The small print
Community & safeguarding
Review draft · prepared 12 October 2026
Steel's legal identity and some operational arrangements remain unconfirmed. This is not legal certification or a replacement for an approved contract.
1. A welcoming social circle
Free chats are about human connection, not diagnosis, treatment or a guaranteed improvement in mental health. No membership purchase is needed to ask for a chat. Visitors can decline to talk or leave a conversation. Participation must never require sharing a medical history or personal story.
2. Capacity and safeguarding arrangements
Steel has not supplied a confirmed safeguarding lead, staff training details, supervision process, record-handling procedure or age policy for private chats. This document does not pretend these exist. Online requests remain closed until operational arrangements are agreed. It is not a substitute for a board-approved safeguarding policy, staff procedures, appropriate checks or an incident-response plan.
3. Respect and personal boundaries
Do not harass, discriminate, pressure someone to disclose, threaten, or use the social circle to exploit or sell to someone. Respect a request for space. Do not promise secrecy to someone at serious risk. Meetups should make hosts, costs, age guidance, location and how to join clear, without fabricated attendance or testimonials.
4. Privacy and safety limits
Treat personal conversations with care, away from cameras and unnecessary listeners where practical. Information may need to be shared with appropriate services if there is a serious risk to someone, a legal obligation or a safeguarding concern. Share only what is necessary and lawful. Steel cannot guarantee that other participants will keep a group conversation confidential; don't share details you need to remain private in a public meetup.
5. Children and adults at risk
Everyone is welcome to seek information, but this does not mean unsupervised participation is suitable for every age. Chat-request eligibility and safeguarding arrangements for children and adults at risk require explicit confirmation before launch. Every event must state age and supervision requirements. No private contact or transport arrangement should be improvised with a child outside approved procedures.
6. Filming and content
Film your set. Not a stranger. Get explicit permission from anyone identifiable in your footage, including livestreams. Respect anyone who opts out. The rack isn't your film set. Keep walkways clear. No blocking equipment, reserving racks between takes or interrupting someone else's session. Changing rooms are camera-free. No photos, recording or livestreaming in changing rooms, toilets or showers. Ever. Big production? Talk to us. Arrange livestreams, lighting rigs, collaborations and private filming with the team first. A request isn't a confirmed booking. A wellbeing chat must never become social content without a separate, informed and freely given agreement. Permission to attend a meetup is not permission to publish someone else's story.
7. AI is only a writing aid
The conversation starter generates optional words from limited choices. It does not assess risk, moderate a support group, act as a therapist or send messages to Steel. A visitor must review the output before using it. It is not appropriate for emergencies, diagnoses or safeguarding decisions.
8. Immediate danger and urgent help
If someone's life is at risk or you cannot keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent mental health support in England, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. Samaritans provides listening support free on 116 123, day or night. Steel's 24/7 member access does not mean 24/7 staff or crisis support.
9. Raising a concern
For a non-urgent concern about conduct or a social activity, contact Steel on 01842 824469 during staffed hours. A designated safeguarding escalation channel, response times and staff procedures must be agreed before private-request collection opens. Do not wait for Steel if emergency or statutory services are needed.
Draft wording — to be reviewed and confirmed by Steel Fitness 247 before publication.