Policy 

   The Care Worker Agency is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of customers and as such considers any form of abuse unacceptable. While The Care Worker Agency is principally involved in task-specific care provision, the company has an overarching responsibility to safeguard the general well being of every customer, protect them from abuse or the risk of abuse and ensure their human rights are protected.

In accordance with the Department of Health’s ‘No Secrets’ guidance, the first priority of The Care Worker Agency is to always endeavour to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable customers, or a member of a customer’s household. It is the responsibility of all staff to act on any suspicion or evidence of abuse or neglect and to pass on their concerns to the registered manager and/or principal. It is the manager's/principal’s responsibility to ensure that any allegations of abuse are reported to the local authority and to the regulatory body.

The local authority in the geographical area where the allegation and/or potential incident has occurred is the responsible agency for coordinating a response to Safeguarding alerts and concerns, and for implementing the agreed multi-agency procedures.

All The Care Worker Agency offices must have a copy of the relevant local authority multi-agency procedures available for staff and the contact details in the event of an emergency or allegation. The Care Worker Agency Offices must also have the contact details of other statutory agencies including the police and regulators.

The Care Worker Agency will work closely and in partnership with other agencies to promote and safeguard the welfare of vulnerable people. The Care Worker Agency safeguarding policy and procedures will be compliant with the local authority multi-agency procedures for Safeguarding.

If The Care Worker Agency has reason to believe a customer, or a member of the customer’s household, is being abused in any way the company will deal with the matter promptly in a robust, professional and sympathetic manner.

In order to protect our customers all staff must undergo a robust recruitment process and complete mandatory induction training which includes how to recognise signs of abuse and report concerns. Ongoing training must also be provided to all care workers in safeguarding and the manager must ensure staff are fully aware and up to date with the company’s policies and procedures.

The Company’s care manager is the senior member of staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding issues and for ensuring that the safeguarding policy is effectively implemented and adhered to. However, the procedures do include the option and information for referrals to be made directly to the company Principal and/or external agencies should this be required and/or relevant.

Definitions

A vulnerable adult is defined as ‘a person aged 18 years or over who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. (DH No Secrets 2000)

Abuse is defined  by Action on Elder Abuse as ‘the use by an individual or a group of individuals of behaviour or other devices to exert control, pain or humiliation upon a less powerful individual or group of individuals for whatever reason’.

We deliver care to people aged 16 and over. People aged under 18 are classed as children/young adults and are classed as vulnerable.

Types of Abuse

Abuse largely falls into different categories

·           Physical abuse

·           Psychological and verbal abuse

·           Chemical restraint (misuse of medication)

·           Sexual abuse

·           Financial abuse (including theft, misuse or misappropriation of

money or property)          

·           Racial or cultural abuse

·           Neglect or an omission to act

Vulnerable adults may be abused by a wide range of people including relatives and family members, professional staff, paid care workers, volunteers, other customers, neighbours, friends and associates, people who deliberately exploit vulnerable people and strangers.

Very frequently an abused person will suffer from more than one of the above, and employees must be wary of ‘pigeonholing’ their suspicions or, more importantly, not viewing a situation as abusive simply because it does not fit an established pattern.

Signs of abuse 

Abuse may be indicated by a number of signs including:

·        low morale; unhappiness; upset; agitated; depressed; withdrawn

·        fearfulness; irregular sleep pattern; loss of appetite

·        poor appearance and/or a change in appearance

·        not dressing appropriately

·        unexplained/poorly explained injuries such as bruising or cuts

·        pressure sores, untreated injuries and medical problems

·        inconsistency/difficulty accounting for injuries

·        being unusually attached to particular people or avoiding certain persons

·        unexplained weight loss/gain

·        dehydration; frequent urine infections

·        abrupt or unexplained changes to bank accounts/wills

The Care Worker Agency and its staff will seek to safeguard vulnerable customers by:

·        Valuing them, listening to them and respecting them as individuals

·        Adopting safeguarding guidelines through procedures and codes of conduct set by the company, professional and regulatory bodies and local councils.

·        Recruiting staff safely and robustly, including checking identification documentation, obtaining written references and ensuring their suitability to work with vulnerable people is checked via the Independent Safeguarding Authority as well as obtaining an enhanced Criminal Record disclosure.

·        Providing effective management and support for staff through induction, ongoing training (including mandatory programmes), development and supervision. This will include training staff to recognise and understand the signs of abuse and how to raise their concerns should they observe abuse or possible abuse.

·        Ensuring systems rewards and incentives are in place for staff recognition and retention purposes in order to promote consistency for customers with a suitably skilled and experienced workforce.

·        Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with customers and significant others (including professionals; relatives and/or representatives/advocates) in order that they are aware of how to raise any concerns.

·        Ensuring that all staff are fully aware of their rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and the company whistle blowing policy and that they are encouraged and enabled to use this policy without prejudice or fear of repercussions.

·        Ensuring that all staff are aware of the company restraint policy in that in essence, we do not practice the use of restraint in any circumstances and that staff understand the nature and different forms of restraint, including how to report concerns.

