1. What is safeguarding?

Safeguarding means protecting health, well-being and rights so that people – especially children and vulnerable adults – can live free from abuse, harm and neglect. A child is anyone under the age of 18. A vulnerable adult is anyone over 18 who has a need for care and support (for example because of illness, disability, drug and alcohol problems, asylum seeker or refugee status or frailty) regardless of whether these needs are being met by a local authority.

Safeguarding risks include sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation; negligent treatment; physical or emotional abuse; bullying or harassment; commercial exploitation; extremism and radicalisation; forced marriage; child trafficking; female genital mutilation and discrimination on any of the grounds in the Equality Act 2010.

2. Why is safeguarding important to Charitable Organisations?

The Charity Commission states that protecting people and safeguarding responsibilities is a governance priority for all charities. Every charity must take reasonable steps to protect from harm people who come into contact with the organisation and/or its work. This includes:
people who benefit from a charity’s work
• staff
• volunteers
• other people who come into contact with the charity through its work

Further details can be found in the Charity Commission’s Guidance: Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees

3. Why is safeguarding important to Cumbria Community Foundation? 

Cumbria Community Foundation is a registered charity and is committed to protecting people from risk of harm, both within our organisation and indirectly those we fund.

For further details please see our Safeguarding Policy.

4. Which grant applicants does safeguarding affect?

Every organisation that delivers charitable activities has a duty to take reasonable steps to safeguard and protect from harm people who come into contact with their organisation, including staff, volunteers, participants, beneficiaries, donors etc. For organisations working with children and adults at risk, there are specific safeguarding obligations and legal requirements that they should follow.

We expect all organisations applying for our funding to have a safeguarding policy which is up to date, relevant to their beneficiaries and proportionate to the level of risk involved in their work.

For further details please see Guidance for Grant Applicants: Safeguarding Policy Assessment

5. What about organisations that don’t work directly with the public?

Organisations like community centres or village halls that rent space to other groups, or organisers of public events, do not always directly work with the public. But they still have trustees, volunteers and perhaps staff. They will still be in contact with children and vulnerable adults on their premises or at events. And, because they are trusted in communities, they may become aware of potential safeguarding issues. So, they have a duty of care to ensure that adequate safeguarding arrangements are in place. This includes making sure that any groups working with children or vulnerable adults on their premises or at their events have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures.

6. What about local organisations affiliated to a national body?

Sometimes local independent organisations like Scout groups or sport clubs may be using the safeguarding arrangements of an umbrella or membership body. If this applies to you, you will need to answer the question on our application form and send a copy of the umbrella body’s policy. In addition you will need to provide details of how it is implemented locally and who the local safeguarding lead/s are.

7. How does Cumbria Community Foundation assess safeguarding when we apply for a grant?

We will assess your safeguarding policy as described in our Guidance for Grant Applicants.

If your safeguarding policy does not meet our adequate requirements, we will ask you for further information and/or ask you to provide an updated policy.
If you do not have safeguarding arrangements in place or we feel that your current arrangements are inadequate, then we may suggest you get advice or training before we consider your funding application.

If any improvements are minor, we may be able to offer funding, but with a condition that you make any changes before we award the grant.

If your funding application is assigned a low safeguarding risk, then we may suggest improvements to your safeguarding policy, but these would not be a condition of your grant award.

8. How do I report a safeguarding concern?

Safeguarding concerns can be reported to:

• Cumbria Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) statutory safeguarding partners www.cumbriasafeguardingchildren.co.uk

To report a safeguarding concern relating to a child contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). This applies to all paid, unpaid, volunteers, casual, agency employees or anyone working in a self-employed capacity.

• Cumbria Adults Safeguarding Board (CASB): www.cumbriasab.org.uk

To report a safeguarding concern for an adult, call Cumberland Council on 0300 373 3732 or Westmorland and Furness Council on 0300 373 3301

9. Who can provide advice and guidance on safeguarding and how to develop a policy?

The local following organisations can provide advice and support with developing your safeguarding policy:

•  Cumbria CVS is an infrastructure organisation offering advice, support, training and resources to third sector groups throughout Cumbria on areas including Safeguarding. For further information, please contact info@cumbriacvs.org.uk or call 01768 800350 or visit www.cumbriacvs.org.uk

•  Cumbria Youth Alliance (CYA): If you are an organisation that supports children and young people, please contact James Baggley, HR & Operations Manager at Cumbria Youth Alliance who can provide advice and guidance to develop an appropriate safeguarding policy. Email office@cya.org.uk or call 07955 355663.

•  ACTion with communities in Cumbria: ACT works with rural and community groups across Cumbria. ACT can support you to discuss safeguarding for your organisation and point you to model documents. ACT is also the advice service for community buildings in Cumbria and has model documents and support in this area too. Contact info@cumbriaaction.org.uk or call 01768 425666 or visit www.cumbriaaction.org.uk

•  Cumbria Association of Local Councils (CALC): CALC can support parish and town councils with safeguarding and what it means for a parish or town council. CALC can also provide a template safeguarding policy for councils to use, a copy of which can be found on the CALC website www.calc.org.uk. To contact CALC please email office@calc.org.uk

The following websites also have useful information:
•  Charity Commission Guidance: Safeguarding and protecting people for charities and trustees
•  NCVO free resources for voluntary organisations on safeguarding
•  NSPCC safeguarding and child protection
•  Ann Craft Trust Adult Safeguarding

For organisations based in Scotland please contact:
• Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO): can provide support to organisations developing their safeguarding arrangements and other information www.scvo.scot
• Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway (TSDG): www.tsdg.org.uk