Making safeguarding a priority
This guide is written to support local infrastructure organisations that are often the first line in support and guidance for smaller charities and voluntary organisations. It can also be used by other people involved in capacity building, such as community development officers or specialists in a particular activity who support a network of organisations.
Everyone working in infrastructure organisations must make safeguarding a priority so that the charities and organisations they support can do so as well. Together you can make sure the sector as a whole is safer. You must remember that the Charity Commission states that 'safeguarding should be a governance priority for all charities' and that it is good practice for all voluntary organisations to do the same.
With limited resources, both infrastructure organisations and the organisations you work with often have to prioritise, so sometimes you may need to remind people why safeguarding is important.
Five reasons to do safeguarding well
- Abuse, harassment and harm can happen to anyone – people we work with, staff or volunteers. It’s not always visible and often not spoken about
- Abuse, harm and neglect are wrong. We have a duty to do something about it.
- When everyone understands safeguarding and their right to be safe, people who have nowhere else to turn are protected.
- An organisation that does safeguarding well is an organisation that is trusted.
- The Charity Commission expects every charity to make safeguarding a priority.
Want to convince someone safeguarding matters? Share our video of these reasons to do safeguarding well.
Using this guide
This guide is in two parts.
- Leading by example – which talks about getting your own safeguarding right.
- Supporting groups to become safer organisations – which sets out ways you can help.
This guide was developed in partnership with NAVCA. We would like to thank Hackney CVS, Community Action Suffolk and Salford CVS for contributing their experience and knowledge of safeguarding to this resource.
