1.Policy Overview

Users of the activities run under LCADS will be people living with dementia, and they are, by definition, classed as vulnerable adults.  All activities operating under the umbrella LCADS are to comply with this Safeguarding Policy but may additionally have requirements to put in place a local activity-specific Safeguarding policy if necessary.

Safeguarding is at the heart of our work which is predominantly with vulnerable adults. The aim of the LCADS Trustees and Volunteers is to safeguard and promote the welfare of all who work in or attend activities run or supported by the Charity.

 

2. Scope of the policy

The policy applies to everybody who attends any activity overseen or operated by LCADS, in whatever capacity. Appropriately trained Volunteers are to be designated to ensure that the actions required by this policy are taken when necessary.

 

The policy applies specifically to LCADS and its activities, but with due cognizance of the safeguarding policies of the host venues.  In the unlikely instance where there is a disparity between these policies, LCADS activities are to adopt the lowest trigger factor for reporting safeguarding concerns in accordance with safeguarding action. The lowest trigger factors for each activity are set out in the appendix to this policy. Each host venue’s safeguarding policy is kept on file with the LCADS policies.

 

This policy will be reviewed, endorsed and approved by the LCADS Trustees annually, or sooner where the Trustees become aware of changes in legislation which impact this policy.

 

3. Purpose of this Policy and Procedure

This policy and procedure is to ensure that LCADS offers safe environments for all who attend and participate in its activities and events.  It is also to ensure that appropriate action, with reporting as necessary, is taken as soon as reasonably practicable should a safeguarding concern be identified.

 

The policy and procedure also mandates the training and awareness in safeguarding matters required for all Volunteers, regardless of role.

 

 

4. Achieving a safe environment.

The welfare and safety of vulnerable adults is paramount in all our activities.  Accordingly, we expect all Volunteers to:

• Listen to service users and take account of what they tell us, in making decisions about them. Where special provisions are needed, this will be recorded on their personal file and Volunteers will be instructed accordingly.

• Take all reasonable steps to protect service users from harm and discrimination.

• Regularly assess and review safety risks which arise from premises, activities, equipment and travel arrangements, as outlined under LCADS Health and Safety Policy. Risk assessments produced by LCADS and the host venue will be available on site.

 

All suspicions and allegations of abuse, from inside or outside any activity within the LCADS umbrella are to be taken seriously, and we will respond to them promptly and appropriately.

 

The Volunteer first involved in a safeguarding concern, and all subsequent individuals in the investigative and management chain must: make contemporaneous notes of all conversations and keep these records safe and secure in accordance with our GDPR policy.

• as soon as reasonably practicable, refer issues to the Safeguarding Lead appointed by LCADS’ management committee, and through him/her to the Trustees and the appropriate authorities, promptly and clearly. 

 

 

5. Recruiting, screening and training Volunteers

 We shall:

-     Recruit Volunteers with regard to their suitability for work with vulnerable adults.

• All Volunteers must submit a job-specific application form, which will be retained securely in accordance with our GDPR policy.

• All Volunteers must provide two referees

• We insist on carers attending with their guest.  As a result, our volunteer helpers do not require DBS certification. If however, a volunteer has and submits a valid DBS check, or should the Trustees determine that a particular volunteer should be checked due to the nature of any additional role they may undertake (for example where they will work alongside a guest whose carer is temporarily absent), then DBS checks will be undertaken and copies of DBS certificates will be retained securely in accordance with our GDPR policy.

 

 

All Volunteers will be given guidance and training in safeguarding as part of their role specific induction. This training will not just cover physical and mental abuse but also heighten our volunteers awareness of financial abuse as well.

 

Whereas the LCADS Harassment and Bullying Policy applies predominantly to treatment of and by LCADS Volunteers, awareness of the principles outlined in that document will also help heighten and maintain a volunteers awareness of many of the indicators which could raise suspicion that a Guest is subjected to abuse.

 

6. Recognising the signs of abuse:

Trustees and volunteers are well-placed to identify abuse - the adult may say or do things that let you know something is wrong. It may come in the form of a disclosure, complaint, or an expression of concern. Everyone within the organisation should understand what to do, and where to go to get help, support and advice.

 

Types of Abuse:

The Care Act 2014 defines the following ten areas of abuse. These are not exhaustive but are a guide to behaviour that may lead to a safeguarding enquiry. This includes:

 

• Physical abuse - Including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.

• Domestic Violence/ Domestic Abuse - Including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence.

• Exploitation- Including sexual and/or criminal exploitation

• Sexual abuse - Including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography. Witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

• Psychological abuse - Including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.

• Financial or material abuse - Including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse of misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

• Modern slavery - Encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and those who coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

• Discriminatory abuse - Including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment because you are, or are perceived to be different due to race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

• Organisational abuse - Including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to long-term ill treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes or practices within an organisation.

