Safeguarding
NFWI - Safeguarding Reporting Template Form
INTRODUCING THE FEDERATION SAFEGUARDING OFFICER (FSO)
Hello, my name is Jeannette Smith, I’m a WK Trustee and a member of Walderslade WI and I’d like to introduce myself in my new role as the Federation’s Safeguarding Officer (FSO). I can be contacted on the following email safeguardingofficer@wkfwi.org.uk, which will also be in the ‘Who to contact’ section on the back page of the West Kent News. My role is to receive your Safeguarding concerns (reported via a form which can be downloaded from the West Kent WI website in a new tab called ‘Safeguarding’) and to provide advice and information. You’re probably wondering why a charitable organisation like the WI needs to have a Safeguarding structure and how it affects us as members. In part the NFWI has put in place the Safeguarding structure in response to legislative requirements. In the wider context Safeguarding is about protecting everyone’s right to respect and dignity, living in safety free from the risk of harm caused by abuse and neglect. Whilst instances of concern within WI activities are unlikely, any that do arise now have a mechanism to be reported. Additionally, members may in the past have had Safeguarding concerns about another member’s life outside of WI and not known what to do about it – within this new structure there is now an avenue to report these. The NFWI has created a Policy which is also available in the ‘Safeguarding’ tab on the West Kent WI website which they want members to be familiar with, and shortly I aim to add a Safeguarding Procedure for WK along with some FAQs. A further product will be a presentation to explain a bit more about Safeguarding
