Section 1. Introduction

As Rabbis/Shluchim, we strive to follow the teachings of the Rebbe, whom throughout his
leadership instilled within all of us the principles of “AHAVAS YISROEL” – to “love another as
oneself”. As such we have always had the “duty of care” uppermost in our minds.
The Board of Chabad Lubavitch UK (which covers all institutions operating under the name
of Chabad in the UK) recognises that abuse of any kind is unacceptable. We acknowledge
and accept our responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children and
vulnerable adults.
This document sets out the policy and procedures to safeguard children and vulnerable
adults. It has been approved by the trustees of the Jewish Life Centre and is based on
discussions with Halachic authorities and professionals in the field. It is also to comply with
statutory requirements – therefore it is mandatory that it must be followed. By producing
this document we want to ensure that everyone working on behalf of the Jewish Life Centre,
including agency staff and contractors, know what to do to safeguard children and
vulnerable adults from harm. The policy and procedures apply to all activities taking place
in the name of Chabad Lubavitch but exclude nurseries and schools which have their own
policies.
Legal arrangements may vary between England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. This
document is based on the legal requirements for England, but the general principles of
protecting children apply throughout the UK.
This document has been approved by the trustees of the Jewish Life Centre and therefore is
mandatory. The Trustees of charity 774613 have the power to enforce this policy
on all institutions connected in the UK.

Key definitions
Child (or young person) – is a person under the age of 18 (The Children Act, 1989).
Vulnerable Adult or `Adult at Risk’ – refers to when the safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:
• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of
those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from
either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect. (Care Act 2014)

 

Section 2. Safeguarding policy of the Jewish Life Centre

Jewish Life Centre is fully committed to the protection of all children and vulnerable adults
in our care. We believe that every person, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender,
language, racial origin, religious belief and or sexual identity have the right to protection
from abuse.

We will:
 Listen to and respect the feelings and views of children and vulnerable adults.
 Select, train and support, in line with safer recruitment guidance, those who are in positions of responsibility.
 Act promptly and sensitively on complaints of abuse and inappropriate behaviour which may include reporting and sharing information with statutory authorities.
 Identify named person(s) to be the main contact for safeguarding– eg Safeguarding Adviser at Executive Board level and a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) in local centres (this role could be undertaken by the Rabbi if no one else can be found).
 Care for those who have been abused.
 Hold perpetrators of abuse accountable and provide support and supervision where appropriate.
 Promote a safer environment and culture for all and will work to continue to strengthen and review these environments.
 Ensure these commitments and policy is implemented in each Chabad Centre.

 

Section 3. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as: protecting children
from maltreatment; preventing impairment of children’s health or development;
ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe
and effective care; and taking action to enable all children to have the best
outcomes. (Working Together to Safeguard Children, HM Government, 2015)

It is under the understanding that:
 Children and young people have a fundamental right to be protected from harm.
 Parents have a right to expect that organisations to which they entrust their children are safe.
 A person may abuse a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm.
 Children may be abused in a family, an institution or a community setting, by those known and trusted to them or, more rarely, by a stranger.
 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everybody’s responsibility.

 

Categories of abuse

Abuse is a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child
by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a
family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more
rarely, by others (eg via the Internet). They may be abused by an adult or adults, or
another child or children.
Taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015

Child abuse has many forms. There are four main categories:
 Physical Abuse
 Emotional Abuse
 Sexual Abuse
 Neglect

The definitions provided by Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 and the
signs and indicators of abuse are found in Appendix 2 .
Children are also affected by other types of harm such as domestic abuse and child
sexual exploitation.

Domestic Abuse – is any type of controlling, bullying, threatening or violent
behaviour between people in a relationship. The impact of domestic abuse on
children must not be underestimated. This impact increases when children witness
the abuse of a parent or collude in the concealment of assaults.
Child sexual exploitation – is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an
individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate
or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in
exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial
advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have
been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual
exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the
use of technology.

 

Section 4. Safer practice

Procedures for safer recruitment practice
Chabad offers activities to all Jews, including children and vulnerable adults, and
therefore the Centres hold a duty of care to create a safe environment that protects
children and vulnerable adults from any form of harm or abuse.
In recognising this duty, Chabad is committed to recruiting, selecting and appointing
people with the right skills, knowledge, values and behaviours to keep children and
vulnerable adults safe throughout their time with us.

