Legal

Safeguarding Policy

Last updated: 22 June 2026  |  Version 1.5

1. Policy statement and scope

The Sexual and Reproductive Health Education Network (SRHE) is committed to the protection and welfare of children (under 18) and vulnerable adults who our volunteers may encounter in the course of SRHE activities. This policy applies to all persons acting on behalf of SRHE, including committee members, volunteers, and contributors, regardless of role or seniority.

SRHE membership and volunteering are open only to those aged 18 and over. However, some volunteer roles involve outreach or educational delivery in 16+ settings, where volunteers may come into contact with learners under 18 or vulnerable adults. This policy governs how we protect those individuals.

This policy is informed by the key legislation and guidance listed in section 12.

2. Definitions

Child: any person under the age of 18, in line with the Children Acts 1989 and 2004 and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Vulnerable adult: any person aged 18 or over who has care and support needs, and who is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves from that abuse or neglect as a result of those needs. This definition follows the Care Act 2014.

Abuse: includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, financial or material abuse, discriminatory abuse, institutional abuse, self-neglect, and domestic abuse, as defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) and Care Act 2014 statutory guidance.

3. Designated Safeguarding Officer

SRHE's Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) is the Executive Director, who holds overall responsibility for safeguarding across the organisation. Safeguarding concerns should be directed to safeguarding@srhe.net, which the DSO monitors directly, with all concerns reviewed within one working day. The DSO has completed (or is completing) training appropriate to the DSO role, and is responsible for ensuring this remains current. No outreach or delivery role involving contact with children or vulnerable adults will commence until the relevant volunteer has completed the safer recruitment process set out in section 4.

The DSO is responsible for:

• Receiving and recording safeguarding concerns from volunteers and members
• Making decisions about referral to statutory agencies
• Liaising with partner institutions and external bodies
• Ensuring safeguarding training is completed and records maintained
• Reviewing this policy at least annually

4. Safer recruitment

SRHE operates a formal recruitment process for all volunteer roles, set out in full on our Volunteer page. Every applicant applies in writing, by CV and covering letter to volunteer@srhe.net, and progresses through shortlisting, interview, and reference checks before any appointment is confirmed. This includes:

• Minimum age: all volunteers and members must be 18 or over. Applications from those under 18 will not be accepted.
• References: two satisfactory references are required for every role, requested directly from the applicant's nominated referees, before appointment is confirmed.
• Safeguarding training: mandatory for every volunteer, in every role, completed before the volunteer takes up their position. This is in addition to, not a substitute for, the enhanced DBS check required for roles involving contact with children or vulnerable adults.
• DBS checks: any volunteer whose role may bring them into contact with children or vulnerable adults must complete an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including a check against the barred lists, before commencing their role. This is a legal requirement under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and the Police Act 1997. No volunteer begins contact with children or vulnerable adults until their application, references, safeguarding training, and enhanced DBS check are all complete and the role has been confirmed by the DSO. DBS certificates are reviewed before appointment and renewed at least every three years.
• Self-declaration: volunteers will be asked to declare any relevant convictions, cautions, or concerns that may affect their suitability to work with young people or vulnerable adults.

Roles that do not involve contact with children or vulnerable adults — including governance, research, content development, and communications — do not require a DBS check, though SRHE reserves the right to require one where the nature of a role changes. Safeguarding training is required regardless of role.

5. Code of conduct for volunteers

All volunteers are expected to:

• Treat all young people and vulnerable adults with dignity, respect, and fairness at all times
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries in all interactions
• Communicate with learners only through official, institutional channels — not personal email, social media, or messaging apps
• Never engage in one-to-one unsupervised contact with a child or young person outside the planned activity
• Never create, share, or request content of a sexual nature involving anyone under 18 — including written, visual, or digital material — under any circumstances
• Never use their position to seek to develop a relationship with a learner outside the scope of the authorised activity
• Report concerns promptly — even if uncertain whether something constitutes abuse or a safeguarding risk
• Co-operate with any safeguarding investigation
• Maintain confidentiality appropriately — sharing information only on a need-to-know basis and in line with data protection obligations

