Inspire 2 Independence Safeguarding Refresher Session Autumn 2014 Tim Wilkinson

Wide and diverse range of issues and challenges that our customers/learners and staff face What kind of issues do you come across working with your customers/learners? Some, but not all, of these may relate to Safeguarding What are some of the key words and phrases that describe what Safeguarding is?

Safeguarding is about protecting adults and children/young people from abuse or neglect. This includes all customers/learners and members of staff It is important to recognise that any adult can be subject to abuse An ‘adult at risk’ is defined as a person: ‘who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and/or who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against … harm or exploitation’

Examples of an ‘adult at risk’: An older person who is frail due to ill-health, physical health, etc. Has a learning or physical disability Has mental health needs Has a long term illness/condition Misuses substances or alcohol Lacks the mental capacity to make particular decisions and is in need of care and support Do our customers/learners ever fall within any of these categories?

The wider Safeguarding issues: Child grooming and sexual exploitation Bullying including cyberbullying Domestic violence Drugs and alcohol abuse Fabricated or induced illness Faith abuse Female genital mutilation

Forced marriage Gang and youth violence Gender-based violence/violence against women and girls Mental health Sexting Teenage relationship abuse Trafficking

How would you define abuse? ‘A violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons’ Abuse may consist of: A single or repeated acts An act of commission or omission Multiple acts, for example, an adult may be neglected and also being financially abused Abuse may be intentional or unintentional; it involves the misuse of power and control; it can occur in any relationship

If an incident of abuse is considered to be a criminal offence then the matter should be referred to the Police. What might this include? Assault, whether physical or psychological Sexual assault and rape Theft, fraud or other forms of financial exploitation Certain forms of discrimination, such as racial or gender related aggravation Other incidents of abuse may be reported by the Designated Person(s) to Adult Social Services, the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and/or the Local Authority Designated Officer as appropriate

What are the different types of abuse? Physical Sexual Emotional or psychological Financial or material Discriminatory Neglect and acts of omission

Physical abuse: May involve hitting, slapping, pushing, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate sanctions or otherwise causing physical harm to an individual. Sexual abuse: Involves forcing or enticing a child, young person or adult to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening. This may include ‘rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the individual has not consented, or could not consent or was pressured into consenting’. Sexual abuse also includes forcing a person to look at pornographic materials.

Emotional/ Psychological abuse: The persistent emotional ill treatment of an individual such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the individual’s emotional development and well-being. This may include emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or support networks. Financial or material abuse: May include theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Discriminatory abuse: May include abuse, bullying or harassment based, for example, on an individual’s age, sex, disability, religion, race or ethnicity or sexual orientation. Bullying and harassment can escalate rapidly and can damage individuals significantly. Neglect and acts of omission: The persistent failure to meet an individual’s basic physical and / or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the individual’s health or development. This may include 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 heating and nutrition.

How do we recognise potential signs of abuse or how could it be made apparent to us? Through a disclosure Allegation Bruising or other physical injury Change in behaviour Our own concerns about an adult at risk Through whistle-blowing (concerns about another adult’s behaviour) Do you remember the 5 R’s?

The 5 R’s Source: based on LSIS materials Safeguarding in Practice R Recognise All staff R Respond All staff R Report All staff R Record All staff Referral Designated Person

Recognise – how we recognise potential signs of abuse or how it could be made apparent to us i.e. through a disclosure, allegation, our own concerns about an adult at risk, or through whistle-blowing (concerns about another adult’s behaviour). Respond – how we react in the moment to a disclosure, allowing the adult at risk to say as much or as little as they wish, clarifying but not asking leading questions or putting words into their mouth, or delving too deeply. Also not making promises to keep quiet, but letting them know who you may have to tell and what might happen next.

