Safeguarding policy for small charities
If your group works with children or adults at risk, trustees are responsible for keeping people safe. A clear, short safeguarding policy is the starting point.
Who needs one
Any charity or community group whose work brings it into contact with children or adults at risk — directly, online or through volunteers — should have a safeguarding policy that trustees have agreed.
What to include
- Who the policy covers and your commitment to keeping people safe
- Your named safeguarding lead (and a deputy) with contact details
- Signs of abuse and what to do if you're worried
- How to report concerns, including to the local authority or police
- Safer recruitment, DBS checks where eligible, and training
- Recording concerns safely and confidentially
- How often trustees review the policy
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Questions people ask
Who should be the safeguarding lead?
A trusted, trained person with time to respond, plus a deputy. Many small groups name a trustee.
Do all volunteers need DBS checks?
Only roles that are eligible under the rules. Check the GOV.UK DBS eligibility guidance.
Written by Jessie Joe Jacobs. Jessie has worked in the UK voluntary sector for around 25 years and founded the Teesside charity A Way Out. She founded Charity Builder to give small groups the support a local CVS would.