Safeguarding Adults' Policy

Author:
Alok Bhatia

Policy Statement

At ServePlanet, we believe all adults regardless of age, gender, disability or ethnic origin have a right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. ServePlanet will not tolerate the abuse of adults at risk in any form.

It is the responsibility of all representatives of ServePlanet to raise any concerns you have or those which are reported to you according to this policy. It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not vulnerable adult abuse has occurred.

It is the responsibility of all ServePlanet managers to ensure the delivery of this policy and to promote it as relevant in all aspects of their work, to hold themselves and others to account and to help create a safe environment for all.

This policy will automatically be applied in the UK and in all geographies where ServePlanet is carrying out its projects and must be used in conjunction with ServePlanet's Prevention of Sexual Exploitation & Abuse Policy, Code of Conduct, Anti-Slavery Policy and Equal Opportunities Policy- Recruitment & Employment.

In drafting this policy, adequate guidance has been obtained from Safeguarding for volunteer involving organisations- An NCVO guide to develop a comprehensive approach to safeguarding in organisation.

This policy does not form part of an employees' terms and conditions of employment and may be subject to change at the discretion of management.

Policy Contents

1. ServePlanet Safeguarding Principles
2. Definitions
3. Roles and Responsibilities
4. Support for survivors and victims
5. How to Raise a Complaint or Concern
6. Procedure for Handling Complaints
7. Safe Programming at ServePlanet
8. Safe Recruitment
9. Supervision of Adults at Risk
10. Training

Related Policy & Useful Links

• ServePlanet Code of Conduct
  
• ServePlanet Equal Opportunities Policy- Recruitment & Selection
  
• ServePlanet Volunteering Policy
• ServePlanet Safeguarding Children Policy

All the links will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure consistency across documents

If in doubt about anything in this policy, please seek further advicefrom ServePlanet on +44 (0)7740650192. 

1. ServePlanet Safeguarding Principles

2. Definitions

2.1 Safeguarding Adults at Risk

Safeguarding adults at risk is the process of protecting adults from abuse or neglect, enabling adults to maintain control over their lives and make informed choices without coercion. It involves empowering adults at risk, consulting them before taking action unless someone lacks the capacity to make a decision, or their mental health poses a risk to their own or someone else's safety, in which case, always acting in his or her best interests.

2.2 Adult at Risk

An adult at risk is defined as "any person aged 18 years and over who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental health issues, learning or physical disability, sensory impairment, or unable to protect themselves due to age or illness and who may be unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or serious exploitation".

Please note: An elderly person, while they may require extra support, does not necessarily meet the definition of adult at risk, and if you require any further guidance on this definition please contact ServePlanet on +44 (0)7740650192.

2.3 Vulnerable Adult Abuse

Abuse can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual must always be considered. It may consist of a single act or repeated acts. The following is a list of examples of the different types of abuse which may affect an adult at risk:

• Physical - includes, but is not limited to, hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, unlawful or inappropriate restraint and inappropriate physical sanctions.
• Sexual - is unwanted sexual activity or behaviour that happens without consent or understanding
• Psychological -is emotional abuse which causes distress and can be verbal and non-verbal.
• Financial and material - includes theft, fraud, exploitation and pressure in connection to wills, property, inheritance and financial transactions, or inciting an adult at risk to do any of these things on another individual's behalf; it may also involve the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions and benefits of an adult at risk
• Discriminatory- includes abuse based on an individual's race, gender, disability, faith, sexual orientation, or age; and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment or hate crime/incident.
• Neglect or self-neglect - includes a wide range of behaviours such as neglecting to care for one's own personal hygiene or health.
• Domestic Abuse - is "any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality"

• Understand the implications of their situation and risk to themselves;
• Take action themselves to prevent abuse;
• Participate to the fullest extent possible in decision making about interventions involving them, be they life changing events or everyday matters.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Safeguarding adults at risk is everyone's responsibility and failure to act on concerns relating to an adult at risk is not an option.

