Safeguarding vulnerable adults

This document demonstrates Mapping for Change CIC commitment to keeping safe the vulnerable adults who may participate in their activities. Mapping for Change acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse.

Whilst not all Mapping for Change staff will work unsupervised with vulnerable adults, it is important that all staff, volunteers and management are familiar with the policy, understand the boundaries of appropriate behaviour and adhere to the procedures in put place to prevent and report abuse.

The Policy and Procedures relate to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. Vulnerable adults are defined as:

• People aged 18 or over
• Who are receiving or may need community care services because of learning, physical or mental disability, age, or illness
• Who are or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

The policy applies to all staff, including managers, management committee members, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff, students and anyone working on behalf of Mapping for Change.

In order to implement the policy Mapping for Change will work:

• to promote the freedom and dignity of the person who has or is experiencing abuse
• to promote the rights of all people to live free from abuse and coercion
• to ensure the safety and well-being of people who do not have the capacity to decide how they want to respond to abuse that they are experiencing
• to manage services in a way which promotes safety and prevents abuse
• provide effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.

All Mapping for Change staff, volunteers, management and representatives will:

• Treat all people with respect and with due regard to cultural differences
• Act as an appropriate role model and provide an example you wish others to follow
• Challenge unacceptable behaviour by others - do not permit abusive activities (e.g. bullying, ridiculing, including 'cyber bullying')
• Ensure feedback given in activities is constructive rather than negative
• Take care in the use of language/terminology/behaviour and do not make unnecessary comments or actions which could be interpreted as having a sexual connotation
• Take special care when discussing sensitive issues with vulnerable people

Recognising Abuse

Abuse can take different forms and includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse as well as neglect and bullying, and has long term effects in terms of development, health and well-being.

There are different types and patterns of abuse and neglect, and different circumstances in which they may take place. The Care Act 2014 identifies the following as an illustrative guide and is not intended to be exhaustive list as to the sort of behaviour which could give rise to a safeguarding concern:

Self-neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour: neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.

Modern Slavery – encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

Domestic Abuse and coercive control – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse. It also includes so called 'honour' based violence. It can occur between any family members.

Discriminatory Abuse – discrimination is abuse which centres on a difference or perceived difference particularly with respect to race, gender or disability or any of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act.

Organisational Abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one-off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

Physical Abuse – including hitting, slapping, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions.

Sexual Abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault, or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

Financial or Material Abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection to wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Neglect – including ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health social care or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse – this includes threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks.

Not included in the Care Act 2014 but also relevant:

Cyber Bullying – cyber bullying occurs when someone repeatedly makes fun of another person online, or repeatedly picks on another person through emails or text messages, or uses online forums with the intention of harming, damaging, humiliating or isolating another person. It can be used to carry out many different types of bullying (such as racist bullying, homophobic bullying, or bullying related to special educational needs and disabilities) but instead of the perpetrator carrying out the bullying face-to-face, they use technology as a means to do it.

Forced Marriage – forced marriage is a term used to describe a marriage in which one or both of the parties are married without their consent or against their will. A forced marriage differs from an arranged marriage, in which both parties consent to the assistance of a third party in identifying a spouse. The Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 make it a criminal offence to force someone to marry. The forced marriage of adults with learning disabilities occurs when the adult does not have the capacity to consent to the marriage.

Mate Crime – a ‘mate crime’ as defined by the Safety Net Project as ‘when vulnerable people are befriended by members of the community who go on to exploit and take advantage of them. It may not be an illegal act but still has a negative effect on the individual.’ Mate Crime is carried out by someone the adult knows and often happens in private. In recent years there have been a number of Serious Case Reviews relating to people with a learning disability who were murdered or seriously harmed by people who purported to be their friend.

Radicalisation – the aim of radicalisation is to attract people to their reasoning, inspire new recruits and embed their extreme views and persuade vulnerable individuals of the legitimacy of their cause. This may be direct through a relationship, or through social media.

You may not be completely confident in recognising abuse, but you may come across something which concerns you or just 'does not seem quite right'. It is not the place of Mapping for Change employees or volunteers to pass judgement on whether abuse has occurred, as this is the remit of Social Services. However, you have a duty and responsibility as someone working with vulnerable groups to report any concerns to the appropriate body.

Reporting Abuse

Mapping for Change:

• Will act within its confidentiality policy and will usually gain permission from the adult before sharing information about them with another agency
• Will inform adults that where a person is in danger, a child is at risk or a crime has been committed then a decision may be taken to pass information to another agency without the person’s consent
• Will pass information to the Independent Safeguarding Authority when more than one person is at risk. For example: if the concern relates to a worker, volunteer or organisation who provides a service to vulnerable adults
• Will report any incidents where a vulnerable person is accidentally hurt during an activity to the activity co-ordinator as quickly as possible and to their support worker where necessary
• Has a legal obligation to remove someone who has caused harm or would have or poses a risk of harm to a vulnerable person
• Will endeavor to keep up to date with national developments relating to preventing abuse and welfare of adults.

What to do if you have a concern, or if someone raises concerns with you.

• It is not your responsibility to decide whether or not an adult has been abused. It is, however, everyone's responsibility to respond to and report concerns.
• If you are concerned someone is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999 straight away. Where you suspect that a crime is being committed, you must involve the police.
• As Mapping for Change usually works with partners or within an established setting, such as schools or community groups, a Safeguarding Lead will be appointed before any activities take place. All Mapping for Change employees, volunteers and participants will be made aware of this contact at the start of any activities.
• If you have concerns and or you are told about possible or alleged abuse, poor practice or wider welfare issues you must report this to the designated Safeguarding Lead within the project. Or, if the Safeguarding Lead is implicated, then report to the CEO of the leading organisation
• When raising your concern with the Safeguarding Lead, remember Making Safeguarding Personal. It is good practice to seek the adult’s views on what they would like to happen next and to inform the adult you will be passing on your concern.
• It is important when considering your concern that you keep the person informed about any decisions and action taken, and always consider their needs and wishes.

How to respond to a concern

• Make a note of your concerns.
• Make a note of what the person has said using his or her own words as soon as practicable. Complete an Incident Form and submit to the designated project Safeguarding Lead.
• Remember to make safeguarding personal. Discuss your safeguarding concerns with the adult, obtain their view of what they would like to happen, but inform them it’s your duty to pass on your concerns to your Safeguarding Lead.
• Describe the circumstances in which the disclosure came about.
• Take care to distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. It is important that the information you have is accurate.
• Be mindful of the need to be confidential at all times. This information must only be shared with your Safeguarding Lead and others on a need-to-know basis.
• If the matter is urgent and relates to the immediate safety of an adult at risk then contact the emergency services immediately.