Safeguarding Statement

Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and ensuring their well-being.

The following statement was agreed by the Management Committee on 24 April 2020 and has been reviewed each year, the most recent review being October 2025. Anyone with safeguarding concerns related to children, young people or vulnerable adults attending Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians should speak to our safeguarding contacts. Our three trustees, Louise Reeve, Jane Simpson and David Venus are all safeguarding contacts who have undergone recent safeguarding training. If you have a safeguarding concern, please speak to one of them, or you can use this form:

If you have an urgent safeguarding concern about an adult in Newcastle upon Tyne, call Newcastle Community Health and Social Care Direct (8am – 5pm) at: 0191 278 8377, outside of these hours call: 0191 278 7878, but in an emergency always dial 999.

If you have an urgent safeguarding concern about a child in Newcastle upon Tyne, please contact the Initial Response Service at: 0191 277 2500, or the Emergency Duty Team at: 0191 278 7878. Again, if it is urgent, contact Northumbria Police at: 101 (in an emergency always dial 999), or for advice call the NSPCC Helpline at: 0808 800 5000.

Our safeguarding aims and objectives

Name of Place of Worship: Church of the Divine Unity, Newcastle upon Tyne, commonly known as Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians.

Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians are committed to the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and ensuring their well-being.

• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the physical, sexual, psychological, financial and discriminatory abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults and to report any such abuse that we discover or suspect.
• We recognise that the personal dignity and rights of vulnerable adults and will ensure all our policies and procedures will reflect this.
• We believe all adults should enjoy and have access to every aspect of the life of the Church of the Divine Unity.
• We undertake to exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of those who will work with children and vulnerable adults.
• We believe every child should be valued, safe and happy. We will make sure that children we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.

We are committed to:

• Following statutory denominational and specialist guidelines in relation to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, and ensuring that, as a Place of Worship, all workers (including volunteers) will work within the agreed procedure of our Safeguarding Policy.
• Implementing the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005, and all other relevant legislation.
• 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 Newcastle upon Tyne Unitarians.
• Supporting any who visit and attend this Place of Worship who have been affected by abuse.

We recognise that

• 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 a vulnerable adult.
• 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.

We will review this Statement and our Policy annually.

A copy of this Place of Worship’s policy can be seen on request from the Secretary of the Management Committee. You can reach us here: info@newcastleunitarians.org.uk or call: 07506 255 731.

Useful links

Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board: Newcastle Safeguarding Children Board

Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board: Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board