Introduction and Scope
Walsall Eyes takes seriously its responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of its members. Members may potentially be regarded as vulnerable adults at risk, having a visual impairment and possibly additional disabilities.
This document outlines the safeguarding policy and procedures for Walsall Eyes, applicable to all Directors, Volunteers, and Members. It aims to protect and safeguard the welfare of members, particularly those who may be regarded as vulnerable adults at risk due to visual impairments or additional disabilities.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to meet the statutory requirements of the CARE ACT 2014 in respect of our responsibilities towards adults at risk. It ensures necessary liaison and cooperation with the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) of Walsall, ensuring that the Directors and Volunteers are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and that there are clear procedures to follow when dealing with safeguarding issues. It ensures that Directors, Volunteers, and Members are aware that Walsall Eyes has a safeguarding policy in place.
Roles and Responsibilities
Directors and Volunteers
- Must read and understand this document, adhere to its guidelines, and report any safeguarding concerns to the safeguarding lead.
- All Directors and Volunteers must be given a copy of this document.
- In the case of newly recruited Directors or Volunteers, this policy will form part of an induction pack.
- All Directors and Volunteers will be made aware of any changes to the policy annually, thus ensuring continued adherence to it by all parties with a safeguarding responsibility.
Safeguarding Lead
- The Safeguarding Lead will be named as the person ultimately responsible for safeguarding and will be the person to whom Directors, Volunteers, and Members should report their concerns.
- The Safeguarding Lead will decide whether to report any concerns raised to the multi-agency safeguarding adult contact point.
- The Safeguarding Lead will give an annual report to the Board, detailing the following:
- Any changes to the safeguarding policy.
- A report on who has received a copy of this document during the year.
- Provide the number of safeguarding incidents (without detail or names), and give the names of staff and volunteers who have undergone DBS checks.
Assigning The Safeguarding Lead
- At time of writing, the Safeguarding Lead is designated as the current Chair Person of Walsall Eyes
- If for whatever reason the Safeguarding Lead is not available (for instance, on holiday, unwell etc), then a designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead will act on their behalf and assume the same responsibilities
Members
- Must be aware of the safeguarding policy and feel empowered to report any concerns.
Training and Support
All Directors and Volunteers will receive training on safeguarding procedures as part of their induction. Regular refresher training will be provided annually or as needed. Support will be available from the Safeguarding Lead and external safeguarding resources.
Home Visits
If a Director or Volunteer intends to visit individuals in their homes, a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out to ensure they are suitable to work with vulnerable adults. This process involves checking criminal records and other relevant information to assess whether the individual poses any risk to those they are visiting. Home visits will be arranged in advance so that individuals have the opportunity to arrange for a family member, carer, or friend to be present if they wish.
Guidance for Handling Safeguarding Concerns
Every person working with adults with care and support needs (paid or unpaid) has a duty of care within this safeguarding adults policy. This includes Directors, Volunteers, and the Chairperson. If a person discloses abuse to you directly, use the following principles to respond:
- Assure them that you take them seriously.
- Do not be judgmental or jump to conclusions.
- Stay calm and listen carefully to what they are telling you.
- Get as clear a picture as you can using open-ended questions.
- Do not start to investigate, ask detailed or probing questions.
- Explain that you have a duty to tell the lead for safeguarding.
- If you believe that a crime may have been committed, explain that you or the lead will call the police.
- Reassure the person that they will be involved in decisions about them.
- Make an accurate record as soon as possible, noting what was said or seen, putting the event into context and giving the date, time, and location. All records must be dated and signed.
Raising Concerns
Raising a safeguarding concern means reporting your concerns that a person over the age of 18:
- Has or may have needs for care and support (and whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs).
- Is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect.
- As a result of those needs, is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.
Reporting Process
- Identify the concern.
- Record details accurately.
- Report to the Safeguarding Lead.
- Safeguarding Lead decides on further action.
- If needed, report to the multi-agency safeguarding adult contact point.
In an Emergency or Out of Hours
You can contact the Adult Safeguarding Unit at Telephone 0300 555 2922
Alternatively, West Midlands Police can be contacted:
Address: 1 Station Street, Bloxwich, Walsall WS3 2PD
Telephone:
Confidentiality and Information Sharing
Information related to safeguarding concerns will be kept confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis. Exceptions include circumstances where the safety of the individual or others may be at risk.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The implementation of the safeguarding policy will be monitored through annual reviews, training records, and feedback from Directors, Volunteers, and Members. The Safeguarding Lead will oversee the evaluation process and make necessary adjustments to the policy if and when needed.
Further Contacts
The local Safeguarding Board for Walsall is at:
Safeguarding Unit,
Zone L,
2nd Floor Civic Centre,
Darwall Street,
Walsall,
WS1 1TP.
Telephone: 0300 555 2922
Sian Jones - Head of Safeguarding Partnership - Walsall Council
Glossary of Terms
Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding adults refers to all work to help adults at risk stay safe from abuse.
Adults at Risk
An adult at risk of abuse or neglect is typically someone with care and support needs who is unable to protect themselves from abuse or neglect due to those needs.
Abuse
Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons. It can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional/psychological, financial, discriminatory, and organisational abuse. It may also include domestic violence, modern slavery, and self-neglect.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
The Disclosure and Barring Service is the public body set up to help prevent unsuitable people from working with adults and children with care and support needs. The Disclosure and Barring Service keeps a list of people who are not allowed to work with vulnerable adults and children.
Document History
- V0.1: Produced by Claire Evans on 26/07/2024
- V0.2: Updated by Craig Bates following review of initial document on 01/08/2024
- V0.3: Updated by Craig Bates following joint directors' review on 01/08/2024
Updates Since Last Version
- Updated to remove references to the chair person as being safeguarding lead and replaced with references to a safeguarding lead role in its own right. This allows for the role to be undertaken independently of the chair should circumstances change
- Clarified that a deputy safeguarding lead will also be nominated