Safeguarding Policy

01Our commitment

GLOVIRT exists so that people can belong, grow and discover what is possible for their lives. None of that can happen unless people are safe. We believe every child, young person and adult has the right to be protected from harm, abuse and exploitation – whatever their age, background, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender, sexual orientation or circumstance.

Our Christian values shape how we care for people: with dignity, honesty and love. Those values make us more committed to safeguarding, never less. Faith will never be used as a reason to keep a concern quiet, to avoid involving the proper authorities or to protect the reputation of GLOVIRT or any individual.

This policy sets out how we prevent harm, how we recognise it and how we respond when something is wrong. It is approved by our trustees, reviewed every year and applies to everyone who represents GLOVIRT.

02Who and what this policy covers

People

• Trustees, staff, volunteers, mentors, leaders and session hosts.
• Cast, crew, writers, contractors and anyone working on a GLOVIRT Movie Club production.
• Partner organisations, venues and visiting speakers while they are involved in our activities.

Activities

• Youth camps, residentials, trips and outdoor activities.
• Women’s and men’s gatherings, circles, discussion nights and mentoring.
• Online sessions, video calls, group chats and social media.
• Film productions, auditions, rehearsals, screenings and premieres.
• Any other activity carried out in GLOVIRT’s name.

In this policy, a child means anyone under 18. An adult at risk means anyone aged 18 or over who has care and support needs and, because of those needs, cannot protect themselves from abuse or neglect.

03Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the law and statutory guidance that apply in England, including:

• the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004;
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023);
• the Care Act 2014 and its statutory guidance for adults at risk;
• the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012;
• the Children and Young Persons Act 1963 and the Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014, for child performers;
• the Online Safety Act 2023;
• the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and HM Government guidance on information sharing for safeguarding;
• the Charity Commission’s guidance on safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees.

Where we run activities in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, we follow the equivalent legislation and guidance in that nation and the procedures of the local safeguarding partnership.

04The principles we live by

• The welfare of the child is paramount. Their safety comes before anything else.
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Anyone with a concern must act on it – nobody should assume someone else will.
• We listen. We take every concern seriously and we believe the person speaking to us deserves to be heard.
• We work in partnership. We cooperate fully with parents, carers, local authorities, the police and other agencies.
• We make safeguarding personal. With adults, we respect their wishes, choices and independence wherever it is safe to do so.
• We are open. We will be honest when things go wrong and we will learn from them.

05Roles and responsibilities

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Our DSL is Designated Safeguarding Lead – name, supported by our Deputy DSL, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – name. The DSL receives and records concerns, makes referrals to children’s or adults’ social care and the police, liaises with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), keeps this policy up to date, makes sure training happens and provides advice and support to anyone with a worry.

Safeguarding trustee

Safeguarding trustee – name is the trustee with lead responsibility for safeguarding. The board of trustees holds ultimate responsibility for safeguarding at GLOVIRT, receives regular reports, makes sure we have the resources to keep people safe and reports serious incidents to the Charity Commission.

Everyone

Every person covered by this policy must read and follow it, complete the training required for their role, follow our code of conduct and report any concern without delay.

Production safeguarding lead

Every GLOVIRT Movie Club production appoints a named safeguarding lead on set, who reports to the DSL and is responsible for the arrangements described in Film productions and the Movie Club.

06Safer recruitment

We follow safer recruitment practice for every role that involves contact with children or adults at risk:

1. a clear role description and a written application;
2. an interview or informal conversation that includes safeguarding questions;
3. at least two references, including one from someone who has seen the applicant work or volunteer with children or adults, where relevant;
4. identity and right-to-work checks where appropriate;
5. an enhanced DBS check, with a barred list check where the role is eligible – completed before the person starts;
6. induction and safeguarding training before working unsupervised;
7. a probationary period with supervision and support.

DBS checks are renewed at least every three years, or we use the DBS Update Service. Nobody whose checks are outstanding will work unsupervised with children or adults at risk.

