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Safeguarding PolicyDraft v1.0 — pending solicitor review

Last updated: 2026-05-19

Contents (7 sections)
  1. Why we have this policy
  2. Scope
  3. Our standards
  4. What we ask of orgs
  5. Public sector partnerships
  6. Reporting and contact
  7. Review and accountability

Why we have a Safeguarding Policy

Mens Network is a directory. Men come to find something to do. But the platform covers every category, including SUPPORT and RECOVERY, and some people who arrive there need more than a listing. This policy sets out what we do about that: the standards we build into the platform, the protections we put around sensitive categories, and what we ask of listed organisations.

It is a statement of how the platform operates, not a statement of values. The operations are the values.

Scope

This Policy applies to:

  • All users of the Nexus directory at mensnetwork.global.
  • All organisations that submit or maintain a listing on the directory.
  • All staff, contractors, and AI systems operated by Mens Network Ltd in connection with the platform.

It does not govern the internal safeguarding policies of listed organisations. Each listed organisation remains responsible for safeguarding within its own activities. We require organisations to have appropriate safeguarding policies in place where relevant, and we ask for evidence as part of our listing review process.

Our standards

1. Crisis routes are always visible

The Samaritans helpline (116 123) is displayed prominently on every page in the SUPPORT category, and on every page where someone might be looking for crisis help. This is a non-negotiable baseline. Listing prominence, design priorities, and commercial considerations do not override it.

For text-based support, we also signpost SHOUT (text SHOUT to 85258).

For immediate risk to life, we direct users to 999.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) provides a confidential helpline at 0800 58 58 58, available 5pm to midnight daily for anyone in crisis.

For non-emergency health concerns, including mental health, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day. The NHS 111 mental health route connects callers directly to a mental health professional.

These routes are permanent fixtures on SUPPORT pages. They do not depend on which organisation is listed below them.

2. SUPPORT category protections

The SUPPORT category contains listings for crisis lines, specialist services, and similar. Because someone using these pages may be in a difficult situation, we apply additional protections:

  • No advertising or marketing pixels fire on SUPPORT pages. This includes Meta Pixel and equivalent advertising or analytics trackers. These do not fire on any SUPPORT category page or any individual SUPPORT listing detail page, regardless of a user's cookie consent choices elsewhere on the site.
  • No personal data forms invite users to describe their personal circumstances on SUPPORT pages.
  • No tracking of which specific support listings a visitor views, beyond the minimum technical logs necessary to operate the site.
  • Listings in SUPPORT are subject to tiered verification cadence (see below).

The pixel exclusion is unconditional. It does not flex for commercial partners or advertising campaigns.

3. Tiered verification cadence

We review listings on a cadence proportionate to the risk if they were to become inaccurate or out of date:

  • Tier 1, high risk (crisis helplines, RECOVERY listings, specialist services): monthly review.
  • Tier 2, moderate risk (general SUPPORT listings, services that are not crisis lines): quarterly review.
  • Tier 3, lower risk (community activities, sports, social groups): annual review.

Reviews check that contact details still work, the listed service still exists, and the description still matches what the organisation provides.

4. RECOVERY category, discovery-only design

The RECOVERY category supports people in or seeking recovery from addiction. This category is discovery-only by design:

  • Users can find groups by name, area, and meeting time.
  • We do not record check-ins, attendance, or any other behavioural data on RECOVERY listings.
  • We do not push notifications, reminders, or marketing related to RECOVERY listings.
  • No personalisation, no algorithmic recommendations, and no cross-category suggestions operate on RECOVERY pages. Venn Jr does not surface RECOVERY content as a recommendation.

This protects the privacy of people accessing recovery services. The design is deliberate and will not be changed without a significant external review.

5. No verification-implying language

We do not use the words "verified", "endorsed", "approved", or "certified" to describe listings unless there is a genuine process behind the claim. Where a listing has been through a more rigorous process (for example, an NHS partnership listing reviewed against NHS Standard Contract criteria), we describe that process honestly. Generic claims of verification are not used.

6. Reports and takedowns

Anyone can report a listing for safeguarding concerns. Reports come in via:

  • The flag icon on every listing.
  • safeguarding@mensnetwork.global.

Reports involving immediate risk to a person are escalated immediately. Other reports are investigated within 5 working days. Where a listing breaches our safeguarding standards, we will remove or restrict it and tell the organisation why.

For organisations in SUPPORT or RECOVERY categories, repeated safeguarding breaches lead to removal from the directory.

7. Age threshold

The platform is for users aged 18 and over. This applies to all users and all platform features. The platform is designed and operated in accordance with the Online Safety Act 2023 and Ofcom's indicative codes for services with user-generated and third-party content. We do not knowingly permit users under 18.

8. Staff and AI conduct

  • Our staff and contractors operate under written safeguarding expectations and are required to escalate concerns to safeguarding@mensnetwork.global without delay.
  • Our AI systems (the Sherlock classification engine) are used to assist categorisation only. A human reviewer decides whether a listing falling in a sensitive category (SUPPORT, RECOVERY) is included. See our AI / Algorithmic Transparency Statement.

What we ask of listed organisations

Organisations listed on Nexus agree to:

  • Keep their listing accurate and act on safeguarding-relevant changes within 5 working days.
  • Have a written safeguarding policy in place where relevant to their activities (we may ask for evidence).
  • Not use the platform to harvest data on, or contact, men outside the scope of the listed activity.
  • Notify us within 5 working days if a safeguarding incident occurs that may affect users finding them through our directory.

Failure to comply is grounds for removal from the directory.

Public sector partnerships (NHS, ICB, local authority)

Where Mens Network engages in a partnership with a public-sector body (for example, an Integrated Care Board or NHS trust under a social-prescribing pathway) the partnership is subject to the relevant NHS and public-sector safeguarding standards in addition to this Policy. Where the two standards differ, we follow the higher one.

Reporting and contact

  • Safeguarding concerns: safeguarding@mensnetwork.global, monitored during UK business hours
  • Urgent (out of hours, risk to life): Samaritans 116 123 (freephone, 24/7) or 999
  • General reports: report@mensnetwork.global

Review and accountability

This Policy is reviewed annually and on any material incident or regulatory change. The CEO (Paul Spallini) holds final accountability for safeguarding at Mens Network Ltd. Day-to-day operation is run by the Compliance module within our internal operating system.