1. 1. This Policy applies to all staff, volunteers and Trustees who come into contact with service users through their involvement with Link Age Southwark.

1. 2. Link Age Southwark has a duty of care to its service users and operates in line with relevant legislation and the requirement of the local authority in relation to reporting safeguarding concerns.

1. 3. Link Age Southwark’s Chief Executive is the designated Safeguarding Officer, but all staff, Trustees and volunteers have a responsibility for safeguarding. The Charity also has a designated safeguarding lead on the Board.

1. 4. This Policy applies to safeguarding concerns in respect of all adults whilst recognising that our service users, due to their age, health and circumstances, may be at greater risk of abuse.

1. 5. The use of the term ‘staff’ in this Policy denotes all those who are employed via PAYE.

 

2.0 Safeguarding Responsibilities

2.1 Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. As a charity that works with older people,

      many of whom are deemed to be ‘at risk’, all staff, volunteers and Trustees need to

      be alert to the potential for abuse.

2.2 Staff and volunteers need to be aware that we have statutory responsibilities relating to

      safeguarding which requires us to notify the local authority where we have concerns that

      someone may be at risk.

2. • All those undertaking regulated activity with service users will be subject to the relevant DBS check.

• • Link Age Southwark will raise awareness of safeguarding issues and how to respond to concerns about abuse through induction, training and signposting. We will follow recommended practice in dealing with situations where abuse is suspected or is identified.

• • Link Age Southwark’s policies and procedures have been developed in line with the safeguarding principles enshrined in the Care Act 2014:

• Empowerment – ensuring that those at risk of abuse or being abused have a voice in what happens to them

• Protection – keeping people safe

• Prevention – ensuring that steps are taken to prevent abuse from occurring

• Proportionality – responding in appropriate ways to issues of abuse

• Partnership – working effectively with other local providers and other authorities

• Accountability – good record keeping and understanding of what needs to be reported to who

3.0 Definitions of Abuse

3.1 This section considers the different types and patterns of abuse and neglect and the

       different circumstances in which they may take place. This is not intended to be an

       exhaustive list but an illustrative guide as to the sort of behaviour which could give rise

       to a safeguarding concern. Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple and can affect

       one person or more.

• Physical abuse – including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.

• Domestic violence – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse and so called ‘honour’ based violence.

• Sexual abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

• Psychological abuse – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.

• Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

• Modern slavery – encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

• Discriminatory abuse – including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender reassignment, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

• Organisational abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an Institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

• Neglect and acts of omission – including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

• Self-neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

• Cyber abuse – bullying/abuse via the internet including social media.

 

4.0 Dealing with Disclosure 

4.1 A Link Age Southwark service user, or another individual on behalf of the service user,

      may disclose information relating to abuse to a staff member, Trustee or a volunteer.

 

4. • The individual making the disclosure may preface the disclosure by requesting confidentiality. The individual must be advised that no promise of confidentiality can be made due to our duty of care and the need to safeguard our service users, volunteers and staff.

• • In dealing with the disclosure, the volunteer or staff member should listen to what the person has to say, reassure the service user or the person making the disclosure that they have done the right thing in disclosing this information and then seek their consent to pass the information to senior staff at Link Age Southwark. It is important to explain to the individual why the information needs to be passed on.

• • If the person doesn’t give consent, then it is important to explain the limits of confidentiality and that you are duty bound to pass the information on to senior staff at Link Age Southwark and you would rather that you did this with their permission.

4. • Avoid asking the person making the disclosure too many questions. This responsibility rests with those who undertake any investigation, and staff/volunteers should avoid being in the position of holding too much information. 

4.6 If, as a result of the disclosure, you feel that someone is in immediate danger then the emergency services need to be contacted straight away.

4. • Any action taken must be proportionate to the situation and identified risk. Staff/volunteers should always try to discuss the situation with senior staff and/or the Chief Executive before making a decision as to what intervention is needed. The decision making will rest with Senior Managers other than in instances where it is deemed to be an emergency situation.

