Policy Statement

Aspens Charities seeks to ensure positive and safe environments for the people it supports and for all
who access its services. Individuals must be safeguarded from all forms of abuse and at all times be
protected from the risk of abuse.

Every possible action will be taken to prevent abuse and incidents of suspected abuse will be dealt
with as effectively and promptly as possible.

1. Purpose of the Policy
1.1 This policy and the procedures within the policy are designed to fully inform and empower staff
(including volunteers) in the consistent reporting of potential abuse. After reading this policy,
individuals should be able to:
● Recognise forms of abuse.
● Understand the principles and values underlying the organisation’s approach to safeguarding
the people it supports and the ways in which the organisation does this.
● Understand the steps taken to avoid abuse taking place.
● Understand their absolute duty to report concerns.
● Understand the action they must take and follow reporting procedures for allegations of abuse.

2. Policy
2.1 Legislation
The organisation seeks to work in line with the various Local Authorities within which it operates and
their policies, procedures and guidance relating to safeguarding adults from abuse. Links to the
relevant Local Authorities can be found within the procedural section of this document. The
procedures must be adhered to when reporting safeguarding concerns.
2.2 The organisation recognises the importance of national guidance such as contained in the
Department of Health guidance on protecting vulnerable adults: ‘No Secrets’ which can be found
using the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-secrets-guidance-on-protecting-vulnerable-adults-incare
2.3 The organisation seeks to comply in all respects with current safeguarding legislation and
regulations including the Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulation 20 relating to “Duty of Candour”:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/regulations-enforcement/regulation-20-duty-candour
2.3 The organisation recognises that supported individuals who might lack mental capacity are
particularly vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. It is accordingly mindful of the need to follow the
principles and practice guidance that has accompanied the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

3. Defining Abuse
3.1 The organisation recognises that abuse of individuals may take the following forms. This list is not
exhaustive:
● Physical abuse
● Financial or material abuse
● Psychological abuse
● Sexual abuse
● Bullying
● Neglect
● Discriminatory abuse
● Self-harm
● Inhuman or degrading treatment
● Inappropriate or excessive restraint and other forms of institutional abuse
● Exploitation to extremism and radicalisation
Please Note: This policy must be read in conjunction with the “Prevention of Extremism and
Radicalisation Policy”.

4. Identifying Abusers
4.1 The organisation accepts that abuse may be committed by a range of possible people. It therefore
accepts its responsibility to protect supported adults accessing the organisation’s services from
possible abuse from all sources, including:
● Staff and management of the organisation
● Volunteers working within the organisation
● Visiting health and social care practitioners and other official visitors
● Individuals friends and relatives
● People who have contact with individuals while they are accessing community facilities
● Other individuals that access the service

5. The Role and Accountability of Staff in Relation to Abuse
5.1 The organisation insists that all employees (including volunteers) have responsibility to:
● Provide individuals with a safe environment and with the best possible care and support
● Desist from any abusive action in relation to individuals
● Report anything they witness which is or might be abusive
● Cooperate in every possible way with any investigation into alleged abuse
● Participate in training activities, ensuring regular updates as required, relating to safeguarding
● adults from abuse

6. The Role and Accountability of Managers
6.1 The Organisation requires its managers to take responsibility for:
● Developing systems and structures within which it is possible to deliver the best possible care
and support
● Encouraging a culture and ethos for the organisation which is hostile to any type of abuse
● Producing and regularly revising the policies and procedures to combat abuse
● Operating personnel policies which identify, appropriately deal with and if necessary exclude
potential or actual abusers
● Ensuring all employees complete and pass training in ‘Safeguarding Adults’ during their
Aspens Charities
A Company limited by guarantee, ref no. 10342980, England. A registered charity no. 1171448
induction period with refresher training thereafter as required
ensuring thereafter that training is regular and up-to-date in all aspects of abuse and protection
● Investigating and reporting any evidence of abuse speedily and sympathetically and where
appropriate referring to the relevant Local Authority policies, procedures and guidance
● Implementing improvements to procedures if an investigation into abuse reveals deficiencies in
the way in which the organisation operates
● Collaborating with all the other relevant agencies in combating abuse and improving the
protection of individual

7. Recruitment Practices
7.1 The organisation takes great care in the recruitment of staff, carries out all possible checks on
recruits to ensure that they are of a high standard, and cooperates in all initiatives regarding the
sharing of information on employees who are found to be unsuitable to work with vulnerable people.
7.2 The organisation ensures stringent procedures are followed which include the Disclosure and
Barring Service (DBS) checks (as appropriate to the role of the employee).
7.3 Reference checks are carried out on all potential employees.

