The purpose of the podcast is to raise awareness of safeguarding. You should listen if you are a member of staff, a volunteer or a trustee in the voluntary sector. We have been joined by a range of guests from organisations in Northamptonshire.

The series has been produced with NLive Radio and NAVCA, with guests Amarjit Pawar from Right Resolution CIC, Caroline Gooch from Age UK Northampton, Natriece Westwood from NDAS (Northampton Domestic Abuse Service), Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults Board, Jane Geraghty, NSAB Independent Scrutineer, Michelle Wright, Team Manager for Safeguarding and Assurance, North Northants Council, and Angela Dempsey Chief Nurse for Northamptonshire CCG.

In addition to a short introduction, our episodes will cover a number of topics including:

Roles and responsibilities

• How to involve everyone in safeguarding
• When and why organisations might want a designated safeguarding lead
• The role of boards/ trustees/ management committees in safeguarding
• How do organisations ensure that everyone is safe, and that all staff and volunteers take responsibility for keeping others safe?

Policies and procedures

• What policies and procedures should organisations have (proportionate to size and the nature of their work)
• How to make sure everyone in the organisation is familiar with the policies and procedures and comfortable using them

Risk, recognising, responding and reporting

• Who is at risk and how this relates to organisation’s own responsibilities around safeguarding
• Understand and recognise the different types of harm and abuse
• Know what actions to take re safeguarding concerns, disclosures or allegations
• How to report different types of incidents and safeguarding concerns

Recruitment and criminal record checks

• What should organisations consider during the recruitment and induction of volunteers and staff?
• What are Criminal Records checks, how to use them, and how not to.