Join us this Safeguarding Adults Week

Safeguarding Adults Week runs from 17 to 21 November. It's a time for organisations to come together and raise awareness of safeguarding. And it's the perfect opportunity for us to put safeguarding in the spotlight for our volunteers.

So, we're inviting you to join us for a 'Safe for All' safeguarding session — to share experiences, meet our Safeguarding Responders, and learn about keeping everyone safe.

This is a great opportunity to build confidence in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns. And to connect with others who care about creating a safe and supportive environment for everyone involved with the MS Society.

Our friendly Safeguarding Team is holding three 45-minute sessions on Zoom later this month:

• Tuesday 18 November at 11am

• Thursday 20 November at 6pm

• Wednesday 26 November at 2pm

Join a session by registering here.

Each session will cover:

• Why safeguarding matters - Discover how safeguarding protects everyone in our community — and why your role is vital.

• Real-life scenarios - Test your knowledge with thought-provoking examples and explore how you’d respond.

• Life after safeguarding - See how taking action can make a lasting difference and create a culture of safety and trust.

• Meet a Safeguarding Responder - Get to know the people behind our safeguarding work and learn how they support volunteers and teams.

• How to respond - Build confidence in recognising and acting on concerns — you might know more than you think!

• Reporting and support - Find out what happens when you report and discover the support available to you every step of the way. Working together allows us to share our knowledge of safeguarding, learn from others and ultimately create safer cultures.

We look forward to seeing you there.

If you can’t make any of the sessions, you can refresh your safeguarding knowledge through our short online refresher course. Find out more about this, our commitment to safer recruitment, and how to report a safeguarding concern, below.

Safer Recruitment

The theme for Safeguarding Adults Week this year is 'Prevention'.

At the MS Society, we believe that protecting people with vulnerabilities starts with the staff and volunteers we recruit. We’re committed to the principles of Safer Recruitment. So we follow a structured recruitment process that will deter, prevent and detect anyone who might pose a risk to people with vulnerabilities. This involves careful advertising, application scrutiny, interviews, and reference and disclosure checks — so we can select suitable and safe applicants.

Being the eyes and ears

Robust Safer Recruitment practices can do a lot to protect our community from those who pose a risk. But we all have a responsibility to make sure adults who may be at risk, and children, are protected from abuse. Abuse can take many different forms including unexplained injuries, bullying, harassment, neglect, theft or fraud, and self harm.

For more information on the different types of abuse and the signs to look out for, take our short refresher course here.

We’re the eyes and ears of the MS community, and we all have a responsibility to look out for those who may be more vulnerable.

Reporting concerns

All staff and volunteers at the MS Society have a duty of care to report safeguarding concerns. And, as a registered charity, we must comply with Charity Commission guidance. This means that any safeguarding concerns or incidents must be reported centrally using our form here.

If your alarm bells are ringing, don’t hesitate to record and report a concern — even if you’re not sure.

Submitting the completed form will send it to our Safeguarding Responders Group (SRG). SRG members meet regularly to review all reported concerns.

By submitting the form, you pass the responsibility over to the SRG to take any necessary action.

Safeguarding support and information

Safeguarding can be a challenging area, but there’s a lot of support for you. So don't feel that you have to deal with a concern alone. 

If you're unsure about a safeguarding concern, or need help completing the form, the Volunteer Support Team (0300 500 8084 #3 or [email protected]) will be happy to help.

And the Safeguarding Team is always available on [email protected] .

There’s also a safeguarding resource on our website. This provides essential guidance on how to get support with safeguarding concerns involving adults and children, as well as how to contact the MS Helpline and access support services.

And the Ann Craft Trust website has a variety of resources and best-practice safeguarding guidance available.

Thank you

Thank you for your commitment to safeguarding everyone who comes into contact with the MS Society.