Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

A Designated Safeguarding Lead undertakes three main sets of duties related to safeguarding within Birmingham Child Contact Centre.

A.    Strategic

They consider the organisation’s strategic plans and make sure they reflect safeguarding legislation, regulations specific to BCCC’s activities, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charities Commission.

Work with the Chair and Volunteers & Families Coordinator to review whether the things the organisation has put in place are creating a safer culture and keeping people safe.

Check that the organisation’s risk assessments / register reflects safeguarding risks properly and plans sensible measures.

Where BCCC’s activities require inspections, be aware of how ready for those inspections BCCC is and respond to any follow-up reports.

Make sure there is space on Management Committee Agendas for safeguarding reports and help trustees to understand and, challenge those reports where appropriate.

B.    Effective policy and practice

Make sure there is an annual review of safeguarding policies and procedures and communicate to the Trustees Committee.

Understand the monitoring that BCCC undertakes and establish if existing policies and procedures are effective.

Call for audits of qualitative and quantitative data (either internal or external) when they are required.

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

Oversee safeguarding allegations against volunteers, together with Chair and Volunteers & Families Coordinator.

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

C.    Creating the right culture

Champion safeguarding throughout the organisation.

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 volunteers and beneficiaries to understand safeguarding on the ground level.

Work with the Chair and Volunteers & Families Coordinator and all members of the charity in order to manage all safeguarding cases.

Support regular safeguarding updates for volunteers and beneficiaries.

Make sure you have ways of gathering the views of volunteers in relation to safeguarding and sharing these with the Trustees Committee and where required, the Management Committee.