This policy outlines our commitment to safeguarding, our expectations, how we protect children, young people and adults, how to report a concern, and how Scripture Union England and Wales (SUEW) will respond to concerns.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Therefore, our safeguarding policy must be followed by all SUEW volunteers and staff whether permanent, fixed term or contracted. 

The standards in this policy build on and incorporate legislation and government expectations for children and adults at risk of harm. This includes HM Government ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)’ and safeguarding duties under the Care Act 2014. The guidance applies to both statutory agencies and voluntary organisations alike and covers all the government expectations for safeguarding children in England.

The policy also incorporates legislation and government expectations for children and adults at risk of harm in Wales, as outlined in the ’Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019’, based on the ‘Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014’ and the ’Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment (Wales) Act 2020’.

SUEW recognises the importance of staying aligned with current safeguarding legislation. The Crime and Policing Act 2025 introduces new statutory duties and offences aimed at strengthening the protection of children and young people. These include;

• A legal requirement for individuals in regulated activity to report child sexual abuse when they are made aware of it.
• A criminal offence for preventing or obstructing someone from making such a report.
• Changes to DBS eligibility, including the removal of the supervision exemption, allowing Enhanced DBS checks with Barred List information for supervised roles.

We are actively reviewing our safeguarding and safer recruitment policies in light of these changes and will update our procedures accordingly once the legislation is enacted.

Most of SUEW’s activities and events covered by this policy involve working with children and young people (under 18 years of age) in person and online. In some instances, this work includes adults at risk of harm. Our safeguarding policy will be applied consistently to all cases whether in person or online and regardless of the age of the recipients, unless otherwise stated. 

SUEW is a movement made up of volunteers and paid staff. We believe that all human beings are of equal worth in the sight of God and aim to follow Biblical principles in all that we do.

Keeping children, young people and adults at risk of harm safe is of paramount importance, and providing adequate care for children and young people is at the forefront of our activities.

We commit ourselves to the nurture, protection, and general welfare of all, especially children, young people and adults at risk of harm. We believe that every person, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial origin, language, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, has the right to equal protection from all forms of harm and abuse. We acknowledge that it is the responsibility of each one of us to protect children, young people and adults at risk of harm from all forms of abuse and to report any disclosures of abuse, as well as suspicions or concerns.

To achieve this, we are committed to:

Clear reporting procedures
Establishing clear and accessible procedures for reporting concerns and disclosures, ensuring timely and appropriate responses.

Supporting, resourcing and training
Providing comprehensive training and resources for those who work with children, young people and adults at risk of harm. This includes increasing awareness of the prevalence of abuse and recognising signs and indicators of abuse.

Supervision and accountability
Ensuring appropriate supervision and mutual accountability to create a safe culture throughout the organisation.

Supportive environment
Fostering an environment where children and young people feel safe, respected, and heard. Ensuring that children and young people can always talk to an independent person and making them aware of relevant contact numbers.

Safer recruitment
Implementing a safer recruitment policy and procedure to ensure clear roles and responsibilities and to ensure the suitability of all applicants including the undertaking of thorough background checks.

Collaboration with authorities and others
Working closely with statutory agencies, safeguarding advisors, parents/carers and other organisations, to ensure the welfare of all participants. 

Regular policy reviews
Regularly reviewing and updating our safeguarding policies and procedures to reflect best practices and legislative changes.

Transparency
Maintaining transparency in our safeguarding practices and holding all Team Members accountable for their actions.

By implementing this safeguarding policy and procedure, SUEW aims to create a safe and supportive environment for all children and young people in our care.

All staff and volunteers are expected to:

• Follow the Safeguarding policy and procedure as well as the safer recruitment policy and procedure.
• Report all concerns, allegations and disclosures within 24 hours (or sooner if it’s an emergency) in accordance with the 'Reporting Process' set out in the safeguarding procedure.
• Never assume someone else has reported a concern.
• Inform the Safeguarding Manager about any ongoing or past investigation involving themselves or individuals with significant relationship (e.g., family members, partners or household members).  These investigations may relate to child or adult safeguarding allegations, concerns or disclosures and may have been carried out by the police, social services, an employer, or another volunteer organisation.
• Maintain a caring curiosity so as to recognise when something is worrying.
• Recognise that some individuals may be especially vulnerable due to previous experiences, trauma, disabilities, levels of dependency, communication needs or other factors. 
• Consider inclusion and accessibility when dealing with safeguarding issues. For example, making adjustments to support disabled members and volunteers, or those with additional needs, including making adjustment plans, and ensuring that safeguarding processes are accessible and responsive to diverse needs, which should be reviewed regularly.
• Comply with our Code of Conduct set out in the policy.
• Complete and continue to renew the mandatory safeguarding training relevant to the role.

