Safeguarding Policy

Policy Information

1. Purpose

Right First Time UK is committed to protecting children, young people, adults at risk, families, people sharing lived experience, people seeking information, and anyone taking part in or affected by Right First Time UK activity.

This policy is intended to provide clear standards where people may be experiencing:

• abuse, neglect or exploitation;
• domestic abuse or coercive control;
• housing insecurity or homelessness;
• disability-related barriers;
• family breakdown or bereavement;
• financial hardship or financial abuse;
• emotional distress, self-harm risk or mental-health crisis;
• isolation, stalking, harassment, bullying or intimidation;
• trafficking, modern slavery, grooming or criminal exploitation;
• safeguarding failures by organisations or public bodies.

Safeguarding is not optional. Protecting people comes first.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies across Right First Time UK and to interaction with the wider public.

People do not need to hold an RFTUK role for RFTUK to take a genuine safeguarding concern seriously. Members, Subscribers and the Public may also raise safeguarding concerns about RFTUK activity or people representing RFTUK.

3. Our Safeguarding Commitment

• Promote safety, dignity, equality and wellbeing.
• Listen respectfully and take genuine concerns seriously.
• Respond promptly where a person may be at risk.
• Maintain appropriate role and professional boundaries.
• Protect confidential and sensitive information.
• Share information only where lawful, necessary and proportionate.
• Refer or report serious concerns to appropriate services where required.
• Reduce foreseeable risks in campaigns, events, meetings and online activity.
• Take concerns involving RFTUK representatives seriously regardless of status or seniority.
• Learn from incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns.
• Never put reputation, fundraising, campaign objectives or internal loyalty ahead of safety.

Safeguarding is everyone's concern, but responsibilities differ according to role and circumstances.

4. Legal and Guidance Framework

Right First Time UK may operate across the United Kingdom. Safeguarding law and procedures differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The law applying to a specific situation will depend on the nation, activity, people involved and RFTUK's legal role in that situation.

England

• Children Act 1989
• Children Act 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
• Care Act 2014 and statutory guidance
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 where relevant
• Domestic Abuse Act 2021
• Modern Slavery Act 2015

Wales

• Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• Working Together to Safeguard People guidance
• Welsh safeguarding guidance and procedures
• Relevant child and adult safeguarding duties under Welsh law

Scotland

• Children (Scotland) Act 1995 where relevant
• Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 where relevant
• National Child Protection Guidance
• Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007
• Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 changes where relevant

Northern Ireland

• Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
• Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 where relevant
• Crime and Policing Act 2026 changes to regulated activity where relevant

UK-wide and cross-cutting law

• UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018;
• Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 amendments where applicable;
• Human Rights Act 1998;
• Equality Act 2010 where applicable;
• Protection from Harassment Act 1997;
• relevant criminal, domestic-abuse, information-sharing and court-reporting law.

Not every statutory duty listed above automatically applies directly to RFTUK. RFTUK will consider which law and guidance applies to the actual activity and circumstances. RFTUK is not a statutory safeguarding authority and does not replace police, social care, healthcare or emergency services.

5. Children and Young People

For this policy, a child is a person under 18 unless a particular law provides otherwise for a specific purpose.

Where RFTUK activity involves children or young people, consideration should be given to:

• the purpose of contact;
• safe communication arrangements;
• appropriate supervision and boundaries;
• parental, carer or other lawful authority where required;
• photographs, video, case studies and identifying information;
• online contact and social-media boundaries;
• whether a role is eligible for a criminal-record check;
• how concerns will be reported or referred.

Children must never be publicly identified simply because their story could support a campaign.

6. Adults at Risk and People in Vulnerable Circumstances

RFTUK may come into contact with adults experiencing difficult circumstances. The exact legal definition of an adult at risk varies between UK nations, so the appropriate local law and safeguarding process must be considered.

Factors that may increase risk can include:

• care and support needs;
• disability or illness;
• mental-health difficulties;
• communication difficulties;
• homelessness;
• domestic abuse or coercive control;
• financial dependency;
• social isolation;
• bereavement or severe distress;
• substance misuse;
• exploitation, trafficking or modern slavery.

Vulnerability is not always visible and must not be used to remove a person's voice or independence unnecessarily.

