This guide will help you set up safeguarding measures in your group or organisation. It has been written for leaders of voluntary, community and faith groups working with children and young people aged 0-18. The guide takes a step-by-step approach to help you develop and implement a safeguarding plan to protect children and young people from harm.
An accompanying wallchart allows you to note down safe practice you already have in place and record your planned and completed actions for each step along the 'pathway to safer practice'. Displayed in a prominent place it becomes a visual record of your progress.
This new version updates and replaces the previous Are they safe? introductory guide published in 2017.
Authors: NSPCC
Published: 2019
Our introductory guide is aimed at groups who are in the early stages of thinking about safeguarding but it can be helpful to those who already have some experience of working with children and keeping them safe. Organisations with more safeguarding experience may also find our Safeguarding standards useful.
Use the exercises and checklist to identify the needs of and risks to children and young people in your group.
Decide who is going to be your nominated child protection lead and be clear about their role.
Ensure everyone understands why it's important to develop child protection and safeguarding measures and that you have support from the highest level in your organisation.
Make sure you have a written policy statement for child protection and safeguarding and that it includes everything it needs to.
Create your basic safeguarding procedures to help everyone in your organisation respond appropriately to concerns.
Write a code of behaviour for your group so that everyone knows what is expected of them.
Make sure you have the best people working or volunteering for you and that they are safe to work with children and young people.
Ensure that everyone in your organisation has the latest knowledge about how to keep children and young people safe.
Put checks and reviews in place so that you can assess how well your group's safeguarding and child protection arrangements are working
> Download Wallchart: Are they safe? pathway to safer practice (PDF)
> Download Wallchart stickers: Footprints (PDF)
References
Please cite as: NSPCC (2019) Introductory guide to safeguarding and child protection for the voluntary and community sector. London: NSPCC.
Contact us
Our team of information specialists are on hand to find the answers to your questions.
Safeguarding and child protection resources for organisations and groups providing services to children, families and communities.
A set of recommended standards to help voluntary, community and faith organisations keep children and young people up to the age of 18 safe. Includes templates, examples and links to further information.
We work across the UK to develop and deliver local campaigns and initiatives that help keep children and young people safe. Find out more about our activities and how we can partner with you.