This approach also pertains to those people who are already known to the Centre in
another capacity but who wish to take on a new role working or volunteering with
these vulnerable groups.”
Stage One – Study the role to consider the nature of contact with vulnerable groups,
the frequency of contact, the risk in the role and the vulnerabilities of the people the
role will be working with. Provide a written outline job description and person
specification (or role profile for volunteers) which takes into consideration each of
these areas

Stage Two – The DBS Eligibility Tool can be used to determine the level of criminal
record check that should be carried out for the role.

Stage Three – The advert, job application, job description and interview should all
emphasise the commitment to safeguarding. There should be reference to the
following Chabad safeguarding statement throughout the recruitment process:
‘Jewish Life Centre is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and
vulnerable adults who visit us and we expect everyone working on our behalf to
share this commitment. All Chabad posts are subject to a safer recruitment process,
including background checks and the disclosure of criminal records where
appropriate. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place
which promote safeguarding and safer working practices across our Centres’
Please note: It is illegal for someone who is barred from working with children or
vulnerable adults to apply to work in ‘regulated activity’ with these groups. It is also
a criminal offence to knowingly employ someone into a role working with these
groups if they are barred from doing so.
A minimum of two references should be taken up covering the last two years. At
least one reference should relate to previous work with children or vulnerable adults
where applicable.
A confidential self-disclosure form (see Appendix 3) should be used as a preliminary
and in addition to the criminal record check. This asks the individual to reveal any
convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings that are not ‘protected’ as
defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975
(Amended) 2013 or other relevant information. This form should be requested only
from applicants that have been offered a role and should be treated confidentially.
(See appendix 3 for a confidential declaration form designed for regulated roles).”
Those seeking candidates for roles that are not eligible for a standard or enhanced
criminal record check (roles covered by the ROA) can use another confidential
declaration form to ask if they have any unspent convictions. (See Appendix 4).

Stage Four – Follow up the criminal record check
The Disclosure & Barring Service will only send a single copy of the criminal record
check to the applicant with no second copy to the employer or registered body that
processes the DBS check.
An applicant that has information disclosed through the confidential declaration or
DBS check must be referred to Chabad Executive senior management for a
safeguarding risk assessment and then a decision will be made on whether the
person is approved to work with vulnerable groups.
The Executive Body may choose to refer this application to the Safeguarding
Committee.
Duty to Refer – Employers have a legal duty to refer to the DBS any person who has
been removed by the employer (or would have been removed had the person not
resigned, retired or left the workplace) from engaging in regulated activity because
they:
• harmed or posed a risk of harm to a child or vulnerable adult or
• satisfied the harm test or
• received a caution or conviction for a relevant offence.
For further information on criminal record check, barring and eligibility
requirements, and harm test, refer to the DBS website.
Employers also have a duty to notify any other relevant body (as applicable to the
person and the post) where there are concerns about suitability for work with
children or vulnerable adults. This includes staff, volunteers, agency staff and
contractors as well as prospective staff and volunteers.

Induction, training, supervision and support
Once an applicant has been safely appointed, the Centre should provide:
 Support and supervision – information about who they are accountable to
and where they can access further support should they have a concern.
 Induction – An induction should be arranged to clarify job requirements,
responsibilities and standards of practice/behaviour. Information on the
safeguarding policy and procedures should be shared along with a code of
conduct.
 Training – New workers should be provided with access to appropriate
safeguarding training relevant to the worker’s role. The training will be to
ensure clarity and confidence in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of
children and adults who may be vulnerable.

Code of conduct
This code of conduct has been developed to ensure that everyone that has contact
with children know what is the expected behaviour and to take some sensible precautions. This is not an exhaustive list and is intended to provide a minimum framework for good practice.

You must:
 operate within the Jewish Life Centre safeguarding principles and guidance
 treat all children and young people equally with respect and dignity
 engage and interact appropriately with children and young people
 maintain appropriate boundaries
 avoid situations that compromise your relationship with children and young people, and are unacceptable within a relationship of trust
 challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations/suspicions of abuse, including any made against you
 ensure own language, tone of voice, and body language is respectful
 ensure children know who they can talk to if they have a personal concern
 always share concerns about a child and the behaviour of another worker with your safeguarding officer
 ensure another adult is informed if a child needs to be taken to the toilet (toilet breaks should be organised for young children)
 obtained consent for any photographs to be taken, shown or displayed

You must not:
 discuss topics or use vocabulary with children which could not be used comfortably in the presence of parents or another adult
 develop inappropriate relationships such as contact with children and young people that is not a part of your role in the Centre
 make sexual comment suggestive comments to a child
 allow allegations to go unreported
 act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive
 make inappropriate promises to children and young people, particularly in relation to confidentiality

 One-to-one meetings with a child/young person
You should ensure that whenever possible there is more than one adult present
when meeting with children/young people. There may be occasions where this is
not possible, e.g. private conversation, in such circumstances the meeting should be
conducted in a room with an open door or visual access. Where this is not possible,
the adult should ensure that there is another adult nearby or that another adult is
aware of the meeting, its purpose and expected duration. The other adult should
maintain awareness of the progress of the meeting and should feel free to question
the venue, duration or any aspect of the meeting with which they feel
uncomfortable.

