During the year 2019/20, the Safeguarding officer for Devon Bat Group will be Sarah Butcher. As part of our insurance cover and as a BCT partner group, all of our activities will operate in accordance with their safeguarding policy, available to view here.

Sarah can be contacted on sarah.butcher@btinternet.com if you wish to know more. The section below is taken from the BCT policy linked above, but is a quick aide-memoire:

Responding to abuse, suspected abuse and disclosures of abuse
If you have concerns about a child/young person/vulnerable adult or someone
discloses that they are being abused, then upon receiving the information you
should:
 react calmly
 reassure the individual that they were right to tell you and that they are not to
blame and take what they say seriously
 allow them to speak freely
 do not trivialise the issue being discussed
 only ask questions to clarify the situation, do not probe or interrogate so as to
investigate the allegations
 reassure but do not promise confidentiality, which might not be feasible in the
light of subsequent developments
 inform the individual what you will do next
 make a full and written record of what has been said/heard as soon as
possible – see paragraph 3.9
 inform the Safeguarding Officer
If the Safeguarding Officer (or another [committee member] if the Safeguarding Officer is not available) considers the individual concerned is in immediate danger, or there
has been a crime committed (e.g. you witness physical abuse), contact must be
made with the emergency services and/or the appropriate authorities (parents/social
services) to help ensure the individual does not remain in an unsafe environment. A
full detailed record must be made (see paragraph 3.9).
Remember, if you witness an assault, crime, or act of abuse the priority is the
immediate health, safety and welfare of the individual and you should contact
the Police.