Our safeguarding statement

Safeguarding is a key governance priority for all charities, including At the South Croydon Day Centre for the Retired (SCDC, the Centre).

At the Centre, we follow the four clear objectives set by the Charity Commission regarding trustees:

  • Provide a safe and trusted environment. Safeguarding involves a duty of care to everyone who comes into contact with the Centre, not just vulnerable beneficiaries such as the elderly and young people.

  • Set an organisational culture that prioritises safeguarding, so it is safe for people to report incidents and concerns in the knowledge they will be dealt with appropriately.

  • Have adequate safeguarding policies, procedures and measures to protect people and make sure these are made public, reviewed regularly and kept up to date.

  • Handle incidents as they arise. Report them to the relevant authorities including the police and the Charity Commission. Learn from these mistakes and put in place the relevant mechanisms to stop them happening again.

At the Centre, we’re committed to creating a safe and rewarding environment for all our visitors, volunteers and employees. 

We have adopted a safeguarding policy to ensure everyone is treated properly, and have implemented a reporting process so people can raise any concerns they have confidentially. 

Some of our staff carry out roles that require them to work with people who are considered to be at higher risk of harm.  We carry out criminal record checks for people in these roles, and offer safeguarding training to personnel in other relevant positions. 

We have a zero tolerance approach towards breaches of our safeguarding policies and thoroughly investigate all alleged breaches.  We regularly review our safeguarding policy, which aims to improve the knowledge and understanding of our staff and volunteers, irrespective of their position, about safeguarding at the SCDC.

To ensure we are continually maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding, we monitor guidance from Government and the Charity Commission on procedures and protocols for safeguarding. 

 

For further information

If you are a member of staff or volunteer of the SCDC you can confidentially report a concern by contacting any member of the management committee or trustee.

If you are a member of the public, or internal channels of communication are not available to you, and you would like to get in touch with an independent body, please contact Public Concern at Work:

Reporting a concern – (020) 7404 6609

General enquiries – (020) 3117 2520

whistle@pcaw.org.uk