ServePlanet Trustees hold overall accountability for this Policy and its implementation and are responsible for reviewing and updating this Policy annually, and in line with legislative and organisational developments and hold overall accountability for ServePlanet's Safeguarding of Adults.

All staff, volunteers and other representatives of ServePlanet are required to adhere to this Policy and ServePlanet's Code of Conduct at all times.

All ServePlanet employees are obliged to report any suspicions of abuse of vulnerable adults. Failure to report to a relevant person suspicion of abuse relating to someone else is a breach of ServePlanet's policy, and could lead to disciplinary action being taken. For the avoidance of doubt, there is no obligation placed on any individual to report any incident that has happened to them.

ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team which is lead by the Safeguarding Officer, can offer further support to help staff and volunteers on implementing this Policy. 

4. Support for Survivors and Victims

Support will be offered to survivors and victims, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation). Support can include psycho-social counselling and/or access to appropriate support as needed. Survivors and victims can choose if and when they would like to take up the support options available to them.

5. Safe Programming at ServePlanet

We recognise there is always a possibility of inflicting unintended harm, particularly in relation to vulnerable populations such as adults at risk. For this reason, we have minimum standards in place intended to minimise this risk when working with direct or indirect adult at risk beneficiaries.

6. How to respond to a complaint or concern

ServePlanet is committed to responding to all complaints and concerns of abuse. ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team is responsible for this work, and for carrying out investigations, and delivering support to survivors of and victims of vulnerable adult abuse.

ServePlanet recognises that disclosures and suspicion should always be acted upon swiftly, and if there is an urgent vulnerable adult protection situation, for example if a vulnerable adult at risk is in imminent danger of abuse, then immediate protective action must be taken.

What to do if You Have Concerns About a Vulnerable Adult's Wellbeing

• The first priority should always be the immediate safety and welfare of the vulnerable adult.
• Keep calm and act normally; do not say or show that you are shocked.
• Do not investigate or question the vulnerable adult. If a vulnerable adult reports abuse directly to you, only ask questions to get enough information to understand the complaint (e.g. 'who, what, where, when' questions, but not 'why' questions).
• Never agree to keep a secret. If a vulnerable adult is in danger you will have to inform others.
• Do not directly challenge parents, carers or teachers about your concerns.
• Record all the details that support your suspicion and report this in line with internal reporting procedures.
  

7. How to raise a Complaint or Concern

Anyone can raise a concern or make a complaint to ServePlanet about something they have experienced or witnessed. You can do this verbally or in writing confidentially on serveplanet@outlook.com or telephone +44 (0)7740650192.

Those who work with or for ServePlanet (including ServePlanet's beneficiaries) can also raise a concern without fear of retribution to ServePlanet's Whistleblowing Service.

If an allegation is made against you, then you must inform your manager immediately. You must create a signed and dated record of the details as you know them and send a copy of this to HR. All those accused will be treated with respect and all allegations are treated confidentially.

8. Procedure for Handling Complaints

When a complaint or concern has been raised, it must be referred within 24 hours to ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team. This can be done on behalf of somebody else, and may only involve a suspicion.

Internal Response

Within 72 hours of receiving a complaint or concern, ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team must convene a case conference. An email should be sent to the complainant to acknowledge the complaint in writing as soon as possible. ServePlanet will refer suspected cases of vulnerable adult abuse to local statutory authorities where possible.

Confidentiality must be maintained throughout the complaints process by all staff and witnesses. Staff members who breach confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment. In some cases, such breaches constitute breaking the law.

Retaliation Against Complainants, Victims and Witnesses

ServePlanet will take action against any staff, volunteers or other representatives, whether they are the subject of a complaint or not, who seek or carry out retaliatory action against complainants, victims or other witnesses. Staff who are found to do this will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Outcomes of Misconduct

Employees who are found to contravene this policy will be subject to disciplinary action that may result in dismissal. Volunteers, contractors and other representatives will have their relationship with ServePlanet terminated.

