Making safeguarding an organisational priority
Risk and Reputation ManagementGovernance and ComplianceEthics
At the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, we believe that every fundraising organisation should offer a safe and supportive working environment and culture for staff and volunteers alike; an environment where there is a zero tolerance approach to discrimination, bullying and harassment, and where people’s privacy and right to confidentiality is respected.
Typically, this will mean incorporating relevant recruitment, training and health and safety procedures, as well including safeguarding clauses within relevant organisational policies. Some organisations will require a standalone safeguarding policy and every organisation will need to consider safeguarding within the following organisational and fundraising policies.
This section includes links for to our own guidance, as well as resources from the Fundraising Regulator, NCVO (Knowhow Nonprofit) and Acas.
If your organisation works with ‘at risk’ groups, which include children or young people and adults in potentially vulnerable circumstances, you will need a specific safeguarding policy and procedure.
- State your commitment to safeguarding; that you will protect your beneficiaries, supporters, employees and volunteers from any abuse (physical, emotional or sexual).
- Make it clear who is responsible for what, emphasising that everyone in the charity has a commitment to play their part in protecting people from harm.
- Set out the procedures for reporting and recording any concerns and/or incidents.
- Include practical guidance for staff and volunteers about what they should do.
- Detail the complaints and disciplinary procedures for handling concerns.
- Underline that there will be disciplinary action for those who fail to follow procedure for recording safeguarding issues.
For information about writing a safeguarding policy, see NCVO Knowhow Nonprofit. Sample policies and other useful resources are available for safeguarding adults from the Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board and for safeguarding children from the NSPCC.