Lead Trustee for Safeguarding

Posted for Level Up Gosport - Volunteering Group for 18 -25 Year Olds

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The lead trustee for safeguarding will, in most cases, be a volunteer from within the board who has skills, experience and confidence in the area of safeguarding. Sometimes, it is a volunteer who starts without knowledge but is willing to undertake the necessary training in order to develop the knowledge and skills required to undertake the role. 

It is good practice to ensure that the role and responsibilities of the lead trustee is described in writing, agreed by the board and reviewed regularly. This should include the scope of any formal decision-making authority delegated to them and how they should report to the board the use of powers in an appropriate fashion.

Wherever possible, you should distinguish between the strategic, advisory and governance role of a lead trustee and the day to day operational designated safeguarding lead. This is especially important - and may be a statutory requirement - where you work with children and adults at risk.

The Charity Commission states that safeguarding is the responsibility of all trustees. If you appoint a lead trustee, it should be clear that they are not to be the only person among the trustees who understands safeguarding.

Responsibilities

The lead Trustee for safeguarding usually takes on three main sets of duties related to safeguarding in addition to their wider responsibilities as a trustee. 

Strategic: 

• To consider Level Up Gosport’s (LUPG) strategic plans and make sure they reflect safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to our activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission. 

• Work with the Board of Trustees and designated staff safeguarding lead (Project Manager) regularly to review whether the things LUPG has put in place are creating a safer culture and keeping people safe. 

• Check the LUPG’s risk assessments reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans sensible measures to take, including relevant insurance for trustees’ liability. 

• Make sure there is space on the agenda for safeguarding reports and help trustees understand and challenge those reports. 

Effective policy and practice: 

• Make sure there is an annual review of safeguarding policies and procedures and that this is reported to trustees.  

• Understand the monitoring of LUPG to see whether policies and procedures are effective. 

• Call for audits of qualitative and quantitative data (either internal or external) when they’re needed. 

• Learn from case reviews locally and nationally, to improve LUPG’s policies, procedures and practices. 

• Oversee safeguarding allegations against staff or volunteers, together with Chair of Trustees and one other trustee. 

• Be a point of contact for staff or volunteers if someone wishes to complain about a lack of action in relation to safeguarding concerns.  

Support from the Chair:  

The chair should make sure that the lead trustee for safeguarding either has the required knowledge, skills, and experience or is supported to develop these.  

This can include: 

• setting up regular meetings together with the lead trustee, and designated staff safeguarding lead (Project Manager). 

• making sure the lead trustee is allocated enough time at meetings to provide full and detailed reports on safeguarding 

• encouraging the lead trustee to take part in local and national partnerships that can help you keep up to date with safeguarding messages, trends and priorities. 

  

Skills

• Champion safeguarding throughout our charity 
• Attend relevant safeguarding training events and conferences 
• Support the trustees in developing their individual and collective understanding of Safeguarding.
• Attend meetings, activities, projects to engage with staff, volunteers and beneficiaries to understand Safeguarding on the ground.
• Work with the chair, designated staff safeguarding lead (project manager) in order to manage all serious safeguarding cases.
• Support regular safeguarding updates for staff, volunteers and beneficiaries.
• Make sure you have ways of gathering the views of staff and volunteers in relation to safeguarding and sharing there with the board. 

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Location

This opportunity has no specific location.