Safeguarding Policy

All who access or who are involved in our service should:

  1. Be made aware of this policy and have all alleged incidents, recent or historical, recognised and taken seriously.

  2. Receive fair and respectful treatment throughout and be involved in the process as appropriate.

Women Stepping Out is committed to safeguarding our volunteers and all those that we come into contact with while offering our service. We believe that all women have an equal right to protection from all forms of abuse regardless of their: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, or race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. The welfare of women, however they present, is paramount.

Women Stepping Out will take every reasonable step to ensure that all women at risk are protected where our committee members, trustees, and volunteers are involved in the delivery of our service. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and investigations will be undertaken swiftly so that appropriate and required action is taken as soon as possible.

Women Stepping Out will equip the committee members, trustees and volunteers to make informed and confident decisions regarding safeguarding aligned to our Safeguarding Policy and will ensure the committee members, trustees and volunteers receive training on safeguarding awareness and procedures so they are competent in dealing with all aspects of safeguarding in relation to referral to the relevant external agencies.

We expect everyone committee members, trustees, and volunteers to have read, understood and to adhere to this policy and related procedure.                                                                                                               

Roles and Responsibilities

Women Stepping Out has a designated lead, Margaret Hogg who is responsible for safeguarding.  Email contact: info@womensteppingout.co.uk                        

The role of the Designated Lead is to:

Assume overall responsibility for safeguarding across the organisation. It is not the role of the designated lead or Women Stepping Out to decide whether abuse has taken place. It is vital that committee members, trustees and volunteers raise all cases of suspected or alleged abuse in line with the procedures identified in this policy as there may already have been concerns expressed by other staff, committee members, trustees and volunteers. Failure to report concerns may put people at risk.

Reporting Incidents

All allegations or suspicions must be treated seriously and reported to the designated lead for safeguarding as soon as possible and logged accordingly. The designated lead for safeguarding will then devise an appropriate plan of action. The exact nature of the action taken will be determined by the individual circumstances, but it may include the involvement of external authorities, such as the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub. Any allegation made against a person in a position of trust, a group leader or volunteer should be reported to the designated person for safeguarding immediately. The matter will be investigated and the appropriate action taken. 

If a disclosure of abuse is made by an organisation user, care will be taken to explain the procedure that will be followed and that it may not be possible for Women Stepping Out to maintain confidentiality.

Good Practice

Recruitment and Training

All committee members, trustees and volunteers are carefully recruited in line with good recruitment practice, to include where applicable:

  • A full and up to date Criminal Record check if their role meets the eligibility criteria outlined by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

  • Familiarisation with the charity’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedure.

  • Appropriate training in good and unbiased listening skills if dealing with clients directly and provision of up to date and relevant Safeguarding, Modern Day Slavery and Domestic Abuse information and guidance.

  • Provision of appropriate support in relation to Safeguarding, and volunteer’s requirement to maintain safe relationships.

  • Awareness of their role in respect of the disclosure or discovery of abuse, the procedure for doing so and to report the disclosure or discovery of abuse to the designated lead for Safeguarding.

Record Keeping

  • Any concerns will be recorded in writing and kept to comply with data protection legislation.

  • Records should only include contacts and referrals made including date, time, reason for referral and referral agency.

Women Stepping Out will assist other relevant organisations, as far as it is able, during any investigation of a Safeguarding incident. This will include disclosing written and verbal information and evidence.

Contact Details

On receiving information of a Safeguarding incident involving a client, all volunteers should speak to the designated safeguarding lead who will, if appropriate contact the local authority social services department to log the issue and seek advice.                                                                                                              

If anyone is at urgent risk of harm call the police on 999 or 101.

Policy Review

Women Stepping Out is committed to reviewing this policy and procedure annually, or earlier, if circumstances change.

Adopted: 28/10/2022

Next Policy Review Due: 12/10/2024