The Green Party’s Safeguarding Policy states that:
No child, young person or adult at risk should have their welfare compromised through their involvement with the Green Party. The Green Party is committed to developing a Party culture whereby all Green Party members feel empowered to report safeguarding concerns in the knowledge that they will be appropriately acted on. The Green Party is committed to developing ever more effective systems for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk.
By agreeing to and abiding by the Safeguarding Commitment you can help uphold this policy and help to make children, young people and adults at risk who have contact with the Green Party safer. The Safeguarding Commitment should be read and applied alongside the Code of Conduct that applies to all Green Party members. You can read more about Safeguarding, the definitions we use for children, young people and adults at risk, and our Safeguarding Procedures here.
Urgent Action
Whenever you believe that a specific child or young person is being abused or neglected, your first action should always be to report your concerns immediately to the police or to the Children’s Services section of the local authority. You can contact the police by phoning 999 (in emergency) or 101 (if time allows) and following the instructions of the emergency services personnel or by phoning your local authority and saying that you wish to report a child protection concern.
If you have concerns but are unsure about whether a specific child or young person is being abused or neglected, you can discuss your concerns with an adviser on the NSPCC’s helpline. You can contact a trained NSPCC helpline counsellor 24 hours a day by email or by using an online reporting form (help@nspcc.org.uk). You can also telephone the Helpline on 0808 800 5000 on Monday to Friday 8am – 10pm or 9am – 6pm at the weekends.
If your concerns relate to a specific adult at risk, you should contact the Adult Social Care section of the local authority or in an emergency always contact the police by dialling 999. The police can also be contacted about an adult at risk by dialling 101, if an emergency response is not thought to be necessary.
If your concern relates to a child, young person or adult at risk suffering abuse or neglect as a result of contact with the Green Party, it will ultimately be important for the Green Party’s Safeguarding Officer to be informed that a report has been made. However, once a matter has been reported to the police or the local authority you must be guided by them about what can be said to whom and when. In some cases the police or local authority will insist that nothing is said to any third party so as not to risk impeding investigations or protective actions. Contact safeguarding@greenparty.org.uk or 020 36919 391 to report your concerns.
As a Green Party member/employee I agree:
- To report immediately to the police or the local authority any concerns that a child, young person or adult at risk is being abused or neglected – see the above urgent action box for details onto how to do this.
- To report immediately to my local Party Chair and to the Green Party’s National Safeguarding Officer any factors in my own circumstances or history which may make it unsafe for me to have contact with children and young people or adult at risk, including all charges and/or convictions of sexual abuse or neglect. This information will be recorded on a confidential basis by the national party, in line with data protection regulations. We will notify you in advance if we feel that it is necessary to disclose this information to a third party.
- To report immediately to my local Party Chair and to the Green Party’s Safeguarding Officer immediately any concerns of which I am aware about the behaviour or history of any other member of the Green Party which may place children, young people or adults at risk in danger of abuse and neglect, including all charges and/or convictions of sexual abuse or neglect. This information will be recorded on a confidential basis by the national party, in line with data protection regulations.
- To report immediately to my local Party Chair and to the Green Party’s Safeguarding Officer any inappropriate behaviour I witness in the Green Party between adults and children, and/or young people/at-risk adults.
- In all my dealings with the Green Party, to be always open, frank and honest about matters concerning the health, welfare and safety of children, young people and adults at risk and never to seek to cover up, obscure or hide concerns of abuse or neglect or concerns about systems, people or working practices that could place children, young people and adults at risk in danger of abuse or neglect.
- To draw to the attention of my local Party Chair and to the Green Party’s Safeguarding Officer any concerns I have that Green Party systems, people or working practices place children, young people or adults at risk in danger of abuse or neglect.
- In my own interactions with children, young people and adults at risk in the Green Party always to behave appropriately. This includes:
- Always interact with a child in the company of at least one other adult, either the parent/guardian, or a person nominated by the parent/guardian. Do not spend time alone with a child.
- Securing written consent from the parent/guardian before taking any photos/video footage of a child. Parents/guardians should be made aware of when, where and how the images/video footage may be used to give their informed consent.
- Minimising any direct contact with a child on social media, and never exchanging personal email addresses and mobile phone numbers.
- Not seeking to develop relationships outside of a Green Party context with children met as a result of Green Party activities
- Ensuring that if any form of physical touching of a child, young person or adult at risk is required (e.g. picking up someone who has fallen), it should be kept to a minimum and involve communication with that person to ensure that I have received consent and am aware of their boundaries.
- Ensuring that a child or young person has given their full and informed consent to interactions and activities with me, and that I am are aware of their boundaries.
- Ensuring that an adult at risk has given their full and informed consent to interactions and activities with me, and that I am are aware of their boundaries.
- Seeking guidance from my Local Party Chair if I am unsure about how I should behave appropriately in particular circumstances with a child, young person or adult at risk.
I understand that I should report any safeguarding concerns to both my local Party Chair AND the Green Party’s National Safeguarding Officer (safeguarding@greenparty.org.uk or through 020 36919 391).
I understand that breaches of this Safeguarding Commitment on my part could result in disciplinary action from the Party.
I commit to bearing the Commitment closely in mind, and adhering to it, throughout my time as a Green Party member.