Safeguarding should be a priority for all third sector organisations, especially those that work with children, young people and adults at risk.
Safeguarding is a valuable part of an organisation’s governance framework. It relates to:
WCVA have produced a handy checklist to help you to keep your policy effective and up to date.
Charities and voluntary sector organisations need to be aware of the new national safeguarding procedures for Wales which were launched in November 2019.
The procedures detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect. They are designed to standardise practice across Wales and help practitioners to apply the statutory guidance in the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014.
You can access the new procedures here
The procedures are also available as a handy free app which can be downloaded to your phone. The app is available from Google Play and Apple
On National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day 18 March 2021, Julie Morgan, the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services issued a Written Statement announcing the publication of ‘Working Together to Safeguard People, Volume 7 – Statutory Guidance safeguarding children from child sexual exploitation’.
The welfare of children and adults at risk must be the paramount consideration of any voluntary organisation whose work brings it into contact with vulnerable people. Volunteers play a vital role in enhancing the lives of vulnerable people, but not every volunteer is suited to this kind of work, and very occasionally, may actually pose a threat. This means carrying out risk assessments for work that involves vulnerable people, adopting safe working practices to help minimise risk, having good recruitment and selection practices and sound systems of supervision.
Safeguarding and good management practices
Before involving volunteers, it is worth spending some time considering how they can work within your organisation. It is essential for the organisation to identify tasks that are appropriate for the volunteer to undertake, prior to the recruitment and selection process. As volunteers do not replace paid workers, they should be viewed as complementing the role, thus bringing added value to the organisation.
Recruiting, selecting and inducting volunteers
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) has recently launched a range of safeguarding resources, supported by other organisations. The resources were jointly funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the National Lottery Community Fund.
Find out about reporting serious incidents in your charity as a trustee
Find out about reporting serious wrongdoing at a charity as a worker or volunteer
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has updated its guidance leaflets.
There are a range of other leaflets covering specific roles.
We can help your organisation in setting up good safeguarding management practices and offer Safeguarding people (All Wales Basic Safeguarding Awareness) training.
Additionally, BAVO is the third sector link to the Safeguarding Operational Board.
For further details contact BAVO, T: 01656 810400 or E: bavo@bavo.org.uk