Children/young people in distress
There may be occasions where a distressed child needs comfort which may include
physical comforting and the adult should use their discretion to ensure that it is
appropriate and not unnecessary or unjustified contact. Be aware that physical contact with a young person may be misinterpreted, no matter how well intentioned.

This means you should:
 consider the way in which you offer comfort and do it in an age-appropriate way
 never touch a child, young person or vulnerable adult in a way which may be considered indecent
 not assume that all children or young people seek physical comfort if they are distressed
 record and report situations which may give rise to concern from either party

Supervision of children – adult to child ratio
The level of supervision needs to be appropriate to the children involved in the
activity. This could vary depending on: age, gender, behaviour, abilities within your
group, nature and duration of activities, competence and experience of staff
involved, requirements of location, accommodation or organisation based, any
special medical needs and specialist equipment needed.
The following table shows recommended adult to child ratios. These are partially based on
Ofsted guidelines.

o These ratios should be increased if children have specific support needs or if a risk
assessment identifies behaviour as a potential issue for the event or group.
o When the group is mixed gender, wherever possible the supervising staff should
also include male and female workers.
o In any children’s activity there should be a minimum of two adults present.
o Young people who are being trained or encouraged to develop their leadership
skills through helping should be overseen by an appointed worker who will be
responsible for ensuring that good practice and safeguarding procedures are
followed and the work they are doing is appropriate to both their age and
understanding.

Events and trips
Parents should give their written consent for their child’s attendance. This includes
information about specific dietary requirements, emergency contact and any medical
needs/allergies that their child may have, and provision of sufficient medication if
necessary. It is particularly important that the staff meet in advance of the
event/trip to discuss roles and responsibilities. Extra supervision may be required.
Age Ratio
0-2 years One adult to three children
2-3 years One adult to four children
4-8 years One adult to six children
9-12 years One adult to eight children
13-18 years One adult to ten children

Parents as supervisors
Parents are often involved in supervising children during activities and can provide
valuable support to the organisers. Where they are responsible for their own child
and/or another child/ren by agreement of that child/ren’s parents, this constitutes a
private arrangement outside the responsibility of the activity organisers. However,
when parents undertake a formal supervisory role at the request of or with the
agreement of the Chabad Centre which includes having responsibility for other
people’s children, safer recruitment steps (as outlined above) should be taken to
establish their suitability as for any other supervisory position.

Sleeping arrangements for overnight trips and camps
It is important to ensure that appropriate sleeping and washing accommodation are
put in place to protect children and young people. It is recommended that where
possible, children should be provided with mattresses to sleep on if overnight is
longer than 1 night.
Adults should sleep in separate but nearby, from children and either use separate
washing facilities or use the available facilities at different times.
Attention needs to be given to adequate provision for each gender prior to the trip,
together with the accommodation provider. Separate sleeping areas need to be
provided for each gender and age group (under 8s, 8+, 13+) of children and young
people. Where this is not possible, arrangements need to be made to ensure
adequate separation of the age groups within the sleeping accommodation.

Attention also needs to be given to safe access for the children/young people to
adult leaders and to toilet facilities during the night.

Transport
Those driving children and young people on behalf of the Jewish Life Centre should be
recruited for the task through the safer recruitment process. Drivers should have a
full, clean driving license and should be in a fit state to drive.
Children and young people should not be transported to an event in a private vehicle
without the prior consent of their parents/carers. There should be a non-driving
adult escort as well as the driver. If in an emergency a driver has to transport one
child on his or her own, the child must sit in the back of the car.
All vehicles that carry children/adults on behalf of Jewish Life Centre should be
comprehensively insured for both private and business use and be in roadworthy
condition. All children/passengers should wear seatbelts. At no time should the
number of people in the vehicle exceed the usual passenger number. Drivers must
observe all traffic laws, including observing speed limit, and must not drive under the
influence of alcohol or drugs.

