Last updated: July 2026

The Doddington Hall Conservation Charity (DHCC) is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk and to protecting everyone who comes into contact with the charity through its work from abuse, neglect, exploitation and avoidable harm. Doddington Hall Conservation Charity, Registered charity no. 1114539

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We recognise our duty to respond promptly, appropriately and respectfully to any safeguarding concern and to work with statutory agencies where necessary to help protect people from harm.

This policy statement applies to all trustees, employees, volunteers, contractors, partner organisations and anyone carrying out work or delivering activities on behalf of DHCC.

Who this policy protects

For the purposes of this policy:

• a child or young person is anyone under the age of 18, including where safeguarding concerns arise before birth

• an adult at risk is a person aged 18 or over who has care and support needs, is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect and is unable to protect themselves from that risk because of those needs

We believe that every child, young person and adult at risk has the right to be valued, respected, safe and protected from harm.

Our safeguarding commitments

DHCC will:

• provide activities and environments that support the safety and wellbeing of children, young people and adults at risk

• take all safeguarding concerns, disclosures and allegations seriously

• respond promptly and follow our safeguarding procedures whenever a concern is raised or identified

• listen to and respect the wishes and experiences of the people with whom we work

• appoint an appropriate safeguarding lead to receive and manage concerns

• make sure trustees, employees, volunteers and others working on our behalf understand their safeguarding responsibilities

• provide appropriate safeguarding information, guidance and training

• follow safer recruitment procedures and carry out appropriate checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks at the level permitted and required for eligible roles

• maintain appropriate codes of conduct and professional boundaries

• record safeguarding concerns accurately and store information securely

• share information with the relevant authorities when necessary to protect someone from harm

• manage allegations or concerns relating to trustees, employees, volunteers, contractors or anyone representing the charity appropriately

• review our safeguarding policies, procedures and practices regularly and following any serious safeguarding incident

This policy statement is supported by detailed safeguarding procedures explaining how concerns, disclosures and allegations must be recognised, recorded, reported and managed.

Reporting a safeguarding concern

You do not need to be certain that abuse or neglect has taken place before raising a concern. It is important to report anything that makes you worried or gives you reason to believe that something may not be right.

Immediate danger:
If someone is in immediate danger or you believe that a crime is taking place, call the police on 999 or 112.

If you believe that a crime may have been committed but there is no immediate danger, call the police on 101.

Contacting Lincolnshire County Council:
If you believe that a child or adult may be experiencing or at risk of abuse, neglect or cruelty, contact Lincolnshire County Council:

Children’s safeguarding
01522 782111
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Adults safeguarding
01522 782155
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

Outside office hours
01522 782333

Concerns about someone working with children:
Concerns or allegations about someone who works or volunteers with children should be reported promptly to the DHCC safeguarding lead.

The Lincolnshire Local Authority Designated Officer provides advice and oversight where an allegation concerns a person who works or volunteers with children:

Local Authority Designated Officer enquiries:
Call: 01522 554674

Do not attempt to investigate a safeguarding allegation yourself or confront the person who is alleged to have caused harm.

Contacting DHCC

Safeguarding concerns or questions about this policy can be sent to: safeguarding@doddingtonhall.com

This email address is not an emergency reporting service and may not be monitored continuously. If someone may be in immediate danger, contact the police or Lincolnshire County Council directly using the numbers above.

Information will be handled sensitively and shared only with those who need it to protect people and respond appropriately. We cannot promise complete confidentiality where information must be shared to prevent harm or comply with safeguarding responsibilities.

If a concern relates to the DHCC safeguarding lead or you do not feel able to raise it with the charity, contact Lincolnshire County Council or the police directly.

Review

The trustees of the Doddington Hall Conservation Charity have overall responsibility for safeguarding and for ensuring that this policy is implemented effectively.

This policy and the charity’s supporting safeguarding procedures will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there is a significant change in legislation, guidance, activities or safeguarding risk. They will also be reviewed following any serious safeguarding incident.

Next review due: December 2026

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Doing nothing is not an option.