Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. That is not a slogan. If you work in education, healthcare, social care, hospitality, or any other role where you come into contact with children or vulnerable adults, understanding safeguarding is a legal and professional duty.
The legislation spans multiple Acts of Parliament. Terminology varies between sectors. Training levels are not always clearly explained. Many people genuinely do not know whether safeguarding training applies to their role. This guide answers those questions directly: the legal framework, the different levels, who needs what, how to recognise and report concerns, and how to get trained.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the action taken to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and harm. It covers protecting individuals from maltreatment, preventing impairment of health or development, ensuring care is provided safely and effectively, and taking action to enable the best outcomes for individuals.
It is broader than child protection or adult protection on their own. Safeguarding includes proactive measures to prevent harm before it occurs, as well as reactive measures when harm is suspected or confirmed.
The concept applies across every sector. A hotel receptionist notices a child in distress. A care worker spots signs of neglect. A teacher is told about abuse by a pupil. A hospitality worker suspects exploitation. All of these situations require a safeguarding response.
The legal framework
Safeguarding in the UK is underpinned by several pieces of legislation.
Children Act 1989
The Children Act 1989 established the legal framework for child welfare in England and Wales. It introduced the principle that the child’s welfare is paramount and defined “significant harm” as the threshold for compulsory intervention in family life. It places duties on local authorities to investigate when they have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.
Children Act 2004
The Children Act 2004 strengthened the 1989 Act in response to the Victoria Climbie inquiry. It established Local Safeguarding Children Boards (now replaced by Safeguarding Partners), introduced the duty for agencies to cooperate in safeguarding children, and created the role of Children’s Commissioner. Section 11 places a duty on key organisations, including local authorities, the NHS, police, and probation services, to make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
This statutory guidance sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It is the core reference document for anyone involved in child safeguarding in England. It defines the roles of different agencies and provides guidance on information sharing and multi-agency working.
Care Act 2014
The Care Act 2014 established the legal framework for adult safeguarding in England. It defines an “adult at risk” as someone who has needs for care and support, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and is unable to protect themselves because of those needs. The Act requires local authorities to make Section 42 enquiries when abuse or neglect is suspected, establish Safeguarding Adults Boards, and conduct Safeguarding Adults Reviews when serious harm occurs.
Other relevant legislation
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides the framework for making decisions on behalf of adults who lack capacity, based on the principle of best interests. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 established the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) system and barred lists that prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Types of abuse
Recognising abuse is at the heart of safeguarding. The main categories are outlined below.
Physical abuse is the deliberate use of physical force causing harm, including hitting, shaking, burning, and poisoning. Signs include unexplained injuries, injuries inconsistent with the explanation given, and fear of physical contact.
Emotional or psychological abuse involves persistent maltreatment including threats, humiliation, intimidation, isolation, and controlling behaviour. Signs include low self-esteem, withdrawal, sudden behavioural changes, and self-harm.
Sexual abuse means forcing or enticing a person to take part in sexual activities. This includes contact abuse (assault, inappropriate touching) and non-contact abuse (exploitation through images, grooming). Signs include inappropriate sexualised behaviour, fear of specific individuals, and withdrawal.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, supervision, or medical care. Poor hygiene, malnutrition, untreated medical conditions, and social isolation are all indicators.
Financial or material abuse covers theft, fraud, exploitation, or misuse of a person’s money or possessions, including misuse of power of attorney and coercion to change wills. This is particularly relevant in adult safeguarding.
Domestic abuse involves controlling, coercive, or violent behaviour between intimate partners or family members. The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 recognises children who witness domestic abuse as victims in their own right.
Modern slavery and exploitation includes forced labour, sexual exploitation, and criminal exploitation such as county lines. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 provides the legal framework.
Self-neglect, in adult safeguarding, refers to situations where an adult neglects their own care and wellbeing, including hoarding and refusing necessary care.
Safeguarding training levels
Safeguarding training is delivered at different levels depending on the individual’s role and their degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults.
