Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding statement

We are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We recognise that all our people, regardless of race, age, ability, gender, identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, have the right to protection from all types of harm or abuse. 

We take robust steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles. Additionally, we have a code of conduct for all staff and volunteers. 

We take the safety and wellbeing of our staff and volunteers seriously, and we have put systems and processes in place to identify and assess potential areas of risk across all our activities; and we ensure remedial plans are put in place to address these risks. 

We actively encourage our staff, volunteers and those who use or come into contact with our services, to speak up about things which they think could cause harm to people and we act promptly when concerns have been raised. 

We highly value the contribution of our staff and volunteers and offer them a range of support to manage and cope with the sometimes-challenging nature of our work. We are committed to creating a safe place to work and also a supportive and rewarding one. 

Adult & Child Safeguarding Policy

This policy sets out the key elements and overarching principles of Compassionate Accompaniment CIC’s commitment to safeguarding.

Safeguarding is a term used to describe a range of activity aimed at ensuring that children and adults who need care and support are not abused. The Charity Commission asserts that safeguarding policy and procedures are vital for the effective operation of any charity that works with vulnerable groups.

Policy Statement

For Compassionate Accompaniment CIC safeguarding encompasses everything we do to protect adults and children who need care and support, our staff and our volunteers, from abuse. Safeguarding is a fundamental part of Compassionate Accompaniment CIC’s work.

This policy and procedure covers all staff, volunteers and areas of work. It must be clear to staff that they must share information in cases of abuse. All staff and volunteers in any organisation who have contact with adults and children who could be at risk of abuse or neglect have a duty to act if they have any concern that an adult or child is being abused, neglected or exploited.

Guiding Principles

There are 2 main elements in Compassionate Accompaniment CIC’s safeguarding work:

1. Prevention – We will put sensible measures in place to prevent abuse, including the use of safe recruitment practices, promoting safe working environments and raising awareness of safeguarding.
2. Protection – We will provide policy, procedures, information and training to enable all Compassionate Accompaniment CIC staff and volunteers to identify and respond appropriately to concerns about abuse that may be affecting an adult or child who needs care and support.

Where there are reasonable doubts about the ability of the person raising concerns to obtain the
right support for themselves or others, or where allegations concerning Compassionate Accompaniment CIC staff or volunteers are raised, more complex responses may be required. Detailed information on how all safeguarding issues should be managed within Compassionate Accompaniment CIC can be found in the Compassionate Accompaniment CIC Safeguarding Procedures.

Roles & Responsibilities

All staff and volunteers

Every individual working for Compassionate Accompaniment CIC, irrespective of their role, has a part to play in safeguarding adults and children who need care and support from abuse. Staff who are registered professionals are responsible for checking that they meet the requirements of their professional body in terms of their safeguarding training, competency and practice. All staff will undertake relevant training and must familiarise themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

Directors

The Directors of Compassionate Accompaniment CIC have responsibility for the general control and management of the administration of the CIC. Directors of not for profits which work with adults and children who need care and support have a duty of care to their not for profit, which includes taking the necessary steps to safeguard those at risk from abuse, managing risk and protecting the reputation of the not for profit.

Directors will ensure that safeguarding is included, where appropriate, in the strategic plans, risk assessments, communications and quality assurance processes of the organisation. In some cases they will be required to make decisions in relation to complex or serious safeguarding concerns, in consultation with the Executive Director.

Executive Director will ensure that their staff members are adequately trained to recognise signs of abuse and they should promote the discussion of safeguarding at team meetings and as part of supervision or one to one meetings.

Breaches of Policy

Failure to comply with the Compassionate Accompaniment CIC safeguarding policy may be managed in a number of ways, depending on the nature and consequences of any incident. In some cases a combination of responses may be required. Please refer to our Safeguarding Guidance & Procedures for further details.

Implementation & Controls

Monitoring

This Policy will be reviewed at least once a year, whenever there are relevant changes in legislation and/or regulation and following a safeguarding incident where significant harm has been experienced or alleged by an individual under the care and support of Compassionate Accompaniment CIC.

Basic Terms & Definitions

Adults who need care and support

This document does not refer specifically to adults as ‘vulnerable’. It refers instead to adults who need care and support, who may be at risk of abuse. This is the wording used in the Care Act and is the common form of terminology in adult safeguarding practice. It also highlights the fact that a person’s needs for care and support should not, in a civilised society cause them to be inherently vulnerable.

Governance

Abuse in relation to adults:

There is no single, universally accepted, definition of abuse in relation to adults who need care and support.

There are many different types of abuse. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, sexual, financial or domestic. It may be neglect, discrimination or institutional or modern slavery. Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it. Further information can be found in the Compassionate Accompaniment CIC Procedures for Adult and Child Safeguarding.