NDCS Child protection policy:
NDCS Child Protection Policy Local Group Protection Policy
Rules of THE WORCESTER DEAF CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
Registered charity number 1080285
Aims of the Worcester Deaf Children’s Society
The Worcester Deaf Children’s Society (WDCS) is a local group led by and consisting of parents and carers of deaf children and professionals working with childhood deafness. We exist to provide social, emotional and practical support at grassroots level to families with deaf children and adhere to The National Deaf Children’s Society’s (NDCS) “Visions and Values Statement” and have entered into an affiliation agreement with The NDCS
Adopted by a resolution of the WDCS Committee at Meeting on 11th Nov 2014
1 Unless the context otherwise requires all definitions used in these Rules bear the same meaning as set out in National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Article 1 of the Articles of Association of The NDCS.
2 Members There shall be two classes of members within The WDCS’s membership:-
2.1 Voting Members
Voting members have the right to attend, speak and vote at general meetings. There shall be the following class of
Voting Members:
(i) Full Members – parents or carers of deaf children aged between 0 and 18 years and deaf people, living in the United Kingdom; and
2.2 Associate Members Associate members have the right to attend and speak, but not to vote at, general meetings. There shall be the following classes of Associate Members:
(i) Professional Members – professionals working in fields related to the education and relief of deaf children;
(ii) Supporter Members – anyone who is not a parent or carer of a deaf child between 0 and 25 years or a deaf person aged between 18 and 25 years, living in the United Kingdom.
(iii) Affiliate Members – any group or organisation based in the United Kingdom which adheres to The Society’s “Vision and Values Statement”; and
2.3 The Committee shall determine the benefits, rights and obligations to be given by WDCS to its membership and shall also have the power to amend the benefits, rights and obligations as and when they consider it appropriate, subject to receiving advice on any charity law and tax implications that may apply.
2.4 All members, whether Voting Members or Non-Voting Members, shall be subject to these Rules of The Society.
2.5 If members do not attend events or respond to invites over 12 months, their details will be removed from the contact database. They will be able to request re-inclusion.
2.6 Members can be ‘adopted’ members, to allow professionals , non-parental volunteers and deaf young adults to have voting rights.
3 Membership Applications
3.1 In determining an application for membership, regard shall be had to the criteria for each class of membership as the Committee shall from time to time resolve.
3.2 In exercising their judgement under Article 4 to admit persons to membership or to decline to do so, the Committee shall make a decision on any application.
3.3 Each new Member of The Society will be given information and contact details for their local Committee members.
4 Fees and payment
4.1 The Members of the Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, have the power to levy charges for all other services and publications provided by The Society in so far as the exercise of such power does not cause a tax liability to arise for The Society and is not inconsistent with:
4.1.1 the Rules;
4.1.2 the charitable status of The Society;
4.1.3 the general law.
5 Resignation, Retirement and Removal of Members
5.1 Any member shall cease to be a member if, at a meeting of the Committee, a resolution is passed resolving that the member be expelled on the ground that his/her continued membership is harmful or is likely to become harmful to the interests of the charity. A resolution for expulsion shall not be passed unless the member has been given at least 14 clear days’ notice that the resolution it is to be proposed, specifying the circumstances alleged to justify expulsion, and has been afforded a reasonable opportunity of being heard by or of making written representations to the Committee. A resolution so passed shall be final and there shall be no further representation allowed or appeal. A member expelled by such a resolution shall nevertheless remain liable to pay to the charity any subscription or other sum owed by him/her.
6.1 Quorum
The quorum for Committee meetings shall be five members. For the avoidance of doubt the minimum number of elected Trustees required to achieve a quorum under the process above is three voting Committee members.
6.2 Chair
The Committee shall appoint a Chair of the Committee from among the committee members present. The Chair shall be appointed for a maximum period of three years. The Committee may re-appoint a member as Chair, up to a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as Chair and subject to a maximum of nine consecutive year’s service as a member of the Society.
6.3 Honorary Officers
There shall be three Honorary Officer roles on the Committee in addition to the Chair. These roles shall be Honorary Treasurer, and Honorary Vice Chair. The Committee may appoint either elected or co-opted members to these roles for a period up to a maximum of three years for each role. The Committee may re-appoint members to these roles, up to a maximum of nine consecutive years’ service in any Honorary Officer role and subject to a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as an Elected Trustee or a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as a co-opted member.
Notes from NDCS Rules
Registered Associations
0.3 Registered Associations shall have charitable status independent of The Society.
0.4 An affiliation agreement signed by both the Registered Association and The Society is binding and sets out the rules, regulations and obligations that must be followed and fulfilled by each party.
0.5 Any conflict must be dealt with according to the guidelines contained within the affiliation agreement. 0.6 The affiliation support and benefits package for Registered Associations is set out in the affiliation agreement. 0.7 Guidance on termination of the affiliation agreement by either The Society or a Registered Association is also outlined in the affiliation agreement and must be followed by both parties.
Local Groups
0.8 Local Groups are not independent registered charities and function as local branches of The Society.
0.9 Local Groups must be established following terms of reference supplied by The Society and may become a Society Local Group subject to approval by the Trustee Board.
0.10 Terms of reference signed by both the Local Group and The Society are binding and set out the rules, regulations and obligations that must be followed and fulfilled by the Local Group and The Society.
0.11 The support and benefits package for Local Groups is set out in the terms of reference.
0.12 Any conflict must be dealt with according to the guidelines contained within the terms of reference.
0.13 Guidance on termination of the relationship between The Society and a Local Group is also outlined in the terms of reference and must be followed by both parties.
Rules of THE WORCESTER DEAF CHILDREN’S SOCIETY
Registered charity number 1080285
Aims of the Worcester Deaf Children’s Society
The Worcester Deaf Children’s Society (WDCS) is a local group led by and consisting of parents and carers of deaf children and professionals working with childhood deafness. We exist to provide social, emotional and practical support at grassroots level to families with deaf children and adhere to The National Deaf Children’s Society’s (NDCS) “Visions and Values Statement” and have entered into an affiliation agreement with The NDCS
Adopted by a resolution of the WDCS Committee at Meeting on 11th Nov 2014
1 Unless the context otherwise requires all definitions used in these Rules bear the same meaning as set out in National Deaf Children’s Society (NDCS) Article 1 of the Articles of Association of The NDCS.
2 Members There shall be two classes of members within The WDCS’s membership:-
2.1 Voting Members
Voting members have the right to attend, speak and vote at general meetings. There shall be the following class of
Voting Members:
(i) Full Members – parents or carers of deaf children aged between 0 and 18 years and deaf people, living in the United Kingdom; and
2.2 Associate Members Associate members have the right to attend and speak, but not to vote at, general meetings. There shall be the following classes of Associate Members:
(i) Professional Members – professionals working in fields related to the education and relief of deaf children;
(ii) Supporter Members – anyone who is not a parent or carer of a deaf child between 0 and 25 years or a deaf person aged between 18 and 25 years, living in the United Kingdom.
(iii) Affiliate Members – any group or organisation based in the United Kingdom which adheres to The Society’s “Vision and Values Statement”; and
2.3 The Committee shall determine the benefits, rights and obligations to be given by WDCS to its membership and shall also have the power to amend the benefits, rights and obligations as and when they consider it appropriate, subject to receiving advice on any charity law and tax implications that may apply.
2.4 All members, whether Voting Members or Non-Voting Members, shall be subject to these Rules of The Society.
2.5 If members do not attend events or respond to invites over 12 months, their details will be removed from the contact database. They will be able to request re-inclusion.
2.6 Members can be ‘adopted’ members, to allow professionals , non-parental volunteers and deaf young adults to have voting rights.
3 Membership Applications
3.1 In determining an application for membership, regard shall be had to the criteria for each class of membership as the Committee shall from time to time resolve.
3.2 In exercising their judgement under Article 4 to admit persons to membership or to decline to do so, the Committee shall make a decision on any application.
3.3 Each new Member of The Society will be given information and contact details for their local Committee members.
4 Fees and payment
4.1 The Members of the Committee shall, in their absolute discretion, have the power to levy charges for all other services and publications provided by The Society in so far as the exercise of such power does not cause a tax liability to arise for The Society and is not inconsistent with:
4.1.1 the Rules;
4.1.2 the charitable status of The Society;
4.1.3 the general law.
5 Resignation, Retirement and Removal of Members
5.1 Any member shall cease to be a member if, at a meeting of the Committee, a resolution is passed resolving that the member be expelled on the ground that his/her continued membership is harmful or is likely to become harmful to the interests of the charity. A resolution for expulsion shall not be passed unless the member has been given at least 14 clear days’ notice that the resolution it is to be proposed, specifying the circumstances alleged to justify expulsion, and has been afforded a reasonable opportunity of being heard by or of making written representations to the Committee. A resolution so passed shall be final and there shall be no further representation allowed or appeal. A member expelled by such a resolution shall nevertheless remain liable to pay to the charity any subscription or other sum owed by him/her.
6.1 Quorum
The quorum for Committee meetings shall be five members. For the avoidance of doubt the minimum number of elected Trustees required to achieve a quorum under the process above is three voting Committee members.
6.2 Chair
The Committee shall appoint a Chair of the Committee from among the committee members present. The Chair shall be appointed for a maximum period of three years. The Committee may re-appoint a member as Chair, up to a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as Chair and subject to a maximum of nine consecutive year’s service as a member of the Society.
6.3 Honorary Officers
There shall be three Honorary Officer roles on the Committee in addition to the Chair. These roles shall be Honorary Treasurer, and Honorary Vice Chair. The Committee may appoint either elected or co-opted members to these roles for a period up to a maximum of three years for each role. The Committee may re-appoint members to these roles, up to a maximum of nine consecutive years’ service in any Honorary Officer role and subject to a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as an Elected Trustee or a maximum of nine continuous years’ service as a co-opted member.
Notes from NDCS Rules
Registered Associations
0.3 Registered Associations shall have charitable status independent of The Society.
0.4 An affiliation agreement signed by both the Registered Association and The Society is binding and sets out the rules, regulations and obligations that must be followed and fulfilled by each party.
0.5 Any conflict must be dealt with according to the guidelines contained within the affiliation agreement. 0.6 The affiliation support and benefits package for Registered Associations is set out in the affiliation agreement. 0.7 Guidance on termination of the affiliation agreement by either The Society or a Registered Association is also outlined in the affiliation agreement and must be followed by both parties.
Local Groups
0.8 Local Groups are not independent registered charities and function as local branches of The Society.
0.9 Local Groups must be established following terms of reference supplied by The Society and may become a Society Local Group subject to approval by the Trustee Board.
0.10 Terms of reference signed by both the Local Group and The Society are binding and set out the rules, regulations and obligations that must be followed and fulfilled by the Local Group and The Society.
0.11 The support and benefits package for Local Groups is set out in the terms of reference.
0.12 Any conflict must be dealt with according to the guidelines contained within the terms of reference.
0.13 Guidance on termination of the relationship between The Society and a Local Group is also outlined in the terms of reference and must be followed by both parties.