At SUEW, we recognise our duty of care for children and young people, as well as adults at risk of harm participating in our events and are committed to ensuring their safety and well-being. This Code of Conduct outlines the standards of behaviour for all staff and volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of SUEW, to create a safe, respectful, and positive environment. It provides clear guidelines to ensure the right actions are taken and the appropriate behaviours are maintained by all.

Respect and dignity
Treat all individuals, in particular children, young people and adults at risk of harm with respect and dignity. This should be reflected in attitude, behaviour, and speech.

Professional boundaries
Event teams must include both male and female Team Members (unless it is a single-sex camp), and activities should reflect the balance of attendees wherever possible. Professional boundaries should be maintained at all times. These include but are not limited to:

• Avoid forming exclusive relationships or showing favouritism to individual participants.
• Ensure that interactions are appropriate and transparent.
• Work in groups and public areas / common spaces to ensure interactions are visible to others.

Appropriate behaviour
Staff and volunteers are in a 'position of trust' and must avoid any behaviour that could lead to an abuse of this position. The following behaviours are always expected:

• Always act as a positive role model
• Avoid any behaviour that is, or could be misinterpreted as, inappropriate including, but not limited to, behaviour that may lead to an intimate relationship (emotional, physical or sexual)
• Do not engage in any form of bullying, harassment or discrimination
• In pastoral conversations that have the potential to be lengthy, involve another Team Member early on. Make it clear that confidentiality cannot be promised and that the case will be shared with the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) as appropriate.

Physical contact

• Do not initiate physical contact with participants. Be cautious of contact initiated by participants, and only respond appropriately
• Physical contact should only occur when necessary for a child or young person's safety or well-being, such as providing medical attention or preventing harm.
• The use of corporal punishment is strictly prohibited. Any form of physical discipline is not acceptable. In Wales, it is a criminal offence to use physical punishment with children, and any such disclosure will be reported to the police. This relates to any child who is Welsh, or any child visiting an event in Wales.
• Physical contact in incident management should only prevent violent or inappropriate behaviour to avoid them hurting themselves or others. It must be minimal, ideally witnessed, and always recorded.

Communication

• Communicate in an open, honest and respectful manner.
• Avoid private or secretive communications. 
• Avoid one-to-one contact with a child or young person. Never contact a young person under the age of 14 without permission from their parent or carer. This applies even if they contacted you first – unless it’s an emergency.
• All communication must be transparent, characterised by integrity and must operate within SUEW safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Team members should not communicate with participants outside the event except as directed by the Event Leader and in line with SUEW’s data protection requirements.
• Communication should be limited to occasional postal contact or moderated social media groups, not spiritual mentoring.
• Do not share personal contact information

In person events

• Expectations for behaviour must be communicated clearly to all participants and all team at the outset of SUEW events and complied with.
• If a child or young person's behaviour requires them to be excluded from an activity, it should be done so with their welfare in mind.
• If a child, young person or adult at risk needs to be sent home early, they should be collected by a parent/guardian/carer or accompanied home, unless other arrangements are agreed in writing.
• The DSO is responsible for establishing and recording protocols for their event, including access to sleeping accommodations for those under 18, ensuring the protection and general welfare of children and young people, and considering the specific features of the event’s setting and this Code of Conduct. 
• At every SUEW event, children and young people must be informed about the child-friendly version of this policy and who they can contact if they have a concern. They should also be aware of the SU Advice Line (operational in holiday season only), email addresses, and the Childline number.