6. Recognising abuse and harm

Volunteers should be alert to signs that a child or vulnerable adult may be experiencing harm. These may include, but are not limited to:

• Unexplained changes in behaviour or mood
• Disclosures — direct or indirect — of abuse, harm, or exploitation
• Physical signs of injury or neglect
• Indicators of coercive or controlling relationships
• Concerns about online safety, including exploitation or grooming
• Signs of self-harm or suicidal ideation

Volunteers should not attempt to investigate concerns themselves, make promises of confidentiality, or express disbelief. They should listen calmly, avoid leading questions, and report promptly.

7. Responding to a disclosure

If a child or vulnerable adult makes a disclosure to an SRHE volunteer:

1. Listen — give the person time and space. Do not interrupt or express shock.
2. Reassure — tell them they have done the right thing by telling you, but do not promise confidentiality.
3. Do not investigate — do not ask leading questions or seek to verify the disclosure yourself.
4. Record — make a written note of what was said, as close to verbatim as possible, noting the date, time, and any witnesses. Use the person's own words.
5. Report — contact the DSO at safeguarding@srhe.net as soon as possible. If there is immediate risk of harm, call 999 first.
6. Do not share — do not discuss the disclosure with colleagues, friends, or on social media.

8. Escalation and referral

Where a safeguarding concern may constitute a criminal matter or where a child or vulnerable adult is at immediate risk of harm, the DSO (or interim lead) will refer to the appropriate statutory agency without delay:

• Police — 999 for immediate risk; 101 for non-emergency criminal matters
• Local authority children's services — referral via the local authority designated officer (LADO) where the concern involves a person in a position of trust, or directly to children's social care for concerns about a child
• Local authority adult safeguarding team — for concerns about a vulnerable adult, under the Care Act 2014 s.42 duty

Where a concern relates to an SRHE volunteer, SRHE will co-operate fully with any statutory investigation and will suspend the individual from activities pending the outcome.

Where a concern arises in a partner institution (e.g. a college or school), SRHE will refer the matter to that institution's Designated Safeguarding Lead, while retaining its own record and following up to confirm the matter has been addressed.

9. Online safety

Where SRHE activities involve any online or digital interaction with learners, volunteers must:

• Use only SRHE-approved platforms and institutional channels
• Not connect with learners on personal social media or messaging platforms
• Report any unsolicited contact from learners to the DSO
• Be alert to indicators of online exploitation or grooming and report these promptly

10. Confidentiality and information sharing

Safeguarding information will be kept strictly confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis. The principle that the welfare of the child or vulnerable adult overrides confidentiality applies in all cases. Where there is a risk of harm, information will be shared with statutory agencies regardless of any request for confidentiality from the person involved.

Safeguarding records are held separately from general member or volunteer records, in a secure location accessible only to the DSO and, where necessary, the relevant statutory agencies. Every access to a safeguarding record is logged with the date, the individual's name, and the reason for access. This access log is reviewed by the DSO at least quarterly. Records will be retained in accordance with statutory guidance — typically until the youngest person involved reaches the age of 25, or for 75 years where the concern involves a looked-after child.

All information handling under this policy is subject to UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and SRHE's Privacy Policy.

11. Training

All volunteers, in every role, will complete safeguarding awareness training as a mandatory step of our recruitment process, before taking up their position. Volunteers in outreach or delivery roles involving direct contact with children or vulnerable adults complete this training in addition to, and before, the enhanced DBS check required under section 4. The DSO will complete training appropriate to the DSO role, refreshed at least every two years, or sooner where legislation or guidance changes significantly.

12. Related legislation and guidance

This policy is informed by:

• Children Act 1989 and 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government, 2023)
• Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE, 2023)
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Police Act 1997 (DBS provisions)
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975
• Care Act 2014 and statutory guidance (adult safeguarding)
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Human Rights Act 1998
• UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018

13. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the DSO, and immediately following any safeguarding incident, significant change in legislation or statutory guidance, or on completion of SRHE's CIC registration. Any changes will be notified to volunteers.

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