Closing down: What to do if you have safeguarding duties to children or adults at risk

If your organisation works with children or adults at risk, you should have safeguarding policies and procedures in place. These must be followed by all trustees, staff and volunteers.

When you’re closing you should consider how you meet your safeguarding responsibilities.

If you have any safeguarding concerns you should act before you close. This includes if:

• you have a current concern about child or adult at risk of harm
• you’re currently assisting statutory services in responding to a known concern about a child or adult at risk of harm
• an allegation has been made against a member of your team and you’re currently assisting statutory services in responding
• you’re undertaking an internal investigation about a concern or an allegation against a member of your team. If you deliver regulated services you may have a legal duty to refer the person to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In these circumstances, you should discuss your upcoming closure with your local authority statutory child protection or adult safeguarding services. Make sure a plan is in place to transfer information as necessary.

You may also want to discuss details of historic safeguarding cases with your relevant local authority statutory child protection or adult safeguarding services. They can advise on what to do with the data you hold about these cases. You may need to consider securely retaining data after you close.