Organisers and Safeguarding Leads

Organisers & Safeguarding Leads

All activities organised by the Bahá’í community for children under the age of 18 years must fit into one or more of the following categories.

Organisers need to decide what category their activity fits in and must follow the requirements listed on the checklist further down this page. This is a quick reference guide for those who have attended safeguarding training – please refer to the Childcare Guidance for the detail.

If you are unsure, please consult with your Safeguarding Lead or the Office for Safeguarding Children (osc@bahai.org.uk).

* Note: a ‘checked’ adult refers to a person who has applied to work with children in the Bahá’í community and has had various checks completed, including a DBS, PVG or AccessNI depending on where they live). Their name is then available to see on the approved tutors list.

An activity may overlap into more than one category. Here are some examples:

Summer School

Category A (parents responsible outside of sessions and overnight)

Category B (summer school providing activities for children)

Teaching Project

Category B (youth involved in teaching activities in a local park)

Category C (youth staying overnight in host family homes)

Junior Youth Camp

Category B (junior youth on a trip, walking to a local swimming pool)

Category C (camp held at the Bahá’í Training Centre)

2. Requirements for Safeguarding Children

The checklist below provides Organisers and Safeguarding Leads with the requirements needed for the three different types of activity. Each of these requirements are explained on the Childcare Guidance page along with downloadable forms that can be used.

*The term criminal records check covers all four nations: Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) for England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland for Scotland, and AccessNI for Northern Ireland.

3. Contact with Children Without a Criminal Records Check

All people aged 16 years and above working with children in the Bahá’í community must have an appropriate criminal records check.

A person wishing to observe a children’s activity, or currently waiting for their check to be completed can assist with community activities with children (aged 0-18 years) as a ‘helper’ provided:

The person has submitted their criminal records application, and this has been confirmed in writing by the Office for Safeguarding Children (unless the person does not plan to work with children and their contact is a one-off, for example, completing the practice part of Book 3).
The local Safeguarding Lead has confirmation that the application has started and agrees to this temporary arrangement.

Conditions:

There are at least two other ‘checked’ adults* supervising the helper (within hearing and sight range).
The helper is not allowed to be alone with any children at any time.
Their role as a ‘helper’ is explained to children / adults as appropriate.
A maximum of two helpers per activity.
The helper can only support core activities in a hired venue (not in private homes).
The helper cannot stay overnight while supporting children’s activities and events.
They cannot have contact with children on any social media type platforms outside of sessions (e.g. text messages and access to personal information of children) or after the event itself.
They can attend a maximum of 8 sessions of 1-2 hours each: for example, weekly sessions spread over a maximum of 8 weeks, or daily sessions spread over 2 weeks.

Guidance to Organisers:

Organisers are reminded that safeguarding children takes priority over community activities, and this arrangement provides some flexibility until a person’s criminal records check is complete.
Organisers can contact the Office for Safeguarding Children to request one-off exceptions to this agreement.

*The term criminal records check covers all four nations: Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) for England and Wales, Disclosure Scotland for Scotland, and AccessNI for Northern Ireland.

4. Overnights Stay Permit

Safeguarding children is essential to delivering successful activities and place children at the centre of what we do. It is the intention of Level 3 training to understand the needs of children and how best to care for them when they are away from home. It is not possible to adequately safeguard children from harm in the context of poorly organised activities.

An ‘overnight stay’ is defined as any activity when a group of children remain in the care of a Bahá’í Institution overnight and will be at some point be sleeping (or at least provided with a bed). This guidance may not apply to some late-night activities if children are returning home to sleep (e.g. a Holy Day celebration).

It is the policy of the National Spiritual Assembly that all activities involving children (aged up to 18 years) staying away from home overnight to have at least TWO individuals complete Level 3 safeguarding children training. This training includes an assessment to be considered for a permit from the Office for Safeguarding Children.

The following points elaborate on the above policy:

Permit holders must be organisers of the main activity or part of the organising team. Organisers cannot delegate this responsibility to others.
At least two permit holders must be at the overnight activity (i.e. overnight). You may want more than two permit holders attending to avoid situations where there are unexpected changes to staffing resulting in there being no permit holders on-site, as the activity would have to be cancelled, and children returned home.
Cluster Safeguarding Leads need Level 2. Temporary Safeguarding Leads at overnight activities need Level 3 and can be counted as one of the Permit Holders as long as they are resident at the event.
The requirement for a minimum of two permit holders applies to overnight activities of up to 50 children aged under 18 years. An additional permit holder is required for every additional 50 under 18s. For example, a youth conference with 300 under 18s would require a minimum of seven permit holders who are in an organising capacity, including the registrar. (Note: this does not change the child to adult ratios for childcare explained in the safeguarding policy).
Permit holders are also required for other overnight activities when children are not in one venue. For example, if a number of youth were accommodated overnight in several people’s homes, permit holders would still be required to oversee each home and the arrangements put in place. Every resident of the home would of course require a criminal records check completed in advance of children staying with them.
People aged 21 and over can undertake this training and apply to take children away overnight. Those aged under 21 can still take part in this training to further their understanding and skills in safeguarding children when away from home.
The individual must already have experience of working with children in the age range they want to lead on an overnight activity. For example, a person organising a junior youth camp would already have experience as an animator and had already completed Level 2 safeguarding training to understand the overall safeguarding children policy.
An individual wishing to lead overnight activities with children need a recommendation from a Bahá’í Institution that they have first-hand experience of the person’s maturity, responsibility, care of children, leadership skills, and their attitude and personal qualities to lead this type of activity. Suitable support could come from members of Bahá’í Institutions or appointed co-ordinators. (Note: it would be irresponsible to recommend someone solely to encourage them to do something for their community).
Level 3 training will initially involve small groups of people discussing hypothetical safeguarding scenarios to check that they know what to do. It is envisaged that in the future when there are more people experienced in safeguarding children at overnight activities, that this training will include people being accompanied in this role.
The Office for Safeguarding Children will make the final decision on the issuing of a permit which lasts up to five years. If it is felt that an individual cannot take on the full requirements of this role, consultation with others will take place to consider any potential adjustments to a permit being given. For example, a person does not have enough experience and is instead given a permit for one or two overnight stays with conditions attached, including working alongside another person with a full permit to gain more experience.

Please contact the Office for Safeguarding Children if you wish to access the Level 3 training and apply for an overnight stays permit (osc@bahai.org.uk).