07Recognising abuse and harm

Abuse can take many forms. Everyone at GLOVIRT should be alert to the signs, which may include:

• Physical abuse – hitting, shaking, burning, poisoning or otherwise causing physical harm.
• Emotional abuse – persistent humiliation, threats, rejection, intimidation or making someone feel worthless.
• Sexual abuse – forcing or enticing someone into sexual activity, including online, whether or not they are aware of what is happening.
• Neglect – a persistent failure to meet someone’s basic physical or emotional needs.
• Exploitation – including child sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation and county lines, modern slavery and trafficking.
• Online abuse – grooming, cyberbullying, sextortion and sharing of intimate images.
• Domestic abuse – including the impact on children who witness it.
• Radicalisation – being drawn into extremist ideologies (in line with the Prevent duty).
• Spiritual abuse – using faith, scripture or religious authority to control, coerce, shame or manipulate someone. We recognise that faith-based groups carry a particular responsibility here.
• For adults at risk, also financial, discriminatory, organisational abuse and self-neglect.

Signs may include unexplained injuries, sudden changes in behaviour or mood, withdrawal, fear of a particular person, inappropriate sexual knowledge, unexplained gifts or money, or a disclosure. One sign alone may not mean abuse – but it should never be ignored.

08Responding to a concern or disclosure

If someone tells you about abuse, or you are worried about someone, follow the five Rs:

1. Receive – listen calmly, without showing shock or disbelief. Let them speak in their own words.
2. Reassure – tell them they were right to tell you and that it is not their fault. Never promise to keep a secret – explain that you will need to share what they have said to help keep them safe.
3. Respond – only ask open questions if you need to clarify (such as “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”). Do not investigate, ask leading questions or confront anyone.
4. Record – as soon as possible, write down what was said in the person’s own words, what you saw, the date, time and who was present. Sign and date your note.
5. Refer – tell the DSL the same day. If the DSL is unavailable, contact the Deputy DSL or go directly to the local authority or police.

Never wait until you are certain. It is not your job to decide whether abuse has happened – it is your job to pass on your concern.

09Who to contact

10Allegations against staff, volunteers or cast and crew

Any allegation that someone working or volunteering with GLOVIRT has harmed a child, behaved in a way that may harm a child, committed a criminal offence against a child or behaved in a way that suggests they may pose a risk to children must be reported to the DSL immediately. If the allegation concerns the DSL, report it to the safeguarding trustee.

• The DSL will contact the LADO within one working day and follow their advice.
• The person concerned may be asked to step back from their role while the matter is looked into. This is a neutral act and not a judgement.
• We will not carry out our own investigation in a way that could compromise a police or local authority enquiry.
• Where someone is removed from a role because they have harmed, or may harm, a child or adult at risk, we will make a referral to the DBS as the law requires.
• Serious incidents will be reported to the Charity Commission.

11Code of conduct for adults

Everyone representing GLOVIRT must:

• treat everyone with respect, kindness and fairness, and challenge behaviour that is unsafe or unkind;
• keep activities visible – avoid being alone with a child or young person out of sight of other adults;
• never contact a child through personal social media, messaging apps or phone; use official GLOVIRT channels and include a parent or carer;
• never give personal gifts, money or favours to an individual young person, or arrange to meet them outside GLOVIRT activities;
• keep physical contact appropriate, public and in response to the young person’s needs – such as first aid or comfort – and never against their wishes;
• never use alcohol or drugs during, or immediately before, an activity;
• never transport a young person alone without prior agreement from their parent or carer and the activity leader;
• only take or store photographs and video on GLOVIRT devices or accounts, in line with our Privacy Policy;
• never use language, humour or material that is sexual, discriminatory, demeaning or frightening;
• never pressure anyone to share personal information, take part in an activity, or hold or express any belief.

12Camps, residentials and trips

• Every camp has a written risk assessment, a named lead and a named safeguarding contact on site.
• Parents and carers give written consent and provide medical, dietary and emergency information before the activity.
• We meet or exceed recommended supervision ratios, with at least two adults present for any group and mixed-gender leadership for mixed-gender groups.
• Sleeping, washing and changing arrangements are separated by gender and age, and adults never share sleeping areas with young people.
• Qualified first aiders are present, and any adventurous activities are delivered by appropriately licensed or accredited providers.
• Accidents, incidents and near misses are recorded and reviewed.