Level 1: safeguarding awareness
This level is for everyone who has any contact with children or vulnerable adults in the course of their work, including those in non-specialist roles. It covers basic awareness of what abuse is, how to recognise the signs, how to report a concern, and organisational safeguarding policies. This is the minimum for anyone in a public-facing role: hospitality workers, retail staff, receptionists, drivers, administrative staff, volunteers, cleaning staff, and maintenance workers.
Level 2: safeguarding for those working with children or adults at risk
This level is for anyone who works regularly with children or vulnerable adults as part of their role. It covers legislation in more detail, along with types of abuse, indicators, how to respond to disclosures, recording and reporting procedures, information sharing, and the role of different agencies. It is relevant for teachers, teaching assistants, care workers, youth workers, health professionals, sports coaches, and childminders. Our Preparing to Work in Care course is a useful companion for anyone entering the care sector who needs to understand safeguarding in that context.
Level 3: designated safeguarding lead
This level is for the person in an organisation who takes the lead responsibility for safeguarding. In schools, this is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). In other organisations, it may be called the safeguarding lead or named person. The training covers safeguarding legislation and policy in depth, how to manage referrals and work with local authority safeguarding teams, how to conduct internal investigations, record-keeping, and how to support staff dealing with safeguarding concerns.
DBS checks
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is a key part of the safeguarding framework. DBS checks help employers make safer recruitment decisions by providing information about an individual’s criminal record.
Types of DBS check
There are four levels. A basic DBS check shows unspent convictions only and is available to anyone for any purpose. A standard DBS check shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings, and is required for certain roles such as security staff. An enhanced DBS check adds any relevant information held by local police forces, and is required for roles involving regular contact with children or vulnerable adults. An enhanced DBS check with barred list check is the most thorough, also showing whether the individual is on the children’s barred list, the adults’ barred list, or both. It is required for roles involving regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults.
When is a DBS check required?
Employers must request an enhanced DBS check with barred list check for anyone engaged in “regulated activity” with children or vulnerable adults. Regulated activity, defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012), broadly includes unsupervised teaching, care, or supervision of children, providing personal care or healthcare to adults, and any role involving regular unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups.
A DBS check is a point-in-time snapshot. It shows only what is on record at the date of the check. It should be part of a broader safer recruitment process that includes references, interviews, and ongoing supervision. The DBS Update Service allows individuals to keep their certificate current and enables employers to check its status without requiring a new application.
Reporting concerns
Knowing what to do when you have a safeguarding concern is as important as recognising the signs.
If someone discloses abuse or you observe signs that concern you, listen carefully without interrupting. Do not ask leading questions or investigate the allegation yourself. Reassure the person that they are right to tell you.
Write down what you have been told or observed as soon as possible, using the person’s own words where you can. Record the date, time, what was said or observed, and any visible signs or injuries. Keep your record factual. Avoid speculation or opinion.
Report your concern to the designated safeguarding lead in your organisation, or your line manager if there is no designated lead. They will decide on the appropriate course of action, which may include making a referral to the local authority safeguarding team, the police, or other agencies.
If you believe a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 999.
Do not investigate allegations of abuse yourself. Investigation is the responsibility of trained professionals: social workers, police officers, and other specialists. Attempting to investigate yourself can compromise a formal investigation and may put the individual at further risk.
Share information only with those who need to know: your safeguarding lead, your manager, or the relevant authorities. Do not discuss the concern with colleagues, the alleged abuser, or anyone else who does not need to be involved. That said, confidentiality must never be a barrier to safeguarding. If sharing information is necessary to protect someone from harm, you must share it.
Safeguarding in the hospitality sector
Safeguarding is increasingly recognised as relevant to the hospitality sector. Hotels, restaurants, pubs, and event venues are places where vulnerable people may be present as customers, guests, or employees.
Child sexual exploitation and trafficking
Hotels can be used by perpetrators of child sexual exploitation. The signs may include adults checking in with children who appear distressed or uncomfortable, young people being brought to hotel rooms by different adults, or requests for rooms with no identification provided. Many hotel groups now provide specific training on recognising and responding to these situations.
