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Safeguarding and Vulnerable Adults Policy

Introduction

Arts for Dementia works with people living with dementia, including their carers and people who live with them. Arts for Dementia recognises its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable people who may come into contact with Arts for Dementia.  Whilst Arts for Dementia cannot be held responsible for the acts of third parties over whom it has little or no control, Arts for Dementia is committed to reducing the potential for abuse and neglect and to providing a framework within which the dangers of abuse and neglect can be managed.  Arts for Dementia has therefore adopted the procedures set out in this document (“the Policy”).  

Through its work and by means of this Policy, Arts for Dementia is committed to the following guiding principles:

  1. – Prevention: putting sensible measures in place to prevent abuse, including the use of safe recruitment practices, promoting safe working practice and raising awareness of safeguarding
  1. – Protection: providing policy, procedures, information and training to enable all Arts for Dementia staff to identify and appropriately respond to concerns about abuse
  2. – Partnership: Arts for Dementia will work with statutory, regulatory and other relevant organisations to ensure that safeguarding concerns are responded to appropriately
  3. – Empowerment: being person-centred and upholding rights in our safeguarding work
  4. – Accountability: being transparent in our approaches and recognising the need for continuous learning and improvement

Roles and responsibilities

  1. – Everyone working for Arts for Dementia has a part to play in safeguarding adults who need care and support.  All staff will undertake training and must familiarise themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
  2. – Arts for Dementia Trustees approve the Policy and have a duty, which includes taking the necessary steps to safeguard those at risk, managing risk, and protecting the reputation of the charity

Responding to allegations of abuse

Under no circumstances should anyone working for Arts for Dementia or a partner organisation carry out his/her own investigation into any allegation or suspicion of abuse.  The person in receipt of an allegation or suspicion of abuse will:

  1. – Report such allegation or suspicion as soon as possible to a coordinator appointed by Arts for Dementia (“the Coordinator”), Penny Fosten, (telephone: 020 3633 9959). The Coordinator is nominated by Arts for Dementia to handle the allegation or suspicion of neglect or abuse, including referring the matter on to the statutory authorities
  2. – Arts for Dementia may also be required by conditions of an insurance policy to immediately inform an insurance company and it shall do so
  3. Allegations and suspicions must not be discussed with anyone other than the Coordinator named above. A written record of the matter should be made and kept in a secure place
  4. – Whilst allegations or suspicions of abuse will normally be reported to the Coordinator, the absence of a Coordinator will not delay referral to the applicable agencies or relevant authority (“the Relevant Authorities”)
  5. – Arts for Dementia will support the Coordinator in their role, and accept that any information they may have in their possession will only be shared in a strictly limited way and on a need to know basis
  6. – It is the right of any individual to make a direct referral to the Relevant Authorities, although Arts for Dementia hopes that those involved with Arts for Dementia projects will use this procedure. If any individual with a concern feels that the Coordinator has not responded appropriately, such person is free to contact the Relevant Authorities directly
  7. – We hope that by making this statement, Arts for Dementia’s commitment to effective protection of vulnerable people is demonstrated

The role of the Coordinator is to collate and clarify the precise details of the allegation or suspicion and pass this information on to the Relevant Authorities. It is the Relevant Authorities’ task to investigate matters.

Allegations of physical injury or neglect

If a person has a physical injury or symptom of neglect or where there are concerns about emotional abuse, the Coordinator responsible will:

  1. – Contact the Relevant Authorities for advice in cases of deliberate injury, if concerned about a person’s safety
  2. – Will not tell the carers unless advised to do so by the Relevant Authorities.
  3. – Seek medical help if needed urgently, informing the doctor of any suspicions
  4. – For lesser concerns (e.g. poor care), encourage the carer to seek help, but not if this places the person at risk of injury
  5. – Where the carer is unwilling to seek help, offer to accompany them. In cases of real concern, if they still fail to act, contact the Relevant Authorities direct for advice.

Allegations of sexual abuse

In the event of allegations or suspicions of sexual abuse, the Coordinator responsible will contact the Relevant Authorities directly. They will NOT speak to the carer or anyone else.

Appointment, support, supervision and training of workers

Arts for Dementia will take reasonable steps to ensure that parties engaged by Arts for Dementia in furtherance of its work are appointed, trained, supported and supervised in accordance with the law and Government recommended practice.

Arts for Dementia will ensure all those engaged by Arts for Dementia have an appropriate DBS certificate, checked at the time of employment

Arts for Dementia staff will follow the ‘Safer Recruitment Policy and Procedures’ when recruiting new staff and volunteers to work with its participants or otherwise vulnerable people.

Breaches of policy

Failure to comply with this Policy may be managed in a number of ways, depending on the nature and consequences of any incident.  In some cases, a combination of responses may be required:

  1. – Local authority co-ordinated safeguarding investigation
  2. – Police investigation
  3. – Referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
  4. – Staff disciplinary process
  5. – Serious incident reporting to the Charity Commission
  6. – Internal review or co-operation with an external review