Lone Working
*It is recommended you check your insurance cover if you operate lone working
We aim to ensure that no member of the team is left alone working in either a room
alone or within the building at any time. However there may be occasions when this
isn’t always possible due to:
 Toilet breaks
 Lunch cover
 Comforting a child that may be unwell in a quiet area
 Following a child’s interest, as this may lead staff away with a child to explore an area
 Supporting children in the toilet area that may have had an accident
 The duties some team members have, e.g. management, opening and closing the setting, carrying out cleaning or maintenance at the settings and staff operating outside operating hours.

We always ensure that our staff:child ratios are maintained.
It is the responsibility of both the employee and their manager to identify the
hazards and minimise the risks of working alone.
Public liability insurance for lone working will be sought where applicable.Employees/managers’ responsibilities when left in a room alone include ensuring:
 To complete a risk assessment for staff working alone
 Ratios are maintained
 There is someone to call on in an emergency if required
 The member of staff and children are safeguarded at all times Employee’s responsibilities when left in the building alone:
 To make a member of the management aware of when they are working and make plans to check in at their expected time of completion of the work
 To ensure they have access to a telephone at all times in order to call for help if they need it, or for management to check their safety if they are concerned
 Ensure that the building remains locked so no one can walk in unidentified
 Report any concerns for working alone to the management as soon as is practicably possible.
Management’s responsibilities when left in the building alone:
 To ensure staff working alone are competent and confident to carry out any safety procedures e.g. fire evacuation
 To ensure that the employee has the ability to contact them or a member of the team event if their lone working is outside normal office hours (i.e. access to a phone, contact numbers of someone they can call)
 To check that the employee has someone they can contact in the event of an
emergency, and the numbers to call

 To ensure that employees have the ability to access a telephone whilst lone
working
 If reporting in arrangements have been made and the employee does not call in,
to follow it up.

Risk assessments are also completed for these occasions including hazards and risks and
how these are controlled.

Training
All workers with children and adults are required to attend (or access) the following
training:
Level 1 Child Protection registered course (as a minimum)
Records of completion of training course should be maintained at each Centre and
will be held by the COO of Lubavitch UK or the head of each Chabad Centre (if
separate charity number).

Section 5. Responding to concerns

Procedure for responding to a child or anyone who has made an allegation of abuse or inappropriate behaviour
 Listen to the information and acknowledge what you hear without passing judgement or minimising the information.
 Do not put words into the person or child’s mouth or make judgemental statements about any person.
 Take into account the child’s age and level of understanding, their culture and use of language.
 Do not interrogate the child or the person sharing the information, but be calm and reassuring.
 Do not make promises you cannot keep, for example, that you will not tell anyone else.
 Be clear about what you are going to do next and when.
 Tell them who you will need to contact e.g. the Designated Safeguarding Officer or Centre Director.
 Do not promise total confidentiality but explain that the information will be
treated with great care and where necessary to safeguard them from further
harm, the information may be shared appropriately between specific adults
trained to deal with these matters.
 Make careful notes, using the Incident Reporting form (See Appendix 6) as soon as you can.
 Provide the child or person with some means to contact you and be clear about
how and when you will contact them to feedback what will happen next.
 Do not contact the person about whom the allegation or concerns are being
raised to tell them about the information, you could be putting a child in serious danger, e.g. where there is domestic abuse taking place, and/or prejudice any form of investigation.
 Report the concern to the Designated Safeguarding Officer or Centre Director as
soon as possible to inform and consult them about the need for action, including
the need to make a referral to Children’s Social Care Services or the Police in an
emergency situation.

Referring concerns to statutory authorities
If there is a concern that a child may have suffered or be at risk of suffering harm,
discuss with the Rabbi or Designated Safeguarding Officer. A referral must be made
to Children’s Social Care Services or the Police. It is preferable that the Designated
Safeguarding Officer or Rabbi does this, but if the DSO is not available then anyone
can do it.
Where possible you may want to discuss any concerns with the family and seek their
agreement to make the referral. This should be done where such discussion and
agreement-seeking will not place the child at increased risk of harm.
Once you have made contact with Children Service they should within 24 -48
hours of receiving your referral:
 discuss reasons for the concern with the referrer
 involve and discuss with appropriate professionals/agencies
 establish if a criminal offence has been committed and involve the Police
 take into consideration, based on available information, whether there are
concerns about the child’s health or developments.
 look at a further enquiry, assessment or take immediate action if necessary
 consider timescales and how best to undertake it.
See Referral Flowchart in Appendix 5.

