Safeguarding Policy

It is very important to keep members and workers safe.

Vulnerable adults:
By law, many people with a learning disability are called “vulnerable adults”. This means we need to be extra careful to make sure members are safe.

We will:
• get copies of our local social services Vulnerable Adult policy and procedures.
• make sure the committee and paid workers have been told what is in the social services policy and procedures.
• agree to follow the social services procedures.

Relationships between members:
Relationships between members of our group are their private business. Usually, it is nothing to do with other people. You may be worried that a relationship is unhealthy or abusive. If you are worried, please speak confidentially to a paid worker or the Chair and tell them why you are worried. The Chair or manager will decide what to do. If you are unhappy about how another member is treating you, please talk to a paid worker or the Chair.

Workers who are also members:
People can be a worker and a member. If the person is doing something as a member, the members’ relationships rules apply. If someone is doing something as a worker, the workers relationships rules apply.

Relationships between members and workers
Workers have a different role from members. It is their job to help members run the group and do things. It is not their role to make special friends with members. Members and workers should think very hard before they arrange to meet socially outside of Carmarthenshire People First events. They should only meet as a group. It is never OK to for a worker and a member to meet socially on their own. This does not apply to your personal paid or volunteer supporters

Workers who are working for the group as a whole should be very careful not to get into special friendships with 1 or 2 of the members. This can cause bad feeling in the group.

The manager will warn the worker if the manager thinks a relationship is becoming inappropriate. If the worker ignores the manager, the disciplinary procedure will be used.

It is never OK for members and workers to have a sexual relationship together. This is called gross misconduct. The disciplinary procedure and vulnerable adults’ procedure will always be used.

CRB checks and references:

We will ask for CRB checks and references for all paid and volunteer workers.
We will ask for CRB checks for management committee members.
Sometimes people have authority over other people or can see confidential information because of their role in the People First group. We will ask for a CRB check and references.
People must have had their CRB check and references back OK before they can find out how to contact members or work on their own with members.

Working on your own:
Carmarthenshire People First workers will often be on their own with 1 member as part of their work.
Workers need to think about their own safety. If they are meeting someone for the first time, or they are visiting someone who can be violent, they must talk with their manager. The manager and the worker will agree how to keep the worker safe.

It is a good idea to think about:
• meeting in a café not a home.
• phoning someone first to say where you are going and when you will be back – and then phone to let them know you got back safely.

Types of Abuse that need a Safeguarding Referral:

• Physical Abuse Emotional/Psychological Abuse.
• Sexual Abuse Financial Abuse.
• Neglect.

Advocates and other staff are aware of the indicators of these kinds of abuse, so that the appropriate referrals can be made to Safeguarding.

The Safeguarding Lead is Ruth Lewis.
The Deputy Safeguarding Lead is Tim Riley.
All concerns should be reported to a paid Member of staff if neither are in the building.

Reporting Procedures:
All safeguarding referrals are passed by the Safeguarding Lead or Manager.

The following are documented:
Consent to report to safeguarding with mental capacity considerations.
If the referral doesn’t require consent as there is a risk of immediate harm or criminal activity.
When the Police are the first agency to report to.
When staff need to report directly to Safeguarding without speaking to the Safeguarding Lead.

Any reference to a Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF):
What action Safeguarding takes if it is felt the safeguarding agencies have not followed the correct processes, leaving the individual vulnerable.

If no response is received from Safeguarding, follow up contact is made

If there is a failure to report any abuse, it will be seen as a practice failure and will lead to a disciplinary in very serious cases.