Safeguarding is a term that has been widely used recently with regards to charities, but what does it mean for your organisation?
Safeguarding basically means ensuring that there are measures in place to make sure that beneficiaries and others who come into contact with your organisation are protected from harm.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and for both trustees and staff it means going over and above your minimum legal responsibilities and making sure the culture within your organisation is to respect and protect the people there.
SCVO’s Good Governance & Safeguarding: A Guide for Trustees looks at how the Scottish Governance Code and SCVO’s Good Governance Checkup can be used to help develop a strong safeguarding culture in your organisation. The Guide focusses on the oversight and governance role of trustees and looks at how you can demonstrate and implement each of the five core principles of the Scottish Governance Code with specific regard to safeguarding:
Here are some more resources to help you become more familiar with Safeguarding:
OSCR – Interim Safeguarding Guidance: Keeping vulnerable beneficiaries safe
Protection of Vulnerable Groups
OSCR – Safeguarding and Notifiable events – two key items for your next meeting
Charity Commission – strategy for dealing with safeguarding issues within charities
Know How Non-Profit – Guidance on writing a safeguarding policy
Keeping Children Safe Resource Library
Bond Safeguarding Policy Templates
