Child Protection Lead Officer

  • All suspected abuse should be reported to the Lead child protection officer

Nominated Lead Child Protection Officer

Name:                Christopher Lewis

Address:              23 Valley View,
                            Market Drayton,
                            Shropshire,
                            TF9 1EA

Phone:                 01630 801860

Mobile:                07508 487092

Email:                  christopher.d.lewis44@gmail.com

Purpose of the role

  • To take the lead in ensuring that appropriate arrangements for keeping children and young people safe are in place across all of the activities of Shropshire Junior Chess.
  • To promote the safety and welfare of children and young people involved in Shropshire Junior Chess’s activities at all times.

Duties and responsibilities

1. Take a lead role in developing and reviewing Shropshire Junior Chess safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures.

2. Take a lead role in implementing Shropshire Junior Chess’s safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures: ensuring all safeguarding and child protection issues concerning children and young people who take part in Shropshire Junior Chess’s activities are responded to appropriately.

3. Make sure that everyone working or volunteering with or for children and young people at Shropshire Junior Chess understands the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures and knows what to do if they have concerns about a child’s welfare.

4. Make sure children and young people who are involved in activities at Shropshire Junior Chess and their parents know who they can talk to if they have a welfare concern and understand what action the organisation will take in response.

5. Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a child who takes part in Shropshire Junior Chess’s activities.

6. Take the lead on responding to information that may constitute a child protection concern, including a concern that an adult involved with Shropshire Junior Chess may present a risk to children or young people. This includes:

                a. assessing and clarifying the information

                b. making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate

                c. consulting with and informing the relevant members of the organisation’s management

                d. following the organisation’s safeguarding policy and procedures.

7. Liaise with, pass on information to and receive information from the relevant statutory child protection agencies (listed below). This includes making formal referrals to agencies when necessary.

8. Consult the NSPCC Helpline when support is needed, by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk.

9. Store and retain child protection records according to legal requirements and the organisation’s safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures.

10. The nominated protection officer should ensure they are kept up to date with safeguarding issues and are fully informed of any concerns about organisational safeguarding and child protection practice.

11. Report annually to the Shropshire Chess AGM on issues relating to safeguarding and child protection, to ensure that child protection is seen as an ongoing priority issue and that safeguarding and child protection requirements are being followed at all levels of the organisation.

12. Be familiar with and work within inter-agency child protection procedures developed by the local child protection agencies.

13. Be familiar with issues relating to child protection and abuse, and keep up to date with new developments in this area.

14. Attend training in issues relevant to child protection and share knowledge from that training with everyone who volunteers with or for children and young people at Shropshire Junior Chess.

The relevant agencies in Shropshire are:

  • Shropshire Council
    Initial Contact Team
    0345 678 9021
    Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm
    Out of hours 0345 678 9040
  • Telford and Wrekin Council
    Family Connect
    01952 385385
    Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm
    Out of hours 01952 676500