Media Grid UK is committed to protecting the welfare of children and young people who appear in, or are affected by, our editorial content. This Safeguarding & Minors Policy sets out the standards our journalists and editors follow when reporting on or engaging with individuals under 18. The policy is owned by Standards & Fact-Checking Lead Oliver Reeves, who reviews all content involving minors before publication. Concerns about our coverage of children can be sent to complaints@mediagriduk.uk.
Who is responsible for safeguarding at Media Grid UK?
Oliver Reeves, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead (oliver.reeves@mediagriduk.uk), is the designated safeguarding officer for Media Grid UK. He oversees compliance with this policy and conducts the mandatory additional review of any article that names, quotes or images a minor. Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Pierce retains ultimate editorial responsibility for publication decisions. The publication is owned and operated by Sliema Media Limited, registered in Malta (company number C 84217, registered office: Level 3, Tower Business Centre, Tower Street, Swatar, Birkirkara BKR 4013, Malta).
How do we approach coverage of minors?
We treat the privacy, dignity and safety of children as paramount. A minor is any individual under the age of 18. Our journalists never interview or photograph a child without the informed consent of a parent or guardian, except in exceptional circumstances where the story is clearly in the public interest and the child’s welfare is not compromised. We avoid publishing identifying information – such as full names, school details or home addresses – unless there is a compelling editorial reason and appropriate legal advice has been obtained. Wherever possible, we use anonymised references (e.g. “a 14-year-old student”) to protect the minor’s identity.
What additional review is required for content involving minors?
Every article, video or multimedia piece that references, quotes or depicts a child must receive a second review from Oliver Reeves before it can be published. This review checks for compliance with our Editorial Policy, confirms that consent documentation is in place, and assesses whether the content could cause harm to the child. The same standard applies to user-generated content, images sourced from social media, and archive material where a subject was under 18 at the time of capture. No piece is exempt from this step.
How can readers raise concerns about safeguarding?
If you believe that Media Grid UK has published content that puts a child at risk, breaches their privacy, or otherwise falls short of this policy, please contact our complaints team immediately. Send details to complaints@mediagriduk.uk or call our UK editorial line on +44 20 4587 9485. We will acknowledge receipt within 24 hours and investigate under our formal Complaints Procedure. Serious concerns may also be escalated to the relevant UK authorities.
Our commitments
- All editorial content involving minors is reviewed by Oliver Reeves, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead, before publication.
- We obtain verifiable parental or guardian consent before interviewing, photographing or naming any child.
- We minimise the use of identifiable details about minors, favouring anonymisation unless public interest clearly outweighs the child’s right to privacy.
- Every complaint relating to safeguarding is investigated promptly, with a written response within five working days, and any proven breach is corrected and publicly noted in line with our Corrections Policy.
- We train all editorial staff – including freelance contributors and interns – on this policy and update it at least annually. Our full team is listed on the Our Team page.