7. Types of Safeguarding Concern

Abuse and Exploitation

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional or psychological abuse
• Financial or material abuse
• Domestic abuse
• Coercive control
• Neglect or self-neglect
• Discriminatory or organisational abuse
• Modern slavery, grooming, trafficking or exploitation

Other Serious Concerns

• Online abuse
• Stalking
• Harassment or intimidation
• Bullying
• Child criminal or sexual exploitation
• Abuse of a position of trust
• Threats of suicide or serious self-harm
• Acute mental-health crisis
• Threats of serious violence

8. What Right First Time UK May Do

• Provide information, signposting and public-service guidance.
• Help people organise information or understand complaint and escalation routes.
• Provide appropriate advocacy or campaign support within RFTUK's role.
• Help identify suitable statutory, voluntary or emergency services.
• Record concerns where appropriate.
• Refer or report concerns where necessary, lawful and proportionate.
• Take reasonable protective action within RFTUK activity.

9. What Right First Time UK Does Not Do

• Operate as an emergency service or police service.
• Carry out statutory child-protection or adult-safeguarding investigations.
• Provide medical, psychiatric or professional counselling services unless an appropriately qualified person is specifically engaged for that purpose.
• Provide statutory social-work services.
• Automatically provide legal representation or regulated professional advice.

Founders, Directors, Campaign Leaders, Campaigners, Volunteers, Members or other representatives must not present themselves as professionally qualified or authorised where they are not.

10. Safeguarding Responsibility Within RFTUK

RFTUK will maintain an organisational safeguarding reporting route. The current person or people responsible for managing safeguarding can change without requiring this public policy to be rewritten with personal names.

Organisational safeguarding functions include:

• receiving and recording safeguarding concerns;
• maintaining safeguarding procedures;
• supporting Founders, Directors, Campaign Leaders, Campaigners and Volunteers;
• considering referrals to appropriate authorities;
• protecting safeguarding records;
• supporting appropriate safeguarding awareness and training;
• escalating serious organisational concerns through RFTUK's governance arrangements.

No person should be required to report a concern only to the person whose behaviour is the subject of that concern. Where the concern involves someone within RFTUK, another suitable internal route or an external authority may be used.

11. Responsibilities of Everyone Representing RFTUK

You Must

• Treat people with dignity and respect.
• Listen without judgement.
• Take genuine disclosures seriously.
• Stay within your role and maintain boundaries.
• Protect sensitive information.
• Record relevant concerns accurately where required.
• Report concerns promptly through the appropriate route.
• Seek guidance where uncertain.
• Act immediately where emergency help is needed.

You Must Not

• Conduct your own child-protection or adult-safeguarding investigation.
• Interrogate somebody making a disclosure.
• Ask unnecessary leading questions.
• Confront an alleged perpetrator where this may create risk.
• Promise absolute confidentiality.
• Share sensitive information casually.
• Publish safeguarding allegations on social media.
• Pressure a vulnerable person into campaigning or publicity.
• Place yourself or another person at unnecessary risk.

Recognise. Respond. Record. Report. Refer or escalate where necessary. Do not personally investigate.

12. Additional Responsibilities of Founders and Directors

• Maintain appropriate safeguarding governance.
• Ensure a workable reporting route exists.
• Protect safeguarding records and access to sensitive systems.
• Ensure serious concerns can be escalated independently of the person complained about.
• Ensure appropriate training, role information and risk controls are available.
• Consider safeguarding when creating or allocating RFTUK roles.
• Review serious incidents and improve procedures.
• Ensure RFTUK's reputation, fundraising or campaigning is never placed ahead of safety.

No Founder or Director is above this safeguarding policy.

13. Additional Responsibilities of Campaign Leaders

Campaign Leaders may coordinate people, receive sensitive evidence and represent RFTUK campaigns.

• Promote safe conduct within the campaign.
• Identify foreseeable safeguarding risks.
• Make sure Campaigners and Volunteers understand relevant boundaries.
• Protect confidential information and sensitive evidence.
• Report or escalate serious concerns promptly.
• Consider safeguarding before meetings, public events, outreach and publication.
• Avoid unnecessary publication of identifying information.
• Do not investigate safeguarding allegations personally.

Campaign objectives must never take priority over someone's safety.

14. Additional Responsibilities of Campaigners

Campaigners may take part in awareness work, events, lobbying, research, outreach or public engagement.

• Follow the safeguarding instructions relevant to the activity.
• Respect personal boundaries and confidentiality.
• Do not pressure people to disclose personal experiences.
• Do not make promises RFTUK cannot fulfil.
• Report concerns rather than trying to resolve serious safeguarding matters alone.
• Do not publish sensitive case information through personal or RFTUK channels without proper authority.

