Position statement - safeguarding children and adults at risk

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk.

We have a statutory duty to comply with legislative safeguarding frameworks and local inter-agency safeguarding arrangements to ensure we keep vulnerable people safe and promote the welfare of children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect. We recognise that we have a responsibility and play a key role in safeguarding the most vulnerable people in our communities. We believe that children and adults have the right to be protected from harm.

This applies to all aspects of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service’s work and to everyone working, volunteering or those commissioned to deliver services for us.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service supports the understanding that Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will:

• Adhere to legislative safeguarding frameworks and embrace this statutory duty
• Work in effective partnerships for the protection of those identified as vulnerable and at risk from exploitation or abuse
• Refer vulnerable children and adults to other partners where there is need, consent and it is appropriate to do so
• Raise awareness, educate and train staff and volunteers to recognise, report and refer those who are identified as vulnerable in our
  communities
• Ensure that information regarding safeguarding children, young people and adults is proactively shared appropriately across relevant
  organisations
• Fully support Safer Recruitment practices by ensuring an essential requirement of a basic disclosure check as a minimum
• Comply with data protection legislation when handling personal data; include storage, recording, retention and destruction of
  information

Position statement - violence against women and girls

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service is committed to supporting the reduction of violence and abuse against women and girls through collaborative working and early intervention.

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) covers a range of unacceptable and often deeply distressing crimes, ranging from rape and other sexual offences, stalking, domestic abuse, ‘revenge porn’ and ‘upskirting’, through to catcalling, innuendos and unwanted compliments. These offences disproportionately affect women and girls and can affect victims of all ages, abilities, sexualities and backgrounds. These behaviours are contrary to the ethical code of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and need to be challenged unequivocally whilst those affected are fully supported.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service will:

• Train its staff to identify and act on signs of violence and abuse against women and girls
• Create clear and robust reporting procedures if concerns arise
• Promote a culture of never being silent about violence and abuse against women and girls
• Increase awareness in all adults and young people we engage with around the importance of healthy relationships
• Be supportive and empowering to those affected
• Promote the need to hold those responsible to account
• Work closely with our partners to ensure we have excellent referral pathways
• Continue developing our approach to prevention and early intervention to stop harm and abuse from occurring
• Seek feedback to constantly evaluate our approach to this issue to ensure continuous improvement and innovation
• Continue to follow the values set out on our White Ribbon Accreditation