Safeguarding
Looking after and caring for children and the vulnerable is at the heart of Scripture. It is no hard thing for us to live up to this ethos as we seek to reach a lost world with the Gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ. Although Echoes International has no direct contact with children or adults at risk we realise we are affiliated with individuals and groups who do. This being the case we have put together a Safeguarding policy which takes our position into consideration and seeks to help those associated with the charity to provide a safe environment for those they encounter.
Our Safeguarding Policy can be obtained by anyone wishing to see it. Please get in touch using the email address [email protected]
The policy is reviewed by the charity annually and we take advice from our solicitors every 3 years to make sure it is kept up-to-date and relevant.
Our approach to safeguarding is summarised in the following statements:
Safe Recruiting
Echoes International employs a safe recruiting approach to ensure that any individual/organisation affiliated with the charity with any direct responsibility related to children and adults at risk is/are appropriate to do so. All Echoes International listed mission partners, along with those representing the charity, are required to complete regular training in safeguarding matters.
Safe Supporting
Echoes International is determined to only support individuals and organisations who are committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk.
Safe Sharing
If Echoes International receives a safeguarding concern with regard to a child or adult at risk, we operate a no secrets policy. All concerns will be recorded and where necessary will be shared with the police and appropriate local authority where possible. Any concern of a safeguarding nature, involving an Echoes International listed mission partner, will always involve representatives from their commending church.
Safe Investigating
Echoes International will support statutory bodies, both domestic and abroad in their safeguarding investigations and law enforcement activities. We will share any information upon reasonable request to an investigating authority.
Safe Reflecting
Should Echoes International learn of a safeguarding incident our Directors and Trustees will reflect on how this happened and where they could appropriately take action to prevent a similar situation. Action will be taken by an independent, suitably qualified person to report on the situation and make appropriate recommendations to the Trustees for a revised approach.
This statement was first agreed and updated by the Trustees of Echoes International on 1 October 2021 and recently updated on 2 November 2023.
Next review date: 1 November 2024.
Should you have any concerns that you wish to raise with Echoes International in relation to their safeguarding practice (as detailed above), then please contact our organisation at [email protected]
Echoes International takes whistle blowing seriously and has a Whistle Blowing policy in place to support any concerns. Should you have a concern you feel cannot be raised directly with us, we would encourage you to contact ThirtyOne Eight to ensure that these matters are given appropriate attention. https://thirtyoneeight.org/
Echoes International is registered with Disclosure Scotland and Thirtyone:eight.