15. Additional Responsibilities of Volunteers

Volunteers are not expected to become safeguarding professionals.

• Follow safeguarding guidance relevant to their role.
• Stay within agreed role boundaries.
• Behave respectfully.
• Protect confidential information.
• Raise concerns rather than ignore them.
• Seek support where uncertain.
• Report serious incidents promptly.

Volunteers are not expected to enter dangerous situations, confront aggressive people or investigate allegations.

16. Members, Subscribers and the Public

Members, Subscribers and members of the Public are not automatically RFTUK representatives and are not expected to carry out RFTUK safeguarding duties merely because they receive updates, support RFTUK, donate, pay membership fees or use the website.

When taking part in RFTUK spaces or activities, everyone is expected to:

• treat other people respectfully;
• avoid harassment, threats, discrimination or intimidation;
• avoid sharing another person's confidential or identifying information without proper reason;
• follow reasonable safety arrangements at RFTUK events or activities;
• raise genuine concerns through the appropriate RFTUK or statutory route;
• call 999 where there is immediate danger.

A person's membership, subscription, donation or support for RFTUK does not give them authority to investigate, access confidential case information or represent RFTUK unless separately authorised.

17. Children — Contact and Communication Boundaries

• Unnecessary private or secret contact should be avoided.
• Private social-media relationships must not be created through an RFTUK role without a legitimate and safeguarded reason.
• Personal contact details should only be requested for a legitimate purpose.
• Relevant parental, carer, professional or organisational arrangements should be respected.
• Safeguarding concerns involving a child must be escalated appropriately.

18. Adults at Risk — Boundaries

No person representing RFTUK may exploit another person's dependency, distress, financial position, disability or vulnerability.

• Do not pressure someone to tell their story publicly.
• Do not pressure someone to join a campaign.
• Do not use someone's personal experience without appropriate authority or understanding.
• Do not create inappropriate dependency or take advantage of trust.
• Do not request online-banking passwords, card PINs or security codes.

19. Money and Financial Boundaries

Unless specifically authorised through a proper RFTUK process, a person representing RFTUK must not:

• take control of another person's bank account;
• request banking passwords, card PINs or security codes;
• borrow money from somebody they are supporting through RFTUK;
• create inappropriate financial dependency;
• request personal payment for volunteer or campaign support;
• collect RFTUK campaign money outside authorised arrangements.

Suspected financial exploitation should be treated as a safeguarding concern and may also require fraud or police reporting.

20. Home Visits, Private Meetings and Lone Working

No RFTUK representative should arrange a potentially unsafe home visit or isolated private meeting simply because someone requests help.

Consider:

• purpose and necessity;
• location and who will attend;
• lone-working risk;
• accessibility and transport;
• known safeguarding risks;
• check-in or emergency arrangements;
• whether another representative should attend.

Nobody is required to place themselves at unnecessary risk for RFTUK.

21. Events, Campaigning and Public Engagement

Safeguarding should be considered for:

• public events and meetings;
• lobbying and demonstrations;
• campaign activities and outreach;
• interviews, case studies and lived-experience work;
• online meetings and social-media activity;
• research involving personal experiences.

Higher-risk activity should be planned in advance and, where appropriate, supported by a written risk assessment.

22. Photographs, Video and Identifying Information

Before publishing personal information, photographs or video, consider:

• why publication is necessary;
• whether the person understands what will be published;
• whether publication may expose them or somebody else to harm;
• whether identifying details can be removed;
• whether court, reporting or confidentiality restrictions apply;
• whether the material identifies a child or another protected person.

Consent from one adult does not automatically make it lawful or safe to identify another person or a child.

23. Online and Digital Safeguarding

• Protect passwords and accounts.
• Use authorised RFTUK systems where available.
• Protect confidential documents and campaign evidence.
• Report suspected account compromise or data loss.
• Avoid sending highly sensitive information through insecure channels.
• Report online abuse, grooming, harassment or credible threats where appropriate.

A safeguarding concern raised online must be treated with the same seriousness as a concern raised in person.

24. If Somebody Discloses Abuse or Harm

Do

• Remain calm.
• Listen.
• Take the person seriously.
• Let them explain in their own words.
• Record important facts accurately where appropriate.
• Explain that some information may need to be shared for safety.
• Report or refer the concern promptly.
• Contact emergency services where required.

