Introduction
Morecare Chagford is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults engaged in the full range of its activities. The purpose of this policy is to outline the duties and responsibilities volunteers and trustees working on behalf of Morecare Chagford in relation to the protection of vulnerable adults.
Definition
All adults have the right to be safe from harm and should be able to live free from fear of abuse, neglect and exploitation. Some adults are less able to protect themselves than others, and some have difficulty making their wishes and feelings known. This may make them more vulnerableThe key objectives of this policy are:
• To explain the responsibilities Morecare Chagford and its volunteers and trustees have in respect of vulnerable adult protection.
• To provide everyone with an overview of vulnerable adult protection
• To provide a clear procedure that will be implemented where vulnerable adult protection issues arise.
Legal framework
This guidance reflects the principles contained within the Human Rights Act 1998, the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, No Secrets 2000, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Care Act 2014.
The role of volunteers and trustees
All volunteers and trustees working on behalf of Morecare Chagford have a duty to promote the welfare and safety of vulnerable adults.
Volunteers and trustees may receive disclosures of abuse and observe vulnerable adults who are at risk of abuse, either from professionals or from family members. This policy will enable volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific adult protection issues.
All volunteers will be made aware of this policy on induction and a copy will always be available at 5 Great Tree Park, Chagford TQ13 8JP.
What is abuse?
Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons. (No Secrets 2000).Abuse may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which she or he have not consented, or cannot consent. Abuse can occur in any relationship and it may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it.Abuse can happen to anyone who may be unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding is the name given to multi-disciplinary work to minimise and manage risk to adults who may be vulnerable. It employs a framework which brings together all aspects of an investigation into an allegation of abuse against a vulnerable adult. For any safeguarding issue the aim is to involve the vulnerable person and offer them as much choice as possible. Car schemes can contribute to this work by reporting concerns, not just about abuse but also about frailty, vulnerability or neglect
Who is a vulnerable adult?
A vulnerable adult is someone aged 18 or over:
• Who is, or may be, in need of community services due to age, illness or a mental or physical disability
• Who is, or may be, unable to take care of herself/himself, or unable to protect herself/himself against significant harm or exploitation
They may be:
• Older people
• People with mental health issues
• Disabled people
• People with learning difficulties
• People with acquired brain damage
• People who misuse substances
Types of abuse?
• Physical: including hitting, shaking, biting, grabbing, withholding food or drink, force-feeding, wrongly administering medicine, unnecessary restraint, failing to provide physical care and aids to living.
• Sexual: including sexual assault, rape, inappropriate touching/molesting,pressurising someone into sexual acts they don't understand or feel powerless to refuse.
• Emotional or psychological: including verbal abuse, shouting, swearing, threatening abandonment or harm, isolating, taking away privacy or other rights, bullying/intimidation, blaming, controlling or humiliation.
• Financial or material: including withholding money or possessions, theft of money or property, fraud, intentionally mismanaging finances, borrowing money and not repaying.
• Neglect: including withholding food, drink, heating and clothing, failing to provide access to health, social and educational services, ignoring physical care needs, exposing a person to unacceptable risk, or failing to ensure adequate supervision.
• Discriminatory abuse (Also known as Hate Crime): including slurs, harassment and maltreatment due to a person's ethnicity, sex, disability, age, gender or gender status, religion or belief, culture or sexual orientation.
• Institutional abuse: including the use of systems and routines which neglect a person receiving care. This can happen in any formal care setting.
• Mate crime: people with learning difficulties can be befriended by people who then exploit them. These are groups and individuals who pretend to be friends but who are really taking advantage of people. This is abuse of a vulnerable person.
• Self Neglect: where the person makes a choice to potentially abuse themselves, e.g. neglecting personal hygiene, self harming, not eating, drug and alcohol abuse.
Other issues of vulnerability might include:
• Forgetfulness
• Anxiety
• Inability to make decisions
What might you notice?
