Safeguarding

If a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 999 first. Then tell the Church Safeguarding Officer.

Chase Family Church

Church: Chase Family Church (“the Church”), an Elim Network Church and member of the Evangelical Alliance
Address: Chase Family Church Centre, Shirley Road, Enfield, EN2 6SB
Telephone / email: 020 8366 5488 · office@chasefamilychurch.com
Registration: Registered charity no. 1148723 · Company no. 08045796 (England and Wales)

Church safeguarding team

Church Safeguarding Officer: Kev Nash — kev@chasefamilychurch.com
Deputy Church Safeguarding Officer: Liz Higgins — liz@chasefamilychurch.com
Lead Elder: Martin Higgins — martin@chasefamilychurch.com
Confidential safeguarding inbox (monitored by both officers): safeguarding@chasefamilychurch.com

Elim and specialist advice

Elim Regional Safeguarding Lead (Met East & West) — Tom Skelton: tom.skelton@elim.org.uk · 07360 531398
Elim National Safeguarding Team: safeguarding@elim.org.uk · report a concern online at www.elim.org.uk/safeguardingconcern
thirtyone:eight Safeguarding Helpline: 0303 003 1111 · PO Box 133, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7UQ

Statutory agencies (London Borough of Enfield)

Children’s Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): 020 3821 1920 (Mon–Thu 9am–5pm, Fri 9am–4.45pm) · childrensmash@enfield.gov.uk · referrals via the Enfield Children’s Portal
Children’s out-of-hours emergency service: 020 8379 1000 (option 2)
Adult MASH: 020 8379 3196 (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm)
Adult abuse line (24 hours): 020 8379 5212
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) — allegations against staff or volunteers: 020 8379 2850 (duty) · referrals via the Enfield Children’s Portal
Police: Emergency 999 · Non-emergency 101
Childline / NSPCC helpline: 0800 1111 (children) · 0808 800 5000 (adults worried about a child)

Scope

This policy applies to everyone who serves at Chase Family Church, paid or voluntary, including trustees, elders, staff, volunteers, Encounter gap-year participants and their host placements, and members of the Engage schools team. It covers every activity run by or in the name of the Church, on or off our premises and online, including children’s and youth ministry, schools work, pastoral care, community projects such as the food pantry, and events and trips.

In this policy, “children” means anyone under 18. “Adults at risk” means adults with care and support needs who, because of those needs, are unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect (Care Act 2014). We also recognise that any adult can be vulnerable at times.

Good governance and culture

Good governance helps us prevent abuse and respond quickly and with integrity when concerns arise. The Board of Trustees carries legal responsibility for the Church as a charity, including safeguarding. Trustees set the values, standards and behaviours of the Church, and must follow Charity Commission guidance on safeguarding and protecting people, including reporting serious incidents.

Those standards and behaviours make up the culture of the Church — “the way we do things around here”. This policy aims not only to meet our legal duties but to build an open culture where:

• those who lead do so by example;
• everyone is committed to the safeguarding of all;
• everyone who works or volunteers is safely recruited and trained for their role;
• there are clear accountability structures and codes of conduct;
• discrimination, including racism, misogyny and faith-based prejudice, is recognised, challenged and addressed;
• the values of the Church show in the day-to-day actions and behaviour of its people; and
• people can speak up and are listened to.

Positions of trust

Everyone working with children, young people and adults at risk is in a position of trust. They must understand the power this gives them and the responsibility that comes with it, keep appropriate boundaries, and avoid behaviour that could be misunderstood.

Since 28 June 2022 it has been a criminal offence in England and Wales (Sexual Offences Act 2003, as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) for a person in a position of trust in a religious setting to engage in sexual activity with a 16 or 17-year-old in their care or under their supervision.

Our commitment

As a leadership we recognise the need to provide a safe and caring environment for children, young people and adults. We acknowledge that they can be victims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation and other forms of harm, including harm that happens online.

We accept the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We have therefore adopted the procedures in this policy in line with statutory guidance and Elim requirements, and are committed to building constructive links with statutory and voluntary agencies involved in safeguarding. Our safeguarding statement for display is at Appendix 1.

