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Safeguarding Children and Adults Policy

Effective from: October 2026
Review date: October 2027

1. Statement of commitment

The Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant is committed to providing ceremonies and related services in an environment in which children and adults are treated with dignity, kindness and respect.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Although celebrancy is not primarily a care or safeguarding service, my work brings me into contact with families, children and adults in a wide range of circumstances, including times of bereavement, illness, family change and emotional distress.
I therefore have a responsibility to recognise and respond appropriately if a safeguarding concern comes to my attention during my work.

2. Purpose of this policy

This policy explains:

  • my approach to safeguarding;
  • the professional boundaries I maintain;
  • how I will respond to a safeguarding concern or disclosure;
  • when information may need to be shared;
  • how concerns will be recorded;
  • where concerns may be referred.

This policy should be read alongside the Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant Privacy Policy.

3. Scope

This policy applies to all activities undertaken by The Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant, including:

  • funerals and memorial ceremonies;
  • weddings and commitment ceremonies;
  • vow renewals;
  • naming ceremonies;
  • pet ceremonies;
  • other bespoke ceremonies;
  • client meetings;
  • home visits;
  • telephone and video conversations;
  • rehearsals;
  • ceremonies and related events;
  • online communication connected with my services.

4. Children

For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone under the age of 18.
The welfare of the child is a primary consideration when a safeguarding concern arises.
Children may participate in naming ceremonies, weddings, funerals and other ceremonies. Their involvement should be appropriate to their age and understanding and should respect their wishes and wellbeing.

5. Adults at risk

I recognise that somebody does not become an “adult at risk” simply because they are elderly, disabled, bereaved, distressed or experiencing difficult circumstances.
For adult safeguarding purposes, particular consideration is given where an adult:

  • has needs for care and support, whether or not those needs are being met;
  • is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
  • as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from the abuse, neglect or risk of it.

My approach will wherever possible respect the adult’s wishes, choices and autonomy.

6. Forms of abuse and neglect

Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

  • physical abuse;
  • sexual abuse;
  • psychological or emotional abuse;
  • domestic abuse;
  • coercive or controlling behaviour;
  • financial or material abuse;
  • neglect or acts of omission;
  • discriminatory abuse;
  • organisational abuse;
  • exploitation;
  • modern slavery;
  • self-neglect;
  • online abuse or exploitation.

In relation to children, concerns may also include child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, grooming and harmful online activity.
I do not need proof that abuse has occurred before raising an appropriate concern.

7. Professional boundaries

I will maintain appropriate professional boundaries throughout my work.
In particular:

  • meetings with children will take place with a parent, person with parental responsibility or another appropriate adult present;
  • meetings with adults will take place with the presence of at least one other person
  • I will not seek unnecessary private or one-to-one contact with a child;
  • communication with children about ceremony arrangements should normally take place through, or with the knowledge of, an appropriate adult;
  • physical contact will never be required as part of my service other than ordinary, appropriate social interaction initiated or welcomed by the individual;
  • I will not use my professional relationship to establish inappropriate personal, financial or other relationships with a client;
  • confidential information obtained through my work will not be used for personal advantage;
  • photographs or personal stories will not be used for publicity without appropriate permission.

8. Home visits

Meeting families in their own homes is an important part of my celebrancy service, particularly when preparing funerals. Home visits will be conducted professionally and respectfully.
Where children or adults at risk are present, I will maintain the same professional boundaries that apply in any other setting.
A home visit is not an inspection, and I will not intrude unnecessarily into a family’s private life. However, I will not ignore a safeguarding concern which becomes apparent in the normal course of my work.
I will only carry out meetings where there is at least two persons present; I will not meet a client on a one-to-one basis. If this cannot be achieved, I will look at alternative options to ensure the safeguarding of the client, and myself. This may include meeting at an alternative location where other people are present.

9. Responding to a disclosure

If a child or adult tells me something which raises a safeguarding concern, I will aim to:

  • remain calm and listen;
  • take what I am being told seriously;
  • allow the person to speak in their own words;
  • avoid leading questions or attempting to investigate;
  • avoid expressing disbelief or making judgements;
  • not promise absolute confidentiality;
  • explain, where appropriate, that I may need to share the information with somebody who can help;
  • make an accurate factual record as soon as practicable;
  • take appropriate safeguarding action.

My role is not to investigate an allegation or decide whether abuse has occurred. My role is to recognise the concern, record relevant information and refer it appropriately where necessary.

