UDC Safeguarding
Safeguarding Policy
Purpose
The purpose of
this policy is to protect people, particularly children, at risk adults and
beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their
coming into contact with [UDC]. This
includes harm arising from:
·
The conduct of
staff or personnel associated with [UDC]
·
The design and
implementation of [UDC]’s programmes
and activities
The policy lays
out the commitments made by [UDC], and informs staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
This policy does not cover:
·
Sexual harassment in
the workplace – this is dealt with under [UDC]’s Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy
·
Safeguarding concerns
in the wider community not perpetrated by [UDC] or associated personnel
What is safeguarding?
In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and
human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect
In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including
children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact
with our staff or program.
Further
definitions relating to safeguarding are provided in the glossary below.
Scope
·
All staff
contracted by [UDC]
·
Associated
personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to [UDC], including but not limited to the following: consultants;
volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities
and politicians
Policy Statement
[UDC] believes
that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity,
disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected
from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. [UDC] will not tolerate abuse and
exploitation by staff or associated personnel.
This policy will
address the following areas of safeguarding [as appropriate]: child safeguarding, adult safeguarding, and
protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.
These key areas of safeguarding may have different policies and
procedures associated with them (see Associated Policies).
[UDC] commits to
addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of
prevention, reporting and response.
Prevention
[NGO] responsibilities
[UDC] will:
·
Ensure all staff have
access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this
policy
·
Design and undertake
all its programs and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of
harm that may arise from their coming into contact with [UDC]. This includes the way in
which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated
·
Implement stringent
safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and
associated personnel
·
Ensure staff receive
training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the
organization
·
Follow up on
reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process
Staff responsibilities
Child safeguarding
[UDC] staff and
associated personnel must not:
·
Engage in
sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18
·
Sexually abuse
or exploit children
·
Subject a child
to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
·
Engage in any
commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or
trafficking
Adult safeguarding
[UDC] staff and
associated personnel must not:
·
Sexually abuse
or exploit at risk adults
·
Subject an at
risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect
Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
[UDC] staff and
associated personnel must not:
·
Exchange money,
employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange
of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance
·
Engage in any
sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on
inherently unequal power dynamics
Additionally, [UDC]
staff and associated personnel are obliged to:
·
Contribute to
creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations
and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy
·
Report any concerns
or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an [UDC] staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate
staff member
Enabling reports
[UDC] will
ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding
concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.
Any staff
reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if
they request it) will be protected by [UDC]’s Disclosure of Malpractice in the
Workplace (Whistleblowing) Policy.
[UDC] will also
accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners
and official bodies.
How to report a safeguarding concern
Staff members
who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it
immediately to their Safeguarding Focal Point [as appropriate] or line
manager. If the staff member does not
feel comfortable reporting to their Safeguarding Focal Point or line manager
(for example if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if
that person is implicated in the concern) they may report to any other
appropriate staff member. For example,
this could be a senior manager or a member of the HR Team.
[Provide contact
details]
Response
[UDC] will
follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure,
and legal and statutory obligations (see Procedures for reporting and response
to safeguarding concerns in Associated Policies).
[UDC] will apply
appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy.
[UDC] will offer
support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel,
regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an
internal investigation). Decisions
regarding support will be led by the survivor.
Confidentiality
It is essential
that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing
with safeguarding concerns. Information
relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a
need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.
Associated policies
Code of Conduct
Anti Bullying
and Harassment policy
Disclosure of
Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistle-blower) policy
Child
Safeguarding policy
Adult
Safeguarding policy
PSEA (Protection
from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by staff) policy
Complaints
Policy
Procedures for
reporting and response to safeguarding concerns
Procedures for
safeguarding in staff recruitment
Other policies
as appropriate
Glossary of Terms
Beneficiary of Assistance
Someone who directly receives goods or services from [UDC]’s program. Note that misuse of power can also apply to the
wider community that the UDC serves, and also can include exploitation by
giving the perception of being in a position of power.
Child
A person below the age of 18
Harm
Psychological, physical and any other infringement of an individual’s
rights
Psychological harm
Emotional or psychological abuse, including (but not limited to)
humiliating and degrading treatment such as bad name calling, constant
criticism, belittling, persistent shaming, solitary confinement and isolation
Protection from Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)
The term used by the humanitarian and development community to refer to
the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of affected populations by
staff or associated personnel. The term
derives from the United Nations Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special
Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13)
Safeguarding
In the UDC, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and
human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect
In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including
children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact
with our staff or programs. One donor
definition is as follows:
Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm,
particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring; to
protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and
to respond appropriately when harm does occur.
This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our
culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from
any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability,
especially for sexual purposes.
Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our
programs, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing
and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having
mature, accountable and transparent systems for response, reporting and
learning when risks materialize. Those systems must be survivor-centered and
also protect those accused until proven guilty.
Safeguarding puts beneficiaries and affected persons at the center of
all we do.
Sexual abuse
The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical
intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive
conditions.
Sexual exploitation
The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a
position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes,
including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically
from the sexual exploitation of another. This definition incudes human trafficking and
modern slavery.
Survivor
The person who
has been abused or exploited. The term ‘survivor’ is often used in preference
to ‘victim’ as it implies strength, resilience and the capacity to survive,
however it is the individual’s choice how they wish to identify themselves.
At risk adult
Sometimes also
referred to as vulnerable adult. A
person who is or may be in need of care by reason of mental or other
disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or
herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or
exploitation.
