Safeguarding at AuDHD UK
Policy status: Public website policy
Version: 2.0
Last reviewed: 03/09/2026
Next review: 03/09/2027
Contact: safeguarding@audhduk.org
Urgent help: audhduk.org/urgent-help
Note: This page summarises the relevant parts of AuDHD UK’s Safeguarding Framework for people using our services. Our full internal framework contains operational procedures and confidential contact arrangements.
AuDHD UK is committed to creating welcoming, respectful and safer spaces for autistic, ADHD and AuDHD adults. This policy explains how we approach safeguarding, what you can expect from us, what happens if we are worried about someone’s safety, and how to raise a concern.
This is the public version of our Safeguarding Framework. It is written for people using our services, communities and events.
Our commitment
We want people to feel respected, listened to and safe when engaging with AuDHD UK.
We will:
Take safeguarding concerns seriously
Listen without judgement
Treat people with dignity and respect
Use clear and accessible communication
Respect your privacy
Ask for your agreement before sharing information wherever possible
Explain when we may need to share information without consent
Take action when we believe someone may be at serious risk of harm
Keep safeguarding information secure
Work within the limits of our role as a peer-led, non-clinical organisation
Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to AuDHD UK’s:
Care coordination and assessment referrals
Online peer support groups and community
Webinars and other online events
In-person events
Advocacy
Signposting
Staff, volunteers, partners and representatives
Participants, beneficiaries, guests and visitors
AuDHD UK works with adults aged 18 and over.
If we receive an enquiry from, about or involving someone under 18, we will signpost to an organisation that may be able to offer suitable support. If there is an immediate emergency involving a child or young person, call 999.
What safeguarding means
Safeguarding means protecting people’s safety, wellbeing, rights and freedom from abuse, neglect, exploitation and avoidable harm.
A safeguarding concern might involve:
Abuse, neglect or exploitation
Domestic abuse or controlling behaviour
Harassment, bullying, discrimination or hate incidents
Financial abuse, scams or pressure to give money
Sexual harassment, sexual abuse or inappropriate behaviour
Online abuse, doxxing, threats or sharing private information
Unsafe or inappropriate boundaries
Self-harm, suicidal thoughts or a mental-health crisis
Violence or threats of violence
Concerns about someone connected with AuDHD UK
You do not need to be certain that something is wrong before raising a concern. If something does not feel safe, appropriate or right, please tell us.
Our role and its limits
AuDHD UK is a non-clinical organisation. We provide assessment referrals, peer support, information, advocacy and signposting within the limits of our services.
We are not an emergency service, crisis line, mental-health service, medical provider, therapy service or 24-hour support service.
We cannot:
Provide emergency support
Replace NHS, social-care, police or crisis services
Diagnose mental-health conditions
Provide clinical risk assessments
Guarantee that a particular service, referral, assessment or outcome will be available
Keep information completely confidential if we believe that someone may be at serious risk of harm
If you need urgent help, please use our Urgent Help page: audhduk.org/urgent-help
If someone is in immediate danger
Call 999 immediately if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
This includes situations such as:
An immediate risk to life
A serious injury, overdose, collapse or medical emergency
An active suicide attempt
Serious self-harm
Immediate threat of serious violence
An immediate threat to another person’s safety
If it is safe to do so, stay with the person or remain connected by phone or online until help arrives. Do not put yourself at risk.
If the situation relates to AuDHD UK or one of our services, please also tell us at safeguarding@audhduk.org when it is safe to do so. Do not delay calling 999 in an emergency.
Mental-health crisis, self-harm and suicidal thoughts
We know that people may sometimes experience severe distress, self-harm or suicidal thoughts. If you tell us that you are struggling, we will aim to respond with care, respect and clarity.
However, AuDHD UK cannot provide crisis or emergency support.
If you are in immediate danger, call 999.
If you are not in immediate danger but need urgent support, please contact an appropriate urgent-support service, your GP, NHS 111, a local crisis service or another suitable organisation. Our Urgent Help page includes more options: audhduk.org/urgent-help
Where we are concerned about someone’s immediate or serious safety, we may need to contact emergency services, a GP, adult social care or another appropriate organisation. We will normally try to discuss this with the person first. However, we may act without consent if we believe that waiting, seeking consent or not sharing information could leave someone at serious risk.
Our risk assessments are updated every three months to ensure we are offering the right support to everyone who needs it. When a risk assessment is soon to expire, the person will be asked to complete a new Keeping You Safe form so our safeguarding team can complete a new risk assessment. For beneficiaries wanting to take part in our facilitated Peer Support Groups, their risk assessment must have been completed no more than six weeks prior to the group start date, so they may need to complete this form sooner.
Safeguarding in peer support
Peer support can be powerful because it is based on shared experience, understanding and mutual respect.