Here are just a few examples of possible signs of abuse or vulnerability, none being conclusive on their own:
• Injuries, such as a slap, being restrained in a chair, or given too much medication• Being involved in a sexual act that was unwanted or not agreed to, like watching pornography
• Weight loss
• Dehydration
• Lack of personal care
• Bills not being paid
• An overly critical or disrespectful carer who may, for example, bully or undermine
• Sudden loss of assets, friends or family or threats to gain access to someone's money, or to get them to change their will
• Not getting to medical appointments
• Deference or submission to a suspected abuser
• Change in behaviour or mood• Isolation from usual network of friends, family or community
• Where a carer looks after someone in a way that is convenient to them rather than what the person needs, thereby affecting their health
• Forgetting appointments
• Repeating acts such as telephoning repeatedly to book same appointment
• Repeatedly not being there when an appointment has been made
• Repeatedly not answering the door or the phone.
How can you help?
Each time you are in contact with people ask yourself these three questions:
• Did you have any concerns when travelling with or talking to your passenger?
• Are there any changes your co-ordinator should be aware of?
• Have you had any difficulties/problems you would like to discuss with your coordinator?
If in any doubt:
Tell someone. Don’t be the person who says nothing.
• If you feel someone is at risk it is important to tell someone:
• Don’t be the individual who does nothing when faced with potential abuse or when someone is a danger to themselves because of their vulnerability.
• By not challenging it you are allowing it to continue and you could be seen as colluding with it.
• Imagine the impact of this practice on you as an individual if you were receiving this service.• It is likely to get worse. It will not simply go away!
Safeguarding procedures
When a safeguarding concern is raised Morecare Chagford will follow the procedures set out below.
If as a driver or administrator you are worried about a passenger's vulnerability or frailty:
• Tell your co-ordinator or line manager.
• You are not required to seek consent to share this information. The Data Protection Act enables you to act to protect members of the public and so it is appropriate to share information in this instance.
If a driver or administrator has concerns about or is told about possible abuse:
• Listen to what the person has to say.
• Stay calm.
• Do not show shock, disgust or be judgemental or dismissive of the allegation.
• Ask sufficient questions to determine if the vulnerable adult is safe but do not prejudice any investigation.
• Seek consent to share information but do not promise to keep the secret. Please note: Under Data Protection you must ask for permission to report concerns unless you consider the person to be at serious risk.
• Speak to your co-ordinator or line manager.
• Maintain confidentiality and do not discuss with anyone else at all.
• Take no further action.
If a passenger reports abuse by a driver
• Listen to what the person has to say
• Stay calm
• Do not show shock, disgust or be judgemental or dismissive of the allegation.
• Ask sufficient questions to determine if the vulnerable adult is safe but do not prejudice any investigation..
• Seek consent to share information but do not promise to keep the secret. Please note: Under Data Protection you must ask for permission to report concerns unless you consider the person to be at serious risk.
• Ensure they are not placed with the same driver again.Co-ordinator or Line manager’s actions:
• Take appropriate notes and keep them safe.
• Inform Line management/nominated person on management board as appropriate
• Get in touch with one of the contacts below to make an alert, providing all of the details that you have to date.
• If the potential abuse is by a driver that person should be suspended whilst an investigation is undertaken, as detailed in your volunteering policies.
The Co-ordinator or line manager should then contact:
• Care Direct at Devon County Council and explain your concerns - 0345 1551 007.
Their procedures will be invoked so you do not have to take any further action, or, if you are particularly concerned:
• The safeguarding Adults team for the Northern Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group d-ccg.safeadults@nhs.net , 01392 267683 Their actions:Will depend on the nature of the concerns where abuse is reported, but may include:
• Safeguarding Adults alert is raised with Local Authority
• Multi-agency meeting called. This can either be chaired by Health or by Local Authority representatives. Attendees will be invited from Police, CQC, provider and commissioner organisations, victim of abuse if appropriate.
• Initial meeting will discuss the investigation process and determine the necessary outcome• Future multi-agency meetings may be held to ensure progress is made and that agreed actions have been completed.
• Vulnerable adult / relatives / carer involved in the process to ensure process achieves best possible outcome
References
https://new.devon.gov.uk/devonsafeguardingadultsboard/
Adoption
Date adopted:
Signature on behalf of the Trustees:
Name and position:
Review date: