---
title: "Safeguarding policy"
description: "Our commitments to children and adults at risk, checks for staff and volunteers, rules for partners, and how to report a safeguarding concern in confidence."
url: "https://givo-astro.pages.dev/safeguarding-policy/"
---

# Safeguarding policy

> Our commitments to children and adults at risk, checks for staff and volunteers, rules for partners, and how to report a safeguarding concern in confidence.

Givo works with children, families, and adults who may be at risk of harm. Everyone who works or volunteers with us, and every partner we fund, has a duty to keep them safe. This policy explains what we do to prevent harm, and what happens when someone raises a concern. Read it with our [privacy policy](https://givo-astro.pages.dev/privacy-policy/) and [terms of use](https://givo-astro.pages.dev/terms-conditions/).

## Who this policy covers

This policy applies to:

- our trustees, staff, and volunteers, including people on a one-day event shift
- contractors and consultants who meet the people we support
- local partner organizations that receive our funding, for the programs we fund
- anyone who visits a program on our behalf, including donors and journalists

## Our commitments

- **The welfare of the child or adult at risk comes first**, before the reputation of Givo or of any person.
- Everyone we support is treated with respect, whatever their age, gender, disability, religion, or background.
- We never tolerate abuse, exploitation, or harassment of any kind, by anyone connected to our work.
- We listen to children and adults at risk, take what they tell us seriously, and act on it.
- We share information about a concern only with the people who need it to keep someone safe.

## Safer recruitment

Before anyone starts work or a volunteer shift that brings them into contact with children or adults at risk:

- we check their identity and take up at least two references
- we carry out the criminal record checks the law allows for the role
- they read this policy and our code of conduct, and sign that they have
- they complete safeguarding training, and refresh it every year

Volunteers on a supervised one-day event work beside a trained team lead and are never left alone with a child.

## Code of conduct

Staff, volunteers, and visitors must never:

- spend time alone with a child out of sight of other adults
- take, share, or post photos of children or beneficiaries without the consent described in our photo guidelines
- give their personal phone number or social media details to a child they meet through our work
- exchange money, gifts, or help for sexual or any other favours

Any breach is a disciplinary matter for staff and ends a volunteer's role with us.

## Partners we fund

Every partner signs a funding agreement that includes safeguarding. Before we fund a program, we check that the partner has a safeguarding policy, a named lead, and a way for people to report concerns. We visit funded programs at least twice a year and ask about safeguarding at every visit. If a partner cannot meet these standards, we help them to, or we stop funding the program.

## How to report a concern

If a child or adult is in immediate danger, **call your local emergency number first**.

Then tell our safeguarding lead on the same day:

- email hello@example.org with "Safeguarding" in the subject line, or
- call (555) 010-0199 and ask for the safeguarding lead

You do not need proof, and you do not need to be sure. Tell us what you saw or heard, when, and who was involved. You can report anonymously, but a name helps us follow up. We never punish anyone for raising a concern in good faith.

## What happens next

The safeguarding lead records the concern, decides on the next step within one working day, and, where the law requires it, refers it to the police or the local authority. The person who raised the concern hears back about what we did, as far as confidentiality allows. Serious incidents are reported to our board and to the charity regulator.

## Review

The board reviews this policy every year, and after any serious incident. The date at the top of this page shows when it last changed.