Safeguarding

What safeguarding means

Whereas in the past, the concept of safeguarding was used primarily in relation to children and vulnerable adults, best practice these days is to think about how we safeguard everyone in our organisations at all times. Everyone who works for us and everyone we come into contact with could be vulnerable at some point or in some situations. Real safeguarding needs to recognise this reality and account for these situations.

Safeguarding means protecting people in our organisation or people we come into contact with from inappropriate behaviour as well as from abuse or financial harm. This means we have to think about recruitment, supervision and support in everything we do. We also have to ensure that beneficiaries, staff and volunteers feel able to raise any concerns or complaints.

Culture

Above all, getting this right means thinking about how we can instil the right culture in our organisations. A safeguarding policy is not enough alone: it needs to genuinely help drive priorities and culture throughout an organisation. It has to set expectations and boundaries.

At a time of widespread concern about sexual harassment, let’s not forget that charities can have a meaningful impact on the rest of society. Between us, we employ over one million people. We can help raise standards by acting as model employers and model partner organisations.

While the scale of risk will vary greatly between different organisations, there is no charity which does not need at least to assess the safeguarding risk that their activities present. The approach to safeguarding should be rooted in that assessment and proportionate to the risk presented. This needn’t be a laborious process for most organisations, but safeguarding is something that should be on every board’s agenda for their next meeting.

It’s crucial that we do not see this as something that only the larger organisations should so. We all need to take responsibility for setting a good example and ensuring the safety, comfort and wellbeing of those we work with.

the KNOW HOW Non for Profit website contains a number of really useful guides and templates for developing a safeguarding policy. You can find a host of information on safeguarding volunteers here.

Check out their guide on safeguarding for volunteer involving organisations (PDF, 800KB) which aims to help you think through developing a comprehensive approach.

This guidance should not be a substitute for a safeguarding policy or for relevant training where required.