Safeguarding statement

Perennial works with people in horticulture and their families across the UK delivering vital advice, information and support services.

Our approach to safeguarding

We understand safeguarding to be about ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone with whom we work. Our services and activities mean that employees, volunteers (including trustees and partner organisations) may come into contact with people who are at risk of harm, including children and adults who the law says are vulnerable. This contact may happen in different ways, from face to face, through telephone support or by email.

We take our responsibility to keep people safe seriously, and continually strive to embed good practice across the organisation and beyond. Our policies and procedures specifically focus on:

• adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• making the welfare of children and adults at risk paramount. This means that the need to ensure these groups are protected is a primary consideration and may override the rights and needs of those adults working with them
• enabling everyone whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity to participate in services and activities in a safe environment
• taking all reasonable steps to protect children and adults at risk from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment, and to respect their rights, wishes and feelings
  
• to provide an environment free from discrimination, bullying, harassment or victimisation, where employees and stakeholders are treated with respect and dignity and their contributions are recognised and valued
• appointing a nominated safeguarding lead for children and vulnerable adults, a deputy and a lead trustee for safeguarding
• building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, service users and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns
  
• taking seriously all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse and responding swiftly and appropriately to them in accordance with current procedures
• ensuring that all employees and volunteers who work with adults at risk are appropriate for that role and responsibilities and are provided with relevant training, this includes recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
  
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
• using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, vulnerable adults, families and carers appropriately

There are a number of other relevant policies that govern our work, its trustees, staff and volunteers including:

• Child and Adult Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
• HR policies and procedures including safer recruitment
• Equality & Diversity Policy
• Bully and Harassment Policy
• Whistleblowing Policy
• Codes of Conduct
• Treating Service Users Fairly
• Complaints Policy

We are committed to reviewing our safeguarding policy and procedures annually, or more frequently based on changes in legislation and/or government guidance, or as a result of any other significant change or event.

If you would like to learn more about safeguarding at Perennial, you can request a copy of our safeguarding policy by emailing safeguarding@perennial.org.uk

If you wish to raise a concern, you can contact us in confidence safeguarding@perennial.org.uk, or by calling 0800 0938457

All reports will be treated in confidence.