Safeguarding Policy

1. Our commitment

Women4Africa Foundation (charity number 1215366) works with women and girls in the African diaspora and in Africa. Everyone who takes part in our programmes has the right to be safe, respected and free from harm, abuse and exploitation.

Our trustees hold overall responsibility for safeguarding. We follow the Charity Commission's guidance on safeguarding and protecting people, including its guidance for charities working overseas.

2. Who this policy covers

This policy applies to everyone who acts on behalf of the Foundation:

• Trustees, staff and contractors
• Volunteers, including mentors, speakers and event helpers
• Partner organisations delivering activity with or for us, in the UK and in Africa

It protects the people we work with, including children under 18 and adults at risk, and also our own trustees, staff and volunteers.

3. Our principles

• The welfare of the person at risk always comes first.
• Every concern is taken seriously and acted on promptly.
• We treat everyone with dignity, whatever their age, background, faith, disability or circumstances.
• We share information only on a need to know basis, and in line with the law.
• We work with statutory agencies and do not investigate allegations ourselves.

4. Roles and responsibilities

Trustees

The trustees approve this policy, appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead and a deputy, receive a safeguarding report at every trustee meeting, and report serious incidents to the Charity Commission.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

The DSL receives and records concerns, decides on next steps, makes referrals to the police or local authority, and makes sure everyone working with us has read this policy and received suitable training.

Everyone else

Everyone covered by this policy must follow our code of conduct, complete the training we require, and report any concern straight away.

5. Safer recruitment and volunteering

• Everyone working with beneficiaries applies in writing and is interviewed or screened.
• We take up at least two references.
• Where a role is eligible, we carry out a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. For roles based in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa, we use the nearest local equivalent and references.
• New mentors and volunteers complete a safeguarding induction before they meet beneficiaries.

6. Code of conduct

Everyone acting for the Foundation must:

• Keep relationships with beneficiaries professional at all times.
• Never seek or accept money, gifts or favours in exchange for help, places on programmes or introductions.
• Never engage in any sexual relationship or behaviour with a beneficiary.
• Never meet a child alone, in person or online.
• Use Foundation channels for programme contact, not private social media accounts.
• Never share images or personal details of a beneficiary without their written consent, or a parent or carer's consent for a child.

7. Working with children and young people

Most of our programmes are for adult women. Where we work with girls under 18:

• We obtain written consent from a parent or carer before they take part.
• At least two vetted adults are present at every session, in person or online.
• Mentoring of under 18s takes place in group settings or in view of another vetted adult.
• We keep contact details of a parent or carer for every child taking part.

8. Online safety

• Online sessions run on Foundation accounts, with a host who can remove participants.
• We do not record sessions without telling participants first and explaining how the recording will be used.
• Mentors do not ask beneficiaries to move to private messaging apps.
• Participants can leave any session and report a concern at any time.

9. Working internationally and with partners

When we deliver work in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa, we check that partner organisations have safeguarding arrangements at least as strong as ours, and we set out safeguarding duties in a written partnership agreement. We follow local law and reporting routes, as well as UK requirements.

10. How to raise a concern

If you are worried about someone's safety or wellbeing, or about the behaviour of anyone connected with the Foundation:

1. If there is immediate danger, call 999 in the UK or 112 in Nigeria.
2. Listen calmly. Do not promise to keep a secret, and do not question the person in detail.
3. Write down what you saw or heard, in the person's own words, with the date and time.
4. Tell the Designated Safeguarding Lead the same day by emailing info@w4afoundation.org with "Safeguarding" in the subject line.

If your concern is about the DSL, contact the Chair of Trustees through the same address, marked "For the Chair".

Other places to get help in the UK

• NSPCC helpline, for concerns about a child: 0808 800 5000
• Childline, for children and young people: 0800 1111
• The local authority children's or adult social care team where the person lives

11. What happens next

The DSL will record the concern, decide whether to refer it to the police or social care, and keep the person who raised it informed where it is appropriate. Any allegation against someone working for us may lead to their suspension while it is looked into. Records are stored securely and kept separately from other files.

The trustees will report serious incidents to the Charity Commission promptly, as its guidance requires, and to any funder whose agreement requires it.

12. Whistleblowing

Anyone can raise concerns about poor practice in the Foundation without fear of blame. We will not treat anyone unfairly for raising a concern in good faith.

13. Review

The trustees review this policy every year, and sooner after any serious incident or change in the law.