Southampton Wire’s Safeguarding & Minors Policy sets out how Sliema Media Limited protects children and vulnerable people when they appear in our journalism, interact with our team or contact us. It applies to all editorial, commercial and operational activities.
We recognise that minors require particular care, especially in news reporting about crime, community affairs or sensitive personal stories. This policy covers consent procedures, data protection, content review and staff training. It has been developed in line with UK safeguarding legislation and good practice. Diane Forbes, our Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead, reviews and updates the policy regularly. Any concerns about a minor’s safety should be raised immediately with her or with Editor‑in‑Chief William Ashby.
Who is responsible for safeguarding at Southampton Wire?
Diane Forbes, Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead, oversees this policy day‑to‑day. Editor‑in‑Chief William Ashby holds ultimate editorial responsibility for safeguarding decisions.
Diane Forbes (diane.forbes@southamptonwire.co.uk, +44 20 4587 9491) leads on training, reviews all content involving minors and handles any safeguarding concerns that arise. William Ashby (william.ashby@southamptonwire.co.uk, +44 20 4587 9486) approves policy changes and is the final point of escalation. Our managing editor Sarah Mills and local politics editor Kieran Doherty also receive safeguarding training and support the team in applying the policy. Every named writer and editor is required to complete safeguarding awareness modules before they work on stories featuring children.
How do we handle content featuring minors?
We never publish information that could identify a minor without explicit, informed consent from a parent or legal guardian. This includes names, images, school details and home addresses.
In news contexts – for example, a school event, a community award or a court case – we weigh the public interest against the minor’s welfare. Where a child is a victim or witness, we anonymise details unless a court order or exceptional public interest requires otherwise. All such decisions are reviewed by Diane Forbes and, where appropriate, legal counsel. Our editorial policy and fact‑checking policy also require that any claim involving a minor is verified with at least two sources and checked for potential harm. We do not publish photographs of minors without signed parental release forms, stored securely in line with our privacy policy.
What training do our staff receive to protect minors?
All editorial staff – including writers, editors and fact‑checkers – complete annual safeguarding training designed by Diane Forbes. New joiners must finish this training before they can publish or interview.
The training covers: recognising signs of vulnerability, obtaining proper consent, using language that does not stigmatise or identify children, and reporting concerns internally. It also explains our complaints procedure so staff know how readers or sources can raise safeguarding issues. Diane Forbes delivers refresher sessions each year and updates the materials whenever UK guidance or legislation changes. Records of completed training are kept by the managing editor and are audited as part of Sliema Media’s compliance checks.
What you can expect from us
You can expect Southampton Wire to treat every minor’s welfare as our highest priority. We will never use AI or automated tools to generate or alter content involving children without human editorial oversight.
We will obtain and document consent clearly, anonymise where appropriate and consult with Diane Forbes or William Ashby if there is any doubt. If you believe a child has been put at risk by our content or our conduct, please contact us immediately via info@southamptonwire.co.uk or the editorial line on +44 20 4587 9485. We will investigate, take corrective action and, where necessary, publish a correction or removal in line with our corrections policy. We also commit to reviewing this policy every six months and notifying readers of any significant changes through our newsletter and a note on this page.
Questions or concerns?
If you have any question about this policy or wish to report a safeguarding concern, contact Diane Forbes directly at diane.forbes@southamptonwire.co.uk or call +44 20 4587 9491. Editor‑in‑Chief William Ashby is also available at william.ashby@southamptonwire.co.uk or +44 20 4587 9486.
You can also write to our registered office: Level 3, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta. For urgent matters, please use the UK editorial line +44 20 4587 9485. All concerns are treated confidentially and investigated promptly. We will acknowledge receipt within one working day and provide a full response within five working days. This policy was last reviewed and approved by Diane Forbes on 1 July 2025 and is available on our website at /safeguarding-minors-policy/.