The government will commit up to £2m to support measures that will help charities to improve their safeguarding standards and has appointed someone to oversee the programmes, the minister for civil society announced today.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said the money will be used for a range of measures designed to improve safeguarding in charities. It follows last week's safeguarding summit, convened by the Department for International Development.
There was no detail on how or when the government expected the programmes it announced today to be available. The funding comes from existing DCMS budgets but the department has not provided a breakdown for how the £2m will be spent. It said it will launch a joint fund with the Big Lottery Fund later this year.
As part of the announcement John Drew, former chief executive of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, has been appointed to chair the cross-sector Safeguarding Programme Group, which will oversee the implementation of the new measures.
Representatives from the Charity Commission, Big Lottery Fund, NCVO, Acevo, The Scout Association, National Crime Agency, Alzheimer's Society, Action for Children, NSPCC and observers from Home Office and Department for International Development will attend the first meeting tomorrow.
Government plans include building digital tools for charities to report concerns and providing better guidance and making it simpler for whistleblowers.
DCMS said that free training on safeguarding, with support from the Big Lottery Fund, would be made available as part of the measures.
‘Fundamental changes’
Tracey Crouch, minister for sport and civil society, said: “We want to instil fundamental changes to help restore the reputation of the sector. These measures will help protect and empower people to speak up and ensure charity leaders tackle poor behaviour head-on.”
Last week the Charity Commission revealed it was working on a new digital tool to make it easier to report serious incidents. It is has also previously said it is working to make whistleblowing easier.
The government said its measures were designed to build on the new code of ethics for the sector which is being developed by NCVO and is expected to be finalised by the end of the year.
Sir Stuart Etherington, chief executive of NCVO, said: “Charities have been leading a lot of work to improve safeguarding and I’m very pleased to have the minister’s backing. This funding will help turn plans into reality and prevent abusers using charities as cover for their crimes.’
“We had positive feedback to our consultation on the charity code of ethics – a charity sector equivalent to the Nolan principles for public life – and expect to publish it later this year. I hope it will become an indispensable tool for charity trustees to ensure their organisations are always acting with the greatest integrity.”
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