Our staff, volunteers, and peers are not expected to be therapists, clinicians, social workers, crisis workers or emergency responders. They cannot provide 24-hour support or take sole responsibility for someone’s safety.
Staff and volunteers may need to pass a concern to AuDHD UK’s Safeguarding Team if they are worried about someone’s safety, wellbeing or boundaries.
Please remember:
It is okay to ask for help beyond peer support.
No one person should become your only source of support.
You do not have to share personal information that you do not want to share.
You can leave a conversation or group if it no longer feels safe or helpful.
Respectful boundaries apply to everyone.
Online and digital safety
Most AuDHD UK support takes place online. We want our digital spaces to be respectful, inclusive and as safe as possible.
We ask everyone to:
Treat others with respect
Avoid harassment, threats, discrimination and bullying
Respect privacy and confidentiality
Not share screenshots, private messages or personal information without permission, except when reporting a safety concern
Not pressure people to disclose personal information
Not share another person’s location, contact details or identifying information
Not use AuDHD UK spaces to scam, manipulate, exploit or target people
Not encourage self-harm, suicide, violence or other harmful behaviour
Follow community guidelines and moderator instructions
AuDHD UK may remove content, limit access, suspend or remove someone from an online space or event where this is necessary to protect individuals or the wider community.
If you see something concerning in an AuDHD UK digital space, please report it to safeguarding@audhduk.org. If there is an immediate danger, call 999.
Consent, confidentiality and information sharing
We respect your privacy and will normally ask for your agreement before sharing your personal information.
There are limits to confidentiality. We may share the minimum necessary information without consent where we believe this is needed to:
Protect you or someone else from serious harm
Respond to an emergency
Meet a safeguarding responsibility
Contact appropriate urgent support, such as a GP, emergency service, adult social care or police
Comply with a legal requirement
Protect the safety of our community, staff, volunteers or participants
Where possible and safe, we will explain:
What information we are sharing
Who we are sharing it with
Why we believe sharing is necessary
We will keep safeguarding information securely and only allow access to people who need it for appropriate safeguarding, governance, legal or data-protection reasons.
How to report a concern
Please report safeguarding concerns that relate to AuDHD UK, our services, activities, online spaces, staff, volunteers, representatives or participants to:
Please include, if you can:
What happened
When and where it happened
Who was involved
Whether anyone is in immediate danger
Any screenshots, messages or other relevant information
Your contact details, if you are comfortable sharing them
You do not need to investigate the concern or have all the answers. Please share what you know as clearly as possible.
For safeguarding concerns that do not relate to AuDHD UK or our services, please contact the most appropriate organisation directly, such as your GP, adult social care, the police, emergency services or a specialist support service.
What happens after a report
When we receive a safeguarding report relating to AuDHD UK, a member of our Safeguarding Team will review it.
Depending on the concern, we may:
Ask for more information
Offer relevant signposting
Take steps to make an AuDHD UK space, activity or event safer
Speak to relevant people within AuDHD UK
Set boundaries or take community-management action
Contact emergency services, a GP, adult social care, the police or another appropriate organisation where necessary
Record and review the concern securely
We cannot always share the outcome of a safeguarding concern, especially where this would affect another person’s privacy, safety or rights. However, we will aim to communicate clearly about what we are able to do.
Concerns about an AuDHD UK team member
If you are worried about the behaviour, actions, boundaries or conduct of an AuDHD UK trustee, staff member, volunteer, moderator, facilitator, contractor or representative, please tell us.
You can report the concern to:
Examples include feeling unsafe, being treated inappropriately, concerns about confidentiality, harassment, discrimination, boundary violations, pressure, exploitation or a failure to respond appropriately to a safety concern.
We will take reports seriously and handle them as fairly, sensitively and confidentially as possible.
Participation and boundaries
When taking part in AuDHD UK services, communities, groups and events, we ask everyone to help create a respectful environment.
This means:
Treating others with dignity and respect
Respecting consent and personal boundaries
Not discriminating against, harassing or threatening others
Not sharing private information without permission
Not pressuring people to disclose personal information
Not engaging in sexual, exploitative, coercive or financially abusive behaviour
Following reasonable safety instructions from moderators, facilitators and event organisers
Recognising that AuDHD UK may take action where conduct places someone at risk
Feedback and complaints
We welcome feedback about our safeguarding approach and the safety of our services.
If you want to make a complaint that is not an urgent safeguarding concern, please use our complaints process: audhduk.org/complaints
If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 999 rather than waiting for a complaint response.
Urgent help
If you need urgent help, please visit our Urgent Help page: audhduk.org/urgent-help
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.
Policy review
This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and sooner if there is a significant safeguarding incident, a change in our services, or a relevant change in law or guidance.
Policy owner: Designated Safeguarding Lead
Safeguarding contact: safeguarding@audhduk.org
Last reviewed: 03/09/2026
Next review date: 03/09/2027