Legislation and guidance

This policy reflects the following (as amended): the Children Act 1989 and 2004; Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026; Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026; the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005; the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, including the removal of the supervision exemption by the Crime and Policing Act 2026; the Sexual Offences Act 2003; the Domestic Abuse Act 2021; the Modern Slavery Act 2015; the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent duty); the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003; the Online Safety Act 2023; the Equality Act 2010; UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 (as amended); the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998; Charity Commission guidance; and the Elim Church Safeguarding Policy for England and thirtyone:eight Safeguarding Standards.

Trustees

• Hold overall responsibility for safeguarding and approve this policy and safeguarding statement each year.
• Make sure the Church has the people, training and resources to put this policy into practice.
• Report serious incidents to the Charity Commission, in consultation with the Elim National Safeguarding Team, and notify the Church’s insurer where required.
• Receive an annual safeguarding report from the Church Safeguarding Officer.

Lead Elder

• Leads a safe culture and makes sure safeguarding is part of all church planning.
• Supports the Church Safeguarding Officers and makes sure concerns are acted on without delay.

Church Safeguarding Officer and Deputy

The Church Safeguarding Officer (called the Designated Safeguarding Officer in the Elim policy) and Deputy are appointed by the trustees. They receive and record safeguarding concerns and refer to Enfield MASH, the LADO or the police as needed; report concerns to the Elim National Safeguarding Team and upload records to Elim’s central iKnow system; report any concern or allegation about a worker to the Elim National Safeguarding Team within one working day; keep safe recruitment, DBS and training records up to date; and make sure this policy is reviewed every year and that workers know how to raise a concern.

Cover arrangements. At least one of the two officers will be available whenever the Church runs activities for children, young people or adults at risk. When neither is available, concerns go to the Lead Elder and to Tom Skelton (Elim Regional Safeguarding Lead). Workers may also email the confidential safeguarding inbox, which both officers can access. Unavailability of an officer must never delay a referral to statutory agencies.

Children’s and Youth Pastors and activity leaders

• Make sure their activities follow this policy and the Children’s Ministry Safeguarding Guidelines, including ratios, registers, risk assessments and consent.
• Make sure everyone on their team has been safely recruited and trained before they start.

Everyone who serves

• Read this policy and the relevant code of conduct, and follow them.
• Report any concern, however small, to a Church Safeguarding Officer the same day.
• Never investigate a concern themselves.

Understanding abuse and neglect

A person may abuse by inflicting harm or by failing to prevent harm. Children and adults may be abused within a family, an institution or a community setting, and increasingly online. Very often the abuser is known to them or is in a trusted relationship with them. Children can also be harmed by other children. Definitions, signs and indicators of abuse are in Appendix 2.

Safer recruitment

The leadership will make sure all workers are appointed, trained, supported and supervised in line with government guidance on safer recruitment and the Elim policy. This includes making sure that: there is a written role description and person specification; applicants complete an application form and a confidential self-declaration; shortlisted applicants are interviewed, and safeguarding is discussed at interview; at least two written references are obtained, and followed up where appropriate; an appropriate DBS check is completed through thirtyone:eight before the person starts; relevant qualifications are verified, and identity is checked; the person receives this policy, the code of conduct and induction training, and knows how to report concerns; and new workers serve an initial probationary period with review.

Regulated activity and DBS checks. From 1 September 2026 the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removed the “supervision exemption”. A volunteer who teaches, trains, instructs, cares for or supervises children is now in regulated activity whether or not they are supervised, if they do it frequently (once a week or more) or on more than three days in any 30-day period, or overnight. As church practice:

• everyone in regulated activity with children, paid or voluntary and supervised or not, must have an enhanced DBS check with a children’s barred list check before they start;
• this applies to existing volunteers who previously served without a check because they were supervised — the Church Safeguarding Officer will identify and check them;
• anyone barred from working with children must not volunteer in regulated activity and must tell us;
• DBS checks are renewed every three years, or status-checked through the DBS Update Service;
• under-18 helpers cannot be DBS checked, do not count towards adult ratios and are always supervised; and
• occasional helpers (for example a parent helping at one event) are not in regulated activity but are never left alone with children.

