Safeguarding Policy
Last updated: 2026-05-26
Purpose
Lead Research for Action (LeRA) is committed to safeguarding the well-being of all individuals, particularly children and vulnerable adults, who may come into contact with our work. This policy outlines our approach to preventing harm, promoting a safe environment, and responding effectively to any safeguarding concerns.
This policy is made available to the public on LeRA's website. All trustees, staff, volunteers, and partners are required to read, understand, and apply this policy. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Safeguarding Lead.
Scope
This policy applies to all LeRA staff, contractors, trustees, and volunteers.
Principles
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Zero Tolerance for Harm: LeRA has zero tolerance for any form of abuse, exploitation, or harm.
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Best Interests of the Child: The welfare of children is paramount in any activities involving children.
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Accountability and Transparency: LeRA is committed to open communication, accountability, and adherence to safeguarding standards.
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Confidentiality: All safeguarding concerns will be handled with sensitivity and in accordance with legal requirements. Professionalism and respect for all involved parties is paramount.
Roles and Responsibilities
As an institution, LeRA is committed to fostering a culture of dignity and respect for all persons. All individuals who carry out work on behalf of LeRA are expected to contribute to this culture.
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Staff, Volunteers, and Trustees: Adhere to this policy and report any safeguarding concerns.
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Management:
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Ensure the implementation of this policy.
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Ensure staff and volunteers working directly with vulnerable populations (e.g. children) have had appropriate background checks and receive appropriate training.
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Safeguarding Lead: Oversee safeguarding measures and respond to reported concerns.
Code of Conduct
All LeRA representatives must:
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Treat all individuals with respect and dignity.
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Avoid behavior that could be perceived as exploitative, abusive, or harmful. This includes both physical and psychological harm. Particular care should be taken when working with vulnerable populations, such as children.
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Practice awareness of cultural differences that inform whether an action may be perceived as harmful in the context of the interaction.
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Maintain appropriate boundaries when interacting with others in one’s work, such as avoiding unsupervised one-on-one contact with children.
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Report any safeguarding concerns immediately to the Safeguarding Lead.
Safeguarding Children
LeRA's research activities may bring staff, contractors, or volunteers into contact with children. Where this occurs, the following additional obligations apply:
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All staff and volunteers who may come into contact with children through their work must be familiar with this policy and know how to recognise and report a safeguarding concern.
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Any safeguarding concern involving a child must be referred promptly to the Safeguarding Lead, who will refer to the relevant local authority safeguarding children team (or equivalent overseas authority) without delay.
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Where work takes place outside of the UK, LeRA will apply equivalent safeguarding standards and comply with any additional requirements of the relevant country.
Overseas Work
LeRA conducts research in low- and middle-income countries. The same safeguarding standards set out in this policy apply to all overseas work. In addition:
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Staff and volunteers working overseas must be aware of the different cultural, legal, and practical risks that may arise and must report any safeguarding concerns to the Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.
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Where a serious incident occurs overseas, LeRA will report to the relevant in-country authorities and to the Charity Commission as required.
Review and Monitoring
This policy will be reviewed at least once a year, and following any serious incident, to ensure it remains current and effective. The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for initiating each review and for ensuring any updates are communicated to all trustees, staff, volunteers, and partners.
Reporting and Responding to Concerns
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Reporting: Any safeguarding concerns must be reported promptly to the Safeguarding Lead. LeRA will not tolerate retaliation for good faith reports. Concerns may be raised by email, through the LeRA website, in writing, or verbally. Anonymous reports are accepted and will be taken seriously, though LeRA's ability to investigate may be limited without further information. If a concern involves the Safeguarding Lead, or if the Safeguarding Lead is otherwise unable to act, concerns should instead be reported to the designated Trustee Lead for Safeguarding.
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Response: LeRA will investigate reports of harm or abuse and take appropriate action, including notifying relevant authorities where required. Relevant authorities may include the local authority safeguarding team, the police, and the Charity Commission (via a serious incident report). The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for determining which authorities must be notified in each case. Failure to follow this policy may lead to disciplinary action including termination of a person’s role with LeRA.
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Record-Keeping: All safeguarding concerns, reports, and the actions taken in response must be recorded securely and confidentially by the Safeguarding Lead. The Safeguarding Lead must report all serious incidents to the board without undue delay. Records must be retained in accordance with LeRA's data protection obligations and must be available for review by the Charity Commission if required.
Contact Information
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Safeguarding Lead: Isabel Arjmand, isabel@leadresearch.org
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Trustee Lead for Safeguarding: Oli Munns, oli@respirahealth.org