Safeguarding adults at risk policy and procedure

Effective date: November 2023 

Review date: November 2026

Cross-reference: This policy should be used in conjunction with policies and procedures from Derbyshire Safeguarding Adults Board: https://www.derbyshiresab.org.uk/home.aspx

Policy Statement

NSA Therapy Services Ltd is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all who use its service.  We recognise that we have a responsibility to protect the welfare of adults at risk through our support for families and to ensure they are protected from harm.  NSA Therapy Services Ltd has no statutory remit or role to investigate but acknowledges a responsibility to pass on to the appropriate statutory agency concerns in relation to the safety or welfare of an adult at risk so that these concerns can be assessed.

Definition of an Adult at Risk

A person aged 18 years or over who is receiving or may be in need of community care services and is or may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from significant harm or serious exploitation.  This may include a person who:

• Is elderly or frail
• Has a mental illness, including dementia
• Has a physical or sensory disability
• Has a learning disability
• Has a severe physical illness
• Misuses substances
• Is homeless.

In this context, community care services include all care services provided in any setting by any agency, whether statutory, voluntary or community and therefore includes the services provided by NSA Therapy Services Ltd.

Principles

This policy and following procedures are based on the following principles.

All adults at risk in contact with NSA Therapy Services Ltd, irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation, have the right to:

• Have their money, goods and possessions treated with respect and to receive equal protection for themselves and their property
• Guidance and help in seeking assistance as a consequence of abuse.
• Be supported in making their own decisions about how they wish to proceed in the event of abuse and know their wishes will only be overridden if it is considered necessary for their own safety or the safety of others.
• Be supported in bringing a complaint under any existing complaint procedure.
• Be supported in reporting the circumstances of any abuse to independent bodies.
• Receive appropriate support following abuse.

It is the responsibility of all within NSA Therapy Services Ltd to report any concerns about abuse.  When abuse needs to be reported each local authority will have its own system, resources and reporting procedures.  This might be a dedicated phone line or a specific social services team. All staff should familiarise themselves with local procedures in their area.  Alternatively, adult abuse can be reported directly to the police.

All incidents of alleged poor practice, misconduct or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

All personal data will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

Where there are concerns about the safety or welfare of an adult at risk, this policy and these procedures will be followed, and information will be shared with the relevant agencies in order to protect them.

NSA Therapy Services Ltd will take all possible steps to ensure that adults with whom it works are kept safe through:

• Clear procedure for the raising of concerns about an adult at-risk
• Safe recruitment processes for all directors, staff and volunteers including the obtaining of DBS or Access NI checks as appropriate
• Procedures to structure the management of an allegation of abuse against directors, staff or volunteers
• Effective induction, training and support for directors, staff and volunteers to ensure they are aware of and understand the importance of implementing this policy and the related procedures
• Clear expectations of all directors, staff and volunteers for sharing information.

Disclosure of Information

• NSA Therapy Services Ltd recognises the importance of sharing information to protect an adult at risk, and normally, any disclosure of confidential information to any other person may only be undertaken with the express permission of the person.
• Where it is considered necessary for the welfare and protection of an adult at risk, the person will be kept informed unless to do so would put his or her welfare and safety at risk of harm.
• In recognition of its commitment to pass on concerns, NSA Therapy Services Ltd will maintain effective working partnerships with organisations working with adults at risk within the community and will maintain current information on and work within the requirements of the local procedures followed by statutory and voluntary agencies.

Procedure when there are concerns

1.  If anyone who is associated with NSA Therapy Services Ltd has concerns about the welfare of an adult at risk they must raise those concerns and inform the safeguarding lead / one of the directors without delay.
2.  If an adult discloses that they are being, or have been abused this information must be taken seriously and following a discussion in supervision, if considered appropriate and necessary, the information must be passed on to the relevant agencies without delay.
3.  The first priority should always be to protect the safety of all adults at risk and it is the responsibility of all within NSA Therapy Services Ltd to act on any suspicion or evidence of abuse or neglect.
4. The information regarding the concerns and the action taken will be manually recorded, stored securely and passed to the relevant agencies.
5. If an adult is at risk of immediate harm then the designated person will inform the appropriate agency without delay.
6. If the adult is not in immediate harm the information must be responded to without delay.
7. Failure to report concerns may lead to suspension pending investigation and for staff, disciplinary action.
8. If a member of staff, volunteer or director is alleged to have put the welfare or safety of an adult at risk, the designated person will inform the appropriate agency and cooperate fully with the authority in the manner in which the matter is dealt with including the immediate suspension of the person pending an investigation.

Allegations against staff and volunteers

It is important that any concerns for the welfare of an adult at risk arising from abuse or harassment by a member of staff or volunteer should be reported immediately to a director, or, if they are implicated in the concerns, to the other director.   Concerns about poor practice should also be reported to a director.

Where there are allegations of abuse or concerns about poor practice of staff or volunteers there may be three strands of investigation as follows.

1. Adult at risk protection investigation (externally led)
2. Criminal investigation (externally led by the Police Authority)
3. A disciplinary investigation (internally led)

It might be that the employee is suspended with pay during an investigation or a volunteer asked to cease volunteering pending the outcome of the investigation.

Designated Safeguarding Person

NSA Therapy Services Ltd Directors (i.e. Nicola Armstrong and Lee Armstrong) are ultimately responsible for safeguarding.

Retention of Records

A factual, dated record of concerns about an adult at risk in a family supported will be kept, in line with NSA Therapy Services Ltd record keeping and procedures.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about this Safeguarding Adults Policy, please contact us:

• By email: [email protected]
• By visiting this page on our website: www.nicolasaunderstherapy.com
• By phone number: 07914714469