1. Purpose
Sherwood Dales Neighbourhood Watch and Community Group (“Sherwood Dales”) is committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all members of the community. This policy sets out how we safeguard children, vulnerable adults and elderly residents who may come into contact with our activities.
We recognise our responsibility to act appropriately if concerns arise and to ensure our volunteers understand boundaries, responsibilities and good practice.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all:
- Committee members.
- Volunteers.
- Activities organised, supported or promoted by Sherwood Dales.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Residents’ meetings, AGMs and consultations.
- Community engagement, awareness and crime-prevention activities.
- Door-knocking, leafleting and neighbour support schemes.
- “Notify a Neighbour” and similar informal support initiatives.
- Informal social gatherings linked to community cohesion.
- Volunteer task forces, including:
- Gardening, weeding and light environmental improvement activities in public, communal or shared spaces.
- Community speed-monitoring or speed-awareness activities, such as observing, recording or measuring vehicle speeds for awareness or reporting purposes only.
- Minor, non-specialist assistance to residents, such as:
- Changing a light bulb.
- Checking a smoke alarm.
All activities are undertaken on a voluntary, non-commercial basis.
Sherwood Dales does not carry out enforcement, regulated care, professional services or commercial activity.
All activities are subject to this safeguarding policy and appropriate risk assessments.
3. Our Approach to Safeguarding
Sherwood Dales:
- Does not provide regulated care services.
- Does not supervise children as an organised activity.
- Does not provide medical, personal care or professional services.
Safeguarding is therefore preventative and boundary-based, focused on:
- Reducing risk.
- Encouraging safe behaviour.
- Responding appropriately if concerns arise.
4. Children
- Children under 18 may attend activities only when accompanied by a parent or responsible adult, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
- Volunteers must never take responsibility for supervising children.
- Volunteers should avoid unnecessary one-to-one situations with children. Where brief one-to-one contact is unavoidable (for example, if a child becomes separated from their parent or carer at an event), this should take place in a public setting, be time-limited, and be reported to a parent, carer or committee member as soon as possible.
- Any safeguarding concern relating to a child must be reported promptly in line with Section 10.
5. Vulnerable and Elderly Adults
Some residents may be vulnerable due to age, disability, illness, cognitive impairment or temporary circumstances.
Volunteers must:
- Treat all residents with dignity and respect.
- Avoid creating dependency.
- Where possible, avoid prolonged or unnecessary one-to-one situations. Where one-to-one assistance is unavoidable (for example, minor help inside a resident’s home), volunteers should ensure the interaction is transparent, time-limited, clearly consented to by the resident, and restricted to the agreed task only.
- Volunteers must not routinely handle personal finances, keys or sensitive documents.
Limited exceptions may occur only where:
- A resident has explicitly requested assistance.
- The assistance is for a specific, short-term task (for example, collecting shopping or accessing a property via a resident-controlled key-safe).
- The arrangement is clearly agreed in advance and restricted to the agreed task only.
In all such cases, volunteers must not:
- Handle bank cards, PINs or financial accounts.
- Retain keys or key-safe codes.
- Enter into ongoing, unsupervised or open-ended arrangements.
Volunteers are encouraged, where practical, to inform another volunteer or committee member when handling money or accessing a property.
6. Entering People’s Homes
Volunteers may occasionally be asked to assist residents inside their homes (e.g. changing a light bulb).
In these situations:
- Entry should be avoided unless necessary.
- Volunteers should avoid entering a home alone where possible.
- Consent must be clear and explicit.
- Tasks must be minor, low-risk and non-specialist.
- Volunteers must not:
- Use ladders beyond basic step stools.
- Carry out electrical, gas, plumbing or structural work.
- Handle medication or medical equipment.
- Volunteers should leave immediately if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Participation is always optional.
7. Medical Assistance
- Volunteers must not provide medical assistance unless they are appropriately trained and confident to do so.
- Volunteers must never administer medication.
- In an emergency:
- Call emergency services (999).
- Provide reassurance.
- Provide first aid only if fully trained.
- Any medical incident should be reported to the committee.
8. Code of Conduct
Volunteers must:
- Act in the best interests of the community.
- Maintain appropriate boundaries.
- Avoid physical contact unless necessary for safety.
- Respect confidentiality, while understanding that safeguarding concerns override confidentiality.
- Report concerns promptly.
9. Photography and Online Communication
We may share photographs of community activities, including gardening and social events, on our public website and social media accounts.
Before photographing someone for publicity or publishing an identifiable image, we will explain where it will be used and obtain their permission. For children under 18, we will obtain permission from a parent or carer and, where they can understand, the child’s agreement. We will respect anyone’s decision not to be photographed and ensure that this does not prevent them from taking part.
We will avoid publishing details that could put someone at risk, such as a child’s full name, home address, school or regular whereabouts. We will not publish images that compromise anyone’s dignity or reveal sensitive circumstances.
We will keep a simple record of permission. Requests to remove photographs should be directed to the committee. We will act promptly to remove content we control when requested. When obtaining permission, we will explain that public images may be copied or shared by others and that we may not be able to remove those copies.
We will maintain the same respectful boundaries online as in person and use authorised community channels for group business. We will not use personal social media accounts to develop private contact with children through our volunteer roles. Where contact with a child is necessary, we will involve their parent or carer and keep the communication transparent to the committee.
We will report any concerning message, image or interaction through the procedures in sections 10 and 11. Our online channels are not continuously monitored and must not be relied on for emergency assistance.
10. Reporting Concerns
Any safeguarding concern, however minor it may seem, should be reported promptly in line with Section 11.
If there is immediate danger:
- Contact emergency services first.
11. Safeguarding Responsibility
Overall responsibility for safeguarding sits with the Sherwood Dales Committee.
Safeguarding concerns should be raised with:
- A Committee Member, or
- The Chair or Co-Chair, where appropriate.
The Committee will:
- Take concerns seriously.
- Act proportionately and appropriately.
- Escalate concerns to statutory authorities where required.
12. Review
This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if activities change.
Last updated: 23rd September 2026.