Safeguarding

Safeguarding Policy – Lyttelton Well

A. Introduction

Safeguarding means protecting a person’s health, wellbeing and human rights; enabling them to live without sustaining harm, abuse and neglect. Safeguarding is all of our responsibilities.

Those who are in need of safeguarding the most include:

• Children
• Young People
• Vulnerable adults, for example those with physical, sensory and mental impairments, and those with learning disabilities, as well as adults who misuse drugs and/or alcohol to the extent that it affects their ability to manage day-to-day living.
• Older people

There are three main elements to our policy:

• Prevention through making those associated with the work of Lyttelton Well aware of this policy
• Procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of abuse
• Support for those who may have been abused

Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working at Lyttelton Well.

B. Why do we have a policy?

We have a policy to:

• Stop abuse and neglect where possible.
• Reduce the risk of abuse and neglect
• Prevent harm where possible
• Provide all staff and volunteers with the information they need to carry out our approach to safeguarding

C. Prevention

It is important to remember that everyone is responsible for safeguarding.

The legislation covering safeguarding is:

• The Care Act 2014 (England)

It is important that we take the duties outlined in the legislation into account, so that we are supporting the local authorities to fulfil their responsibilities. They include:

• Stopping abuse and/or neglect wherever possible
• Preventing harm and reducing the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs
• Safeguarding adults using methods that will support them in making choices and having control around the way they want to live
• Raising public awareness
• Providing information and support in an accessible way, to enable people to understand the types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a safeguarding concern
• Addressing what has caused the abuse and/or neglect

We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with trusted adults can help prevention.

Lyttelton Well will therefore:

• Establish and maintain an ethos where people feel secure, comfortable to talk, and are listened to
• Ensure all volunteers and staff know that they can approach any member of the management if they are worried or in difficulty

D. Guidance

Where any volunteer or member of staff feels there is a possibility that a person has been abused, they should ensure that the matter is brought to the attention of the Lyttelton Well Safeguarding team who have a responsibility to ensure that other agencies are liaised with if necessary. Lyttelton Well may if appropriate supply information requested by a Local Authority Safeguarding Board if the information requested is relevant to the board.

E. Confidentiality

All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to share relevant information concerning abuse. When staff or volunteers are given significant information in confidence, they should indicate to the informant that they have a duty to make the information available to an appropriate authority. In doing so staff should make sure that the person is reassured that only those who must know, will know.

The exception for informing a person that the information needs to be shared, is if informing the person that the information needs to be shared is likely to put the person sharing the information or a third party in danger or if it would be against the law to warn the person that the information will be shared.

F. Procedure

A Safeguarding team is made up of designated managers and trustee oversight.  The makeup of the safeguarding team will be made visible and secure contact details provided to all.

All staff and volunteers must ensure that:

• Concerns regarding the risk an adult is becoming radicalised, should also follow this safeguarding procedure
• That they are familiar with and alert to the signs of abuse and know how to respond if told of abuse

All staff and volunteers involved with The Well Counselling must :

• Deal with all situations in line with the ethical expectations of their professional membership.
• Refer any protection concerns or suspicions to the Safeguarding Team.
• Submit written records of concerns (noting the date, event and any action taken) to the safeguarding team

Additionally, counsellors should ensure they discuss all cases of suspected abuse with their supervisor.

All staff and volunteers involved with the Lyttelton Well office, the café, the bookshop and pastoral care outside the Wells Counselling must ensure that:

• They report all cases of suspected abuse to one of the Lyttelton Well duty managers. In the unlikely event that none of the managers are available, the person covering their duties should be contacted
• They refer any protection concerns or suspicions no matter how small to one of the Lyttelton Well duty Managers. If after discussion it is considered that it is likely that there is reason to consider this is a safeguarding concern, the Lyttelton Well Managers will report it to the Safeguarding team
• They submit written records of concerns (noting the date, event and any action taken) to the Lyttelton Well Managers

All staff and volunteers involved with the Foodbank operating from the Lyttelton Well, must ensure that:

• They are aware of the Lyttelton Well Safeguarding Policy
• They report all cases of suspected abuse to one of the Lyttelton Well duty Managers for awareness only (unless Lyttelton Well staff, volunteers or customers are involved). In the unlikely event that none of the managers are available, the person covering their duties should be contacted.
• They follow the Foodbank Safeguarding Policy so long as the issue only involves Foodbank volunteers, staff and clients. If the issue involves Lyttelton Well staff, volunteers or customers more extensive coordination will be needed with Lyttelton Well Managers, to ensure that all of our safeguarding responsibilities are met

