Charity Safeguarding Policy UK: Protect Children

What this document is

A charity safeguarding policy is the written statement that records how your organisation keeps children safe and responds to concerns about harm, abuse or neglect. It usually covers the scope of the policy (who it applies to and in what settings), your commitment to child welfare, how you recruit and screen staff and volunteers, DBS check requirements, codes of conduct, reporting procedures for disclosures or concerns, and the named person responsible for safeguarding within the charity.

Most policies also deal with confidentiality, record keeping, working with external partners, photography and online contact with young people, and how incidents are escalated to statutory agencies such as the local authority or police. For charities registered with the Charity Commission, having and following an adequate safeguarding policy is part of trustees' legal duty to act in the charity's best interests and protect its beneficiaries.

The policy isn't a one-off task either: trustees are expected to review it regularly and keep it in line with current law and guidance.

How to use this document

1. Map out who your policy needs to cover. Start by listing every situation where your charity has contact with under-18s: events, volunteering, fundraising, digital platforms, partner organisations and one-off activities. The scope of your policy should reflect the reality of your work, not a generic description. If volunteers occasionally drive children to events or communicate through messaging apps, that needs to be addressed too.
2. Draft the policy content and key procedures. Pull together the substantive sections: your safeguarding commitment, recruitment and DBS checks, behaviour expectations, how to raise a concern, how the designated safeguarding lead handles reports, and when matters get escalated externally. Cross-refer to related policies you already have, such as health and safety, data protection, social media and complaints, so the documents work as a set.
3. Get trustee approval and assign responsibility. Safeguarding sits with the trustee board. The policy should be formally reviewed and approved at a trustee meeting, recorded in the minutes, and signed by the chair or another authorised trustee. Name a designated safeguarding lead and a deputy, and make sure the board understands it is accountable for oversight even when day-to-day responsibility is delegated.
4. Train your people and embed the policy in practice. A policy sitting in a drawer achieves nothing. Brief all staff and volunteers when they join, refresh training at sensible intervals, and make sure everyone knows who the safeguarding lead is and how to raise a concern. Keep written records of training so you can demonstrate the policy is actively used.
5. Publish, review and update regularly. Make the policy available to parents, carers, beneficiaries and the public, typically by putting it on your website. Set a review date (many charities review annually) and update the policy whenever the law changes, after any serious incident, or when your activities change. Report serious safeguarding incidents to the Charity Commission as a reportable matter where required.

Common questions