Keeping people safe

draw-together sessions are for adults aged 18 and over. This page sets out how we look after the people who come to them, what our volunteers do if they’re worried about someone, and how to raise a concern with us.

Who this covers

Our sessions are open to anyone over 18. We don’t admit children, so we don’t work with under-18s and this policy doesn’t deal with child protection.

It does deal with adults at risk: an adult who, because of their care or support needs, may be less able to protect themselves from harm or neglect. Free, welcoming, low-pressure community sessions are exactly the sort of thing that people experiencing isolation, poor mental health, disability or ill health come along to. That’s a good thing, and it means we should be thoughtful about it.

Who is responsible

Overall responsibility for safeguarding sits with the directors of Draw Together CIC. Concerns come to us at safeguarding@draw-together.co.uk.

Each studio is run by a volunteer patron. Patrons agree to a code of conduct before they can run sessions. They are not trained safeguarding professionals, and we don’t ask them to be. Their job is to notice, to act sensibly in the moment, and to tell us.

What our volunteers do

If someone seems to be struggling

Ask if they’re alright. Offer a quiet word away from the group if that seems easier. Don’t press, and don’t try to fix it. If someone seems to need more help than a friendly chat, our patrons can point them towards their GP, Samaritans on 116 123, or the local council’s adult social care team.

If someone discloses abuse or neglect

Patrons are asked to do four things, in this order:

• Listen. Take it seriously. Don’t react with shock or judgement.
• Don’t investigate. Don’t question them in detail, don’t go looking for evidence, and don’t confront anyone. That work belongs to the authorities and doing it badly can make things worse.
• Don’t promise secrecy. Be honest that you may need to pass this on to keep them or someone else safe.
• Write it down and tell us the same day. What was said, in their words where you can, and when. Then email safeguarding@draw-together.co.uk.

Where there is a risk to someone’s safety we will refer the matter to the adult social care team at the relevant local authority, and to the police where a crime may have been committed. If someone is in immediate danger, the first call is always 999.

If someone appears to be under 18

Our 18+ rule is self-declared and we don’t check ID at the door, so this will happen occasionally. If a patron believes someone at a session is under 18, they may ask, privately, for ID confirming their age. If they are unable to provide it, they will ask them not to stay until they can verify their age with us. They won’t make a scene of it. If the young person appears to be at risk, rather than simply in the wrong place, the patron will contact us, and where necessary the local authority.

Raising a concern with us

Anyone can raise a concern: attendees, patrons, venue staff, or someone passing through. Email safeguarding@draw-together.co.uk.

This includes concerns about a patron. That address reaches the directors of the CIC directly, not the person running your local studio. If you’d rather not raise something with your patron, you don’t have to.

We’ll acknowledge what you send us, tell you what we’re doing about it where we can, and treat it confidentially, sharing it only with the people who need to know in order to keep someone safe.

Records

We keep a written record of safeguarding concerns and what was done about them. These are held securely, seen only by the directors, and kept for as long as we need them for the purpose, usually no longer than six years. How we handle personal information generally is set out in our privacy policy.

Useful numbers

• Emergency: 999
• Police, non-emergency: 101
• Samaritans: 116 123, free, any time
• Your local council’s adult social care team, searchable at gov.uk/find-local-council