Lyttelton Well will:

• Ensure that the criminal background of applications for vacant posts are checked if appropriate to the role. This will include the appropriate DBS checks, which may take place before a role is started and at regular intervals when a person is volunteering or employed
• Ensure that the duty of care towards other people is promoted throughout
• Keep a written record of concerns (noting the date, event and any action taken
• Offer yearly safeguarding training

G. Supporting those at risk

Staff and volunteers will endeavour to offer support as appropriate to their role. Which may if appropriate include:

• Encouraging self-esteem and self-motivation
• Promoting a positive, supportive and secure environment
• Liaison with other agencies when necessary (note unless it is an emergency for example an imminent danger of loss of life, liaising with other agencies should be through the Safeguarding team)
• Keeping records and take action if necessary

H. Bullying

Behaviour towards others which may lower their self-esteem or persuade them to act in a particular way may be regarded as bullying.

I. Statement

There are several categories of abuse which need to be noted by staff and volunteers:

1. Neglect – may be demonstrated by organic failure to thrive
2. Physical injury – may (or may not) be shown by bruising or scars or damage to tissue. Changes to a person’s demeanour and personality from day to day may also be an indication
3. Sexual abuse – there are not usually physical signs of sexual abuse. However, changes to a person’s demeanour and personality from day to day, may indicate this
4. Emotional abuse – again unlikely to be physical signs though the person’s demeanour and behaviour and day to day reactions to others may give some indications
5. Economic abuse – may be indicated by a person not having money for basic essentials such as food and clothing and/or unexplained debts
6. Modern slavery – this encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude
7. Discriminatory abuse – the person may appear to be withdrawn and isolated
8. Organisation and institutional abuse – includes neglect in relation to care provided in a person’s own home
9. Self-neglect – could include very poor personal hygiene, unkempt appearance, lack of essential food, clothing or shelter.

Further information about possible signs and symptoms can be found online by visiting the NHS webpage on safeguarding or the Social Care Institute of Excellence webpages on safeguarding.

J. Mental Capacity and Safeguarding

The Mental Capacity Act (2005) is central to safeguarding adults. If a person can make an informed decision, they have a right to self-determination. However, it should be noted that the counselling service follows a belief that life should be preserved, if a client of The Wells indicates suicidal thoughts or plans , should be followed.

We will assume that adults have mental capacity to make informed decisions about how they live their lives and their own safety, unless there is clear information that the person lacks the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Factors that should be taken into account, when determining whether a safeguarding concern should be reported about a person who lacks capacity to make decisions themselves include:

• The ability of the person to understand the information about the decision to be made on whether or not to report a safeguarding concern
• The ability of the person to retain information
• The ability of the person to use the information available as part of a decision making process
• The ability of the person to communicate their decision (by talking, the written word, sign language or other means)

L. Allegations Against Staff

There is always potential for allegations to be made of abuse by a member of staff or volunteer. All staff and volunteers should be aware of this potential and should not place themselves, as far as possible, in situations where they risk such allegations.

Where allegations are made against a member of staff or volunteer is it essential that these accusations are investigated fully with an open mind and that speedy decisions are taken to determine what course of action should be taken. No-one should dismiss light heartedly an allegation, but it must be remembered that such allegations can be hugely damaging.

In all cases the immediate priority will be to determine whether a person is at significant risk. If this appears to be the case an urgent referral must be made to the appropriate authority.

Lyttelton Well will follow their responsibilities as set out in the guidance provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service.

M. Safeguarding behaviours

All staff and volunteers should ensure that they:

• Never visit a counselling client at home
• Never visit a customer at the café/bookshop at home unless the customer has been a longstanding friend prior to being a customer at the café/bookshop
• Never transport a client or customer in their car or accept a lift from a client or customer
• Never allow a client or customer into their own home
• Never lend or borrow money or other possessions to/from a client or customer
• Never agree to make purchases or undertake any financial transactions on behalf of a client or customer
• Never allow or engage in inappropriate touching of any form
• Do not allow the use of inappropriate language either by a client, customer, staff, volunteer or other person associated with Lyttelton Wells to go unchallenged
• Never let allegations that an adult at risk of or experiencing abuse or neglect go unchallenged or unrecorded

N. Procedure for Monitoring

This policy will be reviewed annually.