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Safeguarding: Do we all need the same things to be safe?


Working in the creative, heritage and cultural sectors we might find ourselves working with a range of ages and abilities.

The nature of the work that we deliver sometimes means that we don't always have a clear picture of the needs or the backgrounds of the people that we interact with.

Additionally the artforms and the subjects that we explore can sometimes be a trigger for participants to share information or concerns.

For some organisations there is the added challenge that we only briefly interact with people and may not know their details and names if we need to share a concern.

The focus for sector organisations and practitioners is to ensure that safeguarding is part of their everyday practice and for it to have relevance to them and to the people that they serve. For example should you combine your Adult and Children Policies and Procedures when they are guided by different principles and reporting structures?

Whilst it is very important to know how to identify and respond to abuse and concerns through robust reporting structures, it is also important to understand that people may need different support and approaches to their safeguarding.

For safeguarding to be effective it should follow key guidance and be applied to your own specific set of circumstances.

The activities we deliver, the spaces that we occupy and the people that we connect with create a unique environment and whilst we may share similar challenges to others in the sectors, no two set of circumstances are ever the same.

How do we ensure that safeguarding is at the heart of what we do?

Organisations and individuals can