Referring concerns to the Rabbi/Centre Director or the Designated Safeguarding
Officer
The Centre Director or Designated Safeguarding Officer should be informed if one or
more of the following things occur:
– an incident where an adult or child has been abused or mistreated by someone
connected with the Centre
– an incident where someone has been abused or mistreated and this is
connected with the activities of the Centre
– where there is a current allegation of abuse against a child or adult
– where someone in the Centre has been suspended or dismissed from work, or
investigated or arrested for allegations of abuse
– where a child/children, vulnerable adult may be at risk of harm
– where a member or regular attendee at the Centre is known to have been
convicted of a sexual offence against a child, or is being subject to investigation
for any offence against a child or where there have been investigations or
convictions of domestic abuse. 

The Rabbi/Centre Director or designated safeguarding office may seek to clarify or
obtain further information about the concern, but it is not their role to conduct an
investigation to determine if abuse has taken place. This is the task of the Local
Authority Children’s Care Services or the Police who has the legal responsibility.

Referring concerns to the Chabad Lubavitch UK Safeguarding Adviser
The national safeguarding adviser should be informed if one or more of the following
things occur:
– Any concerns relating to a Shliach / Shlucha
– Where there is a request to respond to a review from a statutory body following
a serious incident, i.e. serious case review
– Any serious situation that such as:

o The arrest of someone in the Jewish Life Centre holding a position of trust
o Information about a blemished DBS check
o Disclosure about a past/historic case of abuse
o Allegations of abusive behaviour where the Centre manager or DSO might
want to seek support or advice.

Recording concern
Whenever concerns are raised about a child or adult, whether through an allegation
or the observation of a set of circumstances, it is crucial to make and keep an
accurate written record. Confidentiality should apply throughout the process and
information should only be shared on a need to know basis.
The following steps should be observed:
 where it is not appropriate to take notes at the time, make a written record as
soon as possible afterwards and always before the end of the day
 record the time, date, location, format of information (e.g. letter, telephone call,
direct contact) and the persons present when the information was given
 include as much information as possible, but be clear about which information is
fact, hearsay, opinion and do not make assumptions or speculate.
Include in your notes:
o Who was involved – names of key people
o What happened – facts not opinions.
o Where it happened
o How it happened
 make sure the notes are legible and clear, wherever possible, use the person’s
own words and phrases.
 include the context and background leading to the Disclosure
 record all actions you have taken and details of referrals to the Social Services or
the Police
 the record must always be signed and dated by the person making the record

Storing and passing on concerns
It is important that all records are kept in a secure place and only shared in
accordance with legislation, government guidance and Chabad Lubavitch’s policy
(see below guidance on information sharing).
Pass the records to the Designated Safeguarding Officer as soon as possible.

Confidentiality and information sharing
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015 states that: Early sharing of
information is the key to providing effective early help where there are emerging
problems. At the other end of the continuum, sharing information can be essential to
put in place effective child protection services. Fears about sharing information
cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the need to promote the welfare and
protect the safety of children.
 All information about a child, vulnerable adult or staff, volunteer or visitor
involved in a safeguarding enquiry will be treated as confidential and will not be
shared with others, unless they need to be involved for due process to take
place.
 Where there is concern that a child or adult may be suffering or is likely to suffer
significant harm then information must be shared.
 Other circumstances in which a person might want to share confidential
information are: request from a statutory investigation, court order and a
request under the Data Protection Act 1998.
 Information will be shared with consent where appropriate and, where possible,
respect the wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential
information.
 The decision to share information will take into consideration the safety and
well-being of the person and others whom may be affected by their actions.
 Representatives will not discuss any matters with outside parties and should
refer enquiries to the Rabbi or the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
 All information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to the
designated people in line with data protection laws e.g. that information is
accurate, regularly updated, relevant and secure.
 Any breach of confidentiality will be considered a severe disciplinary offence and
may lead to immediate dismissal. An example of a breach will be where a worker
shares confidential information about a possible case or allegation of abuse with
someone in the Centre or community who is not in need of that information. So
before you share information, consider the safety and well-being of the
child/person and others whom may be affected by your actions.
Seven golden rules of information sharing (HM Government 2015)

