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Complete the charity governance tool to self-assess the steps your charity is currently taking to manage safeguarding, and to identify any areas of improvement.

Make notes of any discussion or action items, and discuss them at your charity's next board or committee meeting. You can print or save your answers.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is protecting the welfare and human rights of people that are connected with your charity or its work – particularly people that may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.

Does your charity work with vulnerable people?

Vulnerable people are defined as a people aged under 18 or other individuals who may be unable to take care of themselves or are unable to protect themselves against harm or exploitation. Vulnerable people can include:

  • children and seniors

  • people with impaired intellectual or physical functioning

  • people from a low socio-economic background

  • people who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders

  • people who are not native speakers of the local language

  • people with low levels of literacy or education

  • people subject to modern slavery, which involves human exploitation and control, such as forced labour, debt bondage, human trafficking, and child labour.

The vulnerability may be permanent (for example, aged-related) or temporary (for example, a person forced to move to a shelter due to personal circumstances). Other vulnerabilities may include people in remote communities or overseas countries experiencing conflict or disaster, or where they don't speak the language or have supports around them.

Vulnerable people are not limited to a charity’s beneficiaries or the users of its services. They can include a charity’s staff, volunteers, and people in third parties, such as suppliers and partners.

While all people must be protected from harm, there are additional legislative and ethical considerations for protecting vulnerable people.

Yes

Charities have obligations to safeguard all people connected to their work. Particular care should be taken to safeguard vulnerable people.

Please continue to complete this module to help evaluate the steps your charity takes to safeguard its people and comply with its legal obligations.

No

Charities have obligations to safeguard all people connected to their work, even if the charity doesn’t work with vulnerable people. For example, charities need to comply with occupational health and safety obligations to staff and volunteers, and laws related to privacy.

If your charity has staff or volunteers, please consider completing this module to help evaluate the steps your charity takes to safeguard its people and comply with its legal obligations.

Does your charity have documented policies, processes, or procedures to manage safeguarding?
Yes

A safeguarding policy ensures that your charity has established measures to protect those connected to your work from harm, abuse, or exploitation. Having a policy demonstrates one reasonable step your charity has taken towards good governance and the protection of vulnerable people.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

No

If your charity does not have a safeguarding policy, it is important to consider implementing one to help ensure the safety of those involved with your work. A comprehensive safeguarding policy helps you identify and manage potential risks.

Your charity’s safeguarding policy should:

  • define key terms (for example, ‘safeguarding’ and ‘vulnerable person’)
  • reference your charity’s legal obligations
  • outline how your charity identifies and manages safeguarding risks
  • clearly state expected behaviours and conduct of staff, volunteers and partners
  • identify the people in your charity who are responsible for managing safeguarding
  • clearly define the roles and responsibilities of people involved in safeguarding, including in the induction and training of staff, volunteers and contractors
  • extend obligations to your charity’s partners and contractors
  • outline how your charity manages complaints or allegations of wrongdoing
  • outline how your charity manages sensitive or personal information
  • outline how your charity complies with relevant legal obligations (for example, occupational health and safety obligations and mandatory reporting requirements)
  • contain supporting resources, such as an incident response plan, risk matrix or register, employee due diligence processes or an induction plan for staff and volunteers.

Depending on your charity’s operations, there may be other areas of safeguarding that should be included in your policies and procedures. For example, charities working in conflict zones or other dangerous locations may establish an emergency exit plan for staff and volunteers.

Your charity can refer to our Governance Toolkit: Safeguarding vulnerable people for more information and resources, including a safeguarding policy template.

You should add an action item to discuss implementing a policy.

Does your policy include definitions of key terms?
Yes

A policy should explain why safeguarding is important and clearly define what constitutes inappropriate behaviour or conduct. It should include definitions relevant to your charity, such as who might be considered vulnerable among those connected to your work. Other key terms could include partners and sensitive information.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

No

A safeguarding policy should explain the importance of safeguarding and clearly define inappropriate behaviour or conduct. It should include definitions of key terms such as 'vulnerable people'.

