Safeguarding Resources
What every youth organisation needs to know
Safeguarding isn't just a tick-box. If your group works with under-18s, you have legal and ethical duties to keep them safe. Here's a plain-English summary of what UK youth organisations need in place — and where to read the official guidance.
1. Have a written safeguarding policy
Every organisation working with children needs a policy statement covering how you'll keep them safe, who's responsible, and what happens when concerns arise. The NSPCC provides a clear template and guidance for writing one.
2. Appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Every organisation that works with children needs someone who takes the lead on safeguarding and child protection — a named person who handles concerns, allegations, and referrals. The DSL should have appropriate training and a clear role description.
3. Follow safer recruitment
DBS checks, references, and safeguarding-aware interview questions are essential for anyone working with young people. The NSPCC has a full guide to safer recruitment, vetting, and barring checks.
4. Train your staff and volunteers
Everyone in contact with young people needs basic safeguarding awareness, with deeper training for the DSL and trustees.
5. Know the statutory framework
The Department for Education's Working together to safeguard children (2023) is the key statutory guidance for anyone working with children in England, alongside the Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, and Children and Social Work Act 2017.
6. Manage records lawfully
Every organisation that holds records about children must have policies and procedures for retaining, storing, and destroying information. Records must be accurate, secure, and kept only as long as necessary.
Other UK nations
Statutory guidance differs across the four UK nations. Follow the link for your country:
How Safeguard helps
- Secure member records — Store profiles, emergency contacts, and medical information, accessible only to authorised staff — encrypted at the field level.
- Attendance registers — Real-time check-in and check-out from any device, so you always know who is on site.
- Team access controls — Admins control who can see what, with a full invitation and role management system. Permissions can be updated or revoked at any time.
- Audit-ready records — Every action on the platform is automatically logged — who did what, and when — with tamper-evident records trustees can sign off on.
This page is a summary, not legal advice. Always refer to the official guidance for your nation and consult your safeguarding lead or trustees on policy decisions.