MOLLY OLLYS

POLICIES

Key Policy Information

Molly Ollys maintains policies for all aspects of how we work and how we help seriously unwell children and their families, including on child safeguarding and protection, data protection, health and safety, financial management and governance, and handling complaints.

Key policy information is given here.

For more detailed information on our policies and procedures, or if you have any questions please contact rachel@mollyolly.co.uk.

CRITERIA FOR RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM MOLLY OLLYS

Molly Ollys criteria for helping children and young people are:

  1. Aged 0 to 18 years of age.
  2. Live in the UK.
  3. Have a life-threatening illness or condition, and are going through, or about to start, their treatment journey, or are in the situation where no treatment is available. Each child’s wish is individually assessed using advice from a health professional involved in your child’s care.
  4. The purpose of providing a wish item or donating our therapeutic products is to give emotional support to seriously unwell children and their families. We are not able to provide financial assistance for any other reason.
  5. We require any request for a wish to be endorsed by a health professional involved in the care of the individual.
  6. We normally grant only one wish for each individual.
  7. We do not normally grant wishes for overseas travel, for activities that the relevant health professionals consider are inappropriate, or for matters which would create an on-going responsibility or commitment for the Charity.
  8. Molly Ollys does not take into account whether a child has received a wish from another charity when deciding how to respond to a wish request. Our decision is made on the basis of whether the request meets our criteria.
  9. We expect a wish would normally be taken within 18 months of application. If for any reason this is not achieveable, this must be notified to Molly Ollys as soon as it becomes known. Molly Ollys reserves the right to withdraw the wish in this situation.
  10.  
  11. If you are unsure whether your child’s illness or condition meets our criteria, please get in touch before submitting an application.
  7. Where a wish request meets our criteria and is recommended by the relevant health professionals, we will do our utmost to grant the wish as quickly as possible, provided that the item requested is available.

Where wishes involve the purchase of a product, the Charity is unable to repair or replace the product if it subsequently becomes broken.

Molly Ollys will not provide any item requested if this is contrary to any legislation or formal guidance, for example from expert organisations. Also, we will not be liable for any matters regarding compliance with legislation related to use of the item given by the Charity.  

If you apply for a wish, Molly Ollys will hold the information you provide for a maximum of 5 years after the date the wish has been fulfilled.

