Friends of Evington

Friends of Evington Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures

Ratified No
Status Draft
Issued
Approved By Trustees No
Consultation None
Equality Impact Assessment Completed No
Distribution To be sent to all individual members and group members’ representative of the charity once approved.
Implementation Date  To be decided
Planned Review Date  To be decided
Version 1.0
Author Helen Pettman (Chair of Friends of Evington)
Friends of Evington’s Safeguarding officer:  None agreed
Policy Validity Statement Policy users should ensure that they are consulting the currently valid version of the documentation. This document will be reviewed one year from its issue date.

The aims of the Friends of Evington is to promote community capacity building, sustainable development, care of the environment and supporting communities that are socially and/or economically disadvantaged.

Umbrella body:

The Friends of Evington acts as an umbrella body for projects that meet our aims and objectives.  These include:  Evington Echo.    Evington in Bloom.    Evington Eco Community Centre (which is in the process of campaigning for agreements with Leicester City Council).

POLICY STATEMENT

Definition:  A vulnerable adult is anyone who may not be able to protect themselves from abuse, harm or exploitation.  (This may be for reasons of illness, age, mental illness, disability or other types of physical or mental impairment.)

Safeguarding vulnerable adults is a part of the wider role of safeguarding and promoting welfare.   This refers to the activity which is undertaken to protect specific vulnerable adults who are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm.   As adults and/or professionals or volunteers, everyone has a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable adults and promote their welfare.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults – and in particular protecting them from significant harm – depends upon effective joint working between agencies and professionals that have different roles and expertise.

Some of the most vulnerable adults and those at greatest risk of social exclusion, will need co-ordinated help from health, education, social care, and quite possibly the voluntary sector and other agencies, including justice services.

For those vulnerable adults who are suffering, or at risk of suffering significant harm, joint working is essential, to safeguard and promote their welfare and – where necessary – to help bring to justice the perpetrators of crimes against them.   All agencies and professionals should:

  • be alert to potential indicators of abuse or neglect;
  • be alert to the risks which individual abusers, or potential abusers, may pose to vulnerable adults;
  • share and help to analyse information so that an assessment can be made of the individual’s needs and circumstances;
  • contribute to whatever actions are needed to safeguard and promote the individual’s welfare;
  • take part in regularly reviewing the outcomes for the individual against specific plans; and
  • work co-operatively with parents and/or other carers unless this is inconsistent with ensuring the individual’s safety.

As one of its major activities the charity seeks to serve the needs of vulnerable adults, promoting holistic development.

In doing so the charity takes seriously the welfare of all vulnerable adults who come onto its premises or who are involved in its activities.

The charity aims to ensure that they are welcomed into a safe, caring environment with a happy and friendly atmosphere.

The charity recognises that it is the responsibility of each one of its volunteers, to prevent the neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse of vulnerable adults and to report any abuse discovered or suspected.

The charity recognises its responsibility to implement, maintain and regularly review procedures, which are designed to prevent and to be alert to such abuse.

The charity is committed to supporting, resourcing and training those who work with vulnerable adults and to providing supervision.

The charity is committed to maintaining good links with the statutory social services authorities.

Scope of this Policy

This safeguarding adult policy and associated procedures apply to all individuals involved in Friends of Evington, its projects and in the wider community.  We also expect our partner organisation, including affiliated community groups, and partner groups, advertisers and suppliers (e.g. printers) to adopt and demonstrate their commitment to the principles and practise as set out in this Safeguarding Adults Policy and associated procedures.

In order to implement this policy, Friends of Evington will ensure that:

Everyone involved in Friends of Evington is aware of the safeguarding procedures and knows what to do and who to contact if they have a concern relating to the welfare or wellbeing of an adult.

Any concern that an adult is not safe is taken seriously, responded to promptly and following up in line with Friends of Evington’s safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures.

The well-being of those at risk of harm will be put first and the adult actively supported to communicate their views and the outcomes they want to achieve.

