SAFEGUARDING

Safeguarding

Digital safeguarding means: ‘the protection from harm in the online environment through the implementation of effective technical solutions, advice and support and procedures for managing incidents’.

In other words, digital safeguarding is how we help to keep our members, volunteers and staff safe online, and it’s just as important as keeping safe offline.

The Restoration House is committed to the safeguarding and protection of all members, volunteers, staff and users of our digital services and social media channels, and we apply the same safeguarding principles to The Restoration House activities whether they are offline or online.

This means protecting our members, volunteers and staff from online harms such as:

  • Isolation

  • Request for Funds

  • Online bullying and harassment

  • Sexual exploitation and grooming online

  • Sharing of illegal and inappropriate imagery

  • Cyberstalking

  • Disinformation and misinformation

  • The oversharing of personal information

Isolation

Isolation is (and not limited to)

  • Request Private (Isolated) meetings in person or online. Any meeting request will be with two members of leadership team.

  • Isolate you away from the The Restoration House Community or your own community

  • Request any personal imagery

  • Request personal details (All information should be submitted via contact form)

Request for funds?

All donations for the Restoration should be given via the approbate channels on the donations page. If someone chooses to donate member of staff directly. This will be interpreted as giving to the person and not the ministry.

Online Bullying

Online bullying can be offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting behaviour and abuse of power which humiliates or denigrates the other person. It can involve one or more person. This can be known as ‘trolling’ when the user deliberately starts quarrels or upsets people by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages in an online community.

Online harassment can come in the form of unwanted verbal conduct online which has the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of a person and or creating a hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It can be related to personal characteristics of an individual, such as age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief or nationality.

Online examples of this abuse include abusive messages, exclusion from groups, malicious or insulting comments and sharing offensive imagery.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND GROOMING ONLINE?

Sexual exploitation and grooming online is the act of developing a relationship with a child or adult with the intention of abusing them. Offenders use emotional and psychological tricks to build relationships. The abuse can take place online or offline.

Non-contact abuse is where a child/adult is encouraged to share live or still images of themselves of a sexual nature. They can be forced to commit sex acts or to perform on web cams or built in cameras in phones and other devices.

WHAT IS CYBERSTALKING ONLINE?

Cyberstalking is the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone, for example by sending threatening communications.

WHAT IS DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION ONLINE?

Misinformation and disinformation are the acts of spreading knowledge that is incorrect.

Disinformation is the deliberate intent to spread information which is known to be incorrect. Misinformation is where an individual may not be aware of the fact that they are sharing inaccurate information, for example they share information or content that they believe to be true.

WHAT IS THE SHARING OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE?

The Restoration House adheres to all relevant UK laws relating to users of our digital platforms and third party social media.

Relevant laws include:

  • Protection from Harassment Act 1997

  • Malicious Communications Act 1988

  • Communications Act 2003

  • Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992

  • Computer Misuse Act 1990

  • The Equality Act 2010

  • Criminal Justice Act 2003 – Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016

  • Sexual Offences Act 2003 – Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2016

  • Serious Crime Act 2015

  • Data Protection Act 2018

This list is not exhaustive. We review any changes in legislation to make sure we are compliant.

Concerns for your safety?
Concerns about online abuse or inappropriate behaviour should be reported to safe@therestorationhouse.co.uk
Any breach of this policy by any leaders will be managed under the leadership disciplinary procedure.