10. Immediate danger

Where I believe a child or adult is in immediate danger, or a serious crime is taking place or has just occurred, I will contact the emergency services.
In an emergency: Police, Ambulance or Fire — 999 or 112
Where a crime is suspected but there is no immediate danger, the police may be contacted on 101.

11. Safeguarding referrals in Lincolnshire

Where a safeguarding concern relates to somebody in Lincolnshire, current reporting routes include:

Children’s safeguarding
Lincolnshire County Council
01522 782111
Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm

Adult safeguarding
Lincolnshire County Council
01522 782155
Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm

Emergency Duty Team / outside office hours
Lincolnshire County Council
01522 782333

Where a concern relates to somebody outside Lincolnshire, I will contact the appropriate local authority safeguarding service for the area concerned.
Contact information will be checked before referral because safeguarding arrangements and telephone numbers may change.

12. Consent and adult safeguarding

Where an adult safeguarding concern arises, I will wherever possible discuss the concern with the adult and seek their views about what they want to happen.
Where appropriate, I will seek their consent before making a referral.
There may nevertheless be circumstances where information needs to be shared without consent, for example where:

  • the adult cannot give consent;
  • seeking consent would increase the risk of harm;
  • another person may also be at risk;
  • a child may be at risk;
  • there is a serious or immediate risk;
  • a serious crime may have been committed;
  • there is another lawful safeguarding reason to disclose the information.

Any decision to share information without consent will be limited to what is necessary and proportionate in the circumstances.

13. Confidentiality

Information shared with me while arranging a ceremony will normally be treated confidentially.
I will not promise absolute confidentiality where safeguarding is concerned.
Relevant information may be shared with an appropriate authority if I reasonably believe this is necessary to protect a child or adult at risk.
Only information relevant to the concern should be disclosed.

14. Recording a concern

Where a safeguarding issue arises, I will make a clear factual record which may include:

  • date and time;
  • identity of the person concerned;
  • what I observed;
  • what was said, using the person’s own words where possible;
  • who else was present;
  • any immediate action taken;
  • advice sought;
  • referrals or reports made;
  • the reasons for significant decisions.

I will distinguish between fact, observation and opinion.
Safeguarding records will be kept securely and separately from routine ceremony material wherever practicable.
They will not be included in ceremony scripts unless the information is legitimately relevant to the ceremony and its inclusion is appropriate.

15. Information sharing

Safeguarding information will be shared only where there is a legitimate reason to do so.
Possible recipients may include:

  • police;
  • ambulance or other emergency services;
  • children’s social care;
  • adult social care;
  • another appropriate safeguarding authority.

Information sharing will be proportionate to the concern.
Data protection law is not intended to prevent appropriate and lawful information sharing where this is necessary to safeguard somebody.

16. Allegations relating to me or somebody involved in my service

Any allegation that I, or a person acting on behalf of Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant, has harmed a child or adult at risk will be taken seriously.
I will not attempt to investigate such an allegation myself.

Where appropriate, it will be reported promptly to the relevant statutory authority and I will cooperate with any lawful safeguarding process or investigation.

Where an allegation concerns conduct towards a child by a person working with children, advice will be sought from the relevant local authority arrangements, including the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where applicable.

17. Photography and online safeguarding

Images of children or adults at risk will be treated with particular care.
A person’s participation in a ceremony does not by itself constitute permission for photographs or personal information to be used in marketing.
Where photographs are taken or supplied for promotional purposes, appropriate permission will be obtained.
No image will knowingly be published where I consider that doing so could create an unreasonable safeguarding or privacy risk.

18. Equality, dignity and respect

Safeguarding practice will be applied without unlawful discrimination.
Everyone using Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant’s services should be treated with dignity and respect irrespective of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or other status.
A person’s beliefs, relationships or way of life will not in themselves be treated as safeguarding concerns.

19. Training and professional development

I will maintain an appropriate awareness of safeguarding relevant to my role as an independent celebrant.
This may include safeguarding training, professional development and reviewing changes to national and local guidance.
Where a situation is beyond my expertise, I will seek appropriate professional or statutory advice rather than attempting to manage the matter alone.

20. Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where:

  • relevant legislation or statutory guidance changes;
  • local safeguarding arrangements change;
  • a safeguarding incident identifies a need for improvement;
  • the nature of my celebrancy work changes significantly.

Policy owner and safeguarding lead: Andrew Forman-Price, The Heart of Lincolnshire Celebrant
Policy adopted: October 2026
Next scheduled review: October 2027