Online communication and engagement (including events)

• Online communication with children must be conducted via approved platforms and accounts. 
• One-to-one communication with a child or young person must not take place. All online communication must include a parent/carer or other safely recruited adult/team member. 
• Leaders for online sessions should be recruited under the same safer recruitment policy as face-to-face events.
• Online sessions must be conducted in appropriate settings. This applies to Leaders and participants. Examples of a suitable space include, neutral and well-lit room; such as a living room, kitchen, dining area or office space. Adults must not join online sessions from a bedroom, even with a blurred background. Children and young people should avoid joining online sessions from a bedroom wherever possible. In the event that a bedroom is the only available private space for a child, they must ensure they are appropriately dressed, seated at a desk/chair, and not on or in bed, with blurred background to maintain privacy.
• Video backgrounds should be considered carefully i.e. a blurred background where appropriate.
• Online sessions should be hosted by Leaders with SUEW accounts, and managed with a minimum of two adults present (where breakout rooms take place, there must be two adults present in each breakout room to ensure transparency and accountability).
• Staff and volunteers must maintain professional boundaries in all online interactions.

Reporting concerns 

• Report any concerns about a child or young person's safety or well-being immediately to the DSO of the event.
• Follow our safeguarding policy and procedure for reporting and managing all concerns for children, young people and adults. 

Training and compliance

• Participate in all required training sessions on safeguarding.
• Be familiar with our safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with this Code of Conduct at all times.

This section outlines SUEW’s commitment to safeguarding children and young people in all digital, media, and online contexts. It applies to all staff, volunteers, and contractors engaging in activities where digital communication or media capture may occur.

Photography, Filming, and Live Streaming

• Written parental/carer consent must be obtained prior to capturing or sharing any images, video, or audio recordings of children and young people. Consent must specify the intended use, including social media, promotional materials, and live streaming.
• Media must be stored securely and only accessed or shared via approved organisational platforms.
• Children may only be identified by their first name alongside their image.
• Live streaming of events involving children must be risk-assessed, observable, and interruptible. Only approved platforms with appropriate privacy settings may be used.

Social Media Use

• Only authorised staff may post on behalf of SUEW’s official social media accounts.
• Staff and volunteers must not share identifiable images or information about children on personal social media accounts.
• Direct messaging with children via social media is prohibited unless conducted through approved organisational channels and in line with the Code of Conduct found in this policy.
• All SUEW social media platforms are monitored regularly to ensure appropriate content and interactions.

Online contexts
Please see Code of Conduct ‘Online Communication and Engagement’.

Online safety and use of AI 
We recognise that artificial intelligence ( AI) presents emerging safeguarding risks and that online safety requires ongoing attention and proactive management. These risks include the criminalisation of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) under the Online Safety Act 2023, the rise of deep fake technologies, and the increasing use of AI chatbots by children for advice, companionship and emotional support.

We are committed to understanding the impact of AI and ensuring its responsible use within our organisation.

SUEW’s separate AI policy governs the use of artificial intelligence tools and content creation. All use of AI-generated media involving children must comply with safeguarding principles and parent/carer consent requirements.

Staff and volunteers must not use AI tools to generate or manipulate images, videos, or text involving children unless

• Explicit authorisation has been granted
• A safeguarding risk assessment has been completed; and
• Appropriate parent/carer consent has been obtained.

Reporting and Responding
Any concerns regarding digital content, online interactions, or the misuse of media must be reported in accordance with our safeguarding procedures. Staff and volunteers should seek advice from our contracted safeguarding advisors regarding the appropriate removal of content and guidance on informing parents/carers.

At SUEW, we have established structures to ensure a robust approach to safeguarding as we protect those at risk of harm:

Board of Trustees
Holds overall responsibility for safeguarding, including approving SUEW's safeguarding policy.

Designated Trustee for Safeguarding
Chairs the Safeguarding Advisory Group, which supports and advises on all safeguarding matters.

Operational Safeguarding Lead
A Leadership Team member responsible for reporting individuals to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) as necessary.

Safeguarding Manager: Handles other safeguarding tasks, including making referrals to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), Designated Office for Safeguarding (DOS), or other statutory agencies. These tasks may be delegated to trained staff.

Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO): Each SUEW event will have a trained DSO. A list of these officers is maintained and reviewed annually by the Head of Mission Event Operations.

Company Secretary: Responsible for reporting notifiable cases to the Charity Commission.

