What to Include in a Charity Safeguarding Policy
A charity safeguarding policy sets out how your charity protects people from harm and what everyone connected to the charity must do if they have a concern. It covers your beneficiaries, but it also covers staff, volunteers and anyone else who comes into contact with your activities.
The Charity Commission expects charities in England and Wales to have safeguarding arrangements that fit what the charity actually does. Trustees are responsible for their charity's governance and for compliance with charity law, and safeguarding sits at the heart of that responsibility.
The headline point is simple. Trustees have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect from harm everyone who comes into contact with the charity, and a written policy is how you show that duty is being met in practice.
This is not a box to tick once and forget. A safeguarding policy needs procedures behind it, named people to act on concerns, and a clear route to report serious incidents to the Commission and to the police where a crime may have happened.
For the full picture of which policies trustees are expected to hold and follow, see our charity policies and annual return guide, which explains how safeguarding fits alongside the rest of your governance documents.
What the Charity Commission expects
Safeguarding is treated as a governance priority, not an optional extra. A safeguarding policy and procedures appropriate to the charity's activities are expected, and that includes DBS checks where roles are eligible for them.
Holding and following the right policies is part of good governance and the Charity Governance Code, which is a sector standard rather than the law itself. The Charity Commission's annual return asks trustees questions about the charity, including whether key policies are in place, so trustees need to be able to confirm that safeguarding arrangements exist and are working.
There is a direct link between safeguarding and serious incident reporting. Where a safeguarding concern amounts to a serious incident, trustees should report it to the Commission promptly, and safeguarding incidents should also be reported to the police, obtaining a crime reference number. The Commission sets out the process in its guidance on how to report a serious incident in your charity.
What a charity safeguarding policy should contain
A good policy is proportionate to the people the charity works with and the risks they face. The detail below sets out the parts trustees should expect to see.
1. Scope and the trustee duty
State clearly that the charity is committed to protecting from harm everyone who comes into contact with it. Name the groups the policy covers, which will normally include beneficiaries, staff, volunteers, trustees and contractors. Make the trustee duty explicit so that responsibility is owned at board level and not delegated away.
2. Roles and named people
Identify who is responsible for safeguarding day to day and who concerns should be reported to. Many charities appoint a designated safeguarding lead and a trustee with safeguarding oversight. The policy should make it obvious who to go to and what they will do.
3. Recruitment and DBS checks
Set out how the charity recruits safely for roles that involve contact with people at risk. Include DBS checks where roles are eligible, along with references and any role specific vetting. The policy should explain which roles are eligible and why.
4. Recognising and responding to concerns
Describe the signs that should prompt a concern and the steps to take when one arises. Give a clear reporting route, set expectations for timing, and explain how records are kept. Everyone should know that doing nothing is not an option.
5. Reporting to the Commission and the police
Explain when a safeguarding concern becomes a serious incident and who decides. A serious incident is an adverse event, whether actual or alleged, that results in or risks significant harm to beneficiaries, staff, volunteers or others, or significant loss of money or assets, or significant damage to property or reputation. Trustees should report such incidents to the Commission promptly and explain how they are handling them, and safeguarding incidents should also be reported to the police, obtaining a crime reference number.
6. Training, review and links to other policies
Commit to training so that people understand the policy and their part in it. Set a review schedule so the policy keeps pace with the charity's activities. Cross reference related procedures, including complaints, so concerns are not lost between policies.
Quick reference: what to include
| Element | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Scope and duty | Who the policy protects and the trustee duty to prevent harm |
| Named roles | Designated safeguarding lead and trustee oversight |
| Safer recruitment | References, role vetting and DBS checks where eligible |
| Concerns process | How to recognise, report and record a concern |
| Serious incidents | Reporting to the Commission promptly and to the police |
| Training and review | Staff and volunteer training and a set review cycle |
What trustees must do
- Adopt a written safeguarding policy that fits what your charity actually does.
- Appoint a designated safeguarding lead and a trustee with oversight of safeguarding.
- Carry out DBS checks for roles that are eligible, alongside references and role vetting.
- Set a clear reporting route so any concern reaches the right person quickly.
- Report serious incidents to the Commission promptly and safeguarding incidents to the police, obtaining a crime reference number.
- Record concerns, decisions and actions so you can show how the charity responded.
- Review the policy on a set schedule and after any serious incident.
Common mistakes
- Treating safeguarding as something only large charities need, when the duty applies to all.
- Holding a policy that is generic and does not match the charity's real activities or beneficiaries.
- Failing to carry out DBS checks for roles that are eligible.
- Not reporting a serious incident to the Commission promptly, or assuming someone else will do it.
- Reporting a safeguarding incident internally but not to the police, so no crime reference number is obtained.
- Leaving the policy unreviewed for years while the charity's work has changed.
How Policy Pros can help
Policy Pros writes bespoke charity policies that fit your activities and stand up to scrutiny. We can draft your safeguarding policy and the procedures that sit behind it, so trustees can show the Commission that the duty to prevent harm is being met. See our charity policies and procedures service to get started.
Safeguarding works best alongside the rest of your governance documents. We can also help with your charity serious incident reporting policy, so concerns reach the Commission and the police on time, and your charity complaints policy, so people have a clear route to raise issues before they escalate.
For a fuller picture of what your charity should hold, see the charity safeguarding policy guide and our charity policies and annual return pillar. You can also browse the full Charity Commission guidance collection for the underlying expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my small charity need a safeguarding policy?
Yes. The duty to take reasonable steps to protect people from harm applies to all charities, not only large ones. The policy should be proportionate to your activities and the people you work with, but every charity that has contact with beneficiaries, staff or volunteers is expected to have one.
Do charity volunteers need a DBS check?
DBS checks are expected for roles that are eligible for them, which usually means roles involving contact with children or adults at risk. Not every volunteer role is eligible, so your safeguarding policy should set out which roles need a check and why. Where a role is eligible, the check should be carried out as part of safer recruitment.
When do I report a safeguarding incident to the Charity Commission?
You should report when a safeguarding concern amounts to a serious incident, meaning an actual or alleged event that risks significant harm to people connected to the charity. Trustees should report to the Commission promptly and explain how they are handling it. The Commission's guidance on how to report a serious incident sets out the process.
Should I report a safeguarding incident to the police as well?
Yes, where a crime may have been committed. Safeguarding incidents should be reported to the police and you should obtain a crime reference number. Reporting internally or to the Commission does not replace involving the police where it is needed.
Who is responsible for safeguarding in a charity?
The trustees hold ultimate responsibility, as they are accountable for the charity's governance and compliance with charity law. Many charities also appoint a designated safeguarding lead to handle concerns day to day, and a trustee with oversight of safeguarding. The policy should make these roles clear so concerns reach the right person quickly.
