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SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Mandala CIO  

 

Safeguarding Policy

 

The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear statement about how Mandala CIO  will safeguard adults at risk.

This document applies to all staff, volunteers and people using Mandala CIO  services.

This policy is necessary for Mandala CIO  to fulfil its duty of care to people who use its services.

 

 

Mandala CIO  will not tolerate the abuse of adults in any of its forms and is committed to safeguarding adults with care and support needs from harm.

 

This policy outlines the steps Mandala CIO  will make to safeguard an adult with care and support needs if they are deemed to be at risk. This policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of Mandala CIO  in working together with other professionals and agencies in promoting the adult’s welfare and safeguarding them from abuse and neglect.

 

Mandala CIO  will ensure that decisions made will allow adults to make their own choices and include them in any decision making. Mandala CIO  will also ensure that safe and effective working practices are in place.

 

This policy is intended to support staff and volunteers working within Mandala CIO  to understand their role and responsibilities in safeguarding adults. All staff and volunteers are expected to follow this policy. 

The key objectives of this policy are for all employees and volunteers of Mandala CIO  to:

  • have an overview of adult safeguarding

  • be clear about their responsibility to safeguard adults

  • ensure the necessary actions are taken where an adult with care and support needs is deemed to be at risk

 

This policy is based on The Care Act 2014 and the Care and Support statutory guidance

Under the Human Rights Act 1998, everyone has the right to live free from abuse and neglect.  https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/human-rights-act

Copies of this policy should be available within Mandala CIO  and Mandala CIO  will not tolerate the abuse of adults in the organisation and staff and volunteers should be made aware of how this policy can be accessed.

 

 

 

What is Safeguarding adults?

 

 

‘Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.’

Care and Support Statutory Guidance, Department of Health, updated February 2017

 

 

All adults should be able to live free from fear and harm. But some may find it hard to get the help and support they need to stop abuse.

 

An adult may be unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation due to many reasons, including their mental or physical incapacity, sensory loss or physical or learning disabilities. This could be an adult who is usually able to protect themselves from harm but maybe unable to do so because of an accident, disability, frailty, addiction or illness.

 

Mandala CIO  adheres to following the six key principles that underpin safeguarding work (See Care Act guidance)

  • Empowerment

  • Prevention

  • Proportionality

  • Protection

  • Partnership

  • Accountability

 

Mandala CIO  will not tolerate the abuse of adults in staff and volunteers should ensure that their work reflects the principles above and ensure the adult with care and support needs is involved in their decisions and informed consent is obtained. Mandala CIO  should ensure that the safeguarding action agreed is the least intrusive response to the risk. Partners from the community should be involved in any safeguarding work in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse. Mandala CIO  should be transparent and accountable in delivering safeguarding actions.

 

What is Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)?

 

MSP means a case should be person-led and outcome-focused. The individual should be involved in identifying how best to respond to their safeguarding situation by giving them more choice and control as well as improving quality of life, wellbeing and safety.

 

Mandala CIO  will not tolerate the abuse of adults. Mandala CIO  will ensure that adults are involved in their safeguarding arrangements and each individual is dealt with on a case by case basis.  As adults may have different preferences, histories and life styles, the same process may not work for all.

 

Who do adult safeguarding duties apply to?

                                                                                                                             

The Care Act 2014 sets out that adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:

  • has care and support needs, and

  • is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse and neglect, and

  • is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect, because of those needs.

 

 

Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple and may affect one person or more. Staff and volunteers should look beyond single incidents to identify patterns of harm. Accurate recording of information will also assist in recognising any patterns.

 

As soon as Adult Social Services becomes involved, a 4-stage safeguarding adults process is followed.For more information about the London Safeguarding Adults Procedures.

 

 

 

 

What are your roles and responsibilities?

 

 

All staff, management, trustees and volunteers at Mandala CIO are expected to report any concerns to the named person for safeguarding. If the allegation is against one of Mandala CIO members, volunteers, trustees or directors, seek advice from Mandala CIO safeguarding lead

The designated safeguarding adults lead should be responsible for providing acknowledgement of the referral and brief feedback to the person raising the original concern. Feedback should be given in a way that will not make the situation worse or breach the Data Protection Act.If the police are involved, they should be consulted prior to giving feedback to the referrer to ensure any criminal investigation is not affected.

 

The local authority will decide on who will lead on a safeguarding enquiry should it progress to that stage. The named organisation should not conduct its own safeguarding enquiry unless instructed to do so by the local authority.

Staff and volunteers should ensure that the adult with care and support needs is involved at all stages of their safeguarding enquiry ensuring a person-centred approach is adopted.

 

 

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is to be used when decisions on behalf of those adults with care and support needs who are unable to make some decisions for themselves.  Refer to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice. You will need to involve an advocate if the person lacks capacity to make decisions about the safeguarding concern.

Why is it important to take action?

It is may be difficult for adults with care and support needs to protect themselves and to report abuse. They rely on you to help them.

Confidentiality and information sharing

Mandala CIO expects all staff, volunteers, trustees to maintain confidentiality at all times.In line with Data Protection law, Mandala CIO does not share information if not required.

 

It should however be noted that information should be shared with authorities if an adult is deemed to be at risk of immediate harm. Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people can make all the difference to preventing harm.  For further guidance on information sharing and safeguarding see: https://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults/sharing-information/keymessages.asp

 

What are the types of safeguarding adults abuse?

The Care and Support statutory guidance sets out the 10 main types of abuse:

 

  • Physical abuse

  • Neglect

  • Sexual abuse

  • Psychological

  • Financial abuse

  • Discriminatory

  • Organisational

  • Domestic violence

  • Modern Slavery

  • Self-neglect

 

However, you should keep an open mind about what constitutes abuse or neglect as it can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual case should always be considered.

For more information, read section 14.17 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance.

 

What are the possible signs of abuse?

Abuse and neglect can be difficult to spot.  You should be alert to the following possible signs of abuse and neglect:

  • Depression, self-harm or suicide attempts

  • Difficulty making friends

  • Fear or anxiety

  • The person looks dirty or is not dressed properly,

  • The person never seems to have money,

  • The person has an injury that is difficult to explain (such as bruises, finger marks, ‘non-accidental’ injury, neck, shoulders, chest and arms),

  • The person has signs of a pressure ulcer,

  • The person is experiencing insomnia

  • The person seems frightened, or frightened of physical contact.

  • Inappropriate sexual awareness or sexually explicit behaviour

  • The person is withdrawn, changes in behaviour

 

You should ask the person if you are unsure about their well-being as there may be other explanations to the above presentation.

Who abuses and neglects adults?

 

Abuse can happen anywhere, even in somebody’s own home. Most often abuse takes place by others who are in a position of trust and power. It can take place whether an adult lives alone or with others.  Anyone can carry out abuse or neglect, including:

  • partners;

  • other family members;

  • neighbours;

  • friends;

  • acquaintances;

  • local residents;

  • people who deliberately exploit adults they perceive as vulnerable to abuse;

  • paid staff or professionals; and

  • volunteers and strangers

  • Mandala CIO  has a zero-tolerance approach in relation to abuse towards people who use our services.

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