Safeguarding Roles

The Designated Safeguarding Lead

Role description
Iguality has appointed a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who is responsible for ensuring that safeguarding remains a high priority across the organisation. The DSL ensures that our safeguarding pillars — awareness, prevention, reporting, and response — are implemented, followed, and regularly reviewed.

Role responsibilities
The Designated Safeguarding Lead will:

• Serve as the organisational focal point for managing and reporting incidents and allegations.
• Provide support and advice to managers and staff on all safeguarding matters.
• Refer and report to relevant authorities in cases of sexual exploitation, child abuse, or abuse of an at-risk adult.
• Maintain an overview of safeguarding across Iguality and monitor implementation of this policy.
• Ensure ongoing development of a strong, legally compliant safeguarding framework.
• Support the Executive Director in reporting safeguarding developments to the Board of Trustees.
• Deliver regular safeguarding training and policy updates to all active team members.
• Ensure that all team members attend safeguarding training and review the Iguality Handbook.

The Safeguarding Coordination Team

Role description
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns. However, the Safeguarding Coordination Team becomes involved when:

• The concern involves the DSL directly.
• The situation is too complex or sensitive for the DSL to manage alone.
• The DSL is absent and cannot respond.

In such cases, the Safeguarding Coordination Team assumes decision-making responsibility or provides advisory support to manage the situation and assess risks.

Role responsibilities
The Safeguarding Coordination Team will:

• Contribute to the development of Iguality’s safeguarding policy and framework.
• Ensure compliance with local legal and regulatory standards.
• Support the DSL with any safeguarding-related doubt, question, or issue.
• Ensure appropriate arrangements are made if a complaint is filed against an Iguality team member.

The Iguality Community

Role description
While the DSL and the Safeguarding Coordination Team carry the core safeguarding responsibilities, everyone in the Iguality community has a role to play in ensuring a safe and respectful environment.

Role responsibilities
All members of the Iguality community will:

• Read, understand, and follow the Iguality Handbook, which includes this policy.
• Seek clarification from the DSL or team members when unsure about any safeguarding matter.
• Be familiar with how to report a safeguarding concern.
• Participate in safeguarding training during onboarding and beyond.
• Stay alert to signs of potential harm, abuse, or exploitation.
• Treat all concerns seriously and report them immediately to the DSL, taking advice when needed.
• Contact emergency services when there is a situation involving immediate danger or harm.