13Online sessions and digital safety

• Online sessions use GLOVIRT accounts, with a waiting room, at least two hosts and links that are not shared publicly.
• Sessions for under-18s require parental consent, and we never hold one-to-one video calls with a young person.
• We do not record sessions without telling participants in advance and, where under-18s are present, without parental consent.
• Group chats for young people are run on approved platforms, include at least two vetted adults and follow clear group rules.
• We teach and model healthy online habits and respond quickly to bullying, harmful content or attempts to contact young people privately.

14Film productions and the GLOVIRT Movie Club

Making films is a joy and a calling for us – and a film set brings its own risks. Every GLOVIRT production follows these arrangements in addition to the rest of this policy:

Children on set

• Where the law requires it, we obtain a child performance licence from the child’s local authority before any child takes part in a production.
• Every child is supervised at all times by a parent or carer or a local-authority-approved chaperone, with no more than the permitted number of children per chaperone.
• We respect the legal limits on working hours, breaks, rest periods and education for child performers.
• Children have a safe, private space to rest, change and wait, away from adult cast and crew areas.
• No child will appear in, or be present for, scenes involving intimacy, nudity, graphic violence, drug use or other content unsuitable for their age.

Scripts and content

• Scripts are reviewed before casting so participants and parents know what each role involves.
• Sensitive storylines – such as abuse, addiction, self-harm or grief – are handled with care, consultation and wellbeing support for cast and crew.
• Any scene involving physical intimacy between adults is planned in advance, with written consent and an intimacy coordinator where appropriate.

On set and at screenings

• Every production has a named on-set safeguarding lead and a clear way to raise concerns, including anonymously.
• All cast and crew agree to our code of conduct before the shoot, and appropriate DBS checks are completed for roles that involve working with children.
• Auditions for under-18s take place with a parent, carer or chaperone present and never in private homes or hotel rooms.
• Screenings and premieres follow our event safeguarding arrangements, and films are shown only to audiences suitable for their classification.

15Adults at risk

Many of the women and men in our communities are going through difficult seasons of life. Where we are concerned that an adult is at risk of abuse or neglect, we will, wherever it is safe, talk with them first, respect their wishes and support them to make their own decisions. We will share information without consent where someone is in immediate danger, others may be at risk, a crime has been committed, or the person lacks the mental capacity to make the decision.

16Safeguarding in a faith setting

GLOVIRT is rooted in Christian faith and open to everyone. In practice, that means:

• Taking part in prayer, worship or faith discussion is always invitational and optional – never a condition of belonging.
• We never pray for, lay hands on or minister to anyone without their clear consent, and for children, never without their parent or carer’s knowledge.
• We do not carry out deliverance or exorcism practices with children or adults at risk.
• Leaders must not use scripture, spiritual authority or claims of God’s will to pressure, shame or control anyone.
• Pastoral conversations with young people take place in view of other adults and are recorded where a concern arises.

17Information sharing and record keeping

Safeguarding records are factual, dated and signed, and stored securely with access limited to the DSL, Deputy DSL and safeguarding trustee. We share information on a need-to-know basis with the agencies responsible for protecting people.

Data protection law does not prevent us from sharing information to keep someone safe. Fears about sharing information must never stand in the way of protecting a child or adult at risk. Retention periods are set out in our Privacy Policy.

18Whistleblowing

If you are worried that GLOVIRT is not responding properly to a safeguarding concern, or that someone in a position of responsibility is behaving inappropriately, please raise it with the safeguarding trustee. You can also contact the local authority, the police or the Charity Commission directly. Anyone who raises a concern in good faith will be supported and will not face any negative consequences for doing so.

19Training and support

• Everyone completes safeguarding induction before starting their role, with refresher training at least every three years.
• The DSL and Deputy DSL complete advanced designated-lead training, refreshed at least every two years.
• Leaders of camps, online sessions and productions receive training specific to those settings.
• We support anyone affected by a safeguarding situation, including the person who raised the concern.

20Monitoring and review

This policy is reviewed by the trustees at least annually, after any serious incident and whenever legislation or guidance changes. It was last approved by the trustees on Date the trustees approved the safeguarding policy, and the next review is due in November 2027.