The Safeguarding and Welfare Officer is responsible for helping LCBA maintain a safe, respectful and supportive environment for members, volunteers, committee members and people attending LCBA activities.

This role does not make the officer a counsellor, social worker, investigator or emergency service. The role is to make sure concerns are recognised, recorded, handled sensitively, and referred to the right support where needed.

What is expected of the person in the role:

• Be the main point of contact for safeguarding and welfare concerns.
• Ensure concerns are recorded and handled confidentially.
• Help volunteers and committee members understand how to report concerns.
• Make sure LCBA follows its safeguarding, welfare, lone working and code of conduct policies.
• Work with the Secretary to develop and maintain all internal policies relating to welfare and safeguarding.
• Advise on safeguarding and welfare arrangements for events.
• Work with the Events Manager to ensure events consider accessibility, welfare, safeguarding, lone working, first aid, waterside safety and appropriate boundaries.
• Work with the Content Creator to ensure photography, video and member stories are handled with consent, dignity and safeguarding awareness.
• Work with the Membership Secretary where a member may need support.
• Work with the Chair on serious concerns, complaints or risks.
• Be the point of contact for anyone with a complaint about another member of LCBA.
• Encourage signposting to appropriate professional services.
• Make clear that LCBA volunteers should not attempt to investigate abuse, diagnose mental health issues or provide professional intervention.
• Ensure welfare work is done safely, with appropriate boundaries.
• Support annual review of safeguarding and welfare policies.
• Maintain a good standing in the community and represent LCBA in accordance with all internal policies.

Reports to: 

• The Chair
• The full LCBA Committee. 
• For serious or urgent safeguarding concerns, they should escalate immediately according to LCBA policy and, where necessary, to emergency or statutory services.

Deputised by: 

• The Membership Secretary may deputise for initial member contact and welfare signposting, provided they have appropriate safeguarding awareness.
• For serious concerns, the Chair should act as deputy safeguarding lead if the Safeguarding and Welfare Officer is unavailable.
• The Events Manager may cover practical event safety arrangements, such as access, volunteer rotas, emergency contacts and event risk notes, but should not take over safeguarding decisions unless trained and authorised.
• The Content Creator must not deputise for safeguarding matters. However, they should pause publication and seek advice if content raises a safeguarding, welfare, consent or privacy concern.
• Attend any relevant training courses needed to fulfil the requirements of the position. 
• Maintain a good standing in the community and represent LCBA in accordance with all internal policies.

Deputises for:

• The Events Manager on safeguarding, welfare, accessibility, lone working, first aid planning, welfare boundaries and risk considerations at events.
• The Membership Secretary where a membership issue involves welfare concerns, vulnerability, safeguarding, exclusion, distress or support needs.
• The Content Creator by advising, when photographs, videos, stories or posts involve children, vulnerable adults, welfare issues, private circumstances or sensitive personal information.
• The Safeguarding and Welfare Officer should not deputise for the Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, Head of Communications and Liaison, Fundraising Officer or Boat Specialist except where safeguarding or welfare advice is required.