Wayward Plants and Cultivate Colindale Safeguarding Policy
1. Our commitment
Wayward Plants and Cultivate Colindale are committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for everyone who visits, volunteers, works or takes part in our activities. We recognise our particular responsibility to safeguard children, young people and adults at risk from harm, abuse and neglect.
This policy applies to staff, volunteers, partners and anyone delivering activities through Wayward Plants or Cultivate Colindale, including activities at the Wayward Plants Reuse Centre, RHS Shows, plant rescues, public adoption events, community builds, workshops and other projects.
Wayward London Ltd currently administers safeguarding arrangements under this policy.
2. Our approach
We are committed to:
Treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Creating welcoming and inclusive environments where people feel safe participating.
Taking safeguarding concerns seriously and responding promptly.
Maintaining appropriate boundaries when working with children, young people and adults at risk.
Ensuring staff and volunteers understand their safeguarding responsibilities.
Putting appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place for activities involving children or adults at risk.
Children attending Cultivate Colindale or participating in other activities should remain under the supervision of a parent, guardian, school or responsible group unless they are taking part in an activity specifically designed and appropriately staffed to provide supervised participation.
Where a role or activity involves direct or regular work with children or adults at risk, we will put appropriate safeguarding measures in place, including supervision, risk assessment, training and DBS checks where applicable.
3. Responsibilities
Everyone working or volunteering with Wayward Plants or Cultivate Colindale is expected to:
Treat others with dignity and respect.
Maintain appropriate boundaries.
Remain alert to potential safeguarding concerns.
Report concerns promptly to a member of staff or the person leading the activity.
Keep sensitive information confidential and only share it through appropriate safeguarding procedures.
Never attempt to investigate a safeguarding concern themselves.
Staff and activity leaders are responsible for ensuring that appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place for the activities they oversee, and that volunteers know how to report concerns.
Partner organisations delivering their own activities at Cultivate Colindale or as part of other Wayward Plants projects are responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguarding arrangements are in place for their participants and activities. Where activities are delivered jointly, safeguarding responsibilities should be agreed in advance.
4. Photography, filming and communications
We take particular care with photography, filming, communications and personal information involving children, young people and adults at risk.
Consent will be obtained where appropriate, and photographs, videos and personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.
Staff and volunteers should not communicate privately with children or adults at risk unless this forms part of an approved activity with appropriate safeguarding arrangements.
Photographs or videos of children should not be taken or shared by volunteers without appropriate permission.
5. Reporting a safeguarding concern
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you see, hear or are told something that causes you concern about someone's safety or welfare:
Listen and take the concern seriously.
Do not promise complete confidentiality.
Do not investigate the concern yourself or confront anyone involved.
Report the concern as soon as possible to a member of staff or the person leading the activity.
Make an accurate record of what you saw, heard or were told, including dates and relevant details.
Safeguarding concerns can also be reported by emailing hello@waywardplants.org with “Safeguarding” in the subject line.
Concerns will be treated seriously and sensitively. Information will only be shared with those who need to know in order to protect an individual or meet legal safeguarding responsibilities.
Where appropriate, concerns will be referred to the relevant local authority safeguarding service, police or other statutory agency.
If a concern involves a member of staff or the person leading an activity, it should be reported directly through the safeguarding email address or to another senior member of the organisation who is not involved in the concern.
6. Safeguarding in different settings
Wayward Plants and Cultivate Colindale activities take place in a range of environments, from public green spaces and community workshops to working sites, exhibitions and large-scale plant rescue operations.
Safeguarding arrangements will be appropriate to the nature of each activity and the people taking part.
For activities involving children, young people or adults at risk, we will consider:
Appropriate supervision and staffing.
The roles and responsibilities of staff, volunteers and partner organisations.
Safe access to working areas, tools, equipment and vehicles.
Suitable arrangements for photography, filming and communications.
How participants and volunteers can raise concerns.
Volunteers will receive relevant information and briefings before participating in activities where additional safeguarding arrangements are required.
7. Confidentiality and information sharing
Safeguarding concerns and records will be handled confidentially and stored securely, with access restricted to those who need the information to fulfil their responsibilities.
Information may be shared without consent where necessary to protect a child or adult at risk, or where required by law.
Safeguarding records will be kept separately from general volunteer records wherever practicable.
8. Policy review and responsibility
Wayward London Ltd currently administers safeguarding arrangements under this policy.
The policy will be reviewed annually, following any significant safeguarding incident, or when there are material changes to organisational responsibilities or activities.
As Wayward Plants develops as an independent charity, safeguarding responsibilities and policy ownership will be reviewed to ensure that appropriate arrangements remain in place.
Policy: Wayward Plants and Cultivate Colindale Safeguarding Policy
Current administering organisation: Wayward London Ltd
Safeguarding contact: hello@waywardplants.org
Date approved: To be confirmed
Next review: One year from approval