We have a legal duty to refer to the DBS anyone we remove from regulated activity (or who would have been removed had they not left) because they have harmed, or posed a risk of harm to, a child or adult at risk.

Safeguarding training

Every worker will have induction training and safeguarding training appropriate to their role on appointment and at least every two years after that, in line with the Elim policy. The Church Safeguarding Officer, Deputy, trustees and those leading ministries will complete higher-level training. Training records are kept by the Church Safeguarding Officer.

Codes of conduct and practice guidelines

All workers receive and sign a code of conduct, and are given clear expectations about their behaviour both in their role and outside it, including online. Detailed practice for children’s and youth activities — ratios, registration, consent, physical contact, toileting, transport, photography, trips and communication — is set out in the Children’s Ministry Safeguarding Guidelines. Forms, including the concern record and accident and incident form, are in Appendix 3.

Premises and hirers

Any organisation hiring our premises for activities with children or adults at risk must, as part of the letting agreement, have its own safeguarding policy meeting thirtyone:eight’s Safeguarding Standards, appropriate checks on its workers, and insurance. Hirers must tell the Church Safeguarding Officer about any safeguarding incident on our premises.

Partners

Safeguarding practice can vary between organisations and settings because of cultural tradition, belief, religious practice or understanding of what constitutes abuse. We therefore set out clear expectations for those we work in partnership with, whether in the UK or overseas, and agree a partnership agreement for safeguarding. For the Encounter gap-year programme, each host church must agree in writing to Elim and thirtyone:eight-equivalent safeguarding standards before a participant is placed.

Working in schools (Engage)

When we work in schools we are guests, and we follow the school’s safeguarding policy and procedures and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026. Our principle is “school first, church always”: any concern or disclosure in school is reported the same day to the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who decides the next steps; it is then reported the same day to a Church Safeguarding Officer, who records it and reports to Elim as required; if there is immediate danger, call 999.

In schools our team will also hold an enhanced DBS check with children’s barred list check where their work is regulated activity; sign in, wear identification and follow the school’s rules on mobile phones, photography and online use; never be alone with a pupil, never exchange personal contact details with pupils, and never take photographs of pupils; keep a clear line between faith content and pastoral conversations, referring any pastoral or wellbeing matter to the school; and follow the school’s own policies on sensitive matters.

Any allegation about a member of our team in a school is handled by the school under its procedures, and reported the same day to a Church Safeguarding Officer, who will notify the Elim National Safeguarding Team within one working day.

Never investigate a concern yourself. Listen, record, report. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

If someone tells you about abuse

• Stay calm, listen carefully and take what they say seriously.
• Use open prompts such as Tell me…, Explain…, Describe… Do not ask leading questions.
• Do not promise to keep a secret. Explain that you will need to tell someone whose job is to help keep them safe.
• Reassure them that they were right to tell you and that it is not their fault.
• Write down what was said, in their own words, as soon as possible — with the date, time, place and who was present — using Form 1 (Appendix 3). Sign it.
• Report it to a Church Safeguarding Officer the same day. Do not tell anyone else.
• If the concern involves nude or semi-nude images (including AI-generated or “deepfake” images), do not view, copy, screenshot, forward or delete them. Secure the device if you can and tell a Church Safeguarding Officer at once.

Who to report to

• Report to Kev Nash, Church Safeguarding Officer, as soon as possible and always the same day.
• If he is not available, or the concern involves him, report to Liz Higgins, Deputy Church Safeguarding Officer.
• If the concern involves both officers, report to Tom Skelton, Elim Regional Safeguarding Lead, or the Elim National Safeguarding Team, or contact thirtyone:eight or Enfield MASH directly.
• The absence of a Church Safeguarding Officer must never delay a referral to Enfield MASH or the police.

Anyone may make a referral directly to Children’s or Adults’ Services or the police, or seek advice from thirtyone:eight.

Concerns about a child

Physical injury or neglect: contact Enfield Children’s MASH (or thirtyone:eight for advice) in any case of possible deliberate injury, if concerned about a child’s safety, or if a child is afraid to go home. Do not tell the parents or carers unless advised to by MASH. Seek medical help if needed urgently, telling the doctor of any concerns.

