Safeguarding Adults Policy
This policy will enable Viva Arts and Community Group to demonstrate its commitment to keeping safe any vulnerable adults with whom it works. Viva Arts and Community Group acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports, or suspicions of abuse. The policy applies to all, including trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, students, and anyone working on behalf of Viva Arts and Community Group.
This Policy Statement has been drawn up in order to enable Viva Arts and Community Group to:
- promote good practice and work in a way that can prevent harm, abuse and coercion occurring.
- ensure that any allegations of abuse or suspicions are dealt with appropriately and the person experiencing abuse is supported.
- stop abuse occurring.
- promote the freedom and dignity of any vulnerable person.
The Policy relates to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. In order to implement the policy, the Viva Arts and Community Group will work:
- to ensure the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable adults and by managing activities effectively and sensitively
- recruit staff and volunteers safely, ensuring DBS checks are made where applicable
- provide effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training as needed
Viva Arts and Community Group
- will ensure that all management committee members, trustees, staff, and volunteers are familiar with this policy and procedures.
- will work with other agencies within the framework of the Safeguarding Adults Board Policy and Procedures as required.
- will act within its confidentiality policy and will usually gain permission from individuals concerned before sharing information about them with another agency.
- will inform members that where a person is in danger, or a crime has been committed then a decision may be taken to pass information to another agency without the individual’s consent.
- will endeavour 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 Services Directorate) as appropriate.
The Designated Named Person for Safeguarding Adults in Viva Arts and Community Group is:
Anne Bevan – annie_bevan@hotmail.com
This person should be contacted for support and advice on implementing this policy and procedures. (Contact can also be made via Rachael Polsom at the Viva Office, 01353 722228)
The roles and responsibilities of the named person(s) are:
- to ensure that all staff 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.
- to ensure that concerns are acted on and clearly recorded.
- to follow up any referrals and ensure the issues have been addressed.
- to 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 practice with regard to confidentiality.
Viva Arts and Community Group is committed to the belief that the protection of vulnerable adults is everybody’s responsibility, and the aim of this policy is to ensure that all managers, trustees of the organisation, management committee members, staff and volunteers act appropriately in response to any concern.
Responding to Vulnerable Adults
Viva Arts and Community Group recognises that it has a duty to act on reports, or suspicions of ill-treatment or abuse.
How to respond if you receive an allegation:
- Reassure the person concerned
- Listen to what they are saying
- Record what you have been told/witnessed as soon as possible
- Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
- Tell them that the matter will be treated seriously
- Don’t start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
- Don’t promise to keep it a secret
- Refer the matter to the appropriate Viva individual
Viva Arts and Community Group will ensure that any allegations made against members, members of staff or volunteers will be dealt with swiftly. Where a member of staff/volunteer is thought to have committed a criminal offence the police will be informed.
If a crime has been witnessed the police should be contacted immediately. The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. Where necessary, a risk assessment will be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk to all Viva members posed by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role within Viva Arts & Community whilst the investigation is undertaken.
Viva Arts and Community Group has a whistle blowing policy and staff/volunteers are aware of this policy. All will be supported to use this policy.
PREVENT
PREVENT works to stop individuals from getting involved or supporting terrorism or extremist activity.
Prevent strategy has three objectives:
- Challenging the ideology that support terrorism and those who promote these ideas.
- Protecting vulnerable people.
- Supporting sectors and groups where there are risks of radicalisation.
Viva will ensure that processes are in place to protect members against this and alert the correct agencies if an issue should arise.
(Relevant Document: Revised Prevent Duty Guidance: for England and Wales)
Recording and managing confidential information
Viva Arts and Community Group is committed to maintaining confidentiality wherever possible and information around Safeguarding Adults issues should be shared only with those who need to know. All allegations/concerns will be recorded by Viva Arts and Community Group. The information that is recorded will be kept secure and will comply with data protection. This information will be secured in a locked filing cabinet at The Viva Centre, 14 Churchgate Street, Soham.
This Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy will be clearly communicated to staff, trustees, volunteers and volunteers and will be published on the Viva Arts & Community website for all Viva members to access.
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy will be reviewed regularly by the trustees.
Updated: November 2020
Review Date: November 2021
Reviewed: January 2022
Review date: January 2023
Reviewed: January 2023
Review Date: November 2023