Safeguarding Adults Policy

This policy will enable Open Out to demonstrate its commitment to keeping safe any vulnerable adults with whom it works alongside and with. Open Out acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions

of abuse. It is important to have the policy and procedures in place so that Directors, employees, freelancers, volunteers, clients and carers/families can work to prevent abuse and know what to do in the event of abuse or suspected abuse.

The Policy Statement and Procedures have been drawn up in order to enable Open Out to:

  • promote good practice and work in a way that can prevent harm, abuse and coercion occurring.
  • to ensure that any allegations of abuse or suspicions are dealt with appropriately and the person experiencing abuse is supported.

and to stop abuse occurring.

The Policy and Procedures relate to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.

Vulnerable adults are defined as:

  • People aged 18 or over
  • Who are receiving or may need community care services because of learning, physical or mental disability, age, or illness
  • Who are or may be unable to take care of themself, or unable to protect themself against significant harm or exploitation.

(No Secrets, Department of Health, 2000)

The policy applies to all staff, including Directors, employees, self-employed freelancers, volunteers and anyone working on behalf of Open Out.

It is acknowledged that a number of vulnerable adults are subjected to abuse. It is important that Open Out has a Safeguarding Adults Policy, a set of procedures to follow and puts in place preventative measures to try and reduce those numbers.

In order to implement the policy, Open Out will work:

  • to promote the freedom and dignity of the person who has or is experiencing abuse
  • to promote the rights of all people to live free from abuse and coercion
  • to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to abuse that they are experiencing
  • to manage services in a way which promotes safety and prevents abuse
  • recruit staff, self-employed freelancers and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
  • provide effective management for staff, self-employed freelancers and volunteers through supervision, support and training

Open Out:

  • will ensure that all Directors, employees, self-employed freelancers, volunteers, clients, and carers/families are familiar with this policy and procedures
  • will work with other agencies within the framework of the Boroughs Safeguarding Adults Board Policy and Procedures, issued under No Secrets guidance (Department of Health, 2000)
  • will act within its confidentiality policy and will usually gain permission from clients before sharing information about them with another agency unless the law directs them differently.
  • will pass information to Adult Services when more than one person is at risk. For example: if the concern relates to a worker, volunteer or organisation who provides a service to vulnerable adults
  • will inform service users that where a person is in danger, an Adult is at risk or a crime has been committed then a decision may be taken to pass information to another agency without the service user’s consent
  • will make a referral to the Adult Social Care Direct team as appropriate
  • will endeavor to keep up to date with national developments relating to preventing abuse and welfare of adults
  • will ensure that the Designated Named Person understands their responsibility to refer incidents of adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies (Police / Adult Services Directorate)

The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults in Open Out is Director, Greygory Vass whose contact number is as below at page 6.

They should be contacted for support and advice on implementing this policy and procedures.

This policy should be read in conjunction with the Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures documents which are kept on file on the premises.

Procedures

1. Introduction

Open Out provides hairdressing services. These procedures have been designed to ensure the welfare and protection of any adult who accesses services provided by Open Out. The procedures recognise that adult abuse can be a difficult subject for workers to deal with. Open Out is committed to the belief that the protection of vulnerable adults from harm and abuse is every-ones’ responsibility and the aim of these procedures is to ensure that all Directors, employees, self-employed freelancers and volunteers of Open Out act appropriately in response to any concern around adult abuse.

2. Preventing abuse

Open Out is committed to putting in place safeguards and measures to reduce the likelihood of abuse taking place within the services it offers and that all those involved within Open Out will be treated with respect. This policy needs to be read in conjunction with the following policies:

  • Equal Opportunities
  • Complaints
  • Whistle Blowing
  • Confidentiality
  • Disciplinary and Grievance
  • GDPR
  • Safer Spaces

Open Out is committed to safer recruitment policies and practices for Directors, paid staff, self-employed freelancers and volunteers. This may include DBS disclosures for staff and volunteers, ensuring references are taken up and adequate training on Safeguarding Adults is provided for staff and volunteers.

Directors will be required to provide two references and where appropriate have a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Open Out will work within the current legal framework for reporting staff or volunteers that are abusers.

