Safeguarding.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY

for

TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC)

1. Introduction.

1.TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) is a not-for-profit organisation.

Senior Leadership: RICHARD KNIGHT, SHARON KNIGHT and supported by Maurice Gordon and Joanie GORDON.
During a period of Interregnum there is the oversight of the Rural Dean

2. TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) is based at:

11A BEANE ROAD,
WATTON AT STONE,
HERTFORDSHIRE.
SG14 3RG.

3. TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) is a Lay - Led Church, headed up by a Senior Leadership (the Team). One of the Leadership Team has responsibility for Safeguarding Children,  Youth and Adults.

4. The Leadership Team has adopted this Safeguarding policy and expects every adult working or helping at TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) to support it and comply with it. Consequently, this policy shall apply to all members, volunteers, students or anyone working on behalf of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC).

2. Purpose of the Policy.

1 This policy is intended to protect children and young people and adults who receive any service from Take Away Church. This also includes the children of adults who may receive services from us.

2 As an organisation we believe that no child,  young person or adult should experience abuse or harm. Take Away Church is committed to the protection of children, young people and adults. This policy is intended to provide guidance and overarching principles to those who represent Take Away Church as volunteers or staff, to guide our approach to protection and safeguarding.
                                                                                                                                                                                                    

3. The risks to children, young people and adults.

Nearly every child, young person and adult grows up, and lives in a safe and happy environment. It is important not to exaggerate or overestimate the dangers. Nevertheless, there are situations where children, young people and adults need protection including but not limited to:

• Sexual abuse

  

• Grooming

  

• Physical and emotional abuse and neglect

  

• Domestic violence

  

• Inappropriate supervision by staff or volunteers

  

• Bullying, cyber bullying, acts of violence and aggression within our schools, further education institutions, and work places.

  

• Victimisation

  

• Self-harm

  

• Unsafe environments and activities

  

• Crime

  

• Exploitation

  

4. Universality of Protection.

We recognise that: 

• the welfare of the child, young person and adult is paramount.

  

• all children, young people and adults, regardless of race, gender, religious belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity have a right to equal protection from harm.

  

• some children, young people and adults are more vulnerable to harm as a result of their circumstances, prior experiences, communication needs or level of dependency.

  

• working with children, young people, their parents and/or guardians, carers or other agencies, as well as adults, is essential to protecting their wellbeing.

  Safeguarding 2026 July

  5. Safeguarding children, young people and adults at events / activities.

1. There are three kinds of events/activities:

1.1 those open to adults and children of all ages,

1.2 those for children accompanied by a 'parent',

1.3 those for unaccompanied children, which are sometimes run alongside other events/activities.

2. At events and activities open to all ages, children under 16 must be supervised throughout by an adult over the age of 18.

3. At events and activities for children accompanied by a 'parent', children under 16 must be supervised throughout the event by an adult over the age of 18, who not only brings the child to the event but also takes the child home again afterwards. If a lone adult brings more than one child, then the children will have to stay together, so that the one adult can supervise them. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent and mobile telephone number of one of their parents.

4. At events and activities for unaccompanied children, children under the age of 16 must be enrolled by a responsible adult before being left with the event leader. The enrolment must record the child's name, age and address and the names and addresses of the child's parents, plus the parents' mobile telephone numbers. The registering Adult must sign for the fact that they have read and acknowledged the contents of the Child Safeguarding Disclaimer form. Young people aged 16 or 17 may attend unaccompanied if they bring the written consent or mobile telephone number of one of their parents.

5. The Disclaimer Form will need to be signed on the initial registration and will be held as a record. It will not be required to be signed on every occasion unless a change of circumstances is deemed necessary.

6. Both event and activities are to be defined broadly to include any occasions where TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) will be providing a service.

6. Disclosure and barring.

1. TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) offers the following activities;

Children: PlaySpace – Mum and Toddler Group.
                 KidsSpace – After School Kids Church.

Young People: Tweens – Youth Group for 10, 11,12, and 13 -year-olds.

1. Some of our activities may therefore require adult participants or adult leaders to undergo DBS and/or police checks under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. The required level of checking will broadly reflect the degree and frequency of unsupervised access given to other people's children.

