Safeguarding Adults Policy Statement

 

A  full PDF of the Safeguarding Adults Policy statement can be downloaded here

 

This policy will enable Rosebery Centre to demonstrate its commitment to keeping safe the vulnerable adults with whom it works alongside. Rosebery Centre 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 staff, volunteers, service users and carers, and management committee can work to prevent abuse and know what to do in the event of abuse.

The Policy Statement and Procedures have been drawn up to enable Rosebery Centre 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 that abuse occurring.

The Policy and Procedures relate to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 defines ‘adults at risk’ as individuals, aged 16 years or over, who:

• are unable to safeguard themselves, their property, rights or other interests.
• are at risk of harm; and
• because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity, are more vulnerable to being harmed than others who are not so affected.

The presence of a particular condition does not automatically mean an adult is an “adult at risk”. Someone could have a disability but be able to safeguard their well-being etc. It is important to stress that all three elements of this definition must be met. It is the whole of an adult’s particular circumstances which can combine to make them more susceptible to harm than others.

For the purposes of the Act, ‘harm’ includes all harmful conduct and, in particular, includes:

• conduct which causes physical harm.
• conduct which causes psychological harm (e.g. by causing fear, alarm or distress).
• unlawful conduct which appropriates or adversely affects property, rights or interests (e.g. theft, fraud, embezzlement or extortion); and
• conduct which causes self-harm

The policy applies to the following persons:

• Managers
• Employees
• Management committee members
• Trustees
• Volunteers
• Sessional workers
• Agency staff
• Students
• Anyone working on behalf of Rosebery Centre

It is acknowledged that significant numbers of vulnerable adults are abused, and it is important that Rosebery Centre has a Safeguarding Adults Policy and a set of procedures to follow that puts in place preventative measures to try and reduce those numbers.

To implement the policy, the Rosebery Centre 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 well-being of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to the abuse that they are experiencing.
• to manage services in a way which promotes safety and prevents abuse.
• to recruit employees and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made, ensuring employees are trained in Safeguarding and this training is refreshed when necessary, ensuring staff are aware of how to spot abuse and how to report abuse.
• provide effective management for employees and volunteers through proper induction, supervision, support and ongoing training.
• follow guidelines set out in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007

The Rosebery Centre:

• will ensure that all management committee members, trustees, staff, volunteers, service users, and carers/families are familiar with this policy and its procedures.
• will work with other agencies within the framework of The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 including local council, social services and Police Scotland.
• will act within its confidentiality policy and will usually gain permission from service users before sharing information about them with another agency as per The Data Protection Act 2018.
• will pass information to the Care Inspectorate or SSSC 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 or children.
• will inform service users that where a person is in danger, a child is at risk, or a crime has been committed then a decision may be taken to pass information on to another agency without the service user’s consent.
• will make a referral to the Adult Social Care Direct team as appropriate.
• understands that supported people have the right to take risks and make unwise decisions where they have capacity to do so, but they also have the right to be protected from harm and employees must understand that knowing this difference and safeguarding vulnerable adults is their responsibility and their duty of care as a social services worker.
• 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 his/her responsibility to refer incidents of adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies (Police/Adult and Culture Services Directorate)

The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults in Rosebery Centre is Anne Marson – Manager – Rosebery Centre.

They should be contacted for support and advice on implementing this policy and procedures. This policy should be read in conjunction with the West Lothian’s Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures documents which are available at: https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/33233/Protection-of-Vulnerable-Groups-Children-and-Protected-Adults

These are kept in locked filing cabinet in the Managers Office

Procedures

1. Introduction

The Rosebery Centre provides a day care service to older adults within West Lothian. These procedures have been designed to ensure the welfare and protection of any adult who accesses the services provided by Rosebery Centre. The procedures recognise that adult abuse can be a difficult subject for workers to deal with. The Rosebery Centre is committed to the belief that the protection of vulnerable adults from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility, and the aim of these procedures is to ensure that all managers, employees, trustees of the organisation, management committee members and volunteers act appropriately in response to any concern around adult abuse.

2. Preventing abuse

The Rosebery Centre 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 Rosebery Centre will be treated with respect.

Therefore, this policy needs to be read in conjunction with the following policies:

• Equal Rights and Diversity
• Volunteers
• Complaints
• Whistle Blowing
• Confidentiality
• Disciplinary and Grievance
• Data Protection
• Recruitment and Selection

The Rosebery Centre is committed to safer recruitment policies and practices for paid employees, trustees, and volunteers. This will include full disclosures for employees and pvg disclosures for volunteers, ensuring two references are taken up and adequate training on Safeguarding Adults is provided for employees and this is refreshed as appropriate.

