Why Holistic Safeguarding?
We are independent organisational safeguarding specialists based in the small town of Te Aroha in the mighty Waikato. However, we help establishments of all types, sizes, and sectors across Aotearoa in becoming child safe organisations and implementing their essential safeguards.
We deliver tailored, cost-effective solutions that promote self-sustainable safeguarding practices and empower organisations to continuously improve. We’ve successfully supported both of Aotearoa New Zealand’s safeguarding-accredited organisations through their external accreditation and renewals and helped some of those connected to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission apply child safety best practices to transform their child safety practices and culture. Hence, while our services in developing Safeguarding and Child Protection Policies and delivering Child Protection Training remain incredibly popular, our most sought-after service is our Child Safety Ambassador Programme, a best practice model that guides establishments through becoming a Child Safe Organisation.
From big names to smaller organisations, we assist with tasks of all sizes, as every step contributes to keeping children and those who support them safe. Contact us for a free consultation, and let us help you explore your needs and provide a cost-effective, tailored solution.
Our Mission
"Safeguarding You to
Safeguard Children"
While maintaining a strong focus on customer needs, our safeguarding and child protection support is child-centred, ensuring children are the ultimate beneficiaries of our support.
Tailored Support
The need for essential safeguards may be shared across organisations supporting children and their families. However, just as every child is unique, so is every organisation. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions and focus on tailoring safeguards to meet each customer’s specific needs. How safeguards are designed and applied to an organisation and its people is crucial to ensuring they are both qualitative and effective.
Self-Sustainable Solutions
As experts in developing Child Safe Organisations to best practice or accredited levels, we emphasise the importance of organisations taking ownership of their child safety measures. We strive to avoid fostering reliance, instead promoting self-sustainable safeguarding practices. As much as possible, we aim to provide solutions that empower customers, support continuous improvement, and provide cost-effective, practical, and qualitative support.
Innovative
By avoiding a one-size-fits-all product shelf and placing tailored support at our core, we pride ourselves on thinking creatively to design bespoke approaches that meet our customers’ unique needs. As a solution-focused provider, our goal is to deliver practical, high-quality, self-sustainable, and cost-effective solutions that offer practical, lasting value while addressing the present and future child safety challenges our customers may face.
Accessible
Access to qualitative safeguarding and child protection support is too often hindered by obstacles, with budget constraints being the most common. This frequently leaves those supporting our most vulnerable without crucial guidance and resources. A key part of Safeguarding You to Safeguard Children is making accessibility a core value. Wherever possible, we collaborate with customers to overcome challenges, ensuring they can access effective, high-quality child safety support.
We would love to work with you.
Kia ora,
I’m Kim Dickinson, the founder and primary lead of Holistic Safeguarding, and I’m incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and the unwavering support we’ve received. Most of our customers come through referrals, and we’ve maintained over a 90% customer retention rate since launching. This reflects the trust in our quality of support and our commitment to keeping services affordable despite a world of rising costs. Your ongoing support is the cornerstone of our success, for which I am incredibly grateful, and I extend my heartfelt thanks.
With experience working with offenders and a strong background in organisational safeguarding, I bring extensive expertise in mitigating risks to child safety in multi-agency organisations across the children’s workforce. My journey includes a senior role at the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) in the UK, supporting child protection charities in Aotearoa New Zealand, leading Y North (formerly YMCA Auckland) through safeguarding accreditation and renewal, and assisting Dilworth School in achieving their external child safety accreditation (via Child Wise/Australian Childhood Foundation). Initially supporting as the New Zealand Consultant for Child Wise, I now deliver this expertise through Holistic Safeguarding.
Every child and every organisation is unique. While similarities may exist, I believe safeguarding solutions are most effective when tailored to fit the organisation’s needs. If you’re interested in customised support, I’d love to welcome you to Holistic Safeguarding’s growing whānau. Feel free to access our free, no-obligation 1 hour Consultation Service if there’s anything we can assist with, even if it is just to confirm your child safety needs.