Summary role and responsibilities of the Designated Safeguarding Leader (DSL)
A designated safeguarding lead (DSL) provides vital protection for children. They act as the clear point of contact for abuse concerns, manage disclosures and referrals to outside groups like social care or the police, keep clear records, and make sure all staff and volunteers know how to spot and report harm.
Core Benefits to an Organisation
- Clear Reporting: Gives staff, volunteers, parents, and children a trusted, single person to talk to when they feel worried about the welfare of their child.
- Expert Decisions: Decides fast and correctly when a concern is serious enough to call the police or local child care groups (Designated Child Protection Organisation DCPO).
- Better Training: Makes sure every worker and volunteer gets the right training to notice signs of neglect or abuse early. Also ensures all staff and volunteers are appropriately trained in all the child safeguarding protocols.
- Up-to-Date Rules: Keeps the group's safeguarding policies aligned with current laws and best practices.
- Safer Hiring: Helps check that new staff and volunteers are safe to work around young people and children. This includes appropriate and regular screening and vetting of everybody who may come into contact with the children.
- Good Record Keeping: Stores sensitive files and reports securely and accurately so nothing gets lost if an outside investigation starts.
- Risk Assessment and mitigation: Regularly check to ensure the all identified risks to the children are properly mitigated.
In summary: they must have a demonstrated passion for the safeguarding of the children.
What does this mean for your organisation?
The DSL does not have to be a full time person - unless your organisation is large enough to warrant someone to be appointed on a full time basis. In any organisation, church, sports club, creche, school, etc. an existing employee or experienced volunteer can be appointed provided between 20 and 30% of their time can be made available for this most important role.
The important thing is that a management or board decision is taken to appoint a DSL (and deputy, if possible) as well as agreeing to ensure the appointed DSL is appropriately trained and equipped to be able to perform all the required duties and responsibilities (of which there are quite a few . . . ).
For help in assessing your DSL requirements as well as their training, please contact us by emailing saferkidsza@gmail.com .