Do Not

• Promise absolute confidentiality.
• Interrogate them.
• Demand proof before taking a genuine risk seriously.
• Conduct your own investigation.
• Ask unnecessary leading questions.
• Confront an alleged perpetrator.
• Tell unrelated people.
• Publish the allegation online.

25. Safeguarding Response Procedure

26. Recording Safeguarding Concerns

Where RFTUK makes a safeguarding record it may include:

• date and time;
• who was involved;
• what was personally observed;
• what another person said and important words used;
• immediate risks;
• action already taken;
• who the concern was reported to;
• any referral made.

Avoid speculation. Clearly distinguish direct observation, what another person reported, and any professional or organisational assessment.

27. Immediate Danger or Emergency

Where relevant to RFTUK activity, the concern should then be reported through the organisational safeguarding route as soon as reasonably possible.

28. Child Safeguarding Referrals

Where there is a genuine concern that a child may be suffering or at risk of harm, an appropriate referral may be made to:

• local authority children's social care;
• police;
• emergency services;
• another appropriate safeguarding service.

Nobody should attempt to prove the allegation through their own investigation before making an appropriate referral.

29. Allegations About Someone Connected With RFTUK

Concerns involving a Founder, Director, Campaign Leader, Campaigner, Volunteer, Member, employee, contractor or other person connected with RFTUK must not be hidden or minimised because of their position or contribution.

Protective action may include:

• restricting duties or contact;
• removing access to systems or sensitive information;
• pausing public-facing work or campaign involvement;
• protecting potential victims or witnesses;
• seeking specialist safeguarding advice;
• referring to police, social care, DBS or another authority where appropriate.

Temporary protective action is not, by itself, a finding that an allegation is proven.

30. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Safeguarding information must be handled carefully. Information should only be shared where there is an appropriate reason.

Information sharing should be:

• lawful;
• necessary;
• proportionate;
• relevant;
• accurate;
• timely;
• secure.

Confidentiality has limits. Data-protection law does not prevent justified safeguarding information sharing where there is an appropriate lawful basis.

31. Data Protection and Safeguarding Records

RFTUK will seek to:

• collect only information reasonably required;
• keep safeguarding records secure;
• restrict access;
• avoid unnecessary copying;
• avoid storing sensitive information on unauthorised systems;
• prevent unauthorised disclosure;
• follow appropriate retention requirements;
• dispose of records securely when no longer required.

32. Campaign Evidence and Safeguarding

Campaign evidence may contain sensitive information about abuse, domestic abuse, family proceedings, disability, homelessness, distress, health, finances, public-service failures or alleged wrongdoing.

• Remove unnecessary identifying information from public material.
• Do not collect unnecessary personal data.
• Restrict access to sensitive case material.
• Consider consent and other lawful bases properly.
• Respect court restrictions and confidentiality rules.
• Do not publicly identify children merely to support a campaign.
• Do not automatically present allegations as established facts.

Campaign benefit does not override safeguarding.

33. Safer Recruitment and Role Allocation

Safeguarding should be considered when appointing or allocating duties to Founders, Directors, Campaign Leaders, Campaigners, Volunteers, staff, contractors and other representatives.

Depending on the actual role this may include:

• clear role descriptions;
• applications or suitability discussions;
• references;
• identity checks;
• safeguarding declarations where appropriate;
• training and supervision;
• criminal-record checks only at a level the role is legally eligible for.

34. DBS, Disclosure Scotland and AccessNI Checks

A Standard, Enhanced or barred-list check must not be requested automatically simply because someone is a Founder, Director, Campaign Leader, Campaigner or Volunteer.

The actual activities of the role must be assessed. In England and Wales, RFTUK will use current DBS eligibility guidance. Equivalent rules and systems must be considered for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Relevant factors may include:

• who the role interacts with;
• what activities are carried out;
• where they take place;
• frequency;
• supervision;
• whether the activity meets a statutory definition of regulated activity or another eligible category.

RFTUK must not request a higher-level criminal-record check where the role is not legally eligible for that level.

35. Training, Awareness and Support

Safeguarding information and training should be proportionate to the role.

• recognising abuse and neglect;
• responding to disclosures;
• role boundaries;
• children and adults at risk;
• information sharing and confidentiality;
• recording concerns;
• online safeguarding;
• emergency procedures;
• campaign evidence and publication risks;
• concerns involving RFTUK representatives.

