Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility

Guide Dogs is committed to ensuring that all who we come into contact with, through our work, are treated with respect, and are free from all forms of abuse or mistreatment. We are also committed to ensuring that all staff and volunteers are aware of their responsibilities, and have the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and maintain the welfare and safety of those with whom they come into contact.

You need to know what to do if someone tells you something or you have any concerns about a person in vulnerable circumstances, this could be a service user, a volunteer, a staff member, a supporter or a member of the public.

It’s important to take a disclosure seriously. If YOU need advice or support, or are at risk of harm yourself, the safeguarding team are here to support you.

Speak to a member of the team on 0345 143 0199 or email safeguarding@guidedogs.org.uk.

Follow the Four R’s of Safeguarding and refer to the Guide Dogs Safeguarding leaflet for further guidance.

Guide Dogs have Safeguarding policies, procedures and Codes of Conduct to provide guidance and advice on keeping all who we come into contact with, free from harm.

Digital Safeguarding

At Guide Dogs we have lots on online interactions with staff, volunteers, service users, supporters and members of the public. We recognise that technology can be so important to enhance the lives of people with sight loss, so it’s important that colleagues have a good awareness of remaining safe online and how we can share this with others.

We get lots of safeguarding referrals linked to online harms, these include issues such as online bullying and trolling, harassment and stalking via social media, digital identity theft, internet scams and financial scams.

To support this Guide Dogs have a Digital Safeguarding Policy and Procedure.

Part of keeping people safe is to ensure that roles which work directly with vulnerable people receive safeguarding training. The following volunteer roles need to complete safeguarding training:

• My Sighted Guides
• People Drivers
• Dog exercisers

Safeguarding training is in two levels. Level 1 is an e-learning session and this will be followed by a half day face to face workshop in your local area.

For any queries on safeguarding training, please contact your local volunteer manager.

Domestic Abuse

Guide Dogs recognises that some of our colleagues (staff or volunteers) may be vulnerable to harm in the form of domestic abuse and that this harm may be happening outside of Guide Dogs. The procedure that follows is based on best practice principles and recognises that as an employer Guide Dogs has a duty to safeguard the wellbeing of staff in the workplace and volunteers in role.  Guide Dogs will seek to support our colleagues and volunteers to address any abuse or harm they are experiencing which impacts upon them in their role.