Safeguarding adults policy & procedure

Underlying aims and principles

TDAS work in line with Trafford Adult Social Care Policy and the Six National Principles.

The purpose of the procedure, within TDAS, is to ensure that all concerns about the care and protection of adults at risk are effectively managed.

There is a Duty of Care placed on all those who work for TDAS and who work with adults at risk to do what is reasonable to safeguard that person’s health, safety and welfare.

Safeguarding Adults is a multi-agency responsibility and TDAS will work with all relevant agencies in order to safeguard the adults that access the services.

TDAS will not tolerate any kind of abusive behaviour regardless of the age, status or position of the perpetrator and the age, status or position of the person experiencing the abuse.

Recruitment and training

TDAS will follow clear guidelines on the recruitment, selection and training of staff that apply and/or are successfully appointed to work for us. All management and staff will attend Safeguarding Adults Training. The designated lead, managers and CEO will attend minimum Level 4 safeguarding, including safer recruitment training. All TDAS employees will undertake TDAS’s Safeguarding inhouse training as part of their induction. All training will be refreshed yearly. Refer to Recruitment and Training policy.

Procedure for responding to concerns about abuse, neglect or exploitation

TDAS will follow good practices as outlined below:

• Contact the designated Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for advice.
• When discussing any concern/incident with the adult at risk, staff must inform them that any information regarding a concern will be recorded in their file, discussed with the Team Leader/Service Manager and ultimately a decision may then be made to refer the concern to Trafford Adult Social Services. The staff member needs to inform the adult if a referral is made.
• Reviews of safeguarding in supervision and case management
• Allocate time in each staff meeting to discuss any safeguarding concerns or incidents so all staff are updated.
• The Director of Operations and Service Managers will hold a Safeguarding Panel meeting monthly.
• A quarterly meeting is conducted by the Safeguarding Subcommittee, which includes the participation of the safeguarding lead from the board of trustees. During the meeting, the Director of Operations will provide a report on any recurring themes. The subcommittee will review the safeguarding log in advance and identify any incidents they would like to discuss.
• The DSL or Safeguarding trustee will report to the board meeting every quarter on significant issues identified at the subcommittee.
• Serious incidents will be reported to Trafford Council and the Charity Commission.

Immediate action to be taken

• Make an immediate evaluation of the risk and take steps to ensure that the adult is in no immediate danger.
• Dial 999 for emergency medical attention if need be (consider information sharing procedures)
• Contact the police if a crime has been committed (consider information sharing procedures)
• Do not move articles that could be used as evidence and secure the scene
• If the person has alleged sexual assault avoid drinking, washing and moving of bed linen/clothes.
• If possible make sure others service users are not at risk

Responding to disclosures made by an adult at risk

As outlined in Trafford Adult Safeguarding Procedures

DO:

• Assure them you are taking them seriously
• Listen carefully to what they are telling you, stay calm
• Explain you have a duty to tell your manager or other designated person and that their concerns may be disclosed to others in order to safeguard them
• Reassure them that they will be involved in decisions made about what will happen
• Explain you will try to take steps to protect them form further harm/abuse

DON’T:

• Ask leading questions
• Make promises of complete confidentiality
• Be judgemental
• Jump to conclusions

 

Procedural guidance on reporting & recording adults at risk concerns

 

NB: ALL INCIDENTS ARE RECORDED AT THE SAFEGUARDING PANEL MEETING AND A REPORT PRODUCED AND GIVEN TO THE TRUSTEES.

Recording

Any disclosure, concern or allegation of abuse should be recorded on a Safeguarding tab on oasis with the team leader being alerted. The team leader will then pass the outcome of the incident to the Service Manager, along with the Trafford Adults Safeguarding Board Referral Form. Records should include accurate recordings of:

• Date and Time of the incident
• Exactly what the adult at risk said, using their own words (their account) about the abuse and how it occurred or exactly what has been reported to you
• Appearance and behaviour of the adult at risk
• Any injuries observed (complete a body map)
• Name and signature of the person making the record
• If you witnessed the incident, write down exactly what you saw

The record should be factual. However, if the record does contain your opinion or assessment (especially in the case of recording concerns), it should be clearly stated as such and be backed up by factual evidence.

Allegations against members of Staff, Volunteers or Trustees

If allegations of abuse are made against a member of staff, they will be suspended immediately with pay, so that the allegations can be thoroughly investigated using the Grievance and Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. Trustees and Volunteers in this position will also be suspended immediately and be subject to the Disciplinary Action Policy and Procedure.

Allegations against Service Users or their Children

If allegations of abuse are made against another service user or a member of their family (whether an adult or a child) that service user, and her children if any, may be offered other temporary accommodation, if they are living in the Refuge, until an investigation has been carried out.

Allegations against Visitors to the Refuge

Should a visitor to the Refuge be subject to an allegation of abuse, they will be excluded form the Refuge until a full investigation has been carried out.

Safeguarding Leads for TDAS

In the first instance please contact your line manager, if they are unavailable, please contact the alternative DSL or deputy listed below:

Kirsty McAllister – Director of Operations and DSL

07534620465 | Kirsty.mcallister@tdas.org.uk

Deputy DSL’s

Amy Moss – Accommodation Service Manager
07340698418 | Amy.Moss@tdas.org.uk

Ceinwen Bright – Community Adults and CYP Service Manager (Trafford)
07908463718 | Ceinwen.Bright@tdas.org.uk

Justine Edwards – IDVA and CYP Service Manager (Salford)
07542583890 | Justine.edwards@safeinsalford.org.uk

Summary of Referral Process

Making a referral to Adult Safeguarding Team – Trafford

Advice

Telephone: 0161 912 2820

Referral

Complete an Adult Safeguarding Contact Assessment form and e-mail to: IAT@trafford.gov.uk

Out of hours: 0161 912 2020 or email to: edt@trafford.gov.uk

Making a referral to Adult Safeguarding Team – Salford

Advice

Telephone: 0161 631 4777

Referral

Complete an Adult Safeguarding Contact Assessment form here:

https://www.salford.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/safeguarding-adults/

Protection of staff who report care and protection concerns

TDAS gives all staff the assurance that where they have been involved in the reporting of safeguarding adults issues, the law protects them from actions by those individuals who have been implicated in the abuse, harm  and/or neglect of an adult at risk, as long as the staff member’s report was not malicious or vexatious.

Data Protection and management of confidential information

TDAS, in accordance with its Data Protection Policy, has a commitment to manage confidential information effectively and efficiently. The rights of adults at risk to confidentiality will be maintained, unless the Organisation considers they could be at risk of abuse and /or harm.

Resources:

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations: https://knowhow.ncvo.org.uk/safeguarding

Signed by:

Print name: Samantha Fisher

Position: CEO

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Revised: April 2024

Review due: April 2026