I recently posted on my social media, after much deliberation, a safeguarding concern that had arisen in reference to a speaker. Having received many comments, shares and direct messages, I was left with a lot to think about, including all the things that I and it turns out many others, have not said explicitly over the years.
As someone who works across many organisations and local authorities around the UK, I have therefore decided to create this short document as a baseline for organisations thinking about safeguarding when booking speakers and trainers. I hope it is helpful (and please do let me know if you would like to add anything I’ve missed).
Safeguarding is a shared responsibility and while these measures will not provide complete protection (as nothing does), it is a good baseline by which to have a conversation about everyone’s commitment to safeguarding all those involved. Nothing should be assumed as not all speakers and trainers have worked in services where familiarity with policies and procedures and safeguarding would be experienced.
For those booking trainers and speakers
Ask for the basics. Request a recent enhanced DBS (or the equivalent check where they are based). If it feels appropriate (the person is quite new or not well known for example) ask that they provide two references from organisations they have worked with, evidence of any relevant qualifications and visual confirmation that they have public liability and professional indemnity insurance. If someone is talking about trauma (whether personally or theoretically), it is also worth checking that they have supervision of some kind where they are reflecting on the work and the impact that their work has on them and those they are working with.
Share your expectations in writing. Send your safeguarding policy, code of conduct and the name of your Designated Safeguarding Lead. Agree in the booking how photographs, recordings and any shared materials will be handled and how concerns will be reported.
Brief them well. Tell the speaker who will be in the room, anything sensitive in the group's context and what support is in place if the content stirs something for someone. Discuss who will talk to the audience about the content and what people can do if they are activated. (Even if the host does this, I will always do this again any waym- it doesn’t have to be an either/or).
Look after them on the day. Have a named host who meets them, stays nearby and knows the safeguarding route. For a conference, have a speaker table (it makes a huge difference) so that all the people who are unknown are together. This serves to reduce any anxiety that the speaker may have, settling their own internal state, while also managing where they are.
Close the loop. If something comes up, follow your procedures, keep a record and let the speaker know what has happened, within the bounds of confidentiality.
When you are booking a lived experience speaker
Lots of people bring their lived experience into this arena. However, some people are brought into an organisation specifically because of it. I am referring to that here. This is not a homogeneous group so do not treat people as though it is. For all people, a person's story is not content to be extracted. Rebekah Pierre has written specific resources on this with a focused reference on care experience, so I won’t expand on this much here.
Book the expertise, not the wound. Invite people for what they know and what they bring, letting them decide how much of their own story to share. Never ask for painful details or for a story to be retold for impact.
Pay properly and agree the shape. Offer a sensible fee. Agree the brief, the audience, the length and any questions in advance, with no surprises on the day.
Protect their story afterwards. Ask before recording, photographing, quoting or sharing slides and agree how long anything is kept. Consent can be withdrawn. Audiences will take photos of slides. However, some slides may have personal images of other people or childhood pictures. It should not be taken for granted that people understand that these slides should not be photographed.
Hold the room and the person. Prepare the audience for respectful listening and step in if a question crosses a line (providing that the speaker agreed at the beginning to be asked questions of course). Offer a quiet space, a named contact and a follow up conversation so the speaker does not leave carrying what they brought alone.
For trainers and speakers keeping themselves safe
Have your documents ready. Keep a current DBS (the Update Service makes this easy), insurance certificates, referees and your own safeguarding statement in one place so you can share them quickly.
Ask before you arrive. Who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead? Who will host you? What do you need to know about this group? A good organisation will welcome the questions.
Hold your boundaries. Avoid being alone with a child or young person and keep any one-to-one conversation with an adult in view of others. Use the organisation's channels for follow up; not personal phones or social media.
Know what to do with a disclosure. If someone shares something that raises concern, listen, never promise secrecy, write down what was said in their words, and pass it to the safeguarding lead that day.
Take care online. Agree recording, chat and breakout room arrangements with the host. Keep personal details out of view and do not store participants' information beyond what is needed.
Look after yourself. Content about harm, loss and belonging lands in the room and in us. Build in time afterwards, know who you will talk to and notice what you are carrying home. I have had amazing experiences and horrendous ones. Do not assume that just because you are in a room full of caring professionals that they will remember to care for you. Have your own strategies in place.
Safeguarding works best as a conversation that starts at the booking, not a checklist on the day!
The contents of his post was largely informed by the International Taskforce on Child Protection (2025), Safeguarding screening for external consultants, discussions with colleagues and 16 years of experience of delivering training and speaking.
