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Safer Recruitment: Learning the Lessons from Serious Case Reviews

Safer recruitment is an effective first step in keeping dangerous people away from vulnerable children and adults and a crucial part of the safeguarding process. Safer Recruitment covers everything from writing the job description to shortlisting, checks, and references, interviewing and using induction and probation periods to ensure you have hired the right person.

It is a broad topic, but we hope we will be able to offer you some practical guidelines that you can embed into the procedures within your establishment.

It is important to note that the practices of Safer Recruitment should be applied to all individuals working with children and young  people whether paid or voluntary.  The examples listed below  focus on schools, however, the same principles apply   to sports teams, social clubs and other organised  or extra-curricular  activities that  children and  young  people  may participate  in.   

How Prevalent are Child Protection Concerns in the UK? 

Below are some key findings from the UK NSPCC research into the prevalence of severe child maltreatment, abuse at home, in school, and in the community, from adults and peers:

• 1 in 5 children in the UK have experienced severe maltreatment. Children abused by carers or parents and almost 3 times more likely to witness family violence.
• 1 in 3 children in the UK have seen sexually abused by an adult - There are strong associations are found between maltreatment, sexual abuse, physical violence and poor emotional wellbeing including both self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
• Over 73,000 recorded offences in the UK including rape, online grooming, and sexual assault against children 2019/2020 – up by 57% in the last 5 years.
• Between 2012-2018 at least 160 professionals in UK boarding schools had been charged with carrying out sexual assaults.

With these statistics in mind, it is shocking to know that 2 years is the minimum time offenders are listed on the registry in the UK and that only 15% of countries worldwide even have sex offender registry laws. These statistics set the scene and help us understand why safer recruitment is so important and to recognise the dangers schools may face.

Learning the Lessons from Serious Case Reviews*

*Please note some of this content can be upsetting

Ian Huntley

In 2002, Ian Huntley, a school caretaker in Soham, was sentenced to life imprisonment after the murders of two schoolgirls. The two 10-year-old girls, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, disappeared and after an extensive search by police, their bodies were found. Ian Huntley was the senior caretaker at a local school and Maxine Carr, Huntley’s girlfriend, was a teaching assistant at the school the girls attended.

Prior to his appointment at the school, nine allegations of sexual misconduct had been made against Ian Huntley. This information was never shared with the Soham police and the school Huntley worked for were unaware of the many complaints women filed again him none of which he had been prosecuted for. He had been described as domineering, violent and controlling, and there had also been complaints of consensual and non-consensual sexual activities with young girls, many beneath the legal age of consent.

This shocking case forced a focus on safer recruitment. After Huntley’s trial, an inquiry began and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (now known as the Disclosure and Barring Service or DBS) was launched.

Barry Bennell  

Former football coach Barry Bennell sexually abused large numbers of boys from 1970 until the early 1990s and was described by the judge at his criminal trial in February 2018 as the “devil incarnate”. During the time when he committed this abuse, Bennell was involved with several professional clubs including Manchester City, Crewe Alexandra and Stoke City.  

During the time Bennell was associated with Manchester City, the Club was not aware of allegations of his abuse. However, senior management of the Club were made aware of rumours and concerns about Bennell’s conduct yet his activities were not monitored. Members of staff were also aware that boys were staying overnight at Bennell’s house which the club did not investigate.  

Bennell used his respectable status gained through his association with professional clubs and organisations to access children and young people, where he would proceed to befriend, groom, and abuse them.  

On 17 March 2021, Clive Sheldon QC published his long-anticipated independent review into allegations of child sexual abuse in football and how sexual abuse of children was allowed to take place within the sport. Read more on the Sheldon Report   HERE.  

Richard Huckle

One of Britain’s most prolific predatory pedophiles, Huckle from Ashford, Kent, was grooming and abusing children between 2006-2014. For nearly a decade Huckle travelled around South East Asia visiting schools and orphanages, posing as an English teacher.

At the time of his arrest in 2014, the freelance photographer was compiling a manual to teach fellow pedophiles how to abuse children and avoid detection. He had even bragged online at the ease of targeting impoverished children compared with those from wealthy western backgrounds.

He was jailed in 2016 after admitting 71 charges of sexual abuse against children aged between six months and 12 years old, although his number of victims is suspected to be closer to 200.  

