The Royal Institution (Ri) is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk and promoting their wellbeing. All individuals associated with the Ri, such as staff, Trustees and volunteers, are required to share this commitment, to work together to help achieve the best possible outcomes for children and adults at risk and to protect them from harm.
Key contacts
The Ri’s Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) are the first point of contact for anyone who has a safeguarding question or concern, needs to report a disclosure or who needs advice. If you are unsure, it is much better to ask than to risk not reporting something which may be a genuine safeguarding concern.
Main contacts: Designated Safeguarding Officers
All safeguarding concerns or disclosures MUST be reported to the Ri’s Designated Safeguarding Officers or relevant responsible person (as detailed below) ASAP, within 24 hours.
- Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO):
- Samantha Durbin, 07741 657 952
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer(s) (DDSOs):
- Lisa Derry, 07734 449 268
- Alana Francis, 07301 639 428
- DSOs’ contact email address: safeguarding@ri.ac.uk
Emergencies
If anyone is at immediate risk of harm or you think a crime is being committed, you should call the appropriate emergency services on 999, without delay and without having to seek consent.
You should then also immediately call the DSOs (or relevant responsible person at the Ri if you cannot reach the DSOs or if it is not appropriate to involve them). You can also seek advice via a national helpline.
Additional responsible people
If a concern involves one of the DSOs, or you do not feel your concern has been acted on appropriately, you should contact the Ri’s Director of Strategy, Heritage and External Events or the Director of the Ri:
- Director of Strategy, Heritage and External Events: Emma Kelly
- Director of the Ri: Katherine Mathieson
If a concern involves all of the above responsible people, you can report to the Lead Trustee for Safeguarding and/or Chair of Trustees (assuming they are not also implicated) and the most appropriate non-implicated director:
- The Trustee responsible for safeguarding is Professor Alison Woollard
You can use the above email contacts to request a phone conversation about the concern being reported.
Safeguarding helplines
If you cannot reach the DSOs or a relevant responsible person, you can also seek advice via national helplines for safeguarding children or adults at risk, as appropriate:
Safeguarding concerns
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and you are obliged to report any genuine concern that you have. Remember that the welfare of the individual child or adult at risk is paramount.
What is a safeguarding concern?
This is anything which may indicate that there is a concern over the welfare of a child or adult at risk, or that there is a risk of abuse or harm. This may include:
- A child or adult at risk disclosing abuse, or another child or adult sharing a concern
- Something you see or overhear
- Unusual behaviour by a child, including inappropriate behaviour for their age
- Concerning behaviour of an adult
The key steps in dealing with any safeguarding concerns are known as the four Rs:
Recognise
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Recognise a concern, disclosure or accusation
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Take these seriously and do not dismiss them
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Listen to everything being shared
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Do not ask leading questions or investigate
Respond
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Respond appropriately
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Reassure anyone sharing a concern, disclosure or accusation that they are doing the right thing in speaking up
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Do not promise confidentiality and don’t make judgements
Report
- Report all concerns to the Ri Designated Safeguarding Officers (DSOs) or appropriate responsible person ASAP - see key contacts above
- Tell anyone sharing concerns that you will pass them on to the appropriate people to help keep everyone safe
- For adults at risk: If appropriate, ask if the adult gives consent for their details to be shared outside the Ri
Record
- Record all the relevant information, in the person’s own words and separating fact and opinion
- This will be required so the Ri’s Designated Safeguarding Officers can assess what to do, and in case concerns need to be passed on to external organisations
- Download the Child or Adult safeguarding report forms from the Safeguarding Procedures page
Please see the Ri's Safeguarding Procedures for more details on what to do to deal with any safeguarding concerns.
Safeguarding policies and procedures
Our safeguarding policies and procedures are here to support and protect all individuals associated with the Ri as well as the people that we work with, and to help create a safe and secure environment for all, where safeguarding is paramount and inaction or silence around concerns of abuse or poor practice is not acceptable.
- The Child Safeguarding Policy details the Ri’s approach to safeguarding children, which includes anyone under the age of 18 regardless of any other status.
- The Adult Safeguarding Policy details the Ri’s approach to safeguarding adults (anyone aged 18 or older).
- The Safeguarding Procedures cover who you should talk to about any safeguarding questions or concerns for both children and adults at risk, how you should behave to create a safe environment, and the key steps in dealing with any concerns raised.
Safeguarding top tips
When working with children or adults at risk:
- Avoid being alone with an individual or small group
- Avoid any physical contact
- Follow the Ri’s policies and procedures on taking and sharing pictures or recordings including children, and never do so without the appropriate written permission
- Never share personal contact details (or vice versa) or connect on any social media
- Listen to and take seriously any concerns or allegations reported to you
- Know who to talk to and what to do if you have any safeguarding concerns
- Challenge any poor or unsafe practices, taking action if you feel something isn’t right
- Always behave professionally and avoid any conduct which may lead to a reasonable person questioning your motivation or intentions.
For a more detailed code of conduct, see the Ri's Safeguarding Procedures (Section 5, "Establishing a safe environment).
This page was last updated on 18 October 2024.