Safeguarding Policy

1. Introduction

The Charity’s objects are to advance knowledge and improve skills in financial capacities and capabilities, in particular but not exclusively through the provision of grants and promotion of research and dissemination of such research.

The Charity will work in partnership with organisations and charities that fulfil its charitable objectives. The Charity itself will not have direct regular contact with children or vulnerable people, therefore, when identifying potential partners the Charity will check their safeguarding policies, records and practice. Safeguarding is defined as the range of measures in place to protect people in the Charity or those it comes into contact with from abuse or maltreatment of any kind.

The Charity is committed to ensuring that it provides a safe and trusted environment which safeguards and promotes the welfare and wellbeing of anyone who comes into contact with the Charity, including its consultants, employees, Trustees and other volunteers, partners, donors and beneficiaries, and other stakeholders.

The Trustees recognise that they are ultimately responsible for ensuring that those benefiting from, or working with, the Charity, are not harmed through contact with it and are treated in a safe, respectful, and appropriate manner. This responsibility relates in particular to young people (i.e. those under 18 years of age) and vulnerable persons including the elderly and adults at risk.

2. Scope

This safeguarding policy (the Policy) applies to all consultants, employees (where applicable), Trustees and other volunteers, as well as any other person associated with the Charity.

This Policy aims to deter, minimise and remove opportunities for the abuse of those who come into contact with the Charity and its work, in particular children, young people and adults at risk; and provide consultants, employees, Trustees and other volunteers with the overarching principles that guide the Charity’s approach to safeguarding.

The Chairperson of the Charity, and the *Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Trustee are required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS check).

As a grant-making charity, the Charity recognises that safeguarding risks primarily arise through the activities of organisations it funds or partners with. The Charity therefore seeks to mitigate these risks through due diligence, grant conditions, and appropriate oversight and reporting arrangements.

3. Other policies

This Policy should be read in conjunction with any other applicable operational policies, which may be adopted by the Charity from time to time.

The Charity’s policies are held centrally by the Charity,

4. Summary of Key Safeguarding Responsibilities

The Charity acknowledges the importance of the Charity Commission’s guidance on safeguarding and the following safeguarding requirements:

  • providing a safe and trusted environment which safeguards consultants, employees, Trustees and other volunteers and any other person associated with the Charity,
  • setting an organisational culture that prioritises safeguarding, so that it is safe for those affected to come forward and report incidents and concerns with the assurance they will be handled sensitively and properly;
  • having adequate safeguarding policies, procedures and measures to protect people; and
  • providing clarity as to how incidents and allegations will be handled should they arise, including reporting to the relevant authorities, such as the Charity Commission.

The Trustees recognise that it is their responsibility to set the overarching principles and governance strategies that guide the Charity’s approach to safeguarding.

5. Policy Statement

Safeguarding and promoting well-being and welfare means protecting the rights of persons to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

The Charity believes that all persons, without exception, have the right to protection from bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), physical or emotional abuse and exploitation and takes a zero-tolerance approach to these behaviours. Discrimination, prejudice or oppressive behaviour or language in relation to any of the following are not acceptable: race, colour, sex, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.

The Charity acknowledges that safeguarding does not encompass only the prevention of physical abuse but also the protection of people from harm generally, including neglect, emotional abuse, exploitation and the consequences of the misuse of personal data.

6. Partner Organisations

As part of its due diligence in relation to potential partner organisations with which the Charity may fund or partner, the Charity will seek confirmation that such organisations have in place adequate safeguarding arrangements, including appropriate policies and mechanisms to provide assurance on compliance.

Partners must have safeguarding policies and procedures that meet appropriate legal and sector standards and are consistent with the principles of this policy.

The Charity is committed to supporting Grantees in safeguarding issues but may refuse or immediately withdraw funding commitments in the most serious cases of failure of safeguarding.

7. Procedures

The Trustees will ensure there are adequate Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Speak Up and Listen Up policies and procedures in place for the Charity and its work and will review these, along with their application, regularly.

If a consultant, employee, Trustee or other volunteers have or are made aware of a safeguarding concern, this should be reported as soon as possible. The report should include:

  • Names and contact information (unless remaining anonymous)
  • A description of the incident of concern
  • Names of individuals involved (if known)
  • Date, time, and location of the incident
  • Any supporting evidence or documentation

Reports should be made through any of the following methods:

Email: 
concern@CISIFutureFoundation.onmicrosoft.com

Post:
Chairperson and/or Designated Safeguarding Lead
UK Financial Literacy Limited,
Amelia House,
Crescent Road,
Worthing, United Kingdom, BN11 1RL

The Charity’s DSL is delegated responsibility for the day to day implementation of this policy and will be supported by the Board. They will also review the policy and report to the Board of Trustees annually.

Where applicable, in relation to the Charity’s grant making activities, the Charity will:

  • include in its standard grant Terms and Conditions a requirement to confirm that the grant recipient have in place adequate safeguarding arrangements, including appropriate policies and mechanisms to provide assurance on compliance; and
  • establish and enforce clear lines of responsibility and reporting between the grant recipient and the Charity;
  • inform the Charity if there has been a safeguarding report or issue in the grant recipient and / or the project which has been funded by the Charity.

8. Serious Incident Reporting

The Charity will respond to all suspicions, allegations and safeguarding incidents swiftly and appropriately and take professional advice where appropriate. This may include reporting serious incidents to the appropriate entities, including police forces, any relevant national authorities and the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity Commission).

The Trustees acknowledge the Charity Commission’s guidance on how to report a serious incident and in the safeguarding context, their duty to make a serious incident report to the Charity Commission in the event:

  • of an incident where someone has been, or has alleged to have been, abused or mistreated and this is connected with the Charity’s activities;
  • a beneficiary(ies) has been, or is alleged to have been, abused or mistreated while under the Charity’s supervision, or by someone connected with the Charity, for example, a Trustee; and/or
  • the Charity’s procedures or policies relating to safeguarding matters have been breached and this has placed beneficiaries at risk.

9. Implementation of Policy

This Policy will be provided to all consultants, employees, Trustees and other volunteers as part of their induction and they will be required to confirm by email that they have read and understood the policy. Training will be provided to Trustees from time to time and the DSL should undertake annual training.

Failure to comply with this Policy will be considered as gross misconduct and potentially grounds for removal from post.

10. Monitoring and Review

This Policy will be reviewed at least annually by the Trustees or more frequently should circumstances dictate or when relevant legislation changes.

*Designated Safeguarding Lead: Responsible, with support from the Board, for the implementation of the Safeguarding and Speak Up & Listen Up policies. This policy will undergo an annual review

Last reviewed by the Board: 16/02/2026

Next review due: 126/02/2027