Natalie Harris, Events and Safeguarding Manager, and Karen Cheese, Events and School Games Coordinator at Active Kent and Medway discuss the possibilities of using AI to assess safeguarding policies.
At Active Kent & Medway, safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do. Each year, we support a wide range of organisations with funding. As part of that process, we require them to complete our Safeguarding Agreement Checklist. This includes submitting their safeguarding policies for assessment, a task that has historically been both time‑consuming and challenging due to the sheer volume of documents we receive.
In a recent podcast with the Ann Craft Trust, we spoke about how we’ve embraced AI, specifically Microsoft Copilot, to transform this process. What began as a practical solution to a workload challenge has quickly become one of the most impactful changes to the way we support and assure safeguarding standards in our funded organisations.
Listen Below:
Where the Journey Began
The shift towards AI‑assisted assessments started when our own safeguarding policy underwent review by the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU). During that process, CPSU used a structured assessment template to evaluate our policy. It was clear how helpful it was to have each requirement broken down, reviewed systematically, and fed back in a transparent way.
This sparked an idea: Could we create a similar structured assessment for the organisations we support? And could the process be made quicker, more consistent, and more scalable?
Working with guidance from both CPSU and the Ann Craft Trust, we adapted that initial template into two versions:
- A safeguarding assessment template for children’s policies
- A safeguarding assessment template for adults’ policies
These templates became the backbone of the new AI‑supported workflow.
How We’re Using Copilot to Assess Safeguarding Policies
The process is surprisingly simple, yet incredibly effective.
Using Microsoft Copilot, we upload:
- The organisation’s safeguarding policy
- The relevant assessment template
We then give Copilot very specific instructions on what we want it to do, so that we get the exact output that we require.
We use the following wording:
Hi Copilot, using the [REVIEW TEMPLATE] can you please complete a review of [ADD IN RELEVANT POLICY DOC], filling in the comments and feedback column of the review template in relation to the required criteria. Please make sure the information sits within the existing template as part of the table already created.
I require all sections to be completed including the last two sections on pages 6 and 7 titled Procedures/guidance is available in the following areas: and Guidance on the additional safeguarding needs.
Please highlight any areas where criteria were partially or not met.
Copilot then analyses the policy against each criterion in the template. In a matter of minutes, it produces a clear, structured assessment showing whether each requirement is:
- Met
- Partially met
- Not met
As you can see from the small extract of a review below, it also explains why criterion have been met, partially met, or not met. It also gives advice on what the policy needs to make sure that the criterion are met:
This level of speed and accuracy would be extremely challenging for any individual to achieve consistently, especially when reviewing large numbers of detailed policies.
What previously took a significant amount of staff time can now be completed swiftly and consistently, allowing us to review every single safeguarding policy submitted by the organisations we fund.
The Impact:
- More Confidence
- More Clarity
- Better Support
Every organisation now receives a full assessment
Previously, time pressures meant it wasn’t always possible to review every policy in depth. Now, every organisation benefits from a full, structured review.
Feedback is clearer and easier to act on
The assessment they receive highlights exactly where their policy meets expected standards and where improvements are needed. This makes the pathway to strengthening safeguarding far more visible.
Organisational responses have been overwhelmingly positive
One of the most rewarding outcomes has been the feedback we’ve received. Many organisations have thanked us for the clarity, the detail, and the support the assessment provides. For some, it’s the first time they’ve received structured, actionable safeguarding feedback.
It raises standards across the system
Everyone benefits when organisations understand what good safeguarding looks like, and can see how to get there.
Looking Ahead
What started as a practical experiment in improving efficiency has become a genuine enhancement to our safeguarding practice.
AI will never replace the human judgement, empathy, or responsibility at the core of safeguarding. But it can strengthen the processes that support it.
At Active Kent & Medway, we’re excited about the potential of this new approach, and we’re proud to be working with partners like the Ann Craft Trust and CPSU to raise safeguarding standards across the sector.