What is the purpose of a charity's safeguarding policy?

• A. To increase fundraising.
• B. To protect beneficiaries, donors, staff, and volunteers from harm, abuse, or exploitation and ensure safe practices.
• C. To limit donor privacy.
• D. To promote political campaigning.

Answer: (B)

Safeguarding policy is about creating a safe environment and protecting everyone involved with the charity from harm. It sets out how the organization and its people—staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, and even donors—should behave, how to spot and report concerns, and how to prevent abuse or exploitation in all activities and settings, including online spaces. It covers safe recruitment, training, clear roles (like a safeguarding lead), and a proper process for investigating and responding to issues while maintaining appropriate confidentiality.

The core idea is to ensure safety and duty of care across the charity’s work, meeting legal and ethical responsibilities and giving people confidence that safeguards are in place. That’s why the option stating protection from harm, abuse, or exploitation and the maintenance of safe practices is the best fit. The other options describe aims unrelated to safeguarding—raising funds, limiting donor privacy, or promoting political campaigning—so they don’t capture the policy’s protective purpose.