Sexual abuse or exploitation: contact Enfield Children’s MASH or the police directly. Do not speak to the parent or carer, the alleged abuser or anyone else. If unsure whether to refer, seek advice from Elim or thirtyone:eight, and record the advice given.

Child-on-child abuse — including sexual harassment, harmful sexual behaviour, bullying, and discriminatory abuse such as racism or faith-targeted abuse — is never dismissed as “banter” or “part of growing up”. Workers should intervene, keep children safe, and report to a Church Safeguarding Officer.

Mental health, self-harm and suicide risk are safeguarding concerns. If a child or young person is at immediate risk call 999. Otherwise stay with them and report to a Church Safeguarding Officer at once.

Concerns about an adult

Any concern should be reported to a Church Safeguarding Officer. Unless there is immediate danger, a risk to others, a crime, or the adult lacks capacity to decide, the officer will talk with the adult about the concern and what they want to happen (“Making Safeguarding Personal”). If the adult is in immediate danger or has a serious injury, call 999. For suspected abuse, contact Enfield Adult MASH, which has lead responsibility under the Care Act 2014.

Allegations against someone who works with children or young people

The Church Safeguarding Officer will refer to the Enfield LADO within one working day and follow their advice; notify the Elim National Safeguarding Team within one working day; make sure the worker is not told before the LADO and police have been consulted; keep the safeguarding process and any disciplinary process parallel but distinct; and make a referral to the DBS where the threshold is met.

Low-level concerns — behaviour inconsistent with our code of conduct but below the harm threshold (for example over-familiarity or favouritism) — must still be shared with a Church Safeguarding Officer, so patterns can be spotted and addressed early.

Allegations against someone who works with adults at risk

The Church Safeguarding Officer will contact Enfield Adult MASH, notify the Elim National Safeguarding Team within one working day, and refer to the DBS following the advice of Adult Services. Under the Care Act 2014 the local authority leads enquiries into harm to adults at risk.

Records and information sharing

All safeguarding records are factual, signed and dated, and kept securely and confidentially by the Church Safeguarding Officer, with restricted access, and also uploaded to Elim’s iKnow system. Data protection law does not prevent sharing information to keep someone safe. Records of allegations against workers are kept until the person reaches normal pension age, or for 10 years from the date of the allegation if that is longer.

Supporting those affected by abuse

The leadership is committed to offering pastoral care, and support through statutory and specialist agencies where appropriate, to anyone in the Church who has been affected by abuse, whether recently or in the past.

Working with those who may pose a risk

When someone attending the Church is known to have harmed children or adults, is under investigation, or is otherwise known to pose a risk, the leadership will offer pastoral care while protecting others. A safeguarding risk assessment will be completed with the Elim Regional Safeguarding Lead. Where someone can take part, a written safeguarding (behaviour) agreement will set out the boundaries they are expected to keep, and how these will be supported and monitored.

This policy was agreed by the trustees of Chase Family Church. It will be reviewed every year, and sooner if the law, statutory guidance or Elim requirements change, or following a serious incident.

Approved by the trustees: October 2026 · Next review due: October 2027

Protection of children and adults — policy statement
Chase Family Church — an Elim Network Church
This statement was agreed by the trustees on October 2026.

• Chase Family Church is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults and to ensuring their wellbeing.
• We recognise that we all have a responsibility to help prevent the abuse of children and adults at risk, in all its forms, in person and online.
• We recognise the personal dignity and rights of children and adults, and will make sure all our policies and procedures reflect this.
• We believe all people should be welcomed and have access to every aspect of the life of the Church, and we will challenge racism, misogyny and all forms of discrimination.
• We will exercise proper care in the appointment and selection of everyone who works with children and adults at risk.
• We believe every child and adult should be valued, safe and happy, and want everyone we have contact with to feel able to tell us if they are being harmed.

