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Designated Trustee
As part of the whole organisation’s commitment to safeguarding, at least one board member or trustee should be given responsibility for safeguarding at board level.
Some of the functions of this role can include:
- Representing safeguarding at a board level.
- Being a support for the Safeguarding Lead.
- Being responsible for reporting serious incidents / concerns to the Charity regulator.
- Taking a lead for the board in managing incidents / concerns and allegations.
- To critically assess and challenge the safeguarding practice of the organisation and any information presented to the board.
- Make an annual report on safeguarding for the board.
Wherever possible, it is best to have a different person taking the strategic role of Designated Safeguarding Trustee and the operational role of Safeguarding Lead. The Designated Safeguarding Trustee will provide safeguarding oversight for the organisation, and the Safeguarding Lead will take the day-to-day, operational responsibilities.
Some of the functions will need to be in proportion to the size and operation of your organisation.
Key principles you should try to achieve with this role are:
- Transparency
- Clarity
- Challenge
- The ability to evidence your rationale for decision making.
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Page last updated: 04 November 2025