Within the context of your charity, consider reviewing your policy to incorporate these essential definitions. You should add an action item to discuss updating your policy. For more details, please refer to our Governance Toolkit: Safeguarding vulnerable people.

Does your policy clearly articulate the responsibilities and obligations of the following stakeholders:
For example, committee or board members, or trustees.
For example, the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief financial officer (CFO).
For example, partner agencies, service providers, related parties, or contractors.
Those being provided with services or accessing benefits from your charity’s programs or funds.

Implementing a policy that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder helps ensure that everyone understands their duties and the expectations placed upon them when dealing with vulnerable people.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

If your policy does not apply to all of these groups of people, consider how your charity appropriately manages safeguarding risks with different stakeholders.

A safeguarding policy should clearly define the roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders within the organisation. Establishing these definitions is essential for effective governance and accountability.

Consider reviewing your policy to include detailed information on who is responsible for specific roles within your charity.

Does your policy include information about legal obligations?
Yes

A safeguarding policy should detail legal obligations and applicable requirements, such as mandatory reporting and background checks. This is a key step towards embedding a safeguarding framework within your organisation, and ensures legal duties and responsibilities are understood.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

No

A safeguarding policy should address your charity’s legal obligations. This ensures that all parties are aware of their legal responsibilities. Your charity should have a process to inform your Responsible People, staff, volunteers and third parties of their legal obligations.

You should add an action item to discuss updating your policy.

Does your policy set out how incidents, complaints or allegations of wrongdoing are raised, investigated, managed, and recorded?
Yes

A policy that clearly defines the procedures for reporting, investigating, managing incidents and resolving complaints or allegations of wrongdoing is important. It ensures transparency, accountability, and effective safeguarding.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

You can refer to our Governance Toolkit: Safeguarding vulnerable people for more information and resources, including an incident response plan template.

No

A policy that clearly defines the procedures for reporting, investigating, managing incidents and resolving complaints or allegations of wrongdoing is important. It ensures transparency, accountability, and effective safeguarding.

If your policy does not cover how incidents are managed, you should add an action item to discuss updating your policy.

You can refer to our Governance Toolkit: Safeguarding vulnerable people for more information and resources, including an incident response plan template.

Does your policy include clear guidelines on handling sensitive information relating to complaints or allegations of wrongdoing, including confidentiality?
Yes

Establishing guidelines on confidentiality is crucial for good governance and safeguarding. The guidelines should clearly explain how sensitive information is managed in relation to complaints or allegations. Having a documented process is important. It fosters trust and ensures compliance with crucial safeguarding and privacy principles.

Your charity should regularly review your policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

No

Not having clear guidelines on confidentiality when handling complaints or allegations can lead to mishandling sensitive information. A lack of a formal process may result in inconsistent practices.

You should add an action item to discuss updating your policy.

Does the policy explain how your charity will handle incidents, complaints and allegations of wrongdoing, including how it will:
For example, complaints can be submitted by email, paper or online forms, or via a contact person or number.
Resolution should be proportionate for the compliant – for example, warning, mediation, compensation, removing person, report to authorities, and no further action.

Your charity’s complaints handling process should outline how complaints and concerns can be submitted, and how your charity will respond and resolve to issues raised.

This demonstrates a commitment to address all complaints and concerns in a fair and transparent manner.

If your charity’s policy doesn’t explain how it will handle complaints and concerns, consider if you need to update your policy.

Having a process to handle complaints and concerns is an important aspect of safeguarding. You should add an action item to discuss your charity’s complaints and concerns policy.

Does your charity take any of these other reasonable steps to manage risks and protect people connected to your charity from harm?

These are all important steps to manage risks and protect people from harm.

Your charity should regularly assess what steps are appropriate to take to protect those connected to the organisation.

If your charity is not taking any of these reasonable steps, you should consider how it is adequately protecting people connected to the charity.

Charities have an obligation to protect those connected to their work from harm. It is important to ensure training, policies and procedures are in place to support safeguarding. Responsible People should be aware of the risks, and take reasonable steps to manage them.