CHILD PROTECTION AND WELFARE (SAFE GUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE)
  1. Molly Ollys works with children and young people under 18 years of age suffering from life-threatening illnesses and their families. We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people that benefit from Molly Ollys support or who we work with are not harmed in any way through contact with our Charity. This policy sets out how Molly Ollys will safeguard these children that we come into contact with in the course of charity work, whatever the situation. The term child in this policy applies to anyone up to the age of 18 years, in accordance with relevant legislation. This policy applies to all Trustees, Staff and Volunteers involved with Molly Ollys.
  1. This policy uses the definition of safeguarding in Government Statutory Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013, i.e:
    • Protecting children from maltreatment
    • Preventing impairment of children’s health and development
    • Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care, and
    • Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
  1. We will always treat the welfare of children as paramount. We will always act in the best interests of children and will take all reasonable steps to prevent harm to them, and to protect them from abuse. This applies to all children without exception, regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs.
  1. No child or group of children will be treated any less favourably than others by anyone in connection with Molly Ollys. We will endeavour to give one individual wish to each child who requests one, subject to it not exceeding the monetary limit set by the Charity’s Trustees, creating an on-going responsibility or commitment for Molly Ollys, the item being unobtainable or the wish requested being otherwise inappropriate.
  1. Molly Ollys Staff and Volunteers help children with life-threatening illnesses and will not normally need or expect to engage with children in the absence of medical personnel, or parents/family members. Our engagement with children may be in hospitals, community care facilities or in children’s homes – whatever the location, Staff and Volunteers are required to behave professionally, and with care, respect and discretion at all times irrespective of the circumstances.
  1. We will comply with relevant Data Protection requirements in respect of data we hold or are provided with concerning children, and will not share any information (including photographs, and including electronically or via social media) about any of the children or their families that we work with, unless given explicit permission to do so by the relevant parents or guardians.
  1. Molly Ollys will ensure the operation of safe recruitment, including selection and vetting, for any personnel working for the Charity. Appropriate Staff and Volunteers who are in regular or potentially unsupervised contact with children and young people will be subject to annual DBS checks, and will be provided with training on safeguarding on an annual basis.  Our representatives delivering wishes to children will always do so in pairs, and will not spend time individually with a child, without medical staff, parents or carers being present.
  1. Any concerns or allegations of abuse will be taken seriously by Trustees, Staff and Volunteers and responded to appropriately, whether this requires a referral to children’s social care services, the independent Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against Trustees, Staff or Volunteers, and, in emergencies, the Police. One Trustee will take designated overall responsibility for Safeguarding Children in respect of our Charity.
  1. The Charity will take disciplinary action against any Trustees, Staff or Volunteers found to be in breach of this policy or relevant legislation including health and safety and anti-bullying.
  1. Children and parents will be informed of this policy as appropriate.
  1. This policy will be reviewed, approved and endorsed by the Board of Trustees annually or when legislation changes.
DATA PROTECTION
  1. Molly Ollys works with children and young people under 18 years of age suffering from life-threatening illnesses and their families. We are committed to ensuring that all personal data and information we acquire through the Charity business is looked after carefully, handled appropriately and in compliance with relevant legislation.
  1. Data related to a child’s particular illness and condition, along with other personal details (e.g. home address and the hospital at which the child is being treated) is classed as “sensitive personal data” under the Data Protection Act. As Molly Ollys handles and processes personal information the Charity is registered with the Information Commissioners Office.
  1. This policy sets out how Molly Ollys will proactively ensure that the personal information we hold is held and managed securely. The requirements of this policy apply to all Trustees, Staff and Volunteers involved with Molly Ollys.
  1. We will comply with data protection principles regarding the storage, handling, use and sharing of personal data as follows:
  • It will be used fairly and lawfully.
  • It will be used for limited, specifically stated purposes.
  • It will be used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive.
  • It will be accurate.
  • It will be kept for no longer than is necessary.
  • It will be handled according to people’s data protection rights.
  • It will be kept safe and secure.
  • It will not be transferred outside of the UK without adequate protection.
  1. To comply with these, we will work in the following way:
  • Personal data will be held securely, either in a locked cabinet if in paper form, or if electronic on computers with strong passwords, so that nobody has access to it who shouldn’t have.
  • Personal data will be accessible only to Rachel Ollerenshaw, Trustee, and nominated team members in respect of relevant data to enable them to fulfil their roles, for example delivering wishes.
  • No personal data will shared outside of those people list in 5b (including photographs, and including electronically or via social media), unless the Charity is given explicit permission to do so by the relevant individuals, parents or guardians (in the case of children under 18, parental or guardian permission will be required).
  • Our application form for wishes will explicitly set out how the personal data provided on the form will be used, and seek formal consent to this.
  • We will hold personal data no longer than 5 years after completion of a wish.
  • As far as reasonably possible, we will ensure that the personal data we hold is accurate and up to date, including promptly amending records when advised by the individual or their family/legal guardian, or by their medical professionals. Once a wish has been completed, however, we will not take any action to monitor the accuracy of the data during the remaining period of storage of the data.
  • We may use aspects of personal data as part of analysis of the characteristics of requests for wishes, in order to inform management of the Charity, such as nature of wishes, age, hospital or geographic location of children. However, we will not use the personal data we hold in such a way that individuals can be identified.
  1. Molly Ollys will nominate a Data Protection Officer to take the day-to-day lead on data protection matters, reporting to a nominated Trustee lead.
  1. Children and parents will be informed of this policy as appropriate.
  1. We will respond promptly and fairly to any request about the information we hold on an individual, or to any complaint about how we handle personal data (the latter in line with our Policy on Complaints Management).
  1. This policy and our day to day working arrangement will be reviewed, approved/amended and endorsed by the Board of Trustees annually or when legislation changes.
COMPLAINTS MANAGEMENT
  1. Molly Ollys works with children and young people under 18 years of age suffering from life-threatening illnesses and their families. Through this, the Charity works with a range of people and organisations, including these families, health professionals, businesses and individuals who choose to support us, suppliers who provide wishes, our therapeutic toys and books, and other services to help us fundraise, and other not-for-profit organisations whom we network with.  Our aim is always to act in a professional manner and to treat others as we would wish to be treated.  However on occasion, someone may wish to complain about how we have acted or treated them. This policy sets out how we will deal with any complaints.
  1. Molly Ollys will always:
  • treat any complainant fairly and with respect
  • be willing to listen openly to any concerns or complaints
  • be honest and open, admitting to any mistakes or areas where we have not acted as well as we would have wished
  • seek to reach a reconciliation with anyone who feels aggrieved by our actions or words
  1. Any complaint received by staff, volunteers or Trustees of the Charity will be referred to Rachel Ollerenshaw. If the complaint concerns or involves Rachel, it will be referred to the Chair of the Trustee Board.
  1. All complaints will be properly investigated and documented. Rachel, together with the Trustees where a complaint concerns a significant impact, will review the findings of the investigation and decide what action is required. If the nature of the complaint warrants it Rachel, and/or the Trustees, may appoint an independent person of appropriate standing to carry out the investigation.
  1. Any member of staff, volunteer or Trustee involved in the investigation of a complaint is required to cooperate fully and honestly. Any evidence that this is not the case will result in a review of the individual’s continued involvement with the Charity.
  1. Any upheld complaint that concerns the actions of a member of staff, volunteer or Trustee of the Charity will result in management action, such as training to re-enforce the Charity’s values, standards and working practices, and may in serious instances result in termination of the individual’s involvement with the Charity.
  1. Any upheld complaint that requires the intervention of a regulatory authority will be reported to the relevant authority and to the Charity Commission.
  1. All complaints, investigations, decisions and resulting actions will be documented.
  1. All complainants will be informed in writing, by Rachel or the Chair of the Trustee Board as is appropriate, of the outcome of the investigation and any management action taken.
  1. The Trustee Board will review all complaints quarterly and decide on any wider management actions needed.
  1. Molly Ollys expects all Trustees, staff and volunteers to be fully aware of the Charity’s approach to handling complaints and to be proactive in ensuring all complaints are treated professionally and fairly.
  1. This policy and our day to day working arrangements in support of it will be reviewed, approved/amended and endorsed by the Board of Trustees annually, or when events or legislative changes dictate.

Every donation, whatever size, helps a seriously unwell child

HELP MAKE WISHES COME TRUE

Current data suggests that 12 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every day, and that 1,900 children under the age of 14 in the UK are diagnosed each year.

More children are diagnosed with a range of other, often rare, conditions and illnesses that are also life-threatening.

Molly Ollys is committed to helping as many of these children and their families as possible, and works hard to raise the necessary funds to be able to help those who contact us.

You can help us do this by making a donation, joining in with our fundraising events, running your own events, using Give as You Live when you are shopping, and by leaving a legacy in your will. Please visit our How you can help page to find out more.

DONATE