The Guardian is South Africa’s only fully-outsourced Proactive and Reactive Safeguarding Company, and was started in 2009 by Marc Hardwick, an ex-Detective Sergeant in the Child Protection Unit.

Safety and Safeguarding

In understanding this statement, it is important to understand the difference between Safety and Safeguarding. Safety is the protection against environmental factors, that those who choose to come into your organisation may encounter. Safety, in most organisations is addressed through compliance, with things like the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and various security measures that may be put in place.

Safeguarding on the other hand, are the actions that are taken by your organisation, to mitigate the possibility that your staff, volunteers, service providers, or even clients, may use their influence to develop toxic relationships with each other or your “clients” (learners, athletes, children, patrons, etc.). This may include, but is not limited to Sexual Harassment, Grooming, Bullying, Harassment, inappropriate online relationships, assault, sexual assault, etc.

The Four and Six

Safeguarding therefore, is proactive. Organisations who, through their operations, place themselves and/or their staff in positions where they would have authority over vulnerable persons, especially children, must consider the risks that come with that responsibility. Getting the foundation right for proactive safeguarding is critical, and the easiest way to understand this, is through The Guardian’s developed principle of “The Four and Six”.