·        Ensuring the effective implementation of operational policies and procedures which provide additional safeguards and protection relating to the rights and welfare of customers (please refer to ‘related policies and procedures’).

·        By ensuring that staff are properly informed and trained to respond safely and appropriately to behaviours from customers that may present a risk to themselves or others.

·        Continually monitoring the quality of service provided to customers through a regular review of policies and procedures; customer feedback and surveys; auditing of systems and processes; regular reviews of customer care plans and risk assessments and a system for making complaints.

·        Ensuring that all staff are aware of the company policy that they must not take any person (including children) or pets into customers’ home.

·   The Care Worker Agency will promote an open, transparent and responsive safeguarding culture which protects not only our customers but also our staff.

Procedure

1.    Allegations of abuse must be reported the care manager who will deal with the allegations immediately.  

2.    The manager must urgently discuss the matter with the Principal as soon as possible and must not seek to make decisions alone.

3.    Where allegations or concerns relate to the conduct of the manager, these must be reported directly to the Principal who will become responsible for implementing the The Care Worker Agency procedures and contacting the relevant agencies where required.

4.    Where safeguarding matters or concerns cannot be taken through the normal management channels, or matters of concern have not been adequately responded to, staff must contact the local authority or regulator directly to report their concerns in order to safeguard the welfare of the customer. (Please also refer to the Whistleblowing Policy).

5.    Customers, their families and/or representatives, may report concerns about potential abuse by a member of staff to either the care manager or the local council if preferred.

6.    All allegations of abuse must be taken seriously and be reported immediately by the care manager to the relevant local authority, the regulator and, if appropriate Health Authority colleagues.

7.    The person reporting the concern and/or the customer must be given reassurance that their concerns will be raised with the relevant agencies and in accordance with the Safeguarding policy and procedures.

8.        The staff must respond to the customer in a sensitive manner, providing the necessary support and reassurance required to enable them to voice their concerns, feel safe in doing so and with the knowledge they will be protected and supported. The staff must ensure the immediate safety of the customer taking advice where required from the care manager to enable them to do so.

9.        Where there are matters relating to capacity and consent, the care manager must consult the local council and significant others (including representatives/advocates) to discuss the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and any best interest decisions that need consideration as part of the safeguarding process to ensure that the protection and rights of the customer are promoted and prioritised at all times.

10.         The care manager should provide information sources of support outside the service for example, regarding independent advocacy services and/or independent mental health advocacy services where relevant.

11.        The manager must maintain an accurate written record of events (a chronology with relevant information including details of the allegation/incident; persons involved; dates; times and any other additional information). The records must be a factual account and include what was said/observed, by whom, when and the method (e.g. by phone, by letter, face to face).

12.        Principles of confidentiality must be respected and maintained at all times and any records securely stored.

13.        While it is reasonable for the manager to obtain additional information, they must not seek to investigate any matter without the direction and agreement of the co-ordinating agency (i.e. the local authority).  This is to ensure compliance with the legislation, that there is no conflict of interest and that matters requiring investigation by statutory authorities such as the Police, are not placed in jeopardy.

14.         The care manager/principal must not raise matters directly with the alleged perpetrator (for example a member of staff who is the subject of an allegation or a customer’s relative or friend) as this may contaminate any evidence or impact on any investigation.

15.         Where the allegation or incident of abuse relates to a member of staff the senior manager must remove the risk of abuse by separating the alleged perpetrator from the Customer pending any investigation. This will ensure the safety and welfare of both the customer and the member of staff who may be subject to allegations of abuse.

16.         The care manager/principal must work in partnership with colleagues in the local authority, regulator and other agencies (including the police) to establish their role in any ongoing action and involvement, the degree of risk and any immediate action required. This will include the sharing appropriately of relevant information and attendance of any meetings as requested by the coordinating agency. Any information shared must be in line with the Information Sharing policy and Incident and Accident reporting policy (using codes and not personal details of the individuals and customer involved).

17.        The care manager must obtain agreement with the coordinating agency (i.e. the local council) regarding any timescales for investigation purposes where and if they are requested by the coordinating agency to undertake such an investigation.

18.         In the event that an incident/concern is sufficiently serious that a person’s health and welfare is in immediate danger the employee must call the office or the emergency on-call service immediately who will contact the emergency services (e.g. police and/or ambulance service) without delay. The local authority must also be informed of the situation as soon as possible (including any Emergency Duty Team/Out of Hours Service as appropriate). The care worker must ensure their own personal safety by leaving the environment until the emergency services arrive.

19.         The care manager must ensure that the customer’s care plan is urgently reviewed and put in place adequate support systems for the individual following the allegation(s) and/or incidents of abuse.

20.         The care manager must follow the procedures set out in the related Policy entitled ‘Safeguarding – Making a Referral to the Independent Safeguarding Authority Vetting and Barring Scheme’ where this is a requirement based on the nature of the safeguarding matter.

21.         The care manager must complete the Safeguarding Contact Sheet with all relevant agency contact details and keep a copy of this with the Safeguarding Policy and Procedure, displayed in an accessible place in the office and in the on-call folder to refer to in the event of a safeguarding concern/alert.

Reviewed April 2025 by Fay Townsend-Jackson