Nobody should be expected to manage a serious safeguarding concern alone.

36. Accessibility, Disability and Neurodiversity

Disability, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, communication differences, mental-health conditions or neurodivergence must not automatically be treated as safeguarding concerns.

Reasonable adjustments may include:

• different communication methods;
• additional processing time;
• written information;
• accessible formats;
• support with participation where appropriate.

Safeguarding should protect rights and safety, not unnecessarily remove independence or voice.

37. Temporary Safeguarding Measures

Temporary action may be necessary while a concern is assessed.

• restricting system access;
• changing duties;
• preventing unsupervised activity;
• pausing public-facing work;
• suspending campaign activity or volunteer involvement;
• restricting access to vulnerable people or sensitive records;
• assigning alternative oversight.

Temporary measures are protective and are not automatically a finding of wrongdoing.

38. Failure to Follow Safeguarding Requirements

Depending on the person's relationship with RFTUK and the seriousness of the issue, action may include:

• advice or additional training;
• increased supervision;
• restriction of responsibilities or systems;
• temporary suspension from activity;
• removal from a campaign or volunteer role;
• termination of employment, contract, membership or authorised involvement where lawful and appropriate;
• referral to police, social care, a regulator or another authority.

39. False, Mistaken or Malicious Allegations

All genuine safeguarding concerns will be taken seriously.

A person will not be criticised merely because a concern raised in good faith is later found to be unsubstantiated or mistaken.

Where there is clear evidence that somebody deliberately fabricated a malicious allegation, this may be addressed separately under appropriate conduct or complaints procedures.

The possibility of a malicious allegation must never be used as a reason to suppress a genuine safeguarding concern without proper consideration.

40. Speaking Up and Protection From Retaliation

No person should suffer retaliation from RFTUK merely for raising a genuine safeguarding concern in good faith.

Concerns may relate to:

• a Founder or Director;
• a Campaign Leader or Campaigner;
• a Volunteer, Member or employee;
• a contractor or other representative;
• unsafe organisational practice;
• misuse of information;
• attempts to suppress safeguarding concerns.

Safeguarding concerns must never be concealed to protect reputation, campaigns, funding or senior individuals.

41. Working With Statutory Authorities

RFTUK will cooperate appropriately with legitimate safeguarding and law-enforcement authorities where there is a lawful and appropriate reason.

This may include:

• police;
• children's social care;
• adult safeguarding;
• healthcare services;
• Local Authority Designated Officer arrangements where applicable;
• regulators;
• courts;
• local or national safeguarding bodies.

42. Our Expected Standard

If you see, hear or receive information that gives you a genuine concern about someone's safety or welfare, do not simply ignore it.

Recognise the concern.
Respond appropriately.
Record what is necessary.
Report it through the correct route.
Refer or escalate where required.

Related Right First Time UK Policies

• Data Protection & Privacy Policy
• Confidentiality Policy
• Volunteer Policy
• Campaign Leader & Campaigner Code of Conduct
• Founder & Director Code of Conduct
• Member Terms & Conduct Policy
• Subscriber & Communications Policy
• Whistleblowing / Speaking Up Policy
• Complaints Policy
• Equality, Diversity & Accessibility Policy
• Information Security Policy
• Records Retention & Deletion Policy
• Social Media & Communications Policy
• Campaign Evidence, Research & Publication Policy
• Lone Working & Risk Assessment Procedures
• Serious Misconduct / Suspension / Removal Procedures

Where another RFTUK process conflicts with an immediate safeguarding need, protecting people and obtaining appropriate emergency or statutory help takes priority.

Official Safeguarding Guidance

These official sources should be checked when a particular law, nation, role or safeguarding situation needs to be considered.

Safeguarding Contact

Safeguarding concerns connected with Right First Time UK should be raised through the organisation's published contact or safeguarding route. No personal name is required in this public policy.

IMMEDIATE DANGER — CALL 999

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed by Right First Time UK at least annually and sooner where:

• safeguarding legislation changes;
• statutory or official guidance changes;
• criminal-record checking rules change;
• RFTUK significantly changes its activities;
• a serious incident identifies a weakness;
• new or higher-risk activities are introduced;
• safeguarding arrangements require improvement.

Future versions should show the previous policy date and the new last-updated date so the public can see when the policy changed.