Implementing Safeguarding in the International Aid Sector

Syllabus

• Week 1

  Introduction

  • Introduction to the course

    This introduction provides a brief orientation to the course and its learning outcomes, introduces the authors and the educators and offers some important guidance on how to keep yourself safe as you study this course.

  • Getting ready to engage with others!

    This section introduces the idea of social learning, whereby you learn from and share experiences with your peers. It also explores your reasons for studying this course and considers what you already know about safeguarding.

  • What is safeguarding?

    This part of the course unpacks in more detail what you know about safeguarding, particularly international standards and their application.

  • The safeguarding cycle

    An introduction to the safeguarding cycle which is based on the project cycle. This will help you incorporate safeguarding principles into the work that you do during the implementation of your projects and activities.

  • Implementing safeguarding

    Apply your learning to a case study scenario. The setting is a refugee camp, and you are asked what you would do. You are also encouraged to check your knowledge and understanding of the learning from the week.

• Week 2

  Identification

  • Identifying safeguarding risks and vulnerable people

    The ability to understand the factors that influence people's vulnerability, and how they can be identified, is a key element of safeguarding that will be explored in this section.

  • The role of gender in safeguarding

    Gender plays a significant role in safeguarding, with differing groups in differing contexts having an important impact on identifying risks. We explore the role of gender and the considerations that need to be accounted for.

  • Safeguarding in research

    Organisations working in the international aid sector often undertake research. This section covers how principles governing research and data collection can be applied with a focus on safeguarding.

  • Assessing risk

    We have covered a number of different factors that affect ‘risk’ and how it is perceived. This section will discuss the methodologies that can be used effectively to conduct a formal assessment of these risks.

  • Lessons learnt

    This section considers the lessons to be learnt, and what else you should think about when incorporating safeguarding measures.

• Week 3

  Prevention

  • Introduction

    This week of the course looks at how to implement safeguarding procedures to prevent harm from occurring. This is important and requires planning and implementation across all aspects of programmes and operations.

  • The nature of power

    Power is a vitally important concept in safeguarding. Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes it can be subtle and hidden. We explain the different forms that power can take and explore ways that challenge it to enhance prevention.

  • Safeguarding people with disabilities

    We look at the importance of safeguarding children and adults with disabilities, and explore the importance of including them and their carers when developing safeguarding measures to prevent harm.

  • Safe recruitment

    We outline an important theory about the perpetrators of sexual abuse and explore how safe recruitment policies and practice is a key preventative step.

  • Code of conduct

    This section focuses on the important contribution that codes of conduct can make to prevention in safeguarding.

  • Digital safeguarding

    Safeguarding in the digital and online worlds has become a serious source of concern. This section considers the scale of the problem, some of the major risks, and how we might mitigate against them.

  • Review what you have learnt

    Review your learning this week by taking the week 3 quiz.

• Week 4

  Report and respond

  • Introduction

    This week we look in more detail at issues around reporting and responding, including barriers and making reporting more accessible.

  • Barriers to reporting

    This section explores the important issue of how a range of attitudes and beliefs around gender can be a major barrier to reporting.

  • Disclosure, reporting and supporting survivors

    How disclosures are handled is crucially important if safeguarding reporting is to be effective. This section is an opportunity to explore and discuss good practice.

  • Whistleblowing and a ‘survivor-centred approach‘

    Whistleblowers are an important source of reporting, and this section will consider how agencies should ensure they are protected. Once we have received a report it is important that our responses are survivor centred.

  • Mapping and a response checklist

    This section provides guidance on ensuring we have a clear response mechanism and promotes discussion on how we know what services are available to survivors.

  • Duty of care and the importance of safeguarding staff

    The whole process of reporting and responding is difficult and may be traumatic. In this final section we consider the issue of the duty of care to staff that arises from this.

  • Review what you have learnt

    Test your knowledge from your work this week by taking the quiz.

• Week 5

  Improving accountability in safeguarding

  • Introduction

    This week looks at accountability and how to build it into safeguarding policies, processes and practices across your organisation.

  • Accountability is at the heart of safeguarding

    We are accountable to the communities we work with and serve, to those who represent us, to our donors, partners, regulatory bodies, and national and international agencies.

  • Accountability to affected people

    Accountability to affected people is important in order to tackle SEAH in the aid sector. Where harm is caused by staff, affected people should know how to hold the organisation to account.

  • Guide the development of accountability processes and tools

    Developing an accountability strategy in organisations is important for building an accountability culture and creating the necessary accountability processes and tools.

  • Strengthen knowledge and information in the people we serve

    Community views should inform the development of safeguarding policies, processes and mechanisms across organisations. In this way a 'speak-up' culture can be promoted.

  • Mainstreaming safeguarding through all communications

    Safeguarding should be mainstreamed through all organisational communications. This promotes ownership of a safeguarding agenda across all departments of an organisation, as well as all the organisations we engage with.

  • Review what you have learnt

    Review your learning this week by taking the week 5 quiz.

• Week 6

  Learning and organisational culture

  • Introduction

    This week’s learning supports you on how to strengthen organisational culture and learning.

  • How to develop a positive safeguarding culture

    Organisational responsibility to foster a safe and positive environment.

  • Useful tools to reflect on safeguarding values

    Tools to support organisations strengthen their organisational culture.

  • Monitoring, learning and good supervision

    Organisational responsibility to support staff to learn and reflect on current practice.

  • Review what you have learnt

    Review your learning this week by taking the week 6 quiz.

Who will you learn with?