When deciding whether to share information there are seven golden rules to
remember:
1. Remember that the Data Protection Act 1998 and human rights law are not
barriers to justified information sharing, but provide a framework to ensure that
personal information about living individuals is shared appropriately.
2. Be open and honest with the individual (and/or their family where appropriate)
from the outset about why, what, how and with whom information will, or could be
shared, and seek their agreement, unless it is unsafe or inappropriate to do so.
3. Seek advice from other practitioners if you are in any doubt about sharing the
information concerned, without disclosing the identity of the individual where
possible.
4. Share with informed consent where appropriate and, where possible, respect the
wishes of those who do not consent to share confidential information. You may still
share information without consent if, in your judgement, there is good reason to do
so, such as where safety may be at risk. You will need to base your judgement on the
facts of the case. When you are sharing or requesting personal information from
someone, be certain of the basis upon which you are doing so. Where you have
consent, be mindful that an individual might not expect information to be shared.
5. Consider safety and well-being. Base your information-sharing decisions on
considerations of the safety and well-being of the individual and others who may be
affected by their actions.
6. Ensure that the information you share is necessary for the purpose for which you
are sharing it, is shared only with those individuals who need to have it, is accurate
and up to date, is shared in a timely fashion, and is shared securely.
7. Keep a record of your decision and the reasons for it – whether it is to share
information or not. If you decide to share, then record what you have shared, with
whom and for what purpose.
Section 6. Managing an allegation relating to a person in a position of trust
6.1 Reporting an allegation or concern
The Jewish Life Centre is dedicated to creating and maintaining an environment in
which workers and Centre users can express their concerns about the conduct of
persons in a position of trust without fear of harassment or reprisal. Everyone has an
important role to play in achieving this. The Jewish Life Centre will take action depending
on the concern.
Matters of concern should be brought to the attention of the Rabbi/Centre Director
or the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO).

 The concern may relate to the person’s behaviour in the Centre/Shul, at home or
in another setting.
 The concern may be about current or past events. The response should be the
same – as any events in the past may have relevance for the safety of other
children or vulnerable adults in the present.
 Concerns may be raised verbally. The Centre Manager or DSO will then record
the concern in line with the CL policy. (Refer to Recording Concerns guidance
above).
 But where possible put it in writing, detailing the background of the concern,
giving names, dates, places and reason for raising the concern.
 All matters raised will be treated in confidence, and will be kept anonymous as
long as it is possible to do so. (Refer to Confidentiality and Information Sharing
guidance above.)
 The Jewish Life Centre will support those who made an allegation in good faith. If
the allegation turns out to be false (evidence disproves allegation) or
unsubstantiated (not enough evidence to prove or disprove), no action will be
taking against the person who reported to it. However, if an allegation was
made maliciously (deliberate attempt to deceive) and was later confirmed to be
untrue, this will be followed up with actions against the individual.

6.2 Managing an allegation
According to Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) an allegation
may relate to a person who works with children who has:
o behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child;
o possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child; or
o behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates they may pose
a risk of harm to children.
(If an allegation falls short of the above, it may amount to inappropriate conduct, in
which case the Centre Director will need to consider whether to handle this by way
of advice, supervision and training, to use disciplinary processes or a combination
of these.)
1) Report your concern, suspicion or allegation immediately to the Centre
Director and/or the  who will refer to the Local Authority designated officer/team that oversees allegation
management. The only exception to sharing information with the Centre
Director or Designated Safeguarding Officer is where that person is the
subject of the allegation/concern or implicated in any way.
o At no time should the person about whom concerns have been raised be
informed or alerted to the concerns.
o Any contact with the person about whom the allegation is made should only
take place after liaison with and agreement from the statutory authorities
and from taking Halachic guidance.

In the consideration of a course of action there could be:

 a police investigation
 a child protection enquiry by the local authority
 an employer disciplinary action

2) Record Keeping – make immediate notes using the Incident Report Form
(Appendix 6) and store safely.
3) Referral to the Disclosure & Barring Service – If the alleged perpetrator works
with children and/or vulnerable adults and resigns, retires or has been removed
from their position as a result of the investigation, the Centre management has a
legal duty to refer them to the DBS (see Section 5 for procedures on safer
recruitment practice).

Support for the victim and survivors of abuse
The Jewish Life Centre will always support the victim and any sensitivity to him/her
first and foremost during the investigation. As such their needs must be considered
first. It should be explained that appropriate support will also be provided for the
alleged perpetrator as we have a duty of care to all. Any course of action to
accommodate the attendance and participation of an alleged perpetrator or
offender should be explained to the victim.
Chabad leaders should be sensitive to the concerns of survivors of abuse who may be
still emotionally harmed by presence of the offender in the community. In providing support to offenders the leaders should do it in such a way that survivors are not re- victimized, emotionally or otherwise.