Clients will be encouraged to become involved with the running of the organisation. Information will be available about abuse and the complaints policy and Safeguarding Adults policy statement will be available to clients and their carers/families.

3. Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse

Open Out is committed to ensuring that all Directors, employees, self-employed freelancers and volunteers undertake training to gain a basic awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse, and will ensure that Open Out’s Designated Named Person and other members of staff and volunteers have access to training around Safeguarding Adults.

“Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons”

No Secrets: Department of Health, 2000

Abuse includes:

  • physical abuse: including hitting, slapping, punching, burning, misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint
  • sexual abuse: including rape, indecent assault, inappropriate touching, exposure to pornographic material
  • psychological or emotional abuse: including belittling, name calling, threats of harm, intimidation, isolation
  • financial or material abuse: including stealing, selling assets, fraud, misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
  • neglect and acts of omission: including withholding the necessities of life such as medication, food or warmth, ignoring medical or physical care needs
  • discriminatory abuse: including racist, sexist, that based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment
  • institutional or organisational: including regimented routines and cultures, unsafe practices, lack of person-centered care or treatment

This list is not exhaustive but is given as a guide.

Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. Abuse may be a single act or repeated acts.

People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds and walks of life. They may be doctors, nurses, social workers, advocates, staff members, volunteers or others in a position of trust. They may also be relatives, friends, neighbours or people who use the same services as the person experiencing abuse. It can be anyone.

4. Designated Named Person for safeguarding adults

Open Out has an appointed individual who is responsible for dealing with any Safeguarding Adults concerns. In their absence, a deputy will be available for workers to consult with. The Designated Named Person(s) for Safeguarding Adults within Open Out is:

Greygory Vass

Toddy Peters (Deputy)

Should either of these named people be unavailable then Directors, employees, freelancers or volunteers should contact Adult Social Care Direct directly. See below for contact details.

The roles and responsibilities of the named person(s) are:

  • to ensure that all staff including volunteers and trustees are aware of what they should do and who they should go to if they have concerns that a vulnerable adult may be experiencing or has experienced abuse or neglect.
  • to ensure that concerns are acted on, clearly recorded and referred to an Adult Social Care Direct team or to the allocated social worker/care manager where necessary.
  • to follow up any referrals and ensure the issues have been addressed.
  • consider any recommendations from the Safeguarding Adults process
  • to reinforce the utmost need for confidentiality and to ensure that staff and volunteers are adhering to good practice with regard to confidentiality and security. This is because it is around the time that a person starts to challenge abuse that the risks of increasing intensity of abuse are greatest.
  • to ensure that staff and volunteers working directly with clients who have experienced abuse, or who are experiencing abuse, are well supported and receive appropriate supervision.

if appropriate staff or volunteers will be given support and afforded protection if necessary under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998: they will be dealt with in a fair and equitable manner and they will be kept informed of any action that has been taken and it’s outcome

5. Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse

Open Out recognises that it has a duty to act on reports, or suspicions of abuse or neglect. It also acknowledges that taking action in cases of adult abuse is never easy.

How to respond if you receive an allegation:

  • Reassure the person concerned
  • Listen to what they are saying
  • Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible
  • Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
  • Tell them that the information will be treated seriously
  • Do not start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
  • Do not promise to keep it a secret

If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place the priorities will be:

  • To call an ambulance if required
  • To call the police if a crime has been committed
  • To preserve evidence
  • To keep yourself, staff, self-employed freelancers, volunteers and clients safe
  • To inform the Designated Named Person in your organisation
  • To record what happened in the clients file and the communications log

All situations of abuse or alleged abuse will be discussed with the Designated Named Person or their deputy. If a Director, employee, self-employed freelancer or volunteer feels unable to raise this concern with the Designated Named Person or their deputy then concerns can be raised directly with Adult Social Care Direct. The alleged victim will be told that this will happen. This stage is called the alert. If it is appropriate and there is consent from the individual, or there is a good reason to override consent, such as risk to others, a referral (alert) will be made to Adult Social Care Direct team.

If the individual experiencing abuse does not have capacity to consent a referral will be made without that person’s consent, in their best interests.

The Designated Named Person may take advice at the above stage from Adult Social Care Direct and/or the Safeguarding Adults Unit and/or other advice giving organisations such as Police.

