Safeguarding Policy – Christchurch Magdalen Trust (CMT)

The Christchurch Magdalen Trust is the working name of the Hospital of St Mary Magdalen. Charity number 236722

1. Introduction

CMT is a charity which provides grants to help people in Christchurch who are in need or infirm, either directly or through other caring organizations. To do so it has a clerk and volunteer trustees. It wants what it does to be of the highest standard. However, as with any activity, there will always be risks, some of which may cause harm to others. This policy sets out how CMT minimises those risks and fulfils the expectation of the Charity Commission that it is taking “reasonable steps to protect from harm people who come into contact with the charity”.

2. Commitment

CMT is committed to ensuring that everyone who comes into contact with it is kept as safe as possible and that any harm is minimised. Such safeguarded persons include:

• The Trustees
• The Clerk
• Anyone who benefits from what CMT does or who the Charity comes into contact with.

CMT:

• Ensures that all people are treated with dignity and respect and feel that they are safe and supported
• Reduces risks by understanding what those are
• Handles and records complaints, grievances and other disclosures promptly
• Is open and transparent when things go wrong
• Supports or obtains support for those who have been harmed
• Reviews, at regular intervals, it’s Safeguarding policy.

3. How CMT will carry out its duty

CMT will ensure that it carries out its safeguarding duties by:

• Encouraging an open culture that allows any safeguarding concerns to be addressed. If any person raises a concern about wrongdoing within the Charity, CMT will ensure that a person who in good faith raises concerns, or complains, or whistle-blows in the public interest, will be protected from reprisals and victimisation. Further guidance can be obtained through the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board, a link to which is given in Section 5.
• Ensuring CMT has a range of appropriate policies and procedures in place that are regularly reviewed and identifies risks to those it comes into contact with.
• Ensuring that the staff and trustees recruited are suitable for the role they carry out, making use of appropriate checks when legally able to do so
• Ensuring that the Trustees and the Clerk are trained as appropriate, aware of CMT policies and know how to recognise, respond to, report and record a safeguarding concern
• By receiving reports from the Clerk

4. Oversight

It is the Trustees who oversee and ensure that CMT’s safeguarding duties are fulfilled. They are supported in this by the Clerk who is the nominated safeguarding and data compliance officer. The role of the Safeguarding Officer is:

• to ensure that the Trustees understand the concept of safeguarding, all reports and policies and that any training required is provided.
• To monitor what CMT does to ensure it reflects safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to its activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charity Commission and that policies and procedures are in place and effective.
• To ensure the CMT Risk Strategy reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans sensible measures to take, including relevant insurance for trustees’ liability
• To oversee safeguarding allegations.

5. Reporting

Safeguarding is a standing item on the Trustee Board’s Agenda for the Clerk to report any significant safeguarding incidents.

Within the confines of the Charity’s Privacy Policy, a written record is kept about any concern regarding a person with safeguarding needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made and why they were made.

Once a year the Clerk will produce a report for the Trustees summarising how CMT has carried out its safeguarding function

The Trustees Annual Report will include a section on safeguarding performance

If an incident takes place that is categorised as serious as set out by the Charity Commission  (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-a-serious-incident-in-your-charity)  or is a case of abuse or harm then the Clerk will liaise with the Chair on making a report(s) as required. This may be to the Police or the Local Authority via the Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Safeguarding Adults Board

(https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/adult-social-care-and-health/keep-adults-Safe-from-abuse/the-bournemouth-christchurch-and-poole-safeguarding-adults-board

If the incident produces a conflict with the role of the Clerk, the Chair or person appointed by the Chair shall act in place of the Clerk.

6. Applicants for Help

The safeguarding duties of CMT extend to persons receiving help. It may be that when dealing with an application, harm is suspected of being caused by a third party. If so, CMT will convene a meeting of three persons including the Chair and/or the Clerk and if it is concluded that there is a safeguarding issue, then, notwithstanding anything in its Privacy Policy, CMT will share information with BCP Council if a person is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed.

CMT will not make a cash grant unless CMT is satisfied that an advocate, front line caring organisation or relative is able to make an appropriate decision on behalf of a person requiring the grant who suffers from mental incapacity. (“Mental Incapacity” would be an inability to understand, weigh up or retain information long enough to make a particular decision or, once made, communicate the decision, because of an illness or disability such as a mental health problem, dementia or a learning disability)

7. CMT Contact Details

Name:                        Alastair Hoare

Position:                     Clerk to the Trustees & Safeguarding Officer

Address:                    P.O. Box 9767 CHRISTCHURCH BH23 9NY     

Phone Number:        07546 638926

E-mail:                        Clerk@cmtrust.org.uk