Support for the alleged perpetrator
The Jewish Life Centre understands that it has a duty towards its employees and
volunteers to treat them fairly, including if an allegation of abuse has been made
against them. Consideration will be given to the type of support the alleged
perpetrator will need. A separate person(s) who is not involved in the investigation
or disciplinary proceedings will be found to support them. The Centre Director or his
designated safeguarding officer may need to seek guidance from the Police or Local
Authority to determine the participation of the alleged perpetrator or offender in
Shul services where the victim or their family also attends. It should be explained to
the alleged perpetrator/offender that the victim will be receiving support as a
priority whilst trying to provide appropriate support for them too. (See next section)
6.5 Communication and media enquiries
Advice should be sought from the the Jewish Life Centre Safeguarding Adviser to
manage information in the Centre and wider community. The Safeguarding Adviser
and Executive Board will also need to be informed of any situation which goes to
criminal court, tribunal or reaches the media.

 

Section 7. Managing the attendance and participation of those who pose a risk

In most cases today a person who has committed a sexual offense against a child or
adult will be convicted or receive a formal caution. Most offenders would see
participation in religious and community activities as important in helping to rebuild
their lives. For the protection of victims of abuse, children and vulnerable adults and
the offender (who needs not to be in positions where they could re-offend or be
accused again), the basis of the offender’s involvement needs to be clearly
understood and stated. Pressure will be immense from friends of the victim to
totally shun the perpetrator. This is understandable, however, it is imperative that
Rabbis as leaders explain to people what our policy is and how it is implemented
with safeguards.
The Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) states that religious
communities must put in place effective arrangements for those who have been
convicted of sex offences and want to participate in religious services and other
activities. This includes carrying out a risk assessment which should be done with
the police, probation services and/or social services.
7.1 Procedures for managing attendance and participation
The following procedures should apply:
 When a local centre becomes aware of a person who is considered to be a risk, a
representative from the centre should be in contact with the DSO and / or the
appropriate professionals. This may include a probation officer, the police or
MAPPA.
 Speak with sensitivity to the offender concerned. (They too will have lots to
consider regarding their current and future life.) Notes of the conversation
should be taken including date and time.
 The Rabbi may set up a small group to provide support to the offender and
agree the conditions of pastoral support arrangements and the details of the
person(s) assigned to provide pastoral care support or mentoring.
 Undertake a risk assessment with the assistance of MAPPA (which may involve
the Police, Probation Services and or Social Care Services) to determine the
grounds the offender may attend Shul and other activities. The results of the risk
assessment will lead to the creation of an agreement with the offender.
 The agreement is to be written and signed (see sample agreement in Appendix

Setting out the boundaries and terms of involvement. The agreement can
include:

 The condition of contact between the individual and children, young people
or vulnerable adults and the activities the offender should avoid taking part
in. Examples:
Has to be in a public place at all times (e.g. Shul/hall). (WC – to use single
toilet eg independent disabled. If none available, and children around, by
chaperone)
Cannot be alone at any time with those under 18.
 The details of the person(s) assigned to provide care support or mentoring
 A request for proof that the offender is undergoing counselling/treatment.
 The circumstances where the offender’s behaviour may continue to cause
concern and who this information will be shared with in order to protect
children or vulnerable adults from harm.
 Who can be made aware of the agreement whilst respecting confidentiality
as much as possible. (Information should be shared on a need to know basis
where there are concerns that the safety of a child or vulnerable adult may
be compromised.)
 The consequences of breaking the agreement, e.g. referral to the
Safeguarding Team and/or statutory agencies; exclusion from Shul/activities,
disciplinary actions.
 The names of the parties making the agreement.
 The date the agreement was made and the intervals/dates for the agreement
to be reviewed

Attendance and participation of those who have NOT been cautioned or convicted
but may potentially present a risk to children and/or vulnerable adults
This could be because of:
 specific behaviours that are worrying
 an allegation(s) has been made, but there has been insufficient evidence to
secure a criminal conviction
 the individual has been suspended pending further investigation
 the individual is under investigation and/or awaiting trial
In many of these cases the individual may feel falsely accused and deny the
allegations. Even in such circumstances, Centres/Shuls have a responsibility to use
good practice to create a safe environment for children, vulnerable adults and the
individual who is the subject of concerns where they are involved in worship and
other activities. This is a protective step which helps to ensure care and respect for
the safety of all parties. It should always be remembered that the duty to protect
children and vulnerable adults from harm is always the most important factor.
An agreement can be made between the Shul/Centre and the individual to set
appropriate boundaries for their participation in activities. This will help to
safeguard all those involved, provide support for the individual and minimise the
possibility of further allegations being made.

