safeguarding policy
1. Overview
Safeguarding means protecting the welfare and human rights of people that interact with, or are affected by, Movember, particularly those that might be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation. Safeguarding refers to any responsibility or measure undertaken to protect a person from harm.The purpose of this policy is to help protect people that interact with, or are affected by Movember.
This includes harm arising from:
- The conduct of staff or personnel associated with Movember.
- The design and implementation of Movember programs or activities.
The policy is primarily focused on safeguarding vulnerable adults as we regularly come into contact with this group in the course of our work. There are some references to safeguarding children within the policy and for the avoidance of doubt, the principles in Section 5. apply to our contact with children also.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all Movember employees, contractors, volunteers, Board and Board Committee members.
3. Roles & Responsibilities
MOVEMBER BOARD
- Ensures that Movember has an appropriate safeguarding policy in place.
- Sets a tone of supporting the culture of safeguarding, when interacting with staff or external parties.
- Provides an escalation point for complaints about the CEO in relation to safeguarding activities.
- Owns and approves the policy.
- Ensures the culture of the Movember promotes the safeguarding of people.
- Provide adequate support and direction to key staff in relation to safeguarding.
- Provide support to Country Directors where matters relating to safeguarding need to be escalated, or where support is needed.
- Reviewing and updating this policy annually, in line with legislative and organisational developments.
- Promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.
- Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy.
- Ensure all staff, volunteers and carers will have access to information about how to report concerns or allegations of abuse, including those who may be an adult at risk themselves.
- Ensure all staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in Movember.
- Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process.
- Promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.
- Are required to adhere to this policy and Movember Code of Conduct at all times.
- Treat all people with respect, including vulnerable adults and children.
- Report any incident (refer to Section 6) when it is reasonable to suspect that a person’s safety or welfare is at risk
- Are responsible for promoting awareness of this policy within their divisions, departments or teams.
4. terms & definitions
Key terms and phrases used within this document.Policy - A statement of instruction that sets out the guiding principles.
Procedure - A statement or instruction that sets out how our policies will be implemented and by whom.
Vulnerable adults – This is defined as:
- any person aged 18 years and over, and
- who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental health issues, learning or physical disability, sensory impairment, or unable to protect themselves due to age or illness, and/or
- persons we suspect are at risk of suicide through available information at hand; and/or
- persons who may be unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or serious exploitation.
Child – A person who is under the age of 18.
Abuse, neglect or exploitation - All forms of physical and mental abuse, exploitation, coercion or ill-treatment.
This might include, for example:
- Sexual harassment, bullying or abuse;
- Sexual criminal offences and serious sexual criminal offences;
- Threats of, or actual violence, verbal, emotional or social abuse;
- Financial abuse;
- Cultural or identity abuse, such as racial, sexual or gender-based discrimination or hate crime;
- Coercion and exploitation. Abuse of power.
Reasonable grounds to suspect - a situation where a person has some information that leads them believe that abuse, neglect or exploitation has taken place, is taking place, or may take place. Reasonable grounds requires a low burden of proof, based on how the reasonable person would evaluate the situation. Whether they have ‘reasonable grounds to suspect’ might include:
- Could you explain to another person why you suspect something? This helps to make sure that your suspicion is based on information, even if you have no proof.
- Would another objective person, with the same information, come to the same conclusion? This helps to make sure that your suspicion is objective and satisfies the reasonable grounds standard.
This policy does not cover:
Sexual harassment in the workplace – this is dealt with under the Movember Workplace Behaviours Policy.
5. PRINCIPLES FOR MANAGING SAFEGUARDING RISK
- Movember commits to promoting and protecting the welfare and human rights of people that interact with, or are affected by, our work - particularly those that may be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation;
- Movember will seek to safeguard children and vulnerable adults by valuing, listening to and respecting them;
- Consider the ALEC principle (ask, listen, encourage action, check in);
- We have no tolerance for abuse, neglect or exploitation. We will not tolerate staff or partners taking a bullying or aggressive tone when liaising with our community or the men and women we serve;
- We are committed to seek appropriate permission for images of Indigenous and First Nations people, and respect the cultural sensitives relating to how these images are published.
- This policy does not override the need to obtain ethics approvals (per local jurisdiction requirements) for research projects that involve children and adults at risk.
- Ethics guidelines in local jurisdictions must be considered when evaluating programs that involve children or adults at risk.
- We are committed to treating donors fairly. Movember complies with relevant codes of practice issued by the respecting fundraising regulators in each market;
- Concerns or allegations of abuse or neglect will always be taken seriously and investigated;
- Movember will not knowingly recruit staff, volunteers or other representatives to roles in which they pose a known risk to the safety or wellbeing of vulnerable adults and children;
- The mental health and physical health of our community and the men we serve is critically important to us. We will ensure that:
- Operations staff are trained in receiving calls and emails from vulnerable adults;
- No member of the community is asked to share personal stories if we believe doing so will cause them further psychological harm;
- We will observe the behaviour of known vulnerable adults that visit Movember offices or are involved in Movember events, and refer them to support services if required.
- Staff and long-term contractors are subject to police checks and provide references when they commence employment.
- Staff that execute fundraising or program activities directly and in-person with children or at risk adults are subject to additional working-with-children checks (based on local regulations in each market);
- Australia (Victoria) - Working With Children Check
- Canada – Vulnerable Sector Check (PVSC)
- Ireland – Garda Vetting Check
- NZ – Children’s Worker Safety Check
- UK – Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS)
- USA - Additional working-with-children checks not required
- Failure to report to a relevant person suspicions of abuse relating to someone else is a breach of Movember policy, and could lead to disciplinary action being taken. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no obligation placed on any individual to report any incident that has happened to them.
6. MANAGING SAFEGUARDING INCIDENTS
Harassment, abuse, neglect and exploitation are all serious misconduct and Movember reserves the right to:- Take disciplinary action against those it believes are responsible, which may include dismissal;
- Take civil legal action; and/or
- Report the matter to law enforcement.
All staff, volunteers and third parties must, as soon as practicable, report any suspicion that an incident has taken place, may be taking place, or could take place.
They may do this through direct reporting to:
- Their manager;
- Any member of HR, and/or
- Any member of the ELT including the CEO.
EXTERNAL REPORTING
Movember will:
- Report any suspicion of a criminal offence to the police or the relevant criminal judicial body;
- Report any appropriate safeguarding issues to the relevant local authority;
- Report any qualifying matter to the local regulatory body.
7. complaints involving multiple agencies
In some cases, third party agencies come into contact with vulnerable adults or children – for example PR and media agencies may be hired to share personal stories from our community.All partners and contractors of Movember must:
- Implement the provisions of this policy in their dealings with Movember and with our Community;
- Report any suspicion that an incident may have taken place, is taking place, or could take place.
- It is the responsibility of the Movember employee engaging the third party to provide adequate briefing of this Policy.