Safe Practice in Recruitment

Based on these serious case reviews we can conclude that there needs to be a global effort to share information on paedophiles, many of whom travel to conceal their history and prior convictions.

Safer Recruitment is the method of designing your recruitment process to deter people from applying for roles with vulnerable groups, and to identify and reject them if they do. A well-planned and structured recruitment procedure and process is vital in ensuring the best person is recruited for the role, and to determine whether someone is suitable to work with children. 

Schools have a legal responsibility to do all that they can to stop dangerous people from gaining access to their pupils and students. They are in a good position to proactively deter individuals by having checks in place, confirming and following up on professional references, requiring proof of identity, criminal checks, and contacting authorities of other countries they have lived in to ensure there is no criminal history.

DBS Checks for Under 18's

In September 2012 the UK government made it mandatory that children/young adults over the age of 16 must have a DBS check when applying or volunteering for roles that require one. Children under 16-year-olds will also require a DBS check when taking part in volunteering, part-time work or unpaid work experience which involves regulated activity with those under 18, even if the individual is also under 18 and over 16 themselves.  

3 Stages to Safer Recruitment 

• Deter  - to stop unsuitable people from applying for a position. Sending out clear messages in job advertisements that your organisation has strict recruitment policies in place to protect vulnerable children and young people
• Identify and Reject  - unsuitable people lie to get close to children, any details they give must be checked, cross-referenced and applicants screened
• Prevent and Reject - follow up with a rigorous induction and probation period to check the right person has been appointed. Continue to train staff and promote a safe culture within your organisation. Check out the training we offer for Safer Recruitment. 

Laws and Policies to ensure everyone is treated fairly

You want to ensure that your organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and you will expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. It is vital for all members of staff to have copies of these policies.

• Safer Recruitment Policy – robust policies that cover the recruitment process
• Equality and Diversity – The Equality Act to ensures equal opportunities and that everyone is treated fairly and considerately
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Policy – part of DBS code of practice, any work involving children means previous offences must be disclosed
• Whistleblowing Policy – provides members of staff with guidance on how to raise concerns internally and confidentially

The Single Central Record

The Single Central Record (SCR) is a register that records all the essential recruitment checks that are undertaken prior to a person being appointed to a role.

It is important all staff are checked; full-time staff as well as part-time, including teacher trainees on salaried routes. For support staff make sure to request written confirmation from any third parties that this individual has passed their checks. Under no circumstance should a volunteer be left alone with children if no checks have been obtained and the same applies to Governors who also work as volunteers.  All activities involving r elatives ,  guardians , visitors and contractors  on school premises must be supervised . 

It is also important for organisations to have policies for school trips, sports events where chaperons are necessary, overnight stays and  any other organised or extra-curricular activities that children and young people may participate in.  

Remaining Vigilant 

While using a safer recruitment process gets you a long way towards helping to protect vulnerable people, it can never guarantee child safety completely and should be part of the wider safeguarding process. Have clear safeguarding policies and procedures and ensure that all staff and volunteers are aware of them and understand them. This includes processes for reporting concerns, ensuring that everyone knows what they are and that they are responsible for following them.  All staff should feel confident that they could spot warning signs and feel empowered to report any concerns they  may  have. 

Never think that enough has been done to ensure a safe culture, learn from experience and if necessary, adapt your policies and procedures accordingly. 

25th March 2021

Related resources

Safer Recruitment and the SCR

Effective Safeguarding Starts with Safer Recruitment

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Reengineering the Recruitment Process

The skills needed in many roles are continually changing—and sources of talent are too.

The Covid-19 pandemic has upended many traditional business practices. When it comes to recruiting, the crisis has not so much disrupted as accelerated shifts in the talent landscape that were already under way, leaving many companies poorly served by their current hiring practices. In a period of steep unemployment, it might seem that companies looking to add workers would be in the driver’s seat. But job openings have also been rising in recent months, meaning that competition for top talent remains keen—and in uncertain times, bringing on the right people is more important than ever.

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Case Study: Why Effective Safer Recruitment Practices are so Important

Time and time again, we hear about safeguarding failures which have led to the abuse of children. That’s why it’s vital that educational settings implement effective safeguarding and safer recruitment processes to address these issues and to protect the pupils in their care. Regrettably, abuse is often conducted by trusted individuals, who are usually in a position of authority, as was the case in the example against Bishop Peter Ball.

