Safeguarding Policy

 

1. Introduction

Quantum K Ltd t/a Oakes and Terry makes a positive contribution to a strong and safe community and recognises the right of every individual to stay safe.

Quantum K Ltd staff come into contact with children and / or vulnerable adults through the following activities:

  • Cleaning

  • Window cleaning

  • Carpet cleaning

  • Various cleaning activities

The types of contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will be frequent.

This policy seeks to ensure that Quantum K Ltd undertakes its responsibilities with regard to protection of children and / or vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support staff in their practices and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.

2. Legislation

The principal pieces of legislation governing this policy are:

  • Working together to safeguard Children 2010

  • The Children Act 1989

  • The Adoption and Children Act 2002:

  • The Children act 2004

  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

  • Care Standards Act 2000

  • Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

  • The Police Act – DBS 1997

  • Mental Health Act 1983

  • NHS and Community Care Act 1990

  • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Definitions

Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the organisation to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.

Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.

It can take a number of forms, including the following:

  • Physical abuse

  • Sexual abuse

  • Emotional abuse

  • Bullying

  • Neglect

  • Financial (or material) abuse

Definition of a child

A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

Definition of Vulnerable Adults

A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited.

This may include a person who:

  • Is elderly and frail

  • Has a mental illness including dementia

  • Has a physical or sensory disability

  • Has a learning disability

  • Has a severe physical illness

  • Is a substance misuser

  • Is homeless

Responsibilities

All staff have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures.

We expect all staff to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.

The Designated Senior Manager is K Lane. This person’s responsibilities are to ensure:

  • The policy is in place and appropriate

  • The policy is accessible

  • The policy is implemented

  • The policy is monitored and reviewed

  • Sufficient resources are allocated to ensure that the policy can be effectively implemented

  • Promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults

  • Ensure staff have access to appropriate training/information

  • Receive staff concerns about safeguarding and respond to all seriously, swiftly and appropriately

  • Keep up to date with local arrangements for safeguarding and DBS

  • Take forward concerns about responses

Implementation Stages

The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:

  • Whistleblowing –ability to inform on other staff/ practices within the organisation

  • Grievance and disciplinary procedures – to address breaches of procedures/ policies

  • Health and Safety policy, including lone working procedures, mitigating risk to staff and clients

  • Equal Opportunities policy– ensuring safeguarding procedures are in line with this policy, in particular around discriminatory abuse and ensuring that the safeguarding policy and procedures are not discriminatory

  • Data protection

  • Confidentiality ensuring that service users are aware of your duty to disclose

  • Staff induction

  • Staff training

Safe recruitment

Quantum K Ltd ensures safe recruitment through the following processes:

  • Providing the following safeguarding statement in recruitment adverts or application details –‘recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices.’

  • Job or role descriptions for all roles involving contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will contain reference to safeguarding responsibilities.

  • Shortlisting is based on formal application processes/forms and not on provision of CVs

  • Interviews are conducted according to equal opportunity principles and interview questions are based on the relevant job description and person specification

  • DBS checks will be conducted for specific roles for all staff working with children and vulnerable adults. It is a criminal offence for individuals barred by the ISA to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts.

  • No formal job offers are made until after checks for suitability are completed (including DBS if relevant and 2 references).

DBS Gap Management

The organisation commits resources to providing DBS checks on staff whose roles involve contact with children and /or vulnerable adults.

In order to avoid DBS gaps, the organisation will maintain and review a list of roles across the organisation which involve contact with children/ vulnerable adults.

We will ensure that our established staff and roles are regularly reviewed through e.g.

  • A 3 year rolling programme of re-checking DBS’s are in place for holders of all identified posts.

  • Existing staff who transfer from a role which does not require a DBS check to one which involves contact with children / vulnerable adults will be subject to a DBS check.

Service delivery contracting and sub contracting

  • There will be systematic checking of safeguarding arrangements of partner organisations

  • Safeguarding will be a fixed agenda item on any partnership reporting meetings.

Contracts and memorandums of agreement for partnership delivery work will include clear minimum requirements, arrangements for safeguarding and non compliance procedures.

Communications training and support for staff

Quantum K Ltd commits resources for induction, training of staff, effective communications and support mechanisms in relation to Safeguarding

Induction will include:

  • Discussion of the Safeguarding Policy (and confirmation of understanding)

  • Discussion of other relevant policies

  • Ensure familiarity with reporting processes, the roles of line manager and Designated Senior Manager (and who acts in their absence)

  • Initial training on safeguarding including: safe working practices, safe recruitment, understanding child protection and the alerter guide for adult safeguarding

Training

All staff who, through their role, are in contact with children and /or vulnerable adults will have access to safeguarding training at an appropriate level.

Communications and discussion of safeguarding issues

Commitment to the following communication methods will ensure effective communication of safeguarding issues and practice:

  • Team meetings

  • Toolbox talks

  • Written

Professional boundaries - Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between a support worker and a client. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that allows this necessary and often close relationship to exist while ensuring the correct detachment is kept in place.

Quantum K Ltd expects staff to protect the professional integrity of themselves and the organisation.

The following professional boundaries must be adhered to:

  • Giving and receiving gifts from clients: A typical statement would be ‘Quantum K Ltd does not allow paid or unpaid staff to give gifts to or receive gifts from clients. However gifts may be provided by the organisation as part of a planned activity’.

  • Staff contact with user groups. A typical statement would be: ‘Personal relationships between a member of staff and a client who is a current service user is prohibited. This includes relationships through social networking sites such as Facebook .

If the professional boundaries and/or policies are breached this could result in disciplinary procedures.

Reporting - The process outlined below details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at Quantum K Ltd.

  • Communicate your concerns with your immediate manager

  • Seek medical attention for the vulnerable person if needed

  • Discuss with parents of child

  • Or with vulnerable person.

If the immediate manager is implicated, then refer to their line manager or peer.

Allegations Management

Quantum K Ltd recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against its staff within the organisation or by a professional from another organisation.

The process for raising and dealing with allegations is as follows:

Any member of staff from Quantum K Ltd is required to report any concerns in the first instance to their line manager/ safeguarding manager/ peer.

Quantum K Ltd recognises its legal duty to report any concerns about unsafe practice by any of its staff to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), according to the ISA referral guidance document http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/PDF/ISA%20Referral%20Guidance%20%20V2009-02.pdf

Monitoring

The organisation will monitor the following Safeguarding aspects:

  • Safe recruitment practices

  • DBS checks undertaken

  • References applied for new staff

  • Records made and kept of supervision sessions

  • Training – register/ record of staff training on child/ vulnerable adult protection

  • Monitoring whether concerns are being reported and actioned

  • Checking that policies are up to date and relevant

  • Reviewing the current reporting procedure in place

  • Presence and action of Designated senior manager responsible for Safeguarding is in post

Managing information

All staff must be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. The public interest in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults may override confidentiality interests. However, information will be shared on a need to know basis only, as judged by the Designated Senior Manager.

All staff must be aware that they cannot promise service users or their families/ carers that they will keep secrets.

Communicating and reviewing the policy

Quantum K Ltd will make staff and clients aware of the Safeguarding Policy through the following means:

Written Policy Document

Tool box talks

Staff meetings

This policy will be reviewed by K Lane every year and when there are changes in legislation.

Date 17th January 2021

Review Date January 2022