Safeguarding Policy

Walkie Dogs (Walkie Dogs Ltd) is a UK organisation, which we deliver weekly, volunteer led walks across the UK. We welcome walkers and dogs of any age (dogs must be controlled on the lead by a responsible person 18 years old or above) and volunteers from the 16 years old or above. Any person under the age of 18, will be classified as a child under our safeguarding policy.

Walkie Dogs events take place weekly, on a Sunday at 10am. Walkie Dogs events are run by a team of local volunteers.

Walkie Dogs attracts people of all ages. For all participants participation is primarily for fun, mental and physical well-being. All participating will ‘start together and finish together’ these walks are not timed or any pressure to race or get a personal best. Everybody should be able to participate and enjoy the weekly events we organise.

Our Safeguarding Policy recognises that the well-being and interests of both adults and children at risk in any circumstances will be dealt with by the correct authorities by signposting. Ensuring appropriate action is taken in any event or concerns raised by staff, volunteers, members or the public. Any safeguarding concerns will be dealt with sensitively, professionally and acted on immediately.  Any investigation will be held by a Walkie Dogs Ltd fully trained safeguarding officer and the correct authorities will be notified, if required.

All volunteers, staff and ambassadors and directors at Walkie Dogs Ltd will have to familiarise themselves with our safeguarding policy and complete our safeguarding training program. We require all involved to complete a refresher course once a year and any updates to our policy and code of conduct. All have a duty of care whether you are in a paid or voluntary role.

Walkie Dogs Ltd aims to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender identity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual identity, socio-economic background and everybody enjoys and feels safe during their experience.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding our safeguarding policy at Walkie Dogs our safeguarding team can be contacted at safeguarding@walkiedogs.com.

Statement of purpose

1. Walkie Dogs Ltd (the organisation, we, our or us) is committed to preventing and responding to risks to harm to and promoting the welfare of the children and adults at risk that we work with (as Walkie Dogs staff, directors, members and volunteers). These individuals are referred to as the ‘beneficiaries’ of the safeguarding policy.
2. We recognise the importance of this commitment to safety and welfare and committed to safeguarding all beneficiaries without discrimination due to an individual’s age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity leave status, marriage or civil partnership status, sexual orientation or identity.
3. This safeguarding policy is based on the safeguarding laws of England, Scotland, including related guidance issued by the UK government and relevant governmental departments, agencies, public bodies. If this policy is at any time inconsistent with this body of law, Walkie Dogs will act to meet the requirements of up-to-date safeguarding laws in priority to the requirements set out in this policy.
4. If you have any concerns or questions regarding our safeguarding policy at Walkie Dogs our safeguarding team can be contacted at safeguarding@walkiedogs.com

Scope of this Safeguarding Policy

1. This policy explains key aspects of how Walkie Dogs Ltd prevents harm in relation to its beneficiaries via its practices and its staff members and volunteers conduct.
2. This Safeguarding policy covers the organisation and operation of all Walkie Dogs activities involving children and adults at risk (i.e. Relevant Activities) These include:
   1. Walking events
   2. Workshops
   3. Training
   4. Marketing
3. This policy’s guidelines and obligations apply to all individuals working for or acting on behalf of Walkie Dogs activity in the UK at all levels, including senior managers, officers, employees, trainees, consultants, homeworkers, volunteers and interns (collectively ‘Staff Members’).
4. This policy does not form any part of any contract of employment or similar and Walkie Dogs may amend it at any time at our absolute discretion.

Defining Safeguarding

1. ‘Safeguarding’ is an umbrella term that refers to work (e.g. practices and procedures) aimed at preventing or responding to harm or risks of harm posed to vulnerable individuals and at promoting these individuals’ wider welfare. Safeguarding is particularly important for children and adults at risk. Most safeguarding legal obligations relate to the care of these groups and these are the groups to whom the protections set out in this policy apply. For safeguarding purposes:
   
   1. Children are individuals younger than 18 years old
   2. Adults at risk are individuals 18 years old or over in England and Wales or 16 in Scotland who have care and/or support needs and who are, because of these needs, unable to protect themselves from harm (e.g. due to illness or disability). This need not be on a permanent basis.
2. The commitments and practices contained in this safeguarding policy apply to the safeguarding of Walkie Dogs’ beneficiaries from harm caused by either.
   