8. Preventing Abuse from Occurring
8.1 The organisation is committed to taking all possible steps to prevent abuse from occurring
including:
● Setting out and making widely known the procedures for responding to suspicions or evidence
of abuse
● Operating personnel policies which ensure that all potential employees are rigorously checked
● Incorporating material relevant to abuse into staff training at all levels
● Maintaining vigilance concerning the possibility of abuse of individuals from whatever source
● Encouraging staff, individuals and all other stakeholders to develop a climate of openness and
awareness which makes it possible to report concerns about behaviour which might be
abusive or might lead to abuse
● Ensuring the organisation’s “Whistleblowing Policy” is available to all employees
● Devising systems and strategies of support which minimise the risk of abuse of individuals by
other supported individuals
● Providing staff training in positive behaviour support and behaviours of concern so that they
understand and deal appropriately with any form of aggression between supported individuals
● Maintaining robust procedures for regulating any contact employees need to have with regard
to individuals’ property, money or financial affairs
● Communicating concerns to the appropriate officers of the relevant Local Safeguarding
Authority and CQC, in line with current policies and authoritative professional guidance
● Enabling supported individuals as far as possible to avoid or control situations or relationships
which would make them vulnerable to abuse

9. Identifying Actual or Possible Abuse
9.1 The organisation aims to identify any instances of actual or possible abuse involving individuals by
all possible means including:
● Fostering an open and trusting communication structure within the organisation so that
employees, supported individuals and others feel able to discuss their concerns with someone
authorised to take action
● Ensuring that all staff and individuals know to whom they may turn for advice and action if they
become aware or suspect that abuse is occurring
● Ensuring employees know and feel confident to use the Whistleblowing Policy if they feel
Aspens Charities
A Company limited by guarantee, ref no. 10342980, England. A registered charity no. 1171448
unable to openly voice their concerns
● Encouraging staff to recognise that a commitment to the highest possible standards of care
and support must overrule loyalty to colleagues individually or corporately
● Making it clear to staff that not to report incidents or suspicions of abuse is itself abusive and
may lead to disciplinary or criminal proceedings
● Operating systems of management, supervision, internal inspection, and quality control which
have the potential to reveal abuse where it exists

10. Procedure for Reporting Safeguarding Concerns
10.1 The following organisational procedure must be followed
10.2 If you witness an act of abuse, suspect that an individual has been subject to abuse or is at risk of
abuse (whether it is deemed intentional or unintentional), then you must follow this procedure.
10.3 DO NOT discuss it with anyone other than the person to whom you are reporting the incident.
Such incidences should not be discussed within staff teams at any point as this could affect any
safeguarding investigations and/or evidence.
10.4 All Managers and employees, including volunteers must also read the ‘relevant Local Authority
“Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures”, which is the main point of reference when managing
safeguarding concerns.
10.5 It is essential, when using the Local Authority reporting forms, to always refer to the on-line
version as this will be updated regularly. DO NOT download the policy or forms to save copies as
future changes will not be reflected within it.