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Select a topic to find the most up to date, practical information and resources produced by our experts to support you in your professional life.

• Health & Safety

What is Safer Recruitment?

Any organisation that works with vulnerable groups has a responsibility to safeguard them and ensure their well-being. All children and vulnerable adults deserve to live in a safe environment that promotes their health and development and is free from abuse, maltreatment and exploitation.

Part of developing this environment is ensuring that all staff members, whether paid or voluntary, are suitable for a position working with vulnerable people.

Ian Huntley

In 2003, Ian Huntley, a school caretaker in Soham, was sentenced to life imprisonment after the murders of two schoolgirls. Prior to his appointment at the school, nine allegations of sexual misconduct had been made against him. This information was never shared with the Soham police.

This shocking case forced a focus on safer recruitment . After Huntley’s trial, an inquiry to ‘urgently enquire into child protection procedures in the Humberside Police and Cambridgeshire Constabulary’ began and the Independent Safeguarding Authority (now known as the Disclosure and Barring Service) was launched.

Safer recruitment is the method of designing your recruitment process to deter unsuitable applicants from applying for roles with vulnerable groups, and to identify and reject them if they do.

The hard truth is that unsuitable individuals, like Ian Huntley, can exist in any job role, including in voluntary and care positions. Additionally, abusers are often skilled at hiding their intentions and behaviour. These individuals might regard your job advertisement as their chance to access vulnerable people. What’s more, many children and vulnerable adults will never speak out if something happens to them.

Both children and vulnerable adults have the right to live free from harm. Therefore, one of your most important responsibilities is to ensure that unsuitable individuals are not  allowed to work with vulnerable groups.  This is the role of safer recruitment.

To carry out a safer recruitment process, you must:

• Inform candidates of your commitment to safeguarding those in your care.
• Carefully plan your recruitment process timeline. This will ensure that you have enough time to thoroughly vet each candidate.
• Detail that applicants will have to undergo strict vetting procedures before appointment. You must make note on your job advert of all the checks you will carry out.
• Carry out pre-employment checks . This includes DBS checks, qualification checks, reference checks and identity checks. To understand more about the various types of DBS checks you might carry out depending on the role, have a look at our article: who needs a DBS check for work?
• Ensure staff members are appropriately trained for their duties.

This is not an exhaustive list of how to carry out a safer recruitment process. For more information, have a look at our  Safer Recruitment Training or Safer Recruitment in Education Training , depending on your needs.

Safer Recruitment Policy Template

Before you start recruiting, you should have both a recruitment policy and a safer recruitment policy in place. Doing so will outline your commitment to fair and focused hiring practices and safeguarding those in your care.

What to Include in a Safer Recruitment Policy Template

Your safer recruitment policy should include:

• A policy statement. Outline your commitment to safeguarding and state that you are invested in promoting the welfare of the vulnerable individuals.
• The aims and objectives of your policy. Your overall aim should be to ‘ deter unsuitable applicants from applying for roles with vulnerable groups ‘,  but you should expand on this.  Detail that your organisation will ensure all candidates are treated fairly, consistently and in compliance with all relevant legislation.
• Your recruitment and selection procedures. In this section you should outline the various steps of your recruitment process, including advertising, application forms, job descriptions, references, interviews, offer of recruitment and rejections. Explain the safer recruitment practices you will enforce in each stage of the recruitment process and the steps you will take to ensure the practices are adhered to.
• Information on pre-employment checks, such as DBS checks . You should include an outline of the pre-employment checks you will carry out, including details of when you will ask for them, the process of obtaining the certificates, the identity checks you will carry out and what action you will take if someone is signed up to the DBS Update Service.
• Details of your on-boarding process. In this section you should outline the steps you will take to properly induct new staff members, including volunteers, contractors and agency workers.
• A final statement reiterating your commitment to safeguarding and when your policy will be reviewed.

Who Needs Safer Recruitment Training?

