The Heritage Alliance’s legal partner Bates Wells Braithwaite (BWB), the UK’s leading law firm for charities and social enterprises, writes a regular ‘legal corner’ for Heritage Update:
Are you meeting your safeguarding obligations?
After a series of high-profile incidents in the public and charity sectors, and moves from Government to widen the scope of what “safeguarding” means, many heritage organisations will be weighing up whether their current safeguarding structures are fit for purpose.
The requirements in relation to safeguarding have evolved over the last few months, but so too has the scope of “safeguarding” within the charity sector. Recently Government has, in effect, broadened the scope of what it considers to comprise “safeguarding” in the charity sector to include not only children and vulnerable adults, as we know it, but so as to also encompass the duty of care that charities may be found to owe to other groups in the context of their operations: to their staff and volunteers; beneficiaries generally; and those who live and work in the areas in which they operate.
For a detailed look at recent developments, along with key action points, please click here.