Meeting safety
Updates and documents
The documents listed below have each been circulated to all meetings.
- Safeguarding: checklists for good practice by meetings - this document is intended as an aide memoire for Trustees and others working with safeguarding.
- Meeting Safety 2009 - this document contains information about advice on Safeguarding, and gives details of various bodies that are involved.
- Meeting Safety 2009: Vetting and Barring Extra September 2009 - giving initial information about changes to the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) scheme and the introduction of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
- Meeting Safety January 2010 reminder sheet - this refers Friends to the three previous documents, and reminds Friend who can act as verifiers.
- Meeting Safety update April 2010 - this gives further information about the introduction of new CRB forms and the ISA.
- Meeting Safety urgent update June 2010 - This informs meetings of the last minute delay to the Vetting and Barring Scheme
Safeguarding
Meeting Safety provides a context for the safeguarding responsibilities that BYM has both at its meetings and at events and activities. It is the ideal starting point for meetings who wish to review their practice and the way they care for their children, young people and volunteers.
Meeting Safety also provides an introduction to the two organisations that can be sources of information to meetings. These are Churches Agency for Safeguarding who manage CRB applications for us and who can advise on all aspects of the application process and form filling and CCPAS, the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service. CCPAS can help meetings with model policies and advice about best practice. In April we are sending a copy of their comprehensive safeguarding manual to every meeting as a source of immediate help.
This section of the website also holds useful information for meetings and Friends wishing to apply for a Criminal Records Disclosure. Disclosures are necessary for people working with children and young people on behalf of their meeting. Application packs for Friends in England and Wales, including the application form itself, can be obtained from Philip Iddon at Friends House, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ, telephone 020 7663 1029. You can also email Philip at philipi@quaker.org.uk
Friends in Scotland can refer to these pages for general information, however both the disclosure application form and one of the forms used by the verifier are different. Application packs are available from Philip and include the forms to take to the verifier.
When you request an application pack, please tell us which it is that you need - one for England and Wales or one for Scotland. Specific information on the process for Scotland can be found on the Churches Agency for Safeguarding (CAS) website (www.churchsafe.org.uk/what-we-do/crb-scotland/who-should-apply.html).
Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from harm
A one page information sheet ‘Meeting Safety: January 2010 reminder sheet’ has been created.
This is intended to inform incoming clerks and remind continuing clerks about the current information available from Friends House; it is to be read in conjunction with the other documents mentioned within it.
The new Criminal Records Bureau form (used in England and Wales) can be accessed by the link below; also more information about the vetting and barring scheme and the introduction of the new form can be found on the Criminal Records Bureau website at: http://www.crb.homeoffice.gov.uk/resource_library/crb_news/crb_news_january_2010.aspx
Later in the spring more information will be circulated to meetings.
For more information please contact Michael Booth, Support for Meetings officer in Quaker Life on michaelsb@quaker.org.uk or 020 7663 1023.
Who to contact for what
Getting information and help about safe practice
Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS)
For enquiries about the safe practice guidelines, ongoing support in preparing and maintaining policies, general child protection queries, specific advice on concerns and help with issues and incidents contact CCPAS 0845 120 4550, email info@ccpas.co.uk
Enquiries about Criminal Record Checks
Churches' Agency for Safeguarding (CAS)
For enquiries about the CRB checks process, including specific queries about how to fill in forms or how to verify applications and for general enquiries about the CRB checking process, contact the Churches Agency for Safeguarding (CAS) on 020 7467 5216, email cas@methodistchurch.org.uk
Obtaining Forms and Quaker Enquiries
Quaker Life, Friends House
To receive a CRB or Disclosure Scotland application pack, including forms, contact Philip Iddon, Quaker Life Administration Officer, 020 7663 1029, email philipi@quaker.org.uk telling him which pack you need.
To report an additional or a new verifier, and receive guidance notes for verifiers, contact Michael Booth in Quaker Life (see below).
For Quaker specific queries in relation to these areas, contact Michael Booth, Quaker Life Support for Meetings Officer on 020 7663 1023, email michaelsb@quaker.org.uk
