What happens when a member chooses a safeguarding option?
Each safeguarding option can switch on protections. Here is what each one does.
When members join, your community asks whether they consider themselves a vulnerable adult. Members who joined earlier may have chosen other options, such as needing a coordinator to arrange their exchanges. Each option can switch on one or more protections, called triggers.
What each trigger does
- Contact through a coordinator: only coordinators can message this member directly, and the member can message only coordinators. Anyone else who tries is offered Request coordinator help instead. The member is also left out of suggested matches. Their messages are not copied to brokers.
- Require coordinator approval: any ordinary exchange this member takes part in waits for a broker's approval. Group exchanges have no approval step. Their suggested matches also wait in Match Approvals.
- Vetted members only: only coordinators and members with a confirmed vetting decision can contact this member, and the member can contact only them. Until vetting is recorded for someone, only coordinators can reach the member.
- Restrict matching: suggested matches involving this member wait in Match Approvals until a broker approves them. Neither member is told about a match before that.
- Notify safeguarding staff: brokers and admins get a notification when a member ticks the option while joining.
If a member ticks several options, all their triggers apply together. The vulnerable adult option switches on vetted contact, coordinator approval, restricted matching and a notification to safeguarding staff.
These limits apply to contact aimed at the member: messages, @mentions, time credits and exchanges. Groups and events they belong to work as normal.
Changing their mind
Members can see and revoke their choices from the Safeguarding & support tab in their Settings. When they revoke a choice, brokers and admins are notified. Its protections stop unless another option they chose still applies them.
Seeing members' choices
The Support needs not yet seen counter on the Broker Dashboard shows how many members told us they would like extra support and have not been marked as seen since they last answered. Press it to open Members' support needs, where you can read each member's answers and mark them as seen.
More guides in this topic
- How safeguarding works in the Broker Panel
- Changing the safeguarding options members can choose
- When a member asks for coordinator help
- Why are messages copied to brokers?
- How do I review a copied message?
- Using the Review Archive
- Placing a member under monitoring
- How do I record a vetting decision?
- Revoking a vetting decision or answering a review request
- What is on the Safeguarding page?
- What should I do if I am worried about a member?
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