Types of safeguarding incident for trustees, employees, volunteers and other stakeholders to report to the Charity Commission and to the legal authorities (Police)
You need to make an urgent report to the Charity Commission and the Police if you believe there is a serious safeguarding risk. This will usually be if any of the following occur:
- incidents of abuse or mistreatment (alleged or actual) of beneficiaries of the charity (adults or children) which have resulted in or risk significant harm to them and:
- this happened while they were under the care of the charity
- someone connected with the charity, for example a trustee, staff member or volunteer, was responsible for the abuse or mistreatment (alleged or actual)
- other incidents of abuse or mistreatment (alleged or actual) of people who come into contact with the charity through its work, which have resulted in or risk significant harm to them and are connected to the charity’s activities
- breaches of procedures or policies at the charity which have put people who come into contact with it through its work at significant risk of harm, including failure to carry out relevant vetting checks which would have identified that a person is disqualified in law from holding their position within the charity. This might be, for example, because they are disqualified under safeguarding legislation from working with children and/or adults at risk
The above may include incidents in the workplace that have resulted in or risk significant harm to trustees, staff, volunteers or other stakeholders. This does not mean that the Commission expects charities to report every internal staffing incident – charities need to make a judgement call about which incidents either individually, or as a collection, are serious in the context of the charity.
However, a report should always be made where the level of harm to the victims and/or the likely damage to the reputation of or public trust in the charity is particularly high (for example, sexual misconduct by the charity’s Chief Executive or another person in a senior position or position of specific responsibility, such as the head of safeguarding). The Commission would also expect to receive a report if the number and nature of staffing incidents indicate there are widespread or systematic issues connected to sexual harassment, abuse and/or other misconduct in a charity.
Who to contact at ETC of PWD if you have a Whistle Blowing Concern.
Unless your concern is about an urgent Safeguarding risk (see above), then you should first register your concern with the charity in writing to the Safeguarding Manager.
Either at
ETC of PWD:
Higher Week
Iddesleigh
Winkleigh
EX19 8SJ
Or by email:
For further details please see the ETC of PWD Whistleblowing Policy
ETC of PWD 