The staff and Trustees of True Freedom Trust (TFT) are committed to promoting a safe environment and culture for all TFT staff, Trustees, volunteers, members and enquirers. This page contains the key elements of TFT's safeguarding approach. Please click here for the complete Safeguarding Policy.

Safeguarding Roles

There will be a minimum of two Safeguarding Officers within the staff team (currently Ruth and Paul) to implement this policy across TFT activities. This will include training volunteers to be familiar and confident with this policy and associated guidelines.

There will be at least one Safeguarding Trustee who will be responsible for overseeing the work of the Safeguarding Officers and providing impartial guidance to the Safeguarding Officers on anonymised versions of more complex or risky safeguarding cases.

Training

New volunteers and staff will be trained so that they are familiar with the Safeguarding Policy. Additional training will be required whenever major changes are made to the Safeguarding Policy. Existing volunteers and staff will be required to attend a refresher training at least every three years, as well as affirming their adherence to the Safeguarding Policy annually.

Reporting Mechanism

A safeguarding concern can be reported to a Safeguarding Officer using any of the following mechanisms:
•    In person (or via a phone call) to a Safeguarding Officer
•    Email to safeguarding@truefreedomtrust.co.uk, which will be seen by one or more Safeguarding Officers
•    Completing an online “Cause for concern” form

Processing Safeguarding Concerns

The Safeguarding Officer(s) dealing with a safeguarding concern will:

• Produce a written account as soon as possible after the event/report, if this has not already been submitted
• Review carefully all reports of the safeguarding concern
• Take steps to protect adults at risk, including promptly notifying another Safeguarding Officer/Trustee (and statutory agencies, where appropriate)
• Keep the complainant informed with details of how their concern is being handled, and always to consider their needs and wishes
• Offer support to survivors of abuse (and other affected persons) regardless of the type of abuse, when or where it occurred
• Offer support to anyone who has been accused of inappropriate behaviour, including keeping them informed about any decisions and action taken regarding the case

Confidentiality and Record Keeping

All records of safeguarding matters must be kept secure and confidential and only be accessible to Safeguarding Officers and others responsible for safeguarding. Where it is necessary for the investigation to proceed effectively, it may sometimes be necessary to share details of the case with others, but only on a need-to-know basis.

Complaints and escalation

A complex or high-risk safeguarding case may be taken by a Safeguarding Officer to the Director and/or a Safeguarding Trustee for impartial guidance. The Safeguarding Trustee consulted should preferably not be one who has been previously consulted on the case. Case details passed to a Safeguarding Trustee should be anonymised wherever possible, in order to assist with impartiality and confidentiality.

If the alleged person of concern is a member of staff, then any investigation into their alleged conduct will take place in accordance with the Disciplinary Policy set out in their employment contract.

The Complaints Procedure in the Code of Practice can be used to process any safeguarding concerns that have not been resolved to the satisfaction of any party involved.

The above summary was taken from the Safeguarding Policy v0.5 and updated in September 2020