SAFEGUARDING

The following statement was agreed by the Senior Leadership and the Trustees

• Epsom Vineyard is committed to providing a safe and trusted environment for everyone who comes into contact with the church, including all children, and adults with care and support needs, and ensuring their well-being.

• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, psychological, spiritual, financial and discriminatory abuse, exploitation, and neglect of children and adults and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.

• We recognise the personal dignity and rights of both children and adults and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.

• We believe all children and adults should enjoy and have appropriate access to the life and ministries of Epsom Vineyard where safe to do so.

• We undertake to exercise rigorous safer recruitment practices for those who will work with children and adults with care and support needs, or those who will be in positions of trust. We will promote safer practice and support, resource and train and regularly review those who undertake this work.

• We believe everyone should be valued, safe and happy. We want to make sure that children and adults we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are experiencing abuse or neglect.

We are committed to:

• Following statutory denominational and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and adults and will ensure that as a place of worship all workers (paid and unpaid) will work within the agreed procedure of our safeguarding policy.

• Actively developing a healthy culture of openness by encouraging members of Epsom Vineyard or the public to raise issues which concern them around safeguarding at Church, by setting out a clear whistleblowing (in Safeguarding) process within the Safeguarding Policy.

• Clearly publicising the names and contact details of our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and Safeguarding Team members.

• Implementing the requirements of all relevant legislation including, but not limited to: Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, Equality Act 2010, the Care Act 2014, Children Act 1989 and 2004).

• Supporting, resourcing and training those who undertake this work.

• Ensuring that we are keeping up to date with national and local developments relating to safeguarding.

• Ensuring that everyone agrees to abide by these recommendations and the guidelines established by Epsom Vineyard.

• Supporting all those involved in the life of Epsom Vineyard affected by abuse.

We recognise:

• Children’s Social Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about a child. Adult Social Care has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse where there are concerns about an adult with care and support needs.

• Where an allegation suggests that a criminal offence may have been committed then the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency.

• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Policy Statement to be reviewed annually.

Policy Statement last reviewed in February 2026

Safeguarding Documents

Our Safeguarding documentation is made up of the Safeguarding Policy and a number of handbooks which describe the working practices for the relevant teams.

Policy and all other documentation to be reviewed annually for re-issue in February.

Policy last issued in Feb 2026 with updates in Mar 2026.

Reporting a safeguarding concern

Documentation to help you report a concern (guidance notes 1-3 are general, notes 4-6 are about specific questions on the cause for concern form):

If a report is URGENT, report as above AND call church phone number and state that you’ve made a referral.

IN AN EMERGENCY, report as above AND CALL THE POLICE ON 999

If the suspicions implicates the Leadership then report as follows:

• If about Senior Pastors - report to safeguarding team as above

• If about Safeguarding Team - report to Senior Pastors by email here: EMAIL SENIOR PASTORS

• If about Safeguarding Trustee - report to safeguarding team as above

Safeguarding Team

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Dave Payne

Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Ali Readings

Email the safeguarding team: safeguarding@epsomvineyard.org

Safeguarding Trustee: Simon Skinner (from 25th Nov 2024): safeguarding.trustee@epsomvineyard.org

Thirtyone Eight: Epsom Vineyard is a member of thirtyone:eight, an independent organisation which equips society with the knowledge and skills to create safer environments for children and adults at risk. Thirtyone:eight has a 24/7 helpline for advice on safeguarding concerns (adults or children) - 0303 003 1111

Note that from April 2026, access to the Thirtyone:Eight Helpline will be limited to members, victim/survivors and statutory agencies. Free support will still be available on thirtyoneeight.org.

Vineyard National Safeguarding Team: safeguarding@vcuki.org.uk 01482 462 690 (ask to speak to the safeguarding team)

Vineyard Churches Safeguarding Statement: www.vineyardchurches.org.uk/vcuki-safeguarding-statement