   1. The activities and practices of Walkie Dogs and any conduct of its staff members or
   2. People and situations outside of Walkie Dogs Ltd and its staff members are aware of, ought to be aware of, or reasonably suspect the risk posed by a situation.
3. For the purposes of this policy, a ‘Safeguarding Concern’ is any conduct or situation that is known or reasonably suspected by a staff member or another party that risks violating the safeguarding commitments set out above.

Key Measures that Walkie Dogs is committed to implementing and maintaining to safeguarding its beneficiaries

1. Following applicable local safeguarding arrangements when safeguarding children. These arrangements include leadership and guidance issued by the safeguarding partners for a local area (i.e. the local authority, chief officers of police, and a clinical commissioning group).
2. Following applicable leadership and guidance provided by local safeguarding adults boards when safeguarding adults.
3. Ensuring that staff members are trained to, and encouraged to, report any safeguarding concerns that they identify. Staff members will be encouraged to follow Walkie Dogs’ safeguarding reporting procedures as closely as closely as possible when reporting concerns (set out under the heading ‘Procedures: Reporting’)
4. Ensuring that all staff members listen to all safeguarding-related queries and concerns raised by other staff members, beneficiaries, or relevant other parties, with respect and professionalism. Staff members should be trained how to, and encouraged to, then assist with reporting any such concerns via Walkie Dogs’ regular reporting procedures.
5. Ensuring that all reported safeguarding concerns are dealt with by appropriate individuals and teams and in accordance with Walkie Dogs’ relevant procedures (set out under the heading ‘Procedures: Investigation and Response’).
6. Implementing and maintaining comprehensive, accessible, fair, and efficient procedures for staff members to use when reporting and dealing with safeguarding concerns. These procedures will be made known and accessible to all staff members.
   
   1. Procedures will be designed to ensure all safeguarding issues are dealt with fairly and objectively even when allegations are made against one of Walkie Dogs’ staff members. Any such allegations will be treated in a manner that takes into account the gravity of the accusations, but which does not vilify or presume the guilt of an accused without a fair investigation.
   2. Any reports that qualify as protected disclosures under whistleblowing law will be treated securely and in a protected manner in line with whistleblowing law and Walkie Dogs’ whistleblowing policy.
7. Appointing Daniel James Silk to hold responsibility for managing safeguarding policies and procedures within Walkie Dogs.
8. Following appropriate recruitment processes when recruiting new staff member, including volunteers. This includes:
   
   1. Conducting all appropriate pre-employment checks (e.g. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record checks).
   2. Ensuring new staff members take part in, and understand the content of, all necessary safeguarding training before having any contact with Walkie Dogs’ beneficiaries.
   3. Following Walkie Dogs’ recruitment policy.
9. Providing appropriate safeguarding training for all relevant staff members. Every staff member should be provided with, and required to undertake, training that is appropriate to their role, responsibilities, and degree and type of conduct with beneficiaries. This should, where appropriate, include training on:
   
   1. How to define and identify potential signs of different types of abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and exploitation, neglect, and others.
   2. How to listen to and respond to concerns or disclosures about safeguarding issues during an initial conversation (e.g. how to explain when information can and cannot be confidential).
   3. How to use Walkie Dogs’ safeguarding reporting procedures and when doing so is appropriate.
   4. Which additional resources (e.g. policies, other supporting documents, or external educational resources) are available to ensure staff members remain informed about safeguarding.
10. Ensuring that all information to safeguarding concerns, including the conduct of reported concerns as well as the personal data of anybody involved, is handled safely and securely. This involves:
    
    1. Following the requirements set out by the UK’s data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
    2. Following Walkie Dogs’ data protection policies and procedures, including our Data Protection and Data Security Policy.
    3. Ensuring Staff members always have an identifiable point of conduct for questions or concerns about data protection and privacy. This is currently Daniel James Silk and can be contacted on safeguarding@walkiedogs.com.
    4. Only sharing information about a safeguarding concern internally as far as is necessary to manage the concern for the relevant beneficiary’s benefit.
11. Ensuring transparency and awareness regarding safeguarding information and procedures. For example, by:
    
    1. Providing information to beneficiaries about our safeguarding procedures so that they are aware of how to raise any concerns
    2. Ensuring all staff members are aware of safeguarding laws, Walkie Dogs’ safeguarding commitments and procedures, and staff members responsibilities in relation to these.
12. Regularly reviewing all safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that they are up-to-date with safeguarding law and that they remain suitable for Walkie Dogs’ relevant activities and workforce, and meeting any review and evaluation requirements specific to Walkie Dogs’ industry and organisation type.

