Safeguarding

Our Approach

Rosebuds Sisters is committed to creating safe and respectful community spaces and taking safeguarding concerns seriously. Our approach is also rooted in our values of trust, responsibility, dignity, compassion and accountability.

• Creating safe and respectful community spaces
• Taking safeguarding concerns seriously
• Protecting children and adults who may be at risk
• Ensuring concerns can be raised without fear of being dismissed
• Limiting access to personal information
• Using appropriate checks and safeguarding measures for relevant roles
• Referring serious concerns to appropriate agencies where necessary

Our WhatsApp Communities

WhatsApp plays an important role in helping Rosebuds Sisters connect women with their local communities. Because people may join our groups without previously being known to Rosebuds, we use identity verification measures before granting access to certain Rosebuds WhatsApp groups and communities. Our leaders or administrators may ask a new member to complete a simple verification process to help confirm that they are who they say they are and that the group remains an appropriate space for its intended members. This may include direct communication or another reasonable method of verification. These measures are intended to provide an additional layer of safeguarding for our community. They are not the same as a formal criminal-record or DBS check. Members are also expected to respect the privacy of others and must not copy, distribute or misuse another member's personal information, photographs, messages or contact details.

Our Leaders and Volunteers

Rosebuds Sisters leaders and volunteers are expected to follow our safeguarding expectations and community standards. Where a role involves work with children or adults in circumstances where a criminal-record check is appropriate or legally available, we assess the role and seek the appropriate level of safeguarding check where required. The type of check available depends on the activities involved in the individual role. We also expect leaders to raise safeguarding concerns promptly rather than attempting to deal with serious safeguarding matters alone.

Children and Family Activities

Some Rosebuds Sisters programmes and events involve children and families. We seek to create environments where children are treated with dignity, respect and appropriate care. Parents and guardians remain responsible for supervising their children at general family events unless Rosebuds Sisters has specifically stated that children are being placed in the care or supervision of an organised children's programme.

• Appropriate supervision arrangements
• Parent or guardian information and consent
• Emergency contact information
• Suitable leader or volunteer checks
• Clear boundaries for volunteers
• Appropriate ratios or supervision arrangements
• Risk assessments
• Procedures for reporting concerns

Photography, Video and Content

Rosebuds Sisters may take photographs or video content at some of our events and activities to celebrate our community, document our work and share the impact of Rosebuds. We believe people should have a choice about whether they appear in our public content. Where photography or filming is planned, we aim to inform attendees beforehand or at the event and seek appropriate permission where required. If someone tells us that they do not wish to be photographed or filmed, we ask our team and content creators to respect that choice. We take additional care when photographs or recordings involve children and will seek appropriate parental or guardian permission where necessary. We will not intentionally publish sensitive or private information alongside photographs without an appropriate reason and permission. If you believe an image of you or your child has been published by Rosebuds Sisters in error, please contact us so we can review the matter.

Online Safeguarding

We expect people using official Rosebuds online spaces to communicate respectfully. Bullying, harassment, intimidation, inappropriate private messaging, discrimination, exploitation or behaviour that may place another member at risk is not acceptable.

• Remove content
• Remove or restrict a member's access
• Contact those involved
• Escalate the concern internally
• Refer the matter to the appropriate safeguarding or statutory authority

Confidentiality

We will seek to handle safeguarding concerns as confidentially as reasonably possible. However, safeguarding information cannot always remain confidential. Where there is a risk of harm, we may need to share relevant information with safeguarding professionals, statutory authorities, the police or another appropriate organisation. The safety and welfare of the person at risk will take priority.

Our Commitment

Safeguarding is an ongoing responsibility. As Rosebuds Sisters grows across different communities, programmes and locations, we will continue to review our procedures, support our leaders and strengthen the measures we use to help keep our community safe.