When SUEW sends teams to work in other countries, safeguarding must be a priority. To ensure this, the following steps must be considered:

Planning and briefing
Safeguarding considerations should be integrated into trip planning. The Event Team Leader must inform Scripture Union International (SUI) and the host country's SU about the trip and ensure familiarity with their safeguarding policies and procedures.

Volunteer applications
We do not accept applications from under-18s for international missions due to the complexities of safeguarding in this context.

Non-compliant in-country policies
If an in-country policy permits behaviour that violates SUEW's safeguarding policy, the team must cease participation in that activity and report it to the SUEW and SUI safeguarding leads.

>> For detailed steps on handling disclosures and concerns in an international context, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.

SUEW collaborates with various churches and organisations that share a similar mission across diverse contexts. Ensuring the safety and well-being of children and young people is paramount in these collaborative relationships, and we recommend, and as far as possible adhere to, the following principles to safeguard them:

Local Church

• SUEW is committed to supporting the local churches in their ministry, including through partnerships such as Faith Guide churches. Where SUEW support is offered, it is made explicitly clear that safeguarding responsibility remains with the local church unless SUEW is leading the event.
• Where SUEW is the lead organiser of an event, a formal agreement or MOU will be established to clarify safeguarding responsibilities and expectations.

Local and National Organisations

• For those organisations wanting to collaborate with SUEW on a long-term basis, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) must be signed, that includes confirmation of their own safeguarding and safer recruitment policies. This MoU is signed before mission partnership status is agreed. The MoU is reviewed annually.
• Mission partner staff and volunteers who have face-to-face contact with children must apply for Enhanced Disclosures (with barring checks where appropriate for the role) upon appointment and every three years thereafter. Mission partner trustees are also recommended to do the same.
• One trustee should oversee safeguarding, verify identities, and process DBS checks online for mission staff and volunteers.

Event Partners

• Each event partner must sign an MoU that includes having their own safeguarding policy. This MoU is signed before the event is confirmed.
• Event staff and volunteers must have current Enhanced Disclosures (with barring checks where approriate for the role_ from the church or organisation who they are volunteering with at the event.
• The MoU specifies which event partner is responsible for safeguarding at the event.

>> See the safer recruitment policy and procedure for more information on the above terms and disclosure applications through SUEW.

While our safeguarding policy primarily focuses on current events and activities, we recognise that some individuals may wish to disclose allegations of past incidents of abuse or inappropriate behaviour. SUEW is open to receiving such disclosures. Our procedures will always respect individuals and involve careful consultation, avoiding hasty reactions.

>> To report a non-recent abuse allegation, concern or disclosure, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.
 

A person aged 18 or over with care and support needs, as defined by the Care Act 2014 (England) and the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, is subject to safeguarding duties if they:

• have a need for care and support (regardless of whether the local authority is meeting those needs); and
• are experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs are unable to protect themselves from the risk or experience of abuse or neglect.

SUEW will always seek to promote the well-being of adults in our safeguarding practices. Safety is just one part of what individuals seek in their lives and we commit to collaborating with adults to understand their personal definition of safety and how to achieve it, as well as seek to avoid recommending safety measures that overlook individual well-being, as defined in Section 1 of the Care Act.

>> For more information, see the Care Act 2014 and the statutory guidance.

>> To report a safeguarding concern regarding an adult at risk of harm, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.

Adult at risk of harm: A person aged 18 or over and with care and support needs as defined by the Social Services and Wellbeing Act 2014

Contracted safeguarding advisors: An organisation, currently Thirtyone:eight, who provide SUEW with external and independent guidance and support on safeguarding matters

Child / young person: Anyone under the age of 18

Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO): The appropriately trained person designated for safeguarding at an event

Designated Officer for Safeguarding (DOS): A nominated individual within a local authority responsible for managing and monitoring safeguarding (Wales only)

Event: Any event where SUEW takes responsibility for participants, generally under the age of 18 years

Event Team Leaders: Individuals responsible for the overall running of an event, under the authority of SUEW

LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer): An individual responsible for safeguarding within the local authority in England

Operational Safeguarding Lead: A member of the SUEW Leadership Team with designated responsibility for safeguarding

Participants: Those who attend an event

Safeguarding Manager: A member of SUEW staff responsible for monitoring and managing safeguarding 

SUEW: Scripture Union England and Wales

Team: Event Team Leaders, Team Members, Support Team and those volunteers under 18 supporting SUEW events

Team Members: Individuals over 18 involved in the event. This includes SU Staff involved.

