Safeguarding Policy

This policy establishes the principles, responsibilities, and procedures that guide our commitment to preventing harm, responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns, and promoting a culture of safety, dignity, accountability, and respect across the organization.

This policy applies to:

• Board of Trustees
• Executive Management
• Employees
• Volunteers
• Consultants
• Interns
• Contractors
• Partner organizations
• Community volunteers
• Service providers
• Donors visiting project sites
• Visitors participating in organizational activities
• Anyone acting on behalf of Reach & Touch Charity Initiative

This policy applies across all organizational activities, including community outreach programmes, therapy and rehabilitation services, inclusive education initiatives, humanitarian assistance, home visits, events and conferences, online engagements, social media interactions, fundraising activities, volunteer programmes, and partnerships and collaborations.

Reach & Touch Charity Initiative is committed to:

• Protecting children and vulnerable adults from harm
• Promoting a culture of safety and respect
• Preventing abuse before it occurs
• Responding promptly to safeguarding concerns
• Ensuring accountability at every level of the organization
• Respecting the dignity, rights, and wellbeing of every individual
• Embedding safeguarding into all organizational policies and practices
• Maintaining zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation, harassment, and discrimination

Our safeguarding approach is guided by the following principles:

Safety First

The safety and wellbeing of beneficiaries will always take priority over organizational interests.

Dignity and Respect

Every individual has the right to be treated with respect, fairness, and compassion.

Inclusion

We provide equal protection regardless of age, disability, gender, religion, race, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status.

Accountability

Every person representing the organization is responsible for safeguarding and must report concerns without delay.

Confidentiality

Safeguarding information will only be shared with those who need to know in order to protect individuals or comply with legal obligations.

Our safeguarding responsibilities extend to children, young people, adults at risk, persons with disabilities, beneficiaries, parents and caregivers, volunteers, employees, board members, contractors, and community members engaged in our programmes.

We recognize that individuals with disabilities may face increased safeguarding risks and require additional protection and support.

Reach & Touch Charity Initiative prohibits all forms of abuse and exploitation, including:

Physical Abuse

Any intentional act causing physical injury or harm, including hitting, slapping, kicking, burning, physical intimidation, and excessive restraint.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Behaviour that causes emotional distress or psychological harm, including humiliation, bullying, threats, harassment, intimidation, isolation, and verbal abuse.

Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

Including sexual harassment, grooming, sexual assault, exploitation, abuse of power for sexual gain, inappropriate touching, coercion, and online sexual exploitation. Any form of sexual activity involving a child is strictly prohibited and will be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Neglect

Failure to provide appropriate care, protection, supervision, or support.

Financial Exploitation

Improper use of another person's money, property, benefits, or resources.

Discrimination

Any unfair treatment based on disability, gender, race, religion, ethnicity, age, nationality, or social background.

Online Abuse

Including cyberbullying, online harassment, digital exploitation, identity theft, and unauthorized sharing of personal information.

Everyone representing Reach & Touch Charity Initiative must treat all individuals with dignity and respect, maintain professional boundaries, act honestly and ethically, respect confidentiality, promote inclusion, protect the privacy of beneficiaries, follow safeguarding procedures, and report safeguarding concerns immediately.

Representatives Must Never:

• Abuse their position of trust
• Engage in sexual relationships with beneficiaries
• Use threatening or abusive language
• Physically punish beneficiaries
• Discriminate against individuals
• Accept bribes or improper gifts
• Share confidential information without authorization
• Use organizational resources for personal gain
• Ignore safeguarding concerns

The organization follows robust recruitment procedures to minimize safeguarding risks, including identity verification, reference checks, employment history review, safeguarding declarations, criminal background checks where legally permitted, interviews, Code of Conduct acknowledgement, and mandatory safeguarding orientation.

All staff, volunteers, and relevant representatives receive safeguarding training covering safeguarding principles, recognizing abuse, reporting procedures, professional boundaries, disability-sensitive safeguarding, child protection, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA), and online safeguarding. Refresher training is provided periodically.

Every safeguarding concern must be reported immediately, regardless of how minor it may appear. Examples include suspected abuse, inappropriate behaviour, neglect, harassment, exploitation, policy breaches, unsafe environments, and misconduct by staff or volunteers.

Reports may be made by employees, volunteers, beneficiaries, parents, caregivers, community members, partners, or members of the public. Retaliation against anyone making a report in good faith is strictly prohibited.

When a safeguarding concern is reported, Reach & Touch Charity Initiative will take every concern seriously, prioritize the immediate safety of the affected person, record the concern accurately, maintain confidentiality, conduct a fair and timely assessment, cooperate with law enforcement or regulatory authorities where required, provide appropriate support to affected individuals, and take disciplinary action where misconduct is confirmed.

Images, videos, and stories involving beneficiaries must respect dignity and privacy, never be exploitative, accurately represent individuals, be used only with informed consent from the individual or a parent or legal guardian, avoid revealing sensitive personal information, and be stored securely.

We are committed to ensuring safe digital interactions by using secure online communication platforms, protecting personal information, restricting unauthorized access to records, monitoring organizational online spaces where appropriate, promoting responsible use of digital technologies, and preventing cyberbullying and online exploitation.

Board of Trustees

Responsible for safeguarding governance, policy oversight, strategic leadership, and monitoring compliance.

Chief Executive Officer

Responsible for implementing safeguarding systems, promoting a safeguarding culture, ensuring adequate resources, and responding to serious safeguarding matters.

Managers and Supervisors

Responsible for monitoring compliance, supporting staff, addressing safeguarding concerns, and ensuring training participation.

Employees and Volunteers

Responsible for following this policy, maintaining professional conduct, reporting concerns immediately, and protecting beneficiaries from harm.

Safeguarding information will be handled confidentially, stored securely, shared only where necessary, and processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws and the organization's Privacy Policy.

Breaches of this Safeguarding Policy may result in formal warnings, suspension, termination of employment or volunteer engagement, removal from organizational activities, referral to regulatory or professional bodies, and reporting to law enforcement agencies where appropriate. Criminal conduct will be reported to the relevant authorities.

This policy will be reviewed at least every two (2) years, or sooner if required due to changes in legislation, emerging safeguarding risks, organizational growth, lessons learned from incidents, or best practice developments. Regular audits, training evaluations, and risk assessments will help ensure the effectiveness of our safeguarding framework.

If you have questions, concerns, or wish to report a safeguarding issue, please contact us. If you believe a child or vulnerable adult is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services or the appropriate protection authorities immediately.