You should add an action item to discuss the measures your charity should be taking.

Does your charity take any of these reasonable steps to create a culture that encourages disclosure and prioritises the safety of vulnerable people?

These are all good steps to create a culture of disclosure, and prioritise the safety of vulnerable people connected to your charity.

Your charity should regularly assess how it works with vulnerable people to ensure the charity is taking appropriate safeguarding measures.

If your charity does not take any of these steps, consider if there is an adequate culture of disclosure in place.

It is important that the safety of vulnerable people is prioritised. You should add an action item to discuss the measures your charity should be taking.

Does your charity conduct activities overseas?
Yes

Charities that conduct activities overseas, or support an overseas partner in its activities, are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of vulnerable people overseas. This requirement applies to:

  • beneficiaries (those being provided with services or accessing benefits from your charity’s programs or funds)
  • staff and volunteers providing services (either directly through your charity, or through collaboration with a third party).

Your charity can refer to our guidance on External Conduct 4: Protection of vulnerable individuals for more information and resources.

No

If your charity begins to conduct activities overseas, or to support an overseas partner in its activities, refer to our guidance on External Conduct 4: Protection of vulnerable individuals for more information and resources.

Does your charity take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of any staff or volunteers overseas?
Our charity does not send staff or volunteers overseas, employ overseas staff and volunteers, or fund an overseas partner to provide services on its behalf.
Yes

Charities have an obligation to safeguard staff and volunteers overseas. This includes where people are employed directly by the charity, and where the charity funds an overseas partner to provide services and the overseas partner employs staff and volunteers to provide those services.

Consider the appropriate steps for safeguarding your charity’s staff and volunteers based on the working locations and type of work.

No

Charities have an obligation to safeguard staff and volunteers overseas. If your charity has staff or volunteers working overseas, or funds an overseas partner to provide services, consider the appropriate steps to protect staff and volunteers based on the working locations and type of work.

You should add an action item to discuss steps to take.

Does your charity have a policy relating to working with overseas partners?
Our charity does not work with overseas partners.
Yes

A policy ensures that your charity has established measures to protect those connected to your work from harm, abuse, or exploitation.

Implementing a policy demonstrates one reasonable step your charity has taken towards good governance and the protection of vulnerable people overseas.

No

If your charity does not have a policy relating to working with overseas partners, it is important to consider implementing one. A comprehensive policy helps you identify and manage potential risks, ensuring the safety of those involved with your work. Your charity’s policy should include:

  • a definition of partner
  • the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders
  • how partners will be identified and selected
  • due diligence and background checks
  • how partners are monitored, reviewed, and evaluated
  • terminating a partnership.

Depending on your charity’s operations, there may be other areas of safeguarding that should be included in your policies and procedures.

Your charity should add an action item to discuss implementing a policy.

Not applicable

If your charity begins working with overseas partners, consider implementing a policy to ensure that your charity has established measures to protect those connected to your work from harm, abuse, or exploitation.

Does your policy include:
Such as a risk register or a partner vetting document or template partner agreements, contracts or Memoranda of Understanding (MoU).

Implementing a policy that clearly outlines clear objectives, scope, process, legal requirements and consequences for non-compliance is important.

Your charity should regularly assess its overseas partner policy to ensure it continues to be fit-for-purpose.

If your policy does not contain any of these clauses, consider if it is adequate to manage work with overseas partners.

You should add an action item to discuss and review your overseas partner policy.

Does your charity take any of these reasonable steps to manage risks and protect people from harm when working with overseas partners?

These are all good steps to manage risks and protect people from harm when working overseas.

Your charity should regularly assess the steps it takes to ensure people connected to the charity continue to be adequately protected.

If your charity is not taking any of these steps, consider if additional measures need to be implemented to ensure adequate safeguarding.

Your charity must manage risks and protect people from harm when working with overseas partners.

You should add an action item to discuss the measures your charity should be taking.

Action items and topics for further discussion:

If your charity has identified any additional steps you should consider taking to manage conflicts of interest, list them here. You can bring these notes to your next board or committee meeting to discuss further.

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