3. The Leadership will take very seriously any allegation of impropriety on the part of any member of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC). A member of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) who discovers anything amiss should get in touch immediately with the following:
MR. MAURICE GORDON – SAFEGUARDING OFFICER.

4. The Leadership will review the allegation and the likely risk to children and, if appropriate, will consider banning the member from future events or revoking his or her membership or both, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC).

7. Health and safety aspects of safeguarding children, young people and adults.

1. Before starting any event for unaccompanied children, the Leadership will carry out a risk assessment and then take steps to minimise all risks to health and safety. Parents and children, young people and adults, will be made aware of any risks and of the steps to be taken to minimise those risks. The Leadership will keep a record of all risk assessments.

2. Sufficient adults must be present at any event for unaccompanied children to enable one adult to deal with any emergency while another adult supervises the children not directly affected by the emergency.

8. Adventure activities licensing.

TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) runs occasional adventure activities, for members, but not for non-members. Restricting participation to members means that no licence is required under the Adventure Activities Licensing Regulations.

9. Policy on the prevention of bullying.

We will not tolerate the bullying of children, young people and adults, either by adults or by other children. If any incident of child-on-child bullying should arise at a TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) event, those involved will be separated immediately and the parents of the children involved will be asked to deal with the matter. The Team will review all incidents of child-on-child bullying and assess the likely future risk to children. If appropriate, the Team will consider banning a child from future events, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC). The same will apply to any situations arising from any incidents involving youth-on-youth bullying, or adult on adult. Allegations of bullying will be dealt with under paragraph 6.3 above.

 

10. Photographing children, young people and adults

No photos will be taken or published of any child, young person or adult attending an event or activity, unless prior written permission is granted. In the case of children and young people, permission will be sought from a person with parental responsibility. If any person has any concerns regarding any person taking photos at an event or activity, that person should contact Maurice Gordon immediately.

​

11. Managing behaviour, discipline and acceptable restraint.

1. Adults supervising children and young people at TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) events must never use any form of corporal punishment. If physical restraint is absolutely necessary to prevent injury to any person or to prevent serious damage to property, then the minimum necessary restraint may be used — but for that purpose only.

2. Unacceptable behaviour at TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) events for unaccompanied children and young people will generally be stopped by separating the individuals from each other and from the group. The miscreants will be suitably supervised and will be returned as soon as possible to the care of their parents / carers or nominated responsible adult.

3. TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) may apply a further disciplinary sanction; namely the banning of the individual from one or more future events.

4. A parent or adult who is aggrieved by this ban may appeal to TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) who will hear the views of all relevant persons. The decision of TAKE AWAY CHURCH (TAC) is then final.

12. Other Policies.

This safeguarding policy should be read together with the following training and resources undertaken by the senior Leadership Team:

MRS. SHARON KNIGHT - Completed Church of England Safeguard training:
Basic Awareness.
Foundation.
Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse.

MR. RICHARD KNIGHT – Completed Church of England Safeguard training:
Basic Awareness.
Foundation.
Modern Slavery.
Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse.
Leadership Pathway.
 

 MR. MAURICE GORDON – Completed Church of England Safeguard training:

Basic Awareness.

Foundation.

Modern Slavery.

Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse.

Leadership Pathway. Training in hand.

Training is to be reviewed every year, and retraining is to be every three years

                                                                                                                                                                              
13. Legal Framework.

This policy has been drawn up in accordance with the following: 

• Children Act 1989

  

• United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991

  

• General Data Protection Regulation

  

• Human Rights Act 1998

  

• Sexual Offences Act 2003

  

• Children Act 2004

  

• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

  

• Protection of Freedoms Act 2012

  

• Children and Families Act 2014

  

• Special educational needs and disability (SEND) code of practice - Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014

  

• Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services

  

• Working together to safeguard children (2017)

 

NOTE: This Policy was approved by the following officer on 11/07/2026 and is due for review every 1 YEAR:

MR. RICHARD KNIGHT

MRS. SHARON KNIGHT 

TAC / Safeguarding / Children / 2026 July.