We recognise that Children’s Services has lead responsibility for investigating all allegations or suspicions of abuse of a child, and Adult Social Care for adults with care and support needs; that where an allegation suggests a criminal offence may have been committed, the police should be contacted as a matter of urgency; and that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

If you have a concern about a child or an adult, please speak to one of our Church Safeguarding Officers: Kev Nash (kev@chasefamilychurch.com) or Liz Higgins (liz@chasefamilychurch.com). Our full safeguarding policy is available at www.chasefamilychurch.com/safeguarding.

The definitions below follow Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026. Children are usually abused by someone they know, in a family, institution or community setting, or online; more rarely by a stranger. Children may also be abused by other children.

The four main categories

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child, including fabricated or induced illness.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on their emotional development — conveying that they are worthless or unloved, imposing inappropriate expectations, seeing or hearing ill-treatment of another, serious bullying including cyberbullying, or causing children to feel frightened or in danger.

Sexual abuse involves forcing, causing or inciting a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. Children under 13 cannot legally consent to any sexual activity, and no one under 16 can legally consent. Contact abuse includes sexual touching, penetration and forcing a child to touch someone else; non-contact abuse includes exposing a child to pornography or sexual acts, grooming, and making, viewing or distributing images of child sexual abuse, including AI-generated images and “deepfakes”.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in serious impairment of their health or development.

Significant harm is the threshold that triggers statutory action to protect a child, judged against what could reasonably be expected of a similar child.

Other forms of harm

Child-on-child abuse includes bullying, physical abuse, sexual violence and harassment, harmful sexual behaviour, upskirting, initiation or hazing, and sharing nude or semi-nude images, as well as discriminatory and prejudice-based abuse such as racism and faith-targeted abuse.

Online harm falls into four areas: content (harmful or illegal material, including AI-generated content), contact (grooming, exploitation, radicalisation), conduct (sharing nudes, online bullying) and commerce (scams, gambling, financial exploitation).

Child sexual and criminal exploitation (CSE/CCE) occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual or criminal activity, sometimes involving organised groups or “county lines”. Exploited children are victims, even if they appear to have consented.

Serious violence: signs include unexplained absence, a change in relationships with older individuals, unexplained money or possessions, injuries, and carrying or talking about weapons.

Domestic abuse (Domestic Abuse Act 2021) includes physical or sexual abuse, violent or threatening behaviour, controlling or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and psychological or emotional abuse between people aged 16 or over who are personally connected. Children who see, hear or experience the effects are victims in their own right.

Honour-based abuse, forced marriage and FGM: includes female genital mutilation, forced marriage and practices such as breast ironing.

Radicalisation: concerns should be reported to a Church Safeguarding Officer, who may refer to Prevent through the local authority or police.

Spiritual abuse and faith- or belief-based abuse: the coercion and control of someone in a religious context, often done in the name of God or faith, including manipulation, enforced accountability, misuse of Scripture or the pulpit to control behaviour, and harm linked to accusations of witchcraft or spirit possession.

Mental health: self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide risk are safeguarding concerns in their own right.

Children who may need extra help include those with special educational needs or disabilities, young carers, children questioning their gender or who identify as LGBT, privately fostered or looked-after children, children missing from education, and children with a parent in prison.

Abuse of adults (Care Act 2014) includes physical abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, financial or material abuse, modern slavery, discriminatory abuse, organisational abuse, neglect and self-neglect.

Recognising possible signs of abuse

The following may or may not indicate abuse, but the possibility should be considered and a Church Safeguarding Officer told: injuries not consistent with the explanation given; injuries that have not received medical attention; signs of neglect such as under-nourishment or poor hygiene; any allegation by a child of sexual abuse; sexual knowledge or behaviour inappropriate for the child’s age; severe sleep disturbance or nightmares; being secretive about online contacts, or unexplained gifts or new phones; changes or regression in mood or behaviour; nervousness or “frozen watchfulness”; persistent tiredness, running away, stealing or lying; and self-harm, alcohol or drug misuse, or talk of suicide — always report these.

Form 1 — Safeguarding Concern Record

Confidential — give to a Church Safeguarding Officer the same day. Records: name of child/adult and date of birth; address; name and role of person completing the form; date and time of concern or disclosure; where it happened and who was present; what happened or was said, in the person’s own words; action taken, including who has been contacted and when; signature and date. For the Church Safeguarding Officer: who the concern was referred to (MASH / LADO / police / Adult MASH), with date, reference, advice received and outcome, and when it was reported to the Elim National Safeguarding Team.