As Open Out’s primary contact with vulnerable adults will be through home visits, Hackney Borough may not be the correct borough to approach, so further research may be required to contact the Safeguarding Adults team of the clients’ place of residence.

Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board

Phone: 020 8356 5782
Email: adultprotection@hackney.gov.uk
Available: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Out of Hours 0208 356 2300

Shoreditch Police Station (Borough HQ)

Phone: 020 7275 3626 or 101 (non emergency) 999 (emergency)
4 – 6 Shepherdess Walk, London, N1 7LF
(ask for Local Area Police Station or Public Protection Unit)

Raising a Safeguarding Adults Alert

All safeguarding adults alerts (referrals) should be made by telephone or email to

Hackney HS
1 Hillman street, Hackney E8 1DY
Monday to Friday 9.00am till 5.00pm

Phone: 020 8356 5782
Email: adultprotection@hackney.gov.uk

A Safeguarding Adults Alert / Referral form can be found here on Hackney HSC’s Google Drive.

In an emergency situation outside of these times please contact the Out of Hours number 0208 356 2300

You should ask to make a safeguarding adults alert.

The telephone call should be followed up in writing by email to the Adult Social Care Direct team outlining concerns: adultprotection@hackney.gov.uk

If there is suspected or actual abuse

Immediate threat or crime committed? — YES –> Contact Police or Emergency Services

NO?

Inform Designated Named Person or their Deputy

AND

Alert made to Adult Social Care Direct via telephone and then using referral form

Please ring after sending to ensure its safe arrival or send information by secured post in a double envelope – marked strictly confidential.

A Safeguarding Adults Manager (a Team Manager from Adult Services) will then decide if the safeguarding process should be instigated or if other support/services are appropriate. Feedback will be given to the person who raised the safeguarding adults alert.

If the Safeguarding Adults Manager decides the safeguarding process needs to be instigated this will then lead to the implementation of the next stages of the Boroughs Safeguarding Adults Board Multi-Agency Policy and Procedures.

The Designated Named Person will have an overview of this process so they can explain it to the person concerned and offer all relevant support to the person and process. This could be practical and emotional support e.g. assure the client that the matter is being investigated.

Information should be provided to the individual. This could be about other sources of help or information that could enable them to decide what to do about their experience, enable them to recover from their experience and enable them to seek justice.

6. Managing allegation made against member of staff or volunteer

Open Out will ensure that any allegations made against members or member of staff will be dealt with swiftly with tact and care.

Where a member of staff/volunteer/ self-employed freelancer is thought to have committed a criminal offence the police will be informed. If a crime has been witnessed the police should be contacted immediately.

The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. A risk assessment must be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk to all service users posed by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role within the service whilst the investigation is undertaken.

The Designated Named Person will liaise with Adult Social Care Direct to discuss the best course of action and to ensure that Open Out’s disciplinary procedures are coordinated with any other enquiries taking place as part of the ongoing management of the allegation.

Open Out has a whistle blowing policy and staff are aware of this policy. Staff will be supported to use this policy.

7. Recording and managing confidential information

Open Out is committed to maintaining confidentiality wherever possible and information around Safeguarding Adults issues should be shared only with those who need to know. For further information, please see Open Out’s confidentiality policy.

All allegations/concerns should be recorded in the clients file and the communications log. The information should be factual and not based on opinions, record what the person tells you, what you have seen and witnesses if appropriate.

The information that is recorded will be kept secure and will comply with data protection regulations.

This information will be secured in a locked filing cabinet during office hours. Access to this information will be restricted to the Designated Named Person and Deputy.

Retention of information. All data will be destroyed in line with GDPR guidelines.

8. Disseminating/Reviewing policy and procedures

This Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedure will be clearly communicated to Directors, employees, self-employed freelancers, volunteers, clients and carers/families. The Designated Named Person will be responsible for ensuring that this is done.

The Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures will be reviewed annually by Open Out’s Directors. The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults will be involved in this process and can recommend any changes. The Designated Named Person will also ensure that any changes are clearly communicated to staff, self-employed freelancers and volunteers. It may be appropriate to involve clients in the review and clients and families/carers need to be informed of any significant changes.