Staff Members’ Responsibility (including Volunteers)

1. All staff members have a responsibility to promote the safety and wellbeing of all of Walkie Dogs beneficiaries. This means that all of Walkie Dogs’ policies and procedures relevant to safeguarding must be followed at all times.
2. All staff members must contribute to upholding the key measures that Walkie Dogs has committed to taking to safeguard its beneficiaries (set out above) to an extent that is appropriate for their role, reason abilities, and degree and type of conduct with beneficiaries. Specific ways that volunteers and staff members should do this will be clarified during training. If a staff member is uncertain as to their responsibilities, it is their responsibility to raise this with the safeguarding officer at safeguarding@walkiedogs.com.
3. Staff members must actively participate in all safeguarding training they are assigned and, if they do not understand any aspects of their training, must raise it with the safeguarding officer.
4. Staff members must never do anything to actively risk the safety or wellbeing of any Walkie Dogs’ beneficiaries. This includes, but is not limited to:
   
   1. Subjecting them to or facilitating abuse of any sort.
   2. Engaging in any sexual activity with children (i.e. anybody under the age of 18)
   3. Participating in or facilitating any activities that may commercially exploit beneficiaries, for example labour or trafficking.
5. Staff members must report all safeguarding concerns that they have regarding beneficiaries, regardless of whether the concerns relate to potential wrongdoing of other staff members, other beneficiaries, or external parties (e.g. parents, teachers, other organisations, or members of the public)

Procedures: Reporting

1. Staff members will receive safeguarding training that should enable them top identify safeguarding concerns (e.g. suspect abuse, neglect, or threats to wellbeing) relevant to Walkie Dogs’ beneficiaries.
2. If a staff member identifies a safeguarding concern, to report it they should contact the safeguarding officer on safeguarding@walkiedogs.com.
3. If a staff member feels unable to follow the above steps, they should report their safeguarding concern in a reasonable alternative manner. This may the case, for example:
   
   1. Follow the above procedure would require disclosing the concern to somebody who is implicated in the safeguarding concern or who the staff member is otherwise uncomfortable contacting about this concern, or
   2. The matter is time sensitive and involves a risk of serious harm to somebody, in which case contacting an external agency (e.g. the police, the ambulance service, or a mental health crisis line) or more senior member of Walkie Dogs’ staff first may be more appropriate.

Procedures: Investigation and Response

1. Reporting safeguarding concerns will be dealt with promptly by appropriate individuals within Walkie Dogs, in accordance with our safeguarding response procedures and safeguarding laws. Details of these procedures are available on request from safeguarding@walkiedogs.com.
2. Staff members who report a safeguarding concern will be kept informed about the matter they reported to an appropriate degree. Note that, depending on the nature of the concern and consequent investigations, some information about matters may be kept confidential and not shared with the reporter.
3. If a staff member is found to be in breach of this safeguarding law in general, they will be treated fairly and in line with Walkie Dogs’ Disciplinary Policy and/or Disciplinary Procedure.
4. Referrals or notifications to external organisations (e.g. police services, local authorities, or regulatory bodies) will be made when, and only when, this is appropriate, and will always be made in accordance with the law (e.g. data protection law).

Supporting Documents and Other Protections

1. Walkie Dogs has various other documents in place that support this safeguarding policy. These include:
   
   1. Detailed safeguarding investigation and response procedures.
   2. Safeguarding training plans and schedules.
   3. Safeguarding training materials for ongoing learning and reference.
   4. Documents setting out specific safeguarding considerations and rules that must be used during recruitment.
2. This safeguarding policy does not cover all of Walkie Dogs’ commitments relevant to protecting it’s beneficiaries. We also have other policies in place that protect our beneficiaries, staff members and/or others. These include:
   
   1. An Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy
   2. A whistleblowing Policy
   3. A Health and Safety Policy
   4. An Equal Opportunities Policy
   5. A Recruitment Policy
   6. A Data Protection and Data Security Policy
   7. A Disciplinary Procedure
3. All of the policies, procedures, and other documents aet out above on request from the person within the organisation responsible for HR matters or via staff members’ line managers.