Members of Staff should immediately carry out the following:
● Ensure any immediate action regarding the safety of the Individual (or individuals) concerned is
taken, including any emergency medical treatment
● Immediately report any concerns to the manager of the service you work in, or the on-call
manager, as appropriate
● Phone the police on 999 if the individual is in immediate danger
The ‘Reporting Manager’, usually the manager of the service will then immediately action the
following:
● Report the incident to the senior operations manager or nominated individual
● For out-of-hours safeguarding concerns - contact the senior on-Call
● Unless you would be putting the adult concerned at risk, talk to the adult regarding their view of
the concern, what they want to happen and agree actions that will be taken
● Raise a safeguarding alert with the relevant Local Authority “Adult Social Care Duty Team”
without delay (contact details below)
● All concerns should be raised within 24 hours
● If unsure whether a safeguarding concern should be raised, seek advice from Adult Social
Care Team of the relevant Local Authority (contact details below)
● Refer to the police if the suspected abuse is a crime or offence
● Ensure any staff member or volunteer who may be thought to be the cause of risk is not in
contact with the adult, or other adults

Please Note: Al

l safeguarding concerns should also be treated as a “Serious Incident”. The manager
of the service must refer to the “Reporting of Serious Incidents Policy” and guidance which can be
accessed within the Policies Manual

11. Local Authority Contact Details for Reporting Safeguarding Concerns and further
sources of Information
11.1 To access the Sussex Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedure, use the following link:
http://sussexsafeguardingadults.procedures.org.uk/

For services and support carried out in East Sussex
East Sussex –Adult Social Care Direct Tel: 0345 60 80 191 - this is the same number for out of hours
and you will be redirected to the out of hours Duty Team

For services and support carried out in West Sussex
West Sussex Adult Services Tel: 01243 642 121 – this is the same number for out of hours

For services and support carried out in Brighton and Hove
Brighton & Hove City Council Adult Social Care Tel: 01273 295555

On-line Safeguarding Adults report form available on:
www.brighton-hove.gov.uk [email protected]

For Services and Support carried out in the London Borough of Bexley
https://carehub.bexley.gov.uk/web/portal/pages/help/safe/adabuse

On-line Safeguarding Adults report form:
https://www.bexley.gov.uk/services/adult-social-care/report-adult-safeguarding-concern

London Borough of Bexley Adult Social Care: 0208 3037777 or
Email: [email protected]

For Services and Support carried out in Kent
On-line safeguarding reporting form available at:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/report-abuse

Office hours Tel: 03000 41 61 61 (text relay 18001 03000 41 61 61) or email
[email protected].

Out of hours and in an emergency Tel: 03000 41 91 91

For Services and Support carried out in Medway
On line safeguarding reporting form available at:
http://www.medway.gov.uk/pdf/SAF_Form_Oct_14_V3.pdf

Medway Adult Social Care Department

Tel: 01634 33 44 66 between 8.30am and 5pm
Out-of-hours service in an emergency Tel: 03000 41 91 91.

For Services and Support carried out in Surrey
Surrey Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) Tel: 0300 470 9100 between 9am to 5pm, Monday to
Friday Email: [email protected]

Out of hours service in an emergency Tel: 01483 517898 Email: [email protected]
Textphone (via Text Relay): 18001 01483 517898
SMS: 07800000388 (for the deaf or hard of hearing)
Fax: 01483 517895

11.2 The Duty Teams should advise you to inform social workers and families of all the supported
individuals involved. If not or you are unsure, then ask.
11.3 All reporting will require you to scan or email any alert forms, including any incident forms to the
vulnerable adult’s social worker and you must inform them that you have reported the incident to the
Adult Safeguarding Team. If they do not have an allocated social worker, the Duty Team will take
responsibility.

12. CQC Serious Incident Reporting
The manager of the service or nominated individual will also:
Report to Care Quality Commission (CQC) National Area Office on 03000 616161
Email or Post ‘Notification’ forms to HSCA [email protected]. Notification forms are accessed via
the CQC website www.cqc.org.uk DO NOT download and save Notification Forms as they may not
reflect the most up to date information.
CQC ADDRESS:
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
City Gate
Gallow Gate
Newcastle –Upon- Tyne
NE14PA

13. Associated Policies and Procedures
Positive Behaviour Support Policy
Whistle-blowing Policy
Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Policy

14. Applicability and scope
 This policy applies to all staff and volunteers working with Service Users. in, or for the
organisation
 All staff have responsibility for ensuring that they work within the remit of this policy and in the
way they have been trained.

15. Review
This policy should be reviewed annually or if the service is notified of any changes of legislation,
guidance, national or local policies