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults should be your first priority. Therefore, if your organisation works with children, young people or vulnerable adults, you must ensure you follow safer recruitment procedures and have the appropriate training. It’s essential that anyone who is responsible for the hiring and/or supervising of new staff members has taken the relevant safer recruitment training. This includes, but is not limited to, the hiring of full-time, part-time and voluntary workers for:

• Care homes and children’s homes.
• Nurseries and schools.
• Sports clubs.
• Veterinary surgeries.

How Long is Safer Recruitment Training Valid?

High Speed Training’s safer recruitment training is valid for 3 years, in line with UK safeguarding guidance. For more information have a look at our  Safer Recruitment Online Training Course and  Safer Recruitment in Education Training .

Further Resources:

• Safer Recruitment Training
• How to Check Safer Recruitment References 
• Do I Need a DBS Check for Work?

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Recruiting safely during coronavirus

We know there are many challenges with recruiting staff and volunteers at the moment. Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions are easing across the UK, but it’s still not always possible to meet candidates in person. It can also be difficult managing vetting and barring checks, for example if referees aren’t available in the same way as usual or if you can’t check identification as you normally would.

But children’s welfare remains paramount. Whether paid or volunteering, it’s important to make sure that everybody working with children or young people is suitable to do so.

We’ve put together some guidance to help you recruit safely throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

This step-by-step guide will take you through:

• choosing the right candidate
• vetting, disclosure and barring checks
• starting employment.

Want to find out more?

Our guidance on safer recruitment can help you make sure the people you recruit are suitable to work with children.

View our guidance

Online training

Take our online safer recruitment courses to find out what you need to know when recruiting someone to work with children and young people.

Education sector

Other sectors

Choosing the right person

Before you start the recruitment process, take time out to consider how it will work and what you need to put in place. For example, what are the logistics of shortlisting and carrying out interviews without being able to meet people face-to-face?

Think about how you will train, support and supervise new employees once they have started. Do you have the capacity to do this remotely if people are working from home? How will this work in practice?

Your school, organisation or group should have a safer recruitment policy and procedures which you can follow. Consider how you can adapt to the current circumstances whilst still following your policy and procedures, for example by using video conferencing technology to carry out remote interviewing.

> Find out more about writing a safer recruitment policy and procedures

Here’s what to take into consideration when recruiting new staff or volunteers during this time.

Advertising the role

It’s important to advertise the role accurately. Your job advert should include a statement about your commitment to keeping children safe and you should make it clear that you follow safe recruitment practices.

If the role requires a criminal records check, this should be stated in the advert.

Shortlisting

You should make sure you still have a fair process for shortlisting and that you follow the same criteria for each candidate. Consider how you can use technology to shortlist effectively, for example by having a video call with the panel.

Remember that any information about applicants, including application forms, should be shared securely.

Self-disclosure forms

Self-disclosure forms give candidates the opportunity to tell you confidentially about any unspent criminal convictions, child protection investigations or disciplinary procedures they have on their record. If the role requires an enhanced criminal records check, you should also ask applicants to disclose any unprotected spent convictions and cautions.

Applicants should send completed self-disclosure forms in advance of an interview. You should only check the forms of candidates who have accepted a conditional offer.

> Learn more about self-disclosure forms

> View our example self-disclosure forms

Plan the interview process in advance so that it’s fair for each candidate and everyone is asked the same questions. Think about how you will find out about people’s values and attitudes towards working with children and young people.

There should be at least two people on an interview panel and you should use video conferencing technology to ensure interviews can still be carried out face-to-face.

> Find out more about interviewing for roles working with children

Confidentiality

You need to ensure that applicants can submit application and self-disclosure forms securely. Any forms and information will need to be shared securely with those involved in the recruitment process and stored safely by your organisation.

If you’re recruiting remotely, make sure that all meetings to shortlist applicants and the interviews are confidential. If the panel are working from home, make sure that they can’t be overheard by other members of their household. You should also consider their surroundings, for example the background should be neutral.

You also need to plan how you will destroy any confidential records relating to recruitment in line with your organisation’s safer recruitment procedures.

Young volunteers

You might have young volunteers who want to get involved with your organisation during the pandemic. You should make sure they are recruited safely and supported throughout the process.

> Find out more about recruiting young volunteers

Vetting, disclosure and barring checks

You should carry out appropriate checks to make sure the people you recruit are suitable to work or volunteer with children and young people, whether this is happening online or face-to-face.