• Neglect and acts of omission - Including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

• Self-neglect - This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

 

7. Vulnerable Adult Referral Procedure

 

Unless the protocols and process of the host venue or parent organisation is more stringent, LCADS entities will follow the process below:

 

• The Volunteer is to listen carefully to the concern or allegation that is made, and to take notes of exactly what is alleged, the names of those involved and the date and time.  These records, together with notes of all subsequent conversations and actions are to be kept safe, and in accordance with our GDPR policy, and will form part of the potential evidence chain until the issue has been fully resolved and the case closed.

•     People living with dementia are more vulnerable than most to the risk of financial abuse. With regard to possible financial abuse the volunteer should , without being overtly intrusive, take particular note of any remarks made by a guest or their carer that might indicate: fraud, preventing a person from accessing their own money or assets, an employee or visitor taking a loan from the guest , and question that pressure, duress, threat or undue influence is being put on the person in connection with loans, wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, family members cancelling needed care to save funds in anticipation of inheritance, denying assistance to access benefits, someone moving into a person’s home and living rent free without agreed financial arrangements, false representation, using another person's bank account, cards or documents or exploitation of a person’s money or assets by, for example, unauthorised use of a car

o The Volunteer must not make promises to keep information secret but, rather, advise the raiser(s) of the concern that LCADS have a legal duty to notify the appropriate authorities of such issues.

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• If possible and appropriate, the Volunteer should ask the Activity Leader to assist in the conversation as a witness.

• At the earliest opportunity the Volunteer is to advise the Safeguarding Lead of the issue and action taken to date.

• Suspected or actual instances of abuse will normally trigger an enquiry under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014.  This action is undertaken by the local Authority’s Adult Social Care Team. o Either the Safeguarding Lead, or if so requested, the Volunteer who initially identified the potential safeguarding issue must complete a Safeguarding Adults Referral to the Buckinghamshire Council Adult Care Team by telephone  to 0800 137 915 or e-mail to safeguardingadults@buckscc.gov.uk  

• The Safeguarding lead must record the date and time of the telephone call and the name of the contact at the Adult Care Team.

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The person reporting might find it helpful to compete Pages 1& 2 of the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Adults Boards Referral Form. (Submit a Safeguarding Concern (buckinghamshire.gov.uk))  appended to this policy. The referral plus the form (if used) must be sent to The Safeguarding Adults Team at Bucks council within 48 hours of the alleged safeguarding incident.

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Where Adult Social Care is investigating an allegation or concern under safeguarding procedures for a vulnerable adult at risk, and a LCADS activity has been or is involved as a referrer, or the subject of the referral is known to us, the Volunteer and Safeguarding Lead must:

 

• cooperate with the Safeguarding investigation when requested

• keep a record of all requests for information and what was supplied to the BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNCIL Safeguarding team

• attend strategy or core group meetings if asked

• keep LCADS Trustees/Management Committee advised of the progress and outcome of any active safeguarding enquiry

 

If there is disagreement between the LCADS and Adult Social Care or another agency as to the appropriateness of a safeguarding referral, LCADS will always promptly discuss and agree what to do next with the designated safeguarding manager (and with the Adult Social Services, if necessary, by following Bucks Council’s guidance,  for resolving differences in professional opinion and their escalation policy and process. LCADS will always keep in mind that the vulnerable adult’s safety and welfare is paramount.

All staff and Volunteers should clearly log a disagreement or dispute about how a safeguarding concern should be dealt with.

 

Consents to sharing information

 

All users of LCADS activities should always know what we need to do with information they give us. Their wishes about how this is disclosed and used should be taken into account as long as this does not jeopardise their safeguarding, or undermine our responsibilities, or adversely affect their welfare. 

 

Information shared should only be that which is relevant to safeguarding adults at risk. Information shared and stored will be secure and in accordance with our GDPR policy.

 

Obtaining Consent to share information may be overridden when there is imminent risk of harm, or where the adult does not have capacity to understand and consent, or if there is crime. 

 

 

8. Roles and Responsibilities

 

Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility.  However, LCADS Trustees/committee members have specific safeguarding duties implicit within their role:

 

• All committee members must uphold the safeguarding ethos and purpose of the Charity

• The Safeguarding Lead must be a Trustee and is responsible for oversight of safeguarding, recommending updates to this policy as required, keeping relevant records, ensuring all Volunteers have been screened and hold DBS clearance.

• LCADS Trustees and members of any Management Committee, in conjunction with the Safeguarding Lead will arrange appropriate safeguarding awareness training for all personnel. 

• The Trustees or any delegated officers will:

  • Agree safeguarding policies and procedures and review these annually.

  • Satisfy themselves that policies and procedures are carried out.

• The secretary will include safeguarding as a standing agenda item at full Committee meetings

• any Management Committee member may receive and action requests for procedural advice or guidance from staff and Volunteers in the absence of the designated Safeguarding Lead/manager, subject to confirmation being obtained from a Trustee.