Roles and responsibilities

Chorley Borough Council and South Ribble Borough Council have strategically combined functions and office holders. This safeguarding policy applies across the two Councils. This safeguarding policy covers the protection of children and adults.

The Councils Safeguarding Officers are:

• Senior Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for both Councils is Jennifer Mullin, Director of Communities and Leisure. Jennifer.mullin@southribble.gov.uk
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer for South Ribble Borough Council is Dan Chappelow, Community Safety and Safeguarding Team Leader. Dan.chappelow@southribble.gov.uk
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer for Chorley Borough Council is Rachel Austen, Public Protection Team Leader. Rachel.austen@chorley.gov.uk

Additionally, each council has a network of safeguarding champions across each directorate. They act as a first line of contact for staff with safeguarding concerns. These members of staff are trained to a higher level than the mandatory safeguarding training. Safeguarding Champions can be identified through the respective council intranet sites and staff notice boards.

It is not the role or responsibility of any representative of the Council to decide whether abuse is happening. It is the Council's responsibility to report concerns in a concise and timely way, to the Safeguarding Officers and the relevant statutory agencies.

Chief Executive

• The Council's Chief Executive takes ultimate responsibility for safeguarding arrangements across each Council, acting as a driving-force and a key conduit between strategy and operation, policy, procedure and practice

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL):

• Will act as strategic and operational decision maker for the council on safeguarding children issues.
• Will be a key organisational contact for safeguarding both internally and externally with relevant agencies.
• Will promote safeguarding and child protection throughout the council in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team and Elected Members
• Will ensure this policy is disseminated and embedded across the council and that it is reviewed and updated regularly.
• Will maintain a level of up to date knowledge and training commensurate with the role and responsibilities
• Will provide a point of contact with the County Council Children's and Adult's Services Duty Officers and hold an up-to-date list of contact details for statutory safeguarding agencies (children and adults)

Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead:

• Will deputise for and support DSL (as above)
• Will ensure incidents or concerns are reported in a timely manner with all relevant information recorded
• Will ensure anyone with responsibility for recruitment has received safer recruitment training
• Will ensure that the Corporate Training Programme provides employees, elected members and volunteers access to appropriate, high quality safeguarding training commensurate with their role and responsibilities.

Director of Change & Delivery

• Will ensure the council's recruitment and selection processes are consistent and robust and in line with best safeguarding practice, national guidance and legal requirements •
• Will ensure DBS checks and references that refer to the candidates' suitability to work with children and adults are taken up for all appropriate posts as part of the recruitment and selection processes and that repeat checks are issued for employees.
• Will include appropriate training in the corporate training programme and ensure that Safeguarding training is part of the induction programme for all new staff
• Will ensure that details of DBS checks (record of date and reference number), any details of safeguarding incidents and references of staff are kept securely and uphold confidentiality in line with best practice and relevant legislation.
• Will maintain a record of all staff that have completed a DBS check and are considered suitable for work involving substantial access to children adults at risk.

Directors and Heads of Service:

• Are responsible for nominating a Safeguarding Champion who will act as a point of contact within their directorate/ service area for information on council safeguarding processes
• Are responsible for making sure that all staff are aware of and understand the importance of this policy and related guidance.
•  Will arrange for appropriate training for their staff and maintain a log of this training.
• Must make sure that any contractors, agents, or other representatives who they have engaged to undertake duties on behalf of the Council involving contact with children or adults at risk understand and comply with this policy.

Monitoring Officer - Director of Governance:

• Has responsibility for receiving safeguarding concerns and allegations made against Elected Members. The Monitoring Officer in liaison with the Lead Safeguarding Officer and Chief Executive will determine the most appropriate course of action.

Safeguarding Champions

•  Acting as an ambassador on all safeguarding matters within their service area;
• Attending and participating in quarterly Safeguarding Champions Meetings;
•  Keeping abreast of safeguarding issues and developments in order to disseminate across and update their service area;
• Undertaking appropriate safeguarding training in order to keep up to date with current and emerging issues, and/or changes in legislation;

All Members

• All Members of the Council have a strategic role and should satisfy themselves that the Council is discharging its statutory responsibilities and demonstrates good practice wherever possible. It is essential that safeguarding of children and adults at risk is prioritised and adequately resourced. All elected Members have a responsibility in this regard.
• The Cabinet and Members of some Committees have additional and specific responsibilities. For example, those responsible for licensing, governance and scrutiny have a crucial role to play in ensuring that the central tenets of this safeguarding policy and procedures are embedded and implemented in practice i.e. by seeking assurances that requisite checks are undertaken and up-to-date and that information sharing occurs in that context, in-line with [inter-agency] safeguarding protocols and procedures.
• All Members will undertake safeguarding training, some will receive additional training appropriate to their role.
• If a Member has any information which raises concerns about harm or potential harm to any child, a child protection referral should be made as soon as practically possible and within 72 hours, (in accordance with this Policy). If a Member has concerns about immediate danger needing an emergency response or thinks a crime is being committed the police should be contacted immediately.
• Should be aware of this policy and should commit to safeguarding children and adults.
• Are expected to act on any suspected or potential case of the abuse children or adults. In line with the existing Council's 'Whistle Blowing' Policy, will support anyone who, in good faith, reports his or her concerns even if those concerns prove to be unfounded.
• Should challenge poor practice as appropriate.
• Should ensure confidentiality of information is properly observed in accordance with data protection policies and legislation bearing in mind the overarching need to ensure the best interests of children and adults are met.

All Staff:

• Should be aware of this policy and should commit to safeguarding children and adults.
•  Are expected to act on any suspected or potential case of the abuse children or adults. In line with the existing Council's 'Whistle Blowing' Policy, will support anyone who, in good faith, reports his or her concerns even if those concerns prove to be unfounded.
• Should challenge poor practice as appropriate
• Should ensure confidentiality of information is properly observed in accordance with data protection policies and legislation bearing in mind the overarching need to ensure the best interests of children and adults are met.
• Undertake and refresh safeguarding training appropriate to their role and responsibility

Volunteers

The Council really values the contributions of those who help deliver services and activities by giving their time and sharing their experience and expertise freely.

The Council will ensure that:

• Volunteers are recruited safely
• nformation sessions for volunteers always include core safeguarding information and guidance;
• Officers present at and responsible for activities and / or events understand and fulfil their responsibilities in terms of briefing volunteers on safeguarding and related matters prior to their active participation.