You should get at least two references for a candidate. It’s best practice to send a standardised form to referees, to ensure you get all the information you need. Make sure you send any forms securely.

If a referee is unable to give a reference because they have been furloughed, consider if there’s someone else in the organisation who could give a suitable reference.

You could arrange to speak to referees over the phone as well as getting written references to help verify that references are accurate.

Right to work

Even if the role is not paid, you may need to carry out a right to work check. The Home Office has published guidance on carrying out right to work checks during coronavirus (Home Office, 2020).

Checking self-disclosure forms

You should only check self-disclosure forms once a candidate has accepted a conditional offer. Review the information and assess whether the candidate is suitable for the role and your organisation.

Criminal records checks

You must carry out the necessary criminal records checks before appointing someone to a role that involves working or volunteering with children. You need to ensure the people you’re recruiting don’t have anything on their record that makes them unsuitable to work with children and young people.

Staff or volunteers who are undertaking regulated activity in England , Northern Ireland and Wales will need enhanced with barred list checks.

Regulated activity with children means carrying out any of the below activities frequently or with intensity (more than three days in a 30-day period or overnight).

• Unsupervised activities: teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children; providing advice/guidance on wellbeing, or driving a vehicle only for children.
• Working for a limited range of ‘specified places’ with the opportunity for contact with children and young people, for example schools, children’s homes, childcare premises.
• Unsupervised intimate or personal care of children.
• Health care (including by a registered health professional).

In Scotland , anyone carrying out regulated work with children needs to undergo a Protected Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check. Regulated work with children can be paid or voluntary. It usually involves:

• working directly with children
• teaching or supervising children
• providing personal services to children
• caring responsibilities.

The frequency and intensity requirement doesn’t apply in Scotland.

> Find out more about regulated work and activity

Usually, you need to check a candidate’s identification documents face-to-face in order to apply for a criminal record check and the checker must be in physical possession of the original documents.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) has published guidance for employers in England and Wales on checking identification while limiting in-person contact during coronavirus (DBS, 2020a).

Fast-track emergency criminal records checks are also available for certain sectors whose work is vital to the coronavirus response. We’ve summarised the guidance about these in the next tab.

What to do if vetting checks raise concerns

If any concerns are raised from references or vetting checks, your organisation should assess whether the candidate is suitable for working with children.

You must pass on information to relevant authorities as necessary, such as the criminal records agency, professional bodies or police.

> Learn more about this in our online course

What do to if you can’t gather all the information you need

If you have been unable get all the necessary checks and references, you will need to complete a risk assessment to decide if it’s safe to appoint new staff or volunteers.

If there are gaps in someone’s employment history, or you’ve been unable to contact referees, consider if there is someone else who could provide a reference for this time, such as an organisation the candidate has volunteered with.

Use your risk assessment to decide whether the information you have received is sufficient, or whether you would be unable to safely appoint that individual at this moment in time.

> Learn more about what to do if vetting checks raise concerns

Fast-track criminal records checks

Some changes have been made to the systems for criminal records checking in each UK nation to help speed up the process of hiring people who are necessary for the coronavirus response.

This includes:

• health professionals
• those working in children’s social care.

Fast-track emergency checks for health and social care roles

England and wales.

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is offering free criminal record checks for people applying to work or volunteer in some healthcare and social care roles (DBS, 2020b).

For eligible roles involving regulated activity the DBS can provide a free ‘fast-track’ check to see if the candidate has been barred from working with children and vulnerable adults (DBS, 2020b).

Northern Ireland

Health and social care employers recruiting staff or volunteers in regulated activity can get free emergency barred list checks from AccessNI. This checks whether an individual is on the list of people barred from working with children.

If the individual is not barred from working with children, they can start work provided their employer has:

• applied for a full enhanced disclosure check
• put appropriate supervision in place until the full check has been obtained.

A candidate cannot start employment without confirmation that they are not on the barred list or having undergone a full enhanced disclosure check (Department of Health, 2020).

Disclosure Scotland is providing free criminal records checks for coronavirus response workers. These are people who:

• only need a disclosure because of their coronavirus work
• are in a role that only exists in response to coronavirus
• are working in a qualifying sector

(Disclosure Scotland, 2021).

Starting employment 

The induction process is particularly important when recruiting remotely.