Record – what the individual has told you as soon as possible to capture as much as you can, in the words they used rather than your own interpretation. This is important, as you do not want to jeopardise any future investigation into the allegation. Report – immediately to your line manager who will notify the Safeguarding Designated Person(s) if appropriate. Referrals – will be made by the Safeguarding Designated Person(s) if appropriate to the Police and/ or relevant authorities.

What is Safeguarding and what is not? Definitely, maybe or definitely not? 1. A customer/learner has an accident whilst on programme or at work and requires i) first aid ii) hospital treatment. 2. A customer/learner is verbally abusive and aggressive towards a member of staff. 3. Quite out of character, a customer/learner is withdrawn and non-communicative. 6.

4. A member of staff, who is known to have a stormy, volatile relationship with their partner, calls in sick saying they have had an accident at home. 5. A customer/learner has minor bruising to their face and is reluctant to provide an explanation. 6. A customer/learner says they have been receiving sexually explicit/menacing text messages. What if the messages threaten physical or sexual assault? 7. A member of staff appears to becoming over-friendly with a customer/learner.

Who are i2i’s Designated Persons? Tim Wilkinson Steve Chandler Natalie Keating Role – to take the lead responsibility for managing Safeguarding issues; providing advice and support to staff; making referrals to and liaising with the Police, local authority and working with other agencies

Safeguarding reporting procedure: All Safeguarding issues – where abuse or neglect has taken place or is suspected – must be reported immediately to the line manager The line manager will carry out a risk assessment (Look at risk assessment template)

In many cases signposting or referring to a specialist support agency or medical services will be the most appropriate action to take. This will also provide members of staff with the reassurance that customers/learners are being supported by those who are qualified Remember, under no circumstances must i2i staff give any medical advice or their own opinion to customers/learners on any medical-related matters

If you have a customer/learner who presents mental health concerns or is threatening suicide: Rebecca McCreery, OHP, may be able to provide advice and support Encourage the customer/learner whilst with you to phone their GP, mental health nurse, social worker or support agency (i.e. Mental Health Crisis Team) Must have customer/learner consent to speak on their behalf to any external agency Without customer/learner consent, calls can only be made anonymously to external agencies Follow up with the customer/learner at the earliest opportunity – don’t wait for the next appointment Record brief details - where? (Prime’s MIS, Assessment Report, etc.) – Think about confidentiality

If the line manager reasonably considers there has been or is likely to be an incident of abuse or neglect: The line manager refers by ing the i2i Safeguarding Cause for Concern form immediately to the Designated Persons The is followed (or preceded) by a phone call to a Designated Person, Tim Wilkinson in the first instance The Designated Persons will review the form and decide whether to refer the matter to the appropriate authority

Depending on the nature of the Cause for Concern, and in discussion with the line manager, the Designated Persons may approve the following: Take no further action Continue to monitor the situation Refer or signpost to a Specialist Support Agency or Medical Services Designated Person to discuss the concern with the LADO Designated Person to make a referral to the appropriate authority

Safer Recruitment: Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (amended 2012) – aim of restricting contact between children and adults at risk and those who might harm them Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – previously CRB – Criminal Records checks, Children’s Barred List, Adults’ Barred List DBS also responsible for deciding whether or not an individual is deemed unsuitable and should be banned from undertaking ‘regulated activity’ with children and/or adults The ‘regulated activity’ that we currently deliver is where there is ‘ unsupervised teaching, training or instruction with young people under the age of 18’ i.e. Assessors

Staff Vetting – Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS): Identity Nationality and immigration status Employment history for the past 3 years Criminal record BPSS must be completed before new employee is authorised to have access to customers/learners or their personal details

In conclusion: Safeguarding is everybody’s business, with employees playing a key role in preventing, identifying and reporting Safeguarding issues Remember, it is not the responsibility of the Company to decide whether or not abuse has taken place, but we do have a duty of care and need to act if there is a cause for concern so: The relevant authorities can investigate and take any necessary action to protect the individual, or Specialist agencies can provide appropriate support