Volunteers: Any individual who is engaged in any activity which involves spending time, unpaid (except for travelling and other approved out-of-pocket expenses), doing something which aims to benefit others. For the purposes of this policy this includes but is not limited to Team, Event Team Leaders, Council Members and Trustees. 

Abuse and neglect are ways children and young people can be harmed. This can happen when someone hurts a child or young person, or doesn't take steps to prevent harm. Children and young people can be abused at home, in institutions, or in the community. The abuser could be someone they know or, less commonly, a stranger, such as through the internet. Abuse can be carried out by adults or other children / young people.

The following definitions of abuse operate in England based on the government guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)’.

In the following, child means anyone under the age of 18..

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment);
• protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger;
• ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate caregivers); or
• ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Spiritual abuse is a form of emotional abuse. It is characterised by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context. The means of coercion and control may include: manipulation and exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship of decision making, requirements for secrecy and silence, coercion to conform, control through the use of the Bible or teaching, requirements of obedience to the abuser, the suggestion that the abuser has a ‘’divine position”, isolation as a means of punishment, and superiority and elitism. (Dr L Oakley)

Child-on-child abuse is any form of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and coercive control between children. It is an issue of serious concern throughout England and Wales and is a significant risk facing children.

Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face-to-face or through online platforms.

>> To report a safeguarding concern regarding a child or young person, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.

The following definitions of child abuse are recommended as criteria throughout Wales by the Working Together To Safeguard People guidance associated with the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act, 2014.

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. This is commonly described using terms such as 'factitious illness by proxy' or 'Munchausen Syndrome by proxy'. The ‘Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment (Wales) Act 2020 now deems that any form of physical punishment is illegal in Wales.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and continuous adverse effects on the child's emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill-treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape or buggery) or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child's basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child's health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

Spiritual abuse is a form of emotional abuse. It is characterised by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context. The means of coercion and control may include: manipulation and exploitation, enforced accountability, censorship of decision making, requirements for secrecy and silence, coercion to conform, control through the use of the Bible or teaching, requirements of obedience to the abuser, the suggestion that the abuser has a ‘’divine position”, isolation as a means of punishment, and superiority and elitism. (Dr L Oakley)

Child-on-child abuse is any form of physical, sexual, emotional abuse, and coercive control between children. It is an issue of serious concern throughout England and Wales and is a significant risk facing children.

Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face-to-face or through online platforms.

>> To report a safeguarding concern regarding a child or young person, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.

When considering the risk of harm to adults, it is crucial to recognise the various types and patterns of abuse and neglect, as well as the diverse circumstances in which they may occur. The following list, while not exhaustive, provides an illustrative guide to behaviours that could raise safeguarding concerns:

Physical abuse including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.

Domestic violence including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence.

Sexual abuse including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

Psychological abuse including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.

Financial or material abuse including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Modern slavery encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

Discriminatory abuse including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

Organisational abuse including neglect and poor care practice within an Institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

Neglect and acts of omission including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

Self-neglect this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding. Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple, and affect one person or more.

>> To report a safeguarding concern regarding an adult at risk of harm, please refer to the safeguarding procedure.

Information and personal data related to safeguarding matters will be collected, recorded and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, as well as SUEW’s Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice. This process will comply with the requirements set by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

Failure by SUEW staff to comply with this policy and/or our safeguarding procedure is considered misconduct and subject to the SUEW disciplinary process. Additionally, failure to report suspicions, concerns, or disclosures of abuse will be regarded as gross misconduct and will also be subject to the SUEW disciplinary process. 

Failure by volunteers to comply with this policy and procedure may result in future applications to volunteer with SUEW being rejected, resulting in the individual being unable to volunteer in any SUEW activities.

To ensure the effectiveness and relevance of our safeguarding policy and to ensure the highest standards of safeguarding we commit to ongoing monitoring and review. This includes regular consideration of our safeguarding practices and their implementation. We will update our policies and procedures as needed to reflect best practices and legislative changes.

The next review of this safeguarding policy is scheduled for February 2027.