For all staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.

Date: October 2025
Next Review: September 2026, or sooner if legislation or staff structure changes

1. Purpose and Policy Statement

Sanctuary in Chichester (‘SiC’ or the ‘Charity’) is committed to creating an environment where everyone – especially children and adults at risk – is protected from harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Safeguarding means:

• Putting systems in place to prevent harm to the people we serve and those who work for the charity.
• Reducing risk of abuse and putting systems in place to make it easy to get help if there is a safeguarding concern.

People seeking safety in the UK may be especially vulnerable due to trauma, language barriers, deprivation, prejudice and discrimination, insecure immigration status, and social isolation. The Charity’s safeguarding duty is therefore integral to its values of inclusivity, collaboration and transparency. SiC also commits to comply with local authority safeguarding partner and board policies, when safeguarding issues require external advice or support.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to:

• All trustees, staff, volunteers and contractors of Sanctuary in Chichester.
• All Charity activities, including befriending, language education and support services.

3. Our Safeguarding Aims

SiC will:

• Embed safeguarding into every aspect of its work through regular training, supervision and support.
• Promote the principle that safeguarding is everyone’s business (volunteers, staff, trustees, contractors, beneficiaries and the wider public).
• Use Safer Recruitment practices and appropriate criminal records checks, with Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks and references required.
• Respond promptly and effectively to any safeguarding concerns or allegations.
• Provide clear guidance on professional boundaries to  all staff, volunteers and anyone acting on behalf of the Charity.
• Empower those we support to understand their rights; staff and volunteer boundaries; and how to raise concerns. Information is supplied in appropriate languages and formats wherever possible.
• Create a safe, healthy and trauma-informed environment that respects culture, rights and individual wishes.
• Provide clarity on accountability for safeguarding decisions.
• Ensure partner organisations whose support we seek or to whom we signpost beneficiaries have adequate safeguarding policies and, where we have concern, highlight these to those organisations.

4. Key Contacts – redacted

5. Recognising Abuse

Abuse may include (but is not limited to):

• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Sexual exploitation
• Financial abuse
• Neglect or acts of omission
• Labour exploitation, forced labour, modern slavery and trafficking
• Hate crime, mate crime (fake friendship used to exploit), peer-on-peer
• Intimate partner/ex-partner violence, controlling or coercive behaviour
• Radicalisation or extremist or criminal recruitment
• Forced marriage
• Self-harm, risk of suicide
• Online

6. Reporting Concerns or Disclosures 

If you have a concern or someone makes a disclosure:

1. Stay calm and listen carefully. Do not ask leading questions.
2. Assure the person that you take their concern seriously.
3. DO NOT promise absolute confidentiality as you must report safeguarding concerns to the DSL (Charity Manager).
4. DO NOT investigate concerns yourself – always report it.
5. Record factual notes as soon as possible: date, time, what was said.
6. Report within 24 hours to the DSL (Charity Manager).
   
   If the DSL (Charity Manager) is unavailable or implicated, report to the Trustee Lead for Safeguarding or the Chair of Trustees.
7. Don’t delay contacting emergency services if there is immediate risk of physical harm to yourself or to others, or if you witness physical harm to others..
8. In situations where the risk of harm is not immediate, the DSL (Charity Manager) will contact external services.

Remember the ‘4 R’s:

Recognise possible abuse, including knowing what abuse is, what to look out for, and how to be vigilant at all times.
Respond quickly and appropriately to possible concerns. Sometimes a concern is obvious, sometimes it is not.
Report/Refer your concerns to the appropriate person or organisation 
Record your observations and concerns, including the actions you and others have (or haven’t) taken.

Emergency Contacts

• Police (immediate danger): 999

The Charity Manager (or whoever you report to) will:

• Ensure anyone making and/ or receiving a disclosure is supported.
• Take immediate action to protect those at risk.
• Refer concerns to the appropriate agency or the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), now referred to as the Integrated Front Door (IFD).

7. Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers

• The DSL (Charity Manager) will seek advice from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) on whether suspension pending investigation or,  in accordance with the Charity’s disciplinary procedures, ceasing a volunteer’s or staff member’s position is required.
• Suspension is a neutral act and does not imply wrongdoing.
• See Sanctuary in Chichester’s Whistleblowing Policy 

8. Safer Recruitment

Volunteers or anyone acting on behalf of the Charity with direct contact with children or unsupervised contact with adults at risk will:

• Complete a standard application form.
• Provide two independent references.
• Attend an interview (minimum two interviewers).
• Undergo an Enhanced DBS check.

9. Training and Induction

Anyone acting on behalf of the Charity will:

• Attend induction training (group or individual), covering:
  • The context of migration and asylum
  • Sanctuary in Chichester’s values and structure
  • Role of the DSL (Charity Manager)
  • Safeguarding, Health & Safety, GDPR/ confidentiality
  • Boundaries and lone working 
• Read and sign this Safeguarding Policy and Code of Conduct prior to starting work with the Charity.
• Attend safeguarding and boundaries refresher training at least once a year.
• Attend quarterly supervision sessions for all volunteers that will include safeguarding discussions.

At least one trustees’ meeting per year will review the policy and provide refresher training.

10. Safe Working Practices

Volunteers and staff must:

• Follow guidance on transport, use of social media, language and cultural respect.
• Not provide or accept gifts or loans over the value of £20; or place themselves in situations that could be misinterpreted.
• Avoid being alone unsupervised with a child (i.e under 18 year-olds) or vulnerable at-risk adults.
• Not invite beneficiaries to their home 
• Not initiate contact outside the agreed volunteering role without prior discussion with the DSL (Charity Manager).

Any exceptions must be approved in writing, in advance, by the DSL (Charity Manager) or Trustee Lead for Safeguarding.

11. Involving and Informing Those We Support

To manage and mitigate the risks:

• Simple, translated guides to boundaries and safeguarding will be given to all adult beneficiaries  within one month of support starting, including awareness of online safeguarding vulnerabilities and cyber security.
• Annually, the DSL (Charity Manager) or their delegated representative will call or meet with adult beneficiaries  or families to check they know how to raise concerns and to hear any feedback.

12. Data Protection and Confidentiality

• All records of concerns, and disclosures  will be stored securely and in line with GDPR and other data-protection legislation.
• Access is restricted to staff, DSL (Charity Manager), Trustee Lead for Safeguarding, and Chair of Trustees.

13. Policy Review

This Policy will be reviewed annually or sooner if legislation or guidance changes.

Approved by:
Tony Toynton – Chair of Trustees                                Date: 05/11/2025
Mark Stables – Trustee Lead for Safeguarding       Date: 05/11/2025

(Prior to appointment of Kathryn Crosby Charity Manager as Designated Safeguarding Lead)

Staff/ volunteer signature:       Date: ______________