Version 1.0 – June 2025
Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mark Maddison
Scheduled Review Date – June 2026
Aims
Vision for Access CIC does not work with individuals under the age of 18 and does not currently envisage working directly with adults who are considered vulnerable under safeguarding legislation. However, we are fully committed to promoting a culture of safety, respect, and inclusion in all that we do. This policy outlines our approach to safeguarding adults and reflects our responsibility to ensure that anyone we engage with is treated with dignity and protected from harm.
Vision for Access CIC will not tolerate the abuse of adults in any of its forms and is committed to safeguarding adults with care and support needs from harm.
This policy outlines the steps Vision for Access CIC will make to safeguard an adult with care and support needs if they are deemed to be at risk or at risk. This policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of Vision for Access CIC in working together with other professionals and agencies in promoting the adult’s welfare and safeguarding them from abuse and neglect.
Vision for Access CIC will ensure that decisions made will allow adults to make their own choices and include them in any decision making. Vision for Access CIC will also ensure that safe and effective working practices are in place.
This policy is intended to support staff and volunteers working within Vision for Access CICto understand their role and responsibilities in safeguarding adults. All staff and volunteers are expected to follow this policy.
The key objectives of this policy are for all employees and volunteers of Vision for Access CIC to:
Under the Human Rights Act 1998, everyone has the right to live free from abuse and neglect. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/human-rights/human-rights-act
Copies of this policy are available within Vision for Access CIC and Vision for Access CIC will not tolerate the abuse of adults in the organisation and staff and volunteers should be made aware of how this policy can be accessed.
What is Safeguarding adults?
‘Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. This must recognise that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.’
Care and Support Statutory Guidance, Department of Health, updated February 2017
All adults should be able to live free from fear and harm. But some may find it hard to get the help and support they need to stop abuse.
An adult may be unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation due to many reasons, including their mental or physical incapacity, sensory loss or physical or learning disabilities. This could be an adult who is usually able to protect themselves from harm but maybe unable to do so because of an accident, disability, frailty, addiction or illness.
Vision for Access CIC adheres to following the six key principles that underpin safeguarding work (See Care Act guidance)
Vision for Access CIC will not tolerate the abuse of adults and staff and volunteers should ensure that their work reflects the principles above and ensure the adult with care and support needs is involved in their decisions and informed consent is obtained. Vision for Access CIC should ensure that the safeguarding action agreed is the least intrusive response to the risk. Partners from the community should be involved in any safeguarding work in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse. Vision for Access CIC should be transparent and accountable in delivering safeguarding actions.
What is Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)?
MSP means a case should be person-led and outcome-focused. The individual should be involved in identifying how best to respond to their safeguarding situation by giving them more choice and control as well as improving quality of life, wellbeing and safety.
Vision for Access CIC will not tolerate the abuse of adults. Vision for Access CIC will ensure that adults are involved in their safeguarding arrangements and each individual is dealt with on a case by case basis. As adults may have different preferences, histories and life styles, the same process may not work for all.
Who do adult safeguarding duties apply to?
The Care Act 2014 sets out that adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:
Who do I go to if I am concerned?
The named responsible person for safeguarding duties for Vision for Access CIC is Mark Maddison [mark@visionforaccess.org.uk]
All staff and volunteers should contact Mark Maddison for any concerns/queries they have in regards to safeguarding adults. A log of the concern must be kept.
Mark Maddison will be responsible to make decisions about notifying adult social services if required and consider alternative actions, where necessary.
Mark Maddison will also ensure that the safeguarding adults policies and procedures are in place and up to date. They will ensure a safe environment is promoted for staff and volunteers and adults accessing services. Mark Maddison will ensure they are up to date with their safeguarding adults training.
Mark Maddison holds a level 3 in safeguarding adults accreditation.
What should I do if I am concerned?
Staff and volunteers at Vision for Access CIC who have any adult safeguarding concerns should:
1. Respond
2. Report
3. Record
4. Refer
In making a decision whether to refer or not, the designated safeguarding lead should take into account:
This should inform the decision whether to notify the concern to the following people:
The designated safeguarding lead should keep a record of the reasons for referring the concern or reasons for not referring.
Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple and may affect one person or more. Staff and volunteers should look beyond single incidents to identify patterns of harm. Accurate recording of information will also assist in recognising any patterns.
What are your roles and responsibilities?
All staff, management, trustees and volunteers at Vision for Access CIC are expected to report any concerns to the named person for safeguarding. If the allegation is against one of Vision for Access CIC members, volunteers, trustees or directors, seek advice from Mark Maddison, designated safeguarding lead. If the allegation is against the designated safeguarding lead, seek advice from South Tyneside social care team.
The designated safeguarding lead should be responsible for providing acknowledgement of the referral and brief feedback to the person raising the original concern. Feedback should be given in a way that will not make the situation worse or breach the Data Protection Act. If the police are involved, they should be consulted prior to giving feedback to the referrer to ensure any criminal investigation is not affected.
The local authority will decide on who will lead on a safeguarding enquiry should it progress to that stage. The named organisation should not conduct its own safeguarding enquiry unless instructed to do so by the local authority.
Staff and volunteers should ensure that the adult with care and support needs is involved at all stages of their safeguarding enquiry ensuring a person-centred approach is adopted.
Complaints procedure
Vision for Access CIC promotes transparency and honesty when things go wrong. All staff and volunteers should apologise and be honest with service users and other relevant people when thing go wrong.
If a staff or volunteer or any other member of the organisation is unhappy with Vision for Access CIC’s decision about the safeguarding concern, refer them to the complaints policy.
Vision for Access CIC is committed to ensuring that staff and volunteers who in good faith whistle-blow in the public interest, will be protected from reprisals and victimisation.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is to be used when decisions on behalf of those adults with care and support needs who are unable to make some decisions for themselves. Refer to the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-capacity-act-code-of-practice. You will need to involve an advocate if the person lacks capacity to make decisions about the safeguarding concern.
Why is it important to take action?
It may be difficult for adults with care and support needs to protect themselves and to report abuse. They rely on you to help them.
Confidentiality and information sharing
Vision for Access CIC expects all staff, volunteers, trustees to maintain confidentiality at all times. In line with Data Protection law, Vision for Access CIC does not share information if not required.
It should however be noted that information should be shared with authorities if an adult is deemed to be at risk of immediate harm. Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people can make all the difference to preventing harm.
Recruitment and selection
Vision for Access CIC is committed to safe employment. Safe recruitment practices, such as Disclosure and Barring checks where required reduce the risk of exposing adults with care and support needs to people unsuitable to work with them.
Training, awareness raising and supervision?
Vision for Access CIC ensures that all staff and volunteers receive basic awareness training on safeguarding adults as they may come across adults with care and support needs who may be at risk of abuse. Those adults may report things of concern to staff or volunteers who should be equipped with the basic knowledge around safeguarding adults and be confident to identify that abuse is taking place and action is required. All staff and volunteers should be clear about the core values of Vision for Access CIC and commitment to safeguarding adults.
It is also useful to discuss training with staff who have attended training sessions to ensure they are embedding this in practice.
Prevent
Radicalisation and extremism of adults with care and support needs is a form of emotional/psychological exploitation. Radicalisation can take place through direct personal contact, or indirectly through social media.
If staff are concerned that an adult with care and support needs is at risk of being radicalised and drawn into terrorism, they should treat it in the same way as any other safeguarding concern.
For more information about Prevent see: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance
Useful links
Care act- http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents/enacted
Carer and support statutory guidance-https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/506202/23902777_Care_Act_Book.pdf
Prevent-
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance
Appendix 1
What are the types of safeguarding adults abuse?
The Care and Support statutory guidance sets out the 10 main types of abuse:
However, you should keep an open mind about what constitutes abuse or neglect as it can take many forms and the circumstances of the individual case should always be considered.
For more information, read section 14.17 of the Care and Support Statutory Guidance.
What are the possible signs of abuse?
Abuse and neglect can be difficult to spot. You should be alert to the following possible signs of abuse and neglect:
You should ask the person if you are unsure about their well-being as there may be other explanations to the above presentation.
Who abuses and neglects adults?
Abuse can happen anywhere, even in somebody’s own home. Most often abuse takes place by others who are in a position of trust and power. It can take place whether an adult lives alone or with others. Anyone can carry out abuse or neglect, including: