LONDON, UK—The Safer Sikhs Partnership is a project developed by the Community Safety Sub-Committee of Sikh Council UK under the stewardship of committee Chair, Bal Sandhu. The project has been developed in response to calls from both those running Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations and users for an improvement in the levels of awareness and practice in safeguarding and support for vulnerable children and adults.
Parents, carers and others are well versed to receiving high levels of safeguarding practice in schools, colleges, hospitals etc. and are rightly increasingly expecting the same from our places of worship and community organisations. It is also the case that those in positions of authority in our Gurdwaras and community organisations require high quality advice, support and resources to enable them to comply with statutory requirements whilst providing the highest standards of provision.
To address this Sikh Council UK has brought together individuals with professional knowledge and expertise in these areas who have set up ‘Safer Sikhs Partnership’. This standalone forum will work to provide safeguarding tools, educational materials and support for Gurdwaras, Sikh organisations and Sikh communities across the country. Many of the people involved in the forum have professional knowledge and expertise in these areas and are also acknowledged as leaders in their fields. National agencies including NSPCC and Barnardos are supporting this work and many are viewing this work as innovative best practice that other communities can learn from.
Safer Sikhs Partnership will shortly be launched at a special event held at the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London. A website with further details and access to all resources and training is being prepared for launch. Sikh Council UK will also be circulating dates of regional awareness roadshows and further information for Gurdwaras and organisations.