Recognising and responding to abuse

Make sure all new staff and volunteers understand your safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures, and know what to do if they are worried about a child. If you update or amend your child protection policy in light of the current situation, any changes or updates should be shared with all staff and volunteers.

> Learn more about updating your child protection policy

> Read more about recognising and responding to abuse

All staff and volunteers who will be working with children should complete child protection training as part of the induction process.

> Find out more about our introductory child protection training

Our online safeguarding awareness course for people who enter or visit families’ homes helps people recognise and respond to the signs of abuse and neglect. We’re temporarily making this course free so everyone making deliveries or offering doorstep support to families can learn what to do to protect a child during this challenging time.

> Take our free online course

Codes of conduct

It’s important that all staff and volunteers know how to behave when they’re working with children and young people. Set out your expectations clearly.

Make sure new staff and volunteers read and understand your organisation’s code of conduct . This should include appropriate behaviour when working with children and young people online.

If you’re still working remotely with children and young people, or using a blend of online and face-to-face activities, staff and volunteers need to understand how to communicate safely.

And if you run an online community for children and young people, you need to fully train your staff and volunteers to make sure the environment is safe.

> Read more about online safety during the pandemic

> Find out more about social media and online safety

> Take our online training on online community management

Supervision

You should make sure new staff and volunteers are supervised. As well as giving them support until they are confident in their new role, it helps ensure they are behaving appropriately around children and young people.

You should do this regardless of whether your new recruits are working face-to-face or remotely with children and young people.

It’s best practice for an adult not to be on their own with children. However, in some settings, for example in teaching, an adult will regularly be on their own with a class or group. And if you’re providing counselling or therapeutic support, work needs to be done one-to-one.

You should never let staff and volunteers work unsupervised with children and young people unless it is safe to do so. This includes making sure all relevant vetting and barring checks have been carried out.

> Find out more about working safely alone with children

Checking suitability

You should arrange to meet new starters in person, as soon as it is safe to do so. This will enable you to double check that a candidate is suitable. This includes viewing original identification documents, right to work documents and criminal record check certificates. You should also have in-person meetings or reviews and observe the person working with children. You might also want to have a longer induction/probation while your patterns of working settle down.

You should continue to monitor all your staff and volunteers even when their induction has finished. Make sure they continue to follow your safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures. If anyone behaves in a way that’s inappropriate towards a child you must take the necessary action.

> Find out more about preventing abuse by people in a position of trust or authority

You might have young volunteers who want to get involved with your organisation during the pandemic.

> Find out more about how to support them and keep them safe

> View our safer recruitment guidance

> Take our online training on safer recruitment in education

> Take our online training on safer recruitment (non-education)

Department of Health (2020) COVID-19: pre-employment vetting guidance: health and social care providers (PDF) . Belfast: Department of Health.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (2020a) COVID-19: changes to DBS ID checking guidelines . [Accessed 19/04/2021].

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (2020b) COVID-19: free-of-charge DBS applications and fast-track Barred List check service . [Accessed 19/04/2021].

Home Office (2020) Coronavirus (COVID-19): right to work checks . [Accessed 19/04/2021].

Use our guidance to help set up and review your organisation's safe recruitment processes.

Safer recruitment training

Training to help you make sure you're recruiting the right staff and volunteers to work with children and young people.

Safer recruitment in education training

Want to ensure that you're recruiting the right people to work with children and young people in your school, academy or college?

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Safeguarding case studies

This set of case studies has been produced by Bond and its members to share how NGOs address the complex issues or difficult considerations around doing safeguarding well.

These case studies complement the sector’s 2018  commitment to change in safeguarding , which pulls together Bond members’ work to improve their safeguarding policies and practices. They also demonstrate how the NGO sector drives forwards consistency and leadership on safeguarding.

• Working with partners to safeguard children and adults at risk  – ChildHope’s approach to safeguarding
• How feminist leadership can enhance safeguarding   – ActionAid’s pioneering use of feminist leadership principles
• Using the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme  – Oxfam’s approach to implementing safer recruitment procedures
• Adopting a survivor-led approach  – The International Rescue Committee’s approach to responding to disclosures
• Safeguarding children with disabilities  –  Deaf Child Worldwide’s approach to support and safeguard children with deafness
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