Why “Making Safeguarding Personal” Must Be More Than a Slogan
Share
“Making Safeguarding Personal” isn’t just a policy phrase. It’s a commitment to treating every person as a human being — not a risk to be managed, but a voice to be heard.
In tender writing, we sometimes fall into the trap of writing about safeguarding in abstract terms. We mention processes, forms, audits, training. But commissioners are increasingly asking: what does this actually mean for the people you support?
If your safeguarding answer doesn’t reflect empowerment, dignity, choice, and relational practice — it’s incomplete.
Here’s how to write safeguarding tender responses that go beyond procedure:
- Use first-person stories — Describe how a person’s voice was central to a safeguarding plan. What were their wishes? How were they supported to stay safe without losing control of their life?
- Explain proportionality — Show how you avoid overreaction or disempowerment. Commissioners want to see that you balance protection with autonomy.
- Involve people in planning — Describe how people receiving support are part of safeguarding conversations — not passive recipients of decisions made about them.
- Reference the Care Act — Commissioners often appreciate responses grounded in the legal framework, including the six key principles (Empowerment, Prevention, Proportionality, Protection, Partnership, Accountability).
Most of all, show that safeguarding in your service is not just done to people — it’s done with them.
This kind of narrative doesn’t just tick a box. It shows that your culture is compassionate, person-centred, and rooted in human rights. That’s what commissioners want to fund.
- Safeguarding Method Statements
- Safeguarding Adults Policy
- How to Demonstrate Safeguarding in Social Care Tenders
Written by Mike Harrison, Founder of Impact Guru Ltd — specialists in bid writing and strategy for social care providers