Form 2 — Accident and Incident Form

Complete immediately after any accident or significant incident, and discuss with the Lead Elder or ministry leader what follow-up is needed. Records: day, date and time; names and ages of those involved; group/activity and location; who was in charge and who else was supervising; witnesses; description of the accident, including injuries and first aid given; whether equipment is still safe to use; who else needs to be told, and when; signatures. If the incident raises a safeguarding concern, also complete Form 1.

This appendix applies to all communication between workers and children or young people, online and by phone, and to our own online activity.

Phones and internet access at activities

Children and young people are encouraged not to use their phones during groups so they can take part fully. The church Wi-Fi password is not shared with children or young people, and church devices used by children have appropriate filtering, reviewed at least once a year.

Communicating with children and young people

Children, young people and their parents or carers have a right to decide whether a worker has their contact details, and parental consent is obtained before we contact under-18s directly.

Messaging: use only apps that keep a record of messages (never apps with disappearing messages); do not delete messages; communicate in groups with at least one other leader present where possible; no messaging after 10pm or before 8am; respect app age limits (for example WhatsApp requires users to be 13+ in the UK); use text only, never sending or asking for photos or videos.

Photographs and video: only taken in line with our photography policy, with consent, and never in changing areas. Images are transferred to secure church storage promptly and deleted from personal devices.

Video calls: never one-to-one with a child alone — a second leader must be present. Calls are not recorded, and group calls must have a password or waiting room.

Leaders’ social media

Leaders are role models and must take care about what they post online. A worker must never ask a child or young person under 18 to follow their personal account, or accept a follow request from one.

Nude images, AI and deepfakes

Creating, possessing or sharing sexual images of anyone under 18 is illegal, including images created or altered using AI. A worker who becomes aware of such images must not view, copy, screenshot, forward or delete them, and must tell a Church Safeguarding Officer at once. Young people can be supported to remove images online through Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation’s Report Remove tool.

We are committed to openness and accountability. Everyone who serves at the Church, paid or voluntary, should report wrongdoing, poor practice or omissions — especially any concern about how a child or adult is being treated, or how a safeguarding concern has been handled.

• Raise concerns with a Church Safeguarding Officer, the Lead Elder or a trustee.
• If the concern is about the safeguarding team or leadership, or you feel it has not been dealt with, contact the Elim National Safeguarding Team or thirtyone:eight.
• You can also contact the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line (0800 028 0285), the Charity Commission, or the relevant statutory agency directly.

Employees and other workers are protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 when they raise concerns in good faith. We will not tolerate any victimisation of volunteers or members who raise a concern.

This is a summary only and is not a substitute for reading this policy.

1. You have a concern, see something, or someone tells you something. Listen. Don’t investigate, promise secrecy or ask leading questions.
2. Is anyone in immediate danger? Yes — call 999 now, then tell a Church Safeguarding Officer. No — continue below.
3. Write it down the same day (Form 1): their own words, date, time, place, who was present, and sign it.
4. Tell a Church Safeguarding Officer the same day: Kev Nash (CSO) — if unavailable or involved, Liz Higgins (Deputy). If both are involved: Tom Skelton (Elim), the Elim National Safeguarding Team, or thirtyone:eight on 0303 003 1111. In schools: tell the school’s DSL first, then the Church Safeguarding Officer.
5. The Church Safeguarding Officer decides and refers: Child — Enfield Children’s MASH 020 3821 1920 (out of hours 020 8379 1000, option 2). Adult — Enfield Adult MASH 020 8379 3196 (24-hour line 020 8379 5212). Allegation about a worker — Enfield LADO, within one working day. Crime suspected — police (999 / 101).
6. Report to Elim and record: the Elim National Safeguarding Team (within one working day for concerns about workers) and upload to iKnow. Trustees consider a Charity Commission serious incident report and insurer notification.
7. Follow up: support the person affected, review risk, keep records secure, and learn lessons.

If you are unhappy with how a concern is handled, you can contact any of these agencies directly.