# Responsibilities for safeguarding Everyone in your organisation has a role to play in safeguarding. This section describes the responsibilities of leaders, staff, and volunteers to keep people safe.  ### **Trustees** Trustees—or your equivalent, such as management committee members—should collectively own and oversee safeguarding in their organisation. Trustees should: * Ensure safeguarding is a key governance priority with adequate resourcing and attention * Properly assess any potential risks relevant to the organisation's work * Approve and oversee the implementation of relevant policies and procedures * Identify who holds what specific responsibilities for safeguarding (e.g. appointing a safeguarding lead) * Ensure everyone in the organisation learns about their responsibilities and knows how to raise concerns * Be confident that all concerns and allegations are managed appropriately. Some charities appoint one trustee to take a strategic lead, offering support and guidance to the board on safeguarding matters. They give strategic oversight, supporting assurance, and work more closely with relevant team members. While all trustees remain collectively responsible, they may be a key champion and point of contact. The [Scottish Governance Code for the Third Sector](https://scvo.scot/support/running-your-organisation/governance/code) outlines five fundamental principles to help trustees ensure good governance. Each principle can help you build a culture of keeping people safe. Use SCVO’s [Good Governance Checkup](https://governance.checkup.scot/) to help you ensure good governance and develop a strong safeguarding culture in your organisation. ### **Senior leaders** Senior leaders in your organisation, such as your Chief Executive, Directors, or Managers, whether paid or unpaid, play a crucial role in building a positive safeguarding culture. They should: * Behave appropriately, contributing to a positive culture where everyone feels safe and able to share concerns * Develop, adopt and monitor the implementation of relevant policies, procedures and code of conduct * Build safeguarding into your recruitment process, ensuring everyone in your team is safe and suitable for their role, including undertaking criminal record checks where needed * Set clear standards for your team and offer appropriate induction, training, support and supervision so they are met. * Make sure all concerns reported are appropriately managed, promptly acted upon and reported and investigated if needed * Regularly review your safeguarding activities ### **Designated Safeguarding Leads** Many organisations appoint a senior team member as the primary source of operational support, advice, and expertise for safeguarding. They generally lead the response to concerns, especially for those about a child or adult at risk, and ensure referral to appropriate services. They should: * Advise and support the rest of the team in building a positive safeguarding culture. * Receive safeguarding concerns connected to your organisation and offer immediate management. * Make referrals to key safeguarding agencies (eg social services or police) where necessary. ### **Staff and volunteers** Anyone involved in delivering your work and activities, such as staff and volunteers, should: * Participate in induction or training so that you understand what abuse and harm is, how to help prevent it in your organisation, how to respond to concerns and who to report concerns to * Always share any safeguarding concerns in line with the organisation's procedures * Identify risks and actively manage them by adopting safer working practices * Keep up to date with best practices and latest guidance relevant to their role [Previous: What is safeguarding?](/support/running-your-organisation/safeguarding/what-is-safeguarding) [Next: Laws, regulation and guidance](/support/running-your-organisation/safeguarding/safeguarding-laws-regulation-and-guidance) --- ## About SCVO SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations) is the national membership organisation for Scotland's voluntary sector. Our role is to champion the role of voluntary organisations in Scotland and to support them to do work that has a positive impact. SCVO supports members and the wider voluntary sector with all aspects of setting up and running a voluntary organisation. SCVO represents the needs and concerns of the voluntary sector to the Scottish government in Holyrood and UK government and Westminster. Through our learning and events programme SCVO offers training and development opportunities to the sector. Members access an extensive membership benefits package including specialist, in-depth, 1-to-1 guidance from our Information Services team and from professional service partners. Access to exclusive membership networks (including comms, employers, governance and policy) supports members to grow their connections, stay up to date, exchange ideas and views with peers, and learn through tailored learning opportunities. SCVO members enjoy free access to Funding Scotland Premium to stay on top of funding opportunities to support their organisation’s financial resilience. Discounts and savings on SCVO products and services (including our HR service, managed IT support, payroll service and events and training) and partner offers provide members with support to allow them to focus on delivering their organisation’s goals. Further SCVO products and services include [extensive digital support](https://scvo.scot/support/digital), a climate action resource [Growing Climate Confidence](https://climateconfident.scot), a voluntary sector publication [Third Force News](https://tfn.scot) and a voluntary sector jobs and recruitment service [Goodmoves](https://goodmoves.org). For more information on SCVO membership, visit [SCVO membership](https://scvo.scot/membership)