Safeguarding Colleagues, Volunteers and Foster Carers

It is for all employees, volunteers and foster carers across Barnardo's.

The overall purpose of this policy and its associated procedures is to safeguard all who work for and with Barnardo’s, including Staff Members, Volunteers, Foster Carers, Students on placement and Secondees into the Organisation. This includes responding to concerns of safeguarding raised by and about all those who work for, on behalf of, or with Barnardo’s and how to respond and report these concerns.

• As a Trustee you have a duty of care which includes taking the necessary steps to safeguard and protect adults using or receiving our services, acting in their best interest to take all reasonable steps to prevent any harm to them. You must make sure that there are appropriate safeguarding policies in place and that they are implemented properly.
• As a member of the Corporate leadership team, or Chief Executive, you are responsible for the management of serious safeguarding incidents. 
• As Corporate Director for Children’s Services you are the designated safeguarding lead for Barnardo’s.
• As Head of Corporate Safeguarding you are responsible for providing advice and support to directors and other senior managers on best practice in adhering to this policy and procedures, safer working practices and oversight of serious incidents. Locality assistant directors are also available to offer support and advice.
• Children’s services region/nation and commercial directors and corporate department heads/managers are responsible for the implementation of the policy and procedures and effective management of safeguarding concerns in their department/division or region/nation. Locality assistant directors and heads/assistant heads of business hold delegated operational accountability for services.
• Line managers and staff must make sure that all safeguarding concerns are addressed through respective line management structures in accordance with this policy and procedure.
• As a safeguarding lead, you must provide additional safeguarding advice and support in your region, nation, business line or department to make sure that policy and procedures are implemented and that there is oversight of all serious safeguarding incident activity in your area of responsibility.
• The people team is responsible for consultation and advice in relation to the implication of safeguarding in human resources and learning and development issues.