Management committee members/trustees will be required to provide two references and where appropriate have a background disclosure.

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

Service users 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 service users and their carers/families.

3. Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse

The Rosebery Centre is committed to ensuring that all staff, the management committee, trustees, and volunteers undertake training to gain a basic awareness of signs and symptoms of abuse. Rosebery Centre will ensure that the Designated Named Person and other members of staff, trustees and volunteers have access to training around Safeguarding Adults.

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 organizational: including regimented routines and cultures, unsafe practices, lack of person-centered care or treatment.

Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. Abuse may be a single act or repeated acts. Individuals who behave abusively come from all backgrounds and walks of life. They may be doctors, nurses, social workers, advocates, employees, 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.

4. Designated Named Person for safeguarding adults.

Rosebery Centre 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 Rosebery Centre is the manager – Anne Marson or in manager absence Megan Wright – Deputy Manager.

Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults: Anne Marson
Work Telephone Number: 01506-870651

Name of deputy person: Megan Wright
Work telephone number: 01506-870651

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

Adult Social Care Enquiry Team –
Tel: 01506 284848
Out of hours: 01506 281028/9

The roles and responsibilities of the named person responsible for safeguarding at The Rosebery Centre are:

• • to ensure that all employees, 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 Team or to the allocated social worker/care manager where necessary.
  • to follow up with 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 practices regarding confidentiality and security as per Data Protection Act 2018. 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 employees and volunteers working directly with service users who have experienced abuse, or who are experiencing abuse, are well supported and receive appropriate supervision.
  • if appropriate employees 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 its outcome.
  • to ensure management and staff are properly trained in Safeguarding and this training is refreshed when appropriate
  • ensure volunteers, management, employees and those working alongside vulnerable adults at The Rosebery Centre understand that their duty to report harm overrides confidentiality in the confinements of safeguarding and they have a legal duty to report.

• to keep up to date with all changes to current legislation under Adult Support and Protection Act 2007, Adults with Incapacity Act 2000, Social Work Scotland Act 1968 and all acts pertaining to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults.
• Ensure management and employees are working to a high standard as per Health & Social Care Standards 2017 & Codes of Practice for Social Services Employers and Employees 2024.
• To contact and inform the link worker Carol Stevenson if any concerns are raised or
• if any report are made at email – carol.stevenson@westlothian.gov.uk.
• to annually review the Rosebery Centre Safeguarding Policy.

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

The Rosebery Centre recognises that it has a duty to act on reports, or suspicions of abuse or neglect. It also acknowledges that acting in cases of adult abuse is never easy and those who are experiencing abuse may not have the capacity to recognise this or advocate for themselves as lined out in Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

How to respond if you receive an allegation:

• Reassure the person concerned.
• Listen to what they are saying.
• Report to the appropriate authority as soon as possible.
• 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.
• Don’t start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions.
• Don’t 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, other employees, volunteers, and service users safe.
• To inform the Designated Named Person in your organisation.
• To record what happened in a file that is kept in locked filing cabinet in Managers office.

All situations of abuse or alleged abuse will be discussed with the Designated Named Person or their deputy. If a member of the management committee, a trustee, staff member 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 Team for West Lothian as detailed above. The alleged victim will be told that this will happen.

This stage is called the alert.

If it is appropriate that there is consent from the individual, or there is a good reason to override consent, such as risk to others, or incapacity then a referral (alert) will be made to Adult Social Care Team.

If the individual experiencing abuse does not have the capacity to consent a referral will be made without that person’s consent, in their best interests in line with the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

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 organizations such as Police.

Safeguarding Adults Unit
Phone: 01506 284848
Available: Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm In emergency call 999

Livingston Police
Phone: 01506 431200
(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 to West Lothian Health & Social Partnership

Phone: 01506 284848

In an emergency
outside of these times please contact the Social Care Emergency Team on 01506 281028/ 281029.

You should ask to make a safeguarding adults alert.

The telephone call should be followed up in writing to the Adult Social Care Direct team outlining concerns using a Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Alert form (SAMA1). This form can be found at the end of these procedures (Appendix 1) and this should be emailed directly to Adult Social Care Direct team on adultsocialcare@westlothian.gov.uk or SCETReferrals@westlothian.gov.uk.