• • Senior staff and the Chief Executive will discuss each safeguarding incident, ensure full information is recorded on the database and report incidents to the local authority, as appropriate. 

• • Reports to the local authority can either be done using the Southwark Safeguarding Adult Concern Form for Professionals or via email. The form or email must be checked by the relevant Line Manager and the Chief Executive before being sent to the Older Persons and Physical Disabilities Team.

• • Once checked, the form or email must be submitted to the Older Persons and Physical Disabilities (OPPD) Team and uploaded to the service user’s profile on Charity Log.

• • If a personalised response detailing action taken has not been received from the OPPD team within 5 working days of submission, then the staff member who made the referral must contact OPPD to find out what action has been taken. The outcome of this contact must be recorded on Charity Log and an email notification must be sent to the Chief Executive.

• • In deciding on the best course of action regarding any serious safeguarding concerns, senior staff and/or the Chief Executive can liaise with the safeguarding lead on the Board for advice.

• • The Chief Executive will inform the Chair and the board’s safeguarding lead of any action taken in respect of serious safeguarding concerns. In the Chief Executive’s absence, this should be done by a member of the senior team.

 

5.0 Responding to incidents of abuse 

5.1 If there is an emergency situation, or someone is in immediate danger then the    

      emergency services must be contacted. No member of staff, Trustee or volunteer     

      should, under any circumstances, put themselves at risk. Contact must be made with the

      Link Age Southwark main office to report the incident as soon as possible after

      contacting the emergency services.

4. • Where abuse is suspected, but there is no immediate emergency and it is during office hours, volunteers must speak to a member of the Link Age Southwark team and/or the Chief Executive.

• • Where abuse is suspected outside of office hours and there is no immediate emergency but a volunteer or staff member feels that the matter cannot wait until the Link Age Southwark office reopens, then contact should be made with Southwark’s Adult Social Care out of hours team on 020 7525 5000 (main switchboard – ask for Duty Social Work Team). 

4. • If an incident occurs out of hours, volunteers are asked to keep a confidential record of any reported safeguarding incidents and action taken. The record should be made without any identifying information being recorded for service users or suspected abusers. The record must be destroyed once all the necessary information has been passed over to the Link Age Southwark team.

• • Safeguarding incidents must be reported to the Link Age Southwark office as soon as possible after the office reopens.

• • This process is outlined in the safeguarding flowchart attached in Appendix 1.

• • Where the allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff or a Link Age Southwark volunteer the matter will be investigated in line with the Charity’s Disciplinary Procedure for staff and Complaints Procedure for volunteers.

6.0 Safer Recruitment 

6.1 All staff, volunteers and Trustees will be subject to safer recruitment practices as part of

      the preventative approach to safeguard Link Age Southwark’s service users.

6.2 Safer recruitment includes being subject to a selection process involving more than one

person, references being taken up and a DBS check for regulated roles. Full details of the Charity’s approach to DBS Checks are detailed within our DBS Policy.

6.3 As part of the induction process, staff, Trustees and volunteers will be informed about

       Link Age Southwark’s approach to safeguarding and their responsibilities.

 

7.0 Training and Development

7.1 All staff and volunteers are required to have some basic awareness training in

      safeguarding adults. This will be provided as part of the induction process.

7.2 Refresher training will be organised for staff every two years. Guidance regarding

       safeguarding is available for volunteers via the online volunteer portal.

7. • Staff and volunteers need to be fully aware of their responsibilities and be familiar with the Policy and procedures on safeguarding adults. 

• • Safeguarding is a standing item on the Services team agenda and all recent referrals will be discussed to create learning for staff members as to what constitutes a safeguarding referral.

• • At each Board meeting the Chief Executive will make the Board aware of the safeguarding referrals that have been made since the last meeting.

  • The Board will be updated by the Chief Executive on any changes in safeguarding practice, which will also form part of the annual review of the risk register.