False Allegations

It is extremely rare that staff or other stakeholders are found to have raised allegations which they knew to be false. If a member of staff from ServePlanet is found to have made an allegation that they knew to be false they will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Complaints about ServePlanet's Partners

If ServePlanet receives a complaint about a partner organisation, ServePlanet will expect the partner to respond quickly and appropriately. ServePlanet should assist the partner to ascertain its obligations under local law to refer the matter to the police or other statutory authorities for criminal investigation.

Where appropriate, ServePlanet should work with the partner to address the issue through an appropriate independent investigation. If the outcome is that vulnerable adult abuse has occurred, ongoing work with the partner cannot involve the individual(s) concerned.

If there is reason to believe that an allegation of vulnerable adult abuse has been dealt with inappropriately by a partner then serious consideration must be given to withdrawing funding or pulling out of the relationship (including networks and consortia).

Receiving External Complaints and Concerns

Complaints raised from outside the organisation must be referred to ServePlanet's Safeguarding Team and must adhere to ServePlanet's policy and procedures as outlined in this document.

9. Safe Recruitment

ServePlanet is committed to recruiting staff, volunteers and other representatives safely. All application forms, interviews and references must address Safeguarding and equality requirements and attitudes in line with the Recruitment Policy.

Recruitment for all applicants to roles supervising Adult at Risk Volunteers or working directly with child beneficiaries must follow ServePlanet's Safeguarding Adults Guidelines, particularly that:

• All applicants must be asked to disclose all criminal convictions in keeping with the parameters of local employment law;
• We are not able to offer volunteering opportunities to anyone with spent or unspent convictions for sexual offences or any form of vulnerable adult abuse;
• Legitimate registers must be checked to establish whether applicants applying for such roles are a known risk to adults at risk;
• Applicants should not start work until reference checking and legitimate register checks have taken place.
  

In some cases, an initial chat will not take place, such as for one off campaigning or fundraising events. In such cases the Adult at Risk should be given a copy of ServePlanet's Safeguarding Adults Policy prior to volunteering.

10. Supervision of Adults at Risk

Effective supervision is critical in order to safeguard adult at risk volunteers in our care.

• Volunteers who are adults at risk must not be left alone in a property at any time.
• Ideally two adults should be present when an adult at risk is volunteering, of which one must be designated as the adult at risk's supervisor for the duration of their shift.
• If an activity is identified as higher risk in the Health & Safety assessment, then this should have constant supervision from the nominated supervisor.
• In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary for an adult at risk to work alone with an adult. This should not be the norm, with management responsible for identifying and addressing when this is not the case.
• During their inductions, adults at risk must be told who is responsible for their safety and how to raise concerns. Managers must ensure appropriate supervision arrangements are clearly set out and agreed in advance with each person who will supervise adult at risk volunteers.
  

11. Use of Personal Data about Adults at Risk

In order to protect the personal data of adults at risk, ServePlanet staff must adhere to ServePlanet's Privacy Policy which is guided by the General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union (2018). All information stored by ServePlanet about adults at risk must be processed in accordance with this Act and ServePlanet's policy.

Research with adults at risk must be well thought through and ServePlanet representatives must give particular attention to the process for gathering content about adults at risk, how to protect an adult at risk's identity, how to share and store such content and how to achieve "informed consent".

Any disputes about the use of images of adults at risk in ServePlanet's work must be addressed to the ServePlanet's Board of Trustees.

12. Training

All ServePlanet staff and other representatives must receive training on Safeguarding Adults commensurate with their role. This training will be carried out by external trainers on a regular basis and will include information about ServePlanet's policy positions, reporting and investigation procedures, and how to embed Adult Safeguarding across the organisation.

Overall responsibility for ensuring that staff receive regular training and messages about Safeguarding lies with managers.

Adults at Risk require training to ensure that their capabilities and competencies are at a level where they can operate without putting themselves and others at risk.

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