The Victim and perpetrator at the same centre the Jewish Life Centre will always support the victim and any sensitivities to him/her
first and foremost. As such their needs must be considered first.
If the victim is or their family are members / regular attendees:
 The Rabbi or his designate would have to decide on whether to allow the
attendance of the perpetrator (in consultation with MAPPA if the perpetrator is
a convicted sex offender)
 If inclusion decided – sensitivities related to any contact eg seating position
(close by or behind victim/family must be considered)
 If exclusion decided – try and support the perpetrator to find alternative services
(under the guidance of MAPPA), and seek agreement from the Rabbi there
 This should be explained to the victim/family that this is the action that we at
Chabad Lubavitch are taking to support them (the victim).
 This should be explained to the perpetrator/offender so that he/she sees that
you are supporting the victim fully first whilst trying to support him/her too.

Roles and responsibilities
Designated Safeguarding Officer’s (DSO) role (in each Centre) is to:
 Advise on all matters of safeguarding in conjunction with the Centre Director.
 Keep a record of those in the centre or shul who need or have DBS checks and
issue reminders for renewing.
 Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns.
 Assess the information promptly and carefully, clarifying or obtaining more
information when needed.
 Consult the Chabad Lubavitch UK Safeguarding Adviser (at Executive Board),
local authority social care services or the NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 to talk
about concerns and seek advice.
 Make a formal referral to the appropriate Social Care Service or the Police.
 Assure appropriate training for those who work with children and vulnerable
adults.
 Undertake basic safeguarding awareness training as a minimum level of child
protection training.
The Centre Director’s role is to:
 Ensure that there is good practice and management of safeguarding issues in the
Centres.
 Ensure that training opportunities are put in place for those who work or engage
with children and vulnerable adults where appropriate.
 Ensure that someone is appointed to the role of Designated Safeguarding Officer
and their details are passed onto the Jewish Life Centre Safeguarding Adviser.
 Support the safeguarding designated officer in their work, providing access to
resources to enable them to fulfil their functions,

 Ensure the provision of pastoral support and management for those involved in
issues of abuse and those who have been suspended, awaiting trial or convicted
of sex offences.
 Undertake basic safeguarding awareness training as a minimum level of child
protection training.
At some Centres the Rabbi may also act as the Designated Safeguarding Officer.
Where the roles are separate, cooperation on these matters should include a
decision on who should liaise with the Executive Board and the statutory authorities.
Chabad Lubavitch UK Safeguarding Adviser’s role is to:
 Develop a safeguarding policy for the Jewish Life Centre (with the exception of
school and nurseries) and circulate it to the local branches.
 Support all Chabad local branches in implementing the safeguarding policy.
 Liaise with local branches to ensure adequate levels of training can be accessed
for staff and volunteers.
 Provide advice and support to the Centres’ Director and/or Designated
Safeguarding Officer on issues pertaining to allegations past or present, of
inappropriate behaviour or actual abuse of children or vulnerable adults by any
person working for Chabad Lubavitch, either paid or voluntary, and liaising with
the Police and Social Care services where appropriate.
 Monitor and review the safeguarding policy each year for changes and updates.
 Undertake basic safeguarding awareness training as a minimum level of child
protection training.

The Jewish Life Centre Safeguarding Team’s role is to:
 Ensure appropriate management of any serious safeguarding situation.
 Support risk assessment work on individuals conducted in local centres or
nationally to help evaluate and manage any risk pose by individuals and their
work of activities with the Jewish Life Centre.
 Provide access to training and support on safeguarding matters to local centres
in collaboration with the centre managers.
 Oversee the management of the DBS and Independent Safeguarding Authority
processes.
 Maintain a database to include safeguarding recruitment checks, training
undertaken/ requirements and management of cases/concerns.

Chabad the Jewish Life Centre trustees role is to:
 Proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of children and adults who are in
contact with the Jewish Life Centre.
 Provide a structure to manage safeguarding incidents and allegations should
they arise.
 Ensure that a Safeguarding team and National Safeguarding Adviser are in place
to support the safeguarding work.

 ensure that organisations that Chabad Lubavitch funds or do partnership work
with has appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place.