Modern slavery
The hospitality sector has been identified as high-risk for modern slavery and labour exploitation. Signs may include workers who appear controlled by others, who do not have access to their own identity documents, who live at their workplace, who work excessive hours for little or no pay, or who appear frightened, withdrawn, or unable to speak freely.
Vulnerable guests
Hotels and care-adjacent hospitality businesses may accommodate vulnerable adults, including those with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, or dementia. Staff should be trained to recognise signs of self-neglect, distress, or abuse. Understanding mental capacity is particularly important when working with guests or residents who may lack the capacity to make decisions about their own safety.
Young workers
Hospitality employs many young workers, some under 18. Employers have specific safeguarding duties towards young employees: ensuring appropriate supervision, not assigning hazardous tasks, and being alert to signs that a young worker may be experiencing abuse or exploitation outside the workplace.
How to get certified
Getting your safeguarding certificate through Chefs Bay Academy is straightforward. A licence costs £29 and gives you access to the Safeguarding Adults course, the Child Protection Awareness course, and 130+ other courses in the library. You work through the course modules at your own pace on any device, then pass the end-of-course assessment to confirm your understanding. Your CPD accredited certificate is available for download immediately.
The courses cover the key legislation, types of abuse, how to recognise signs and indicators, reporting procedures, and the principles of safer working practice. They are suitable for Level 1 safeguarding awareness training and provide a thorough foundation for anyone who needs to understand safeguarding in their role.
For those working in health and social care settings, explore our full range of health and social care courses, covering topics from mental health awareness to dementia care. All are included in the same £29 licence.
Frequently asked questions
Is safeguarding training a legal requirement?
There is no single law that mandates a specific safeguarding certificate for all workers. However, safeguarding training is a legal or regulatory requirement in many sectors. Schools must train all staff in safeguarding under Keeping Children Safe in Education. Care providers must train staff under CQC regulations. The Children Act 2004 (Section 11) places duties on key organisations to ensure staff are trained. Even where not specifically mandated, safeguarding training is considered a professional duty and an expectation of good practice in any role involving contact with children or vulnerable adults.
How often should safeguarding training be refreshed?
Guidance varies by sector and role. In schools, the Department for Education recommends that safeguarding training for DSLs is refreshed every two years, with annual updates for all staff. In social care, CQC expects safeguarding training to be refreshed regularly. Best practice across all sectors is to refresh safeguarding training at least every three years, with annual awareness updates. Training should also be updated when legislation or guidance changes.
What is the difference between safeguarding and child protection?
Child protection is a part of safeguarding. Safeguarding is the broader term covering all actions taken to promote the welfare of children and adults and protect them from harm. Child protection refers specifically to the activity undertaken to protect children who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm. In practice, the terms are often used interchangeably, but safeguarding is the wider concept.
Do I need a DBS check to work in hospitality?
A DBS check is not routinely required for all hospitality roles. However, if your role involves regulated activity with children or vulnerable adults (for example, working in a hotel that provides care services, or working in a children’s activity centre) an enhanced DBS check may be required. Some employers also request basic DBS checks as part of their standard recruitment process. The need for a DBS check depends on the specific role and the level of contact with vulnerable groups.
What should I do if a child tells me they are being abused?
Listen calmly. Take what they say seriously. Do not promise confidentiality; explain that you may need to tell someone who can help. Do not ask leading questions or try to investigate. Reassure the child that they are not in trouble and that they were right to tell you. As soon as possible, record what was said using the child’s own words. Report the disclosure to your organisation’s safeguarding lead or, if the child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Related guides
If you found this guide helpful, you might also want to read:
- Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace for understanding how mental health connects to vulnerability and supporting individuals at risk
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Training for the overlap between safeguarding and equality, particularly around discrimination and harassment
- GDPR Training for Employees for data protection considerations when handling sensitive safeguarding information
All these courses are included in your Chefs Bay Academy licence — £29 for instant access to 130+ courses.