Those views and wishes will be respected and supported unless there are overriding reasons not to.  (See Safeguarding Adults Procedures).

Any actions taken will respect the rights and dignity of all those involved and be proportionate to the risk of harm.

Confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained securely stored in line with our Data Protection Policy and Procedures

Friends of Evington acts in accordance with best practice advice from, for example, DeCentered Media, IN-CJ (International Network for Criminal Justice) from whom this policy is adapted.)

Friends of Evington will cooperate with the Police and Leicester City Council in taking action to safeguard any adult to the extent that cooperation does not compromise Friends of Evington’s editorial independence and research ethics practices.

All trustees, members, coordinators, contributors and volunteers are expected to demonstrate that they understand their role and responsibility for safeguarding adults and will take up opportunities for safeguarding adult training appropriately.

Friends of Evington will aim to use safe recruitment practices and continually assess the suitability of volunteers (and staff if this later becomes an option) to prevent deployment of unsuitable individuals in this organisation.

Friends of Evington will share information in accordance with our legal requirements about anyone found to be a risk to adults with the appropriate bodies, for example Disclosure and Barring Services, Police, Local Authority/Social Services.

When planning activities and events, Friends of Evington will include an assessment of, and risk to, the safety of all adults from abuse and neglect and designate a person who will be in attendance as a safeguarding lead for that event.

Actions taken under this policy are reviewed by the project coordinators and senior management team on an annual basis.

This policy and procedures are reviewed no less than on a two-yearly basis and whenever there are changes in relevant legislation.

Implementation Procedures need the following in place

  • A clear line of accountability within the organisation for the safety and welfare of all adults.
  • Access to relevant legal and professional advice.
  • Regular management reports to the project managers detailing how risks to adult safeguarding are being addressed and how any reports have been addressed.
  • Safeguarding adult procedures that deal effectively with any concerns of abuse or neglect, including those caused through poor practice.
  • A Safeguarding Lead/ Welfare Officer (see Appendix 1).
  • A delegated Safeguarding Lead/Welfare Officer for events/trips/excursions and outside workshops.
  • A standing Case Management group, with an appointed Chair and clear Terms of Reference.
  • A process for forming a Case Management Group on a case-by-case basis, within clear terms of reference.
  • Arrangements to work effectively with other relevant organisations to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults, including arrangements for sharing information.
  • Codes of conduct for project managers, staff, producers, volunteers and members, and other relevant individuals that specify zero tolerance of abuse in any form.
  • Risk assessments that specifically include safeguarding of adults.
  • Policies and procedures that address the following areas and which are consistent with this safeguarding adults policy.
  • Safeguarding Children
  • Bullying and harassment
  • Social Media
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Safe activities risk assessments
  • Code of Conducts and a process for breach of these – Staff, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers, Participants/Members, Carers/Personal Assistants, Fans
  • Discipline and grievance
  • Concerns, Complaints and Compliments
  • Whistleblowing
  • Safe recruitment and selection (staff and volunteers)
  • Contract compliance
  • Information policy, data protection and information sharing

Key Points

  • There is a legal duty on Local Authorities to provide support to ‘adults at risk’.
    Adults at risk are defined in legislation and the criteria applied differs between each home nation. (see definitions for each home nation on page 12).
  • The safeguarding legislation applies to all forms of abuse that harm a person’s well-being.
  • The law provides a framework for good practice in safeguarding that makes the overall well-being of the adult at risk a priority of any intervention.
  • The law in all four home nations emphasises the importance of person-centred safeguarding, (referred to as ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ in England).
  • The law provides a framework for making decisions on behalf of adults who can’t make decisions for themselves (Mental Capacity).
  • The law provides a framework for criminal justice organisations to share concerns they have about adults at risk with the local authority.
  • The law provides a framework for all organisations to share information and cooperate to protect adults at risk.

Author:  Helen Pettman  7th January 2023

Date Agreed by trustees: not decided

Review Date: not decided