Safeguarding procedures in the workplace: 7 ways to improve
If your organisation works with children or vulnerable adults, it’s vitally important to implement and maintain effective safeguarding procedures in the workplace.
It’s a good idea for organisations to review their safeguarding procedures regularly to ensure the safety of clients, customers and staff.
Here are seven ways you could improve safeguarding procedures in the workplace:
Review your safeguarding policy
Organisations that work with children or vulnerable adults should already have a safeguarding policy in place.
Make sure this is reviewed and updated regularly to reflect any new legislation or changes within your organisation.
If your organisation doesn’t yet have a safeguarding policy in place – write one! The NSPCC provides guidance on how to do this.
Consider speaking to the vulnerable groups you work with when writing or reviewing your policy. Find out what they expect from you, and use this to inform your policies and procedures.
Make sure staff are familiar with your policy
Give all your staff a copy of your safeguarding policy and ask them to familiarise themselves with it.
This will help ensure your safeguarding procedures are being adhered to – after all, a safeguarding policy is useless if it isn’t being put into practice!
Carry out safeguarding training
Make sure new members of staff undertake safeguarding training, and ensure they read and fully understand your safeguarding policy.
Hold regular training sessions for all staff to keep your policies and procedures fresh in everyone’s minds.
This will also give you an opportunity to update staff on any changes to your policy or legislative developments.
Ensure volunteers understand your policy
If your organisation recruits volunteers, make sure they receive the same safeguarding training as your employees.
If they’re working for your organisation – even if it’s only for a short time – it’s vital they understand the importance of safeguarding, and adhere to your procedures.
Remind staff what to do if they have a safeguarding concern
All staff and volunteers should be aware of what they need to do if they have a safeguarding concern.
This will, of course, be laid out in your safeguarding policy – but give staff regular reminders to ensure no one is in any doubt.
You could do this with signage in the workplace, or send out a monthly safeguarding email bulletin.
Make clients aware of your safeguarding procedures
If your employees regularly come into contact with vulnerable adults or children, you could consider making those groups aware of your safeguarding policy.
If the vulnerable people you work with know what you expect from your staff, it will be easier for them to identify any concerns or issues.
Make your safeguarding policy visible to the public
Publish your safeguarding policy on your website so that all clients, as well as members of the public, have access to it.
This will help position you as a trustworthy organisation that cares about the safety of the people in its care.
Safeguarding procedures in the workplace: a summary
Regularly reviewing safeguarding procedures in the workplace will help guarantee the safety of the vulnerable groups your organisation works with.
DBS checks are a key part of safeguarding. If you’d like help or advice on DBS checks for your employees or volunteers, get in touch with us today.
