Safeguarding Policy (Adults)
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Please also visit the Crisis Support page if you are concerned about the life, welfare and safety of you or someone else in relation to their menstrual cycle.
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Safeguarding is defined as ‘protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.’ ( Care and Support statutory guidance). Adult safeguarding is about preventing and responding to concerns of abuse, harm or neglect of adults.
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Kate Shepherd Cohen has completed a Level 3 Safeguarding qualification and works together in partnership with all clients/participants to help ensure that they are:
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Safe and able to protect themselves from abuse and neglect;
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Treated fairly and with dignity and respect;
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Protected when they need to be;
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Able easily to get the support, protection and services that they need
The aims of Adult Safeguarding are to:
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Stop abuse or neglect wherever possible;
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Prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care
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and support needs;
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Safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having
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control about how they want to live;
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Promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults
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concerned;
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Raise public awareness so that communities as a whole, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect;
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Provide information and support in accessible ways to help adults understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult; and
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Address what has caused the abuse.
Where abuse or neglect has occurred, Kate Shepherd Cohen will take steps and timely action to prevent it from reoccurring wherever possible, doing so within relevant parameters but sharing intelligence to support a holistic partnership approach to prevention.
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Prevention is discussed at every stage of safeguarding, especially at the closure stage (which can happen at any time) when working with adults on resilience and recovery.
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Kate Shepherd Cohen is available for all disclosures of abuse and can signpost adults to receive the right kind of help by the right organisation.
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Whereas information may be generic to a lesser or greater extent, advice is tailored to the person seeking it, recognising people may need different mediums through which to communicate. Advice and information is, where possible, provided in the manner preferred by the person and in a way to help them understand the information being conveyed. This is cognisant of the
Equality Act 2010xxvi. ‘Reasonable adjustments’ are made to ensure that disabled people have equal access to information and advice services. Reasonable adjustments could include the provision of information in accessible formats or with communication support.
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Advice or referrals regarding concerns will be raised with the local authority MASH team or directly to the Prevent Team in the participants locality. If there is an immediate risk to someone’s safety 999 will be called.
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Who do adult safeguarding duties apply to?
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In the context of the legislation, specific adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:
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Has care and support needs, and
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Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
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Is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect, because of those needs.
Within the scope of this definition are:
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All adults who meet the above criteria regardless of their mental capacity to make decisions about their own safety or other decisions relating to safeguarding processes and activities.
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Domestic Abuse
Abuse within families reflects a diverse range of relationships and power dynamics, which may affect the causes and impact of abuse. These can challenge professionals to work across multi-disciplinary boundaries in order to protect all those at risk. Kate Shepherd Cohen may be assisted by using Domestic Abuse risk management tools, such as the DASH risk identification checklist, as well as safeguarding risk management tools. Kate Shepherd Cohen will always signpost to the relevant organisation or call 999 if there is an immediate risk to someone's safety, as above.
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Adapted from: http://www.sabberkshirewest.co.uk/media/1217/2-adult-safeguarding-policy.pdf
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