What we expect from our community members 

We encourage members to share their experiences, listen to others and recognise that every family’s situation is different. 

We expect everyone who takes part in our community to treat others in the community with kindness and consideration. Many people who engage with Gingerbread are navigating difficult circumstances and a supportive environment can make a huge difference to how they feel about and approach those circumstances. People should feel able to take part in conversations and activities within the Gingerbread community without fear of judgment, harassment or ridicule. 

We therefore ask members to respect one another’s privacy, personal boundaries, beliefs and identities, and to report concerns to Gingerbread straight away if they believe someone may be behaving inappropriately or is at risk of harm. 

What is not acceptable 

Behaviour that makes our community feel unsafe, unwelcoming or hostile is not acceptable. 

This includes personal attacks, bullying, harassment, intimidation, threatening behaviour and abuse directed at any individual or group. It also includes swearing at or about other people, deliberately provoking conflict, repeatedly disrupting conversations or engaging in behaviour designed to upset or exclude others. 

We will not tolerate discriminatory or hateful behaviour, including comments or actions that are racist, sexist, homophobic, biphobic, transphobic, ableist, religiously intolerant or otherwise prejudiced. 

You should avoid sharing private or identifying information about yourselves and only share information about others with their permission, and you should not use the Gingerbread community for unwanted personal approaches, dating, commercial promotion, fundraising, scams or any other activity that conflicts with the purpose of our community. 

Feedback about Gingerbread, our services or our work is welcome when expressed respectfully. Abuse directed at or about the organisation, its staff, volunteers, moderators, single parents or other community members is not acceptable under any circumstances. 

Keeping yourself safe 

Most people who engage within the Gingerbread community are genuine and well intentioned. However, it is important to take sensible precautions to protect yourself and your family. 

Please think carefully before sharing personal information about yourself or your children. Information such as addresses, telephone numbers, schools, legal matters, financial circumstances and identifying photographs can make you or your family vulnerable. 

Private messaging can be a valuable way to build connections, but it is important to maintain appropriate boundaries. If someone makes you uncomfortable, pressures you to share personal information or continues to contact you when you have asked them not to, stop communicating with them and report the behaviour to Gingerbread via info@gingerbread.org.uk. 

You should never feel under pressure to provide money, share bank details or accept offers of free professional services from people you do not know. If anyone asks you for money or financial support through the Gingerbread community, please report it to us immediately. 

If you choose to meet someone you have met through the Gingerbread community, remember that they are still someone you do not know well. Take your time, meet in a public place, tell someone where you are going and trust your instincts. You should never feel obliged to meet anyone or share information that you are uncomfortable disclosing. 

If you are concerned about stalking, coercive behaviour or someone monitoring your online activity, please seek support from a specialist organisation such as Refuge and take steps to secure your online accounts. 

Our approach 

Participation in the Gingerbread community is a privilege, not a right and to protect our community, Gingerbread regularly moderates the community.   

We aim to moderate fairly, consistently and proportionately to ensure that everyone can access a safe, supportive and inclusive community. We recognise that misunderstandings can occur and that context matters.  

What moderators do and do not do 

Gingerbread’s moderators are staff members who help maintain a safe environment, identify safeguarding concerns and signpost people towards relevant support where appropriate. Moderators do not provide legal, financial or professional advice and will not normally become involved in conversations that are progressing constructively without their intervention. 

We reserve the right to edit, hide or remove content, intervene in discussions, contact people directly with guidance about expected behaviour, restrict participation, suspend accounts or permanently ban individuals whose behaviour does not meet the community standards.  

Some behaviour may result in immediate action without prior warning. This includes serious abuse, harassment, threats, hate speech, safeguarding concerns, scams, impersonation or conduct that places others in the community at risk. 

All moderation decisions are made at Gingerbread’s discretion and with the safety and wellbeing of the wider community in mind.

Safeguarding 

We take safeguarding seriously. If we believe that a child or adult may be at risk of significant harm, we may take action in line with our Safeguarding Policy, including contacting relevant authorities where appropriate. 

Raising concerns 

If you are concerned about a post, comment, message or someone’s behaviour, please report it to Gingerbread rather than responding publicly. Reporting concerns helps us maintain a safe environment and allows us to investigate issues fairly. 

You should report anything that appears abusive, threatening, discriminatory, suspicious or unsafe. This includes behaviour that may indicate a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable adult. 

We review concerns during our moderation hours and will assess whether the issue involves a breach of the Community Standards, a safeguarding concern or both. We will take action where appropriate and may contact you if we need further information. 

How to report 

Reports can be made through the relevant platform tools where available, such as reporting a post or message directly. Concerns about local groups, events or other community activity can be reported directly to Gingerbread via safeguarding@gingerbread.org.uk. 

Where safeguarding concerns are identified, we may need to share information with relevant agencies in accordance with our Safeguarding Policy. 

By reporting concerns promptly and responsibly, you are helping us to ensure that Gingerbread remains a safe, supportive and welcoming community for single parents.