SSAFA’s Safeguarding Policy should be followed at all times by all volunteers and employees.

Safeguarding Policy | SSAFA Policies & Guidance | SSAFA Volunteer Knowledgebase

We believe that: nobody who is involved in our work should experience abuse, harm, neglect or exploitation. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all of our beneficiaries, staff and volunteers, to keep them safe and to work in a way that protects them. All staff and volunteers who come into contact with vulnerable people should adhere to the following code of conduct in order to keep the people it supports safe.

All employees and volunteers who have any contact with children and adults at risk have a responsibility to protect them. If you suspect that an individual is at risk of abuse/harm then your duty is to report this concern. This individual could be a beneficiary, a volunteer or employee.

If the risk is not immediate you should contact your line Manager and/or Safeguarding Team for guidance. Safeguarding@ssafa_fhs.org.uk

Additionally, volunteers are responsible for ensuring that they have a valid vetting check where their role requires it and they are up to date with all mandatory training (including safeguarding training) and will not be able to continue in role if either lapse (until they are compliant again).

Volunteers must inform their line manager immediately if their circumstances change in a way that may affect their vetting status.

Whistleblowing –Volunteers have the right to raise concerns about conduct of staff and/or other volunteers without reprisal. 

 Referral process – please see Appendix A 

SSAFA’s Safeguarding Policy will adhere to the following UK laws and guidance that seek to protect children and adults.

For volunteers and staff working overseas in the sovereign base - UK law applies.

For those working outside the sovereign base local procedures are followed. Please consult with the local statutory services in that area.

For those working and volunteering in Scotland:

• Scottish Government (2014) National Guidance for child protection in Scotland Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
• Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007

For those working and volunteering in Northern Ireland:

• The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
• Safeguarding Board Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 · Children’s Services Co-operation Act 2015
• The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.

For those working and volunteering in Wales follow:

• https://www.safeguarding.wales

This will streamline processes and reduce the risk of concerns being missed. This web form will allow everyone to raise their concerns without storing sensitive information on personal devices or organisational devices. This improves security for our beneficiaries’ information and assists SSAFA with complying with GDPR legislation.

NON-FHS

Concerns can be submitted to the safeguarding team via the new web form here: Safeguarding referral or via telephone on 02045587891.

We will continue to accept email referrals, whilst we transition to a fully IMP system, if there are ever any concerns about how to raise concerns then please contact the safeguarding team on [email protected]

FHS

All FHS services will raise their safeguarding concerns via the consultation document on IMP.

Steps:

• Open consultation form and complete consultation origin as team.
• Change consulting service to safeguarding.
• Complete consultation as standard.
• Safe and close the consultation and it will be assigned to the active safeguarding consultations clipboard.