1. Introduction

Revolution is dedicated to protecting the well-being of vulnerable adults utilizing its services by:

• Ensuring a life free from violence, fear, and abuse for all individuals.
• Protecting individuals from harm and exploitation.
• Promoting and safeguarding the independence and safety of those with care and support needs.
• Involving service users and carers in ongoing service improvement and learning from serious case reviews.
• Providing volunteers with necessary training in safeguarding practices.

2. Link with Other Policies

This policy is closely linked with:

• Equalities and Diversity Policy
• Safeguarding Children Policy

3. Definitions

This policy applies to adults who:

• May have care and support needs.
• Are at risk of abuse, maltreatment, or neglect due to various circumstances including age, illness, or disability.
• May not be eligible for community care services but require protection and access to mainstream services.

4. Nominated Safeguarding Lead Person

• Nominated Lead: Waled Mannan.
• Responsibilities include offering support, managing service delivery quality, and ensuring adherence to safeguarding best practices.
• Volunteers should immediately report any concerns regarding abuse or potential harm to vulnerable adults to the nominated person.

5. How to Raise Concerns

• Immediate Risk: Dial 999 for emergency police intervention.
• Non-immediate Concerns: Contact Waled Mannan to determine the appropriate actions, including referrals and secure information handling.
• Local Council Contacts for Reporting or Advice:
  • Bedford Borough Council: 01234 276222
  • Central Bedfordshire Council: 0300 300 8122
  • Luton Borough Council: 01582 547730
  • Out of office hours: 0300 300 8123

6. Reporting Allegations Against Staff or Volunteers

• Allegations related to harm or potential risk posed by a person should be promptly reported to Waled Mannan.
• Local authorities must be informed within one working day through the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for further guidance and monitoring of cases.

7. Information Sharing

Principles for sharing information include:

• Sharing information on a need-to-know basis, primarily to protect individuals.
• Ensuring confidentiality is maintained, except in cases where there is a risk of harm or legal duty to report criminal activities.
• All information exchanges must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

8. Being Alert to Signs of Abuse and Neglect

Volunteers must be vigilant for signs of abuse, which include but are not limited to:

• Physical, sexual, psychological, and financial abuse.
• Discriminatory abuse, organizational abuse, modern slavery, domestic abuse, self-neglect, and neglectful acts.
• Volunteers should report any concerns to the safeguarding lead and ensure that proper procedures are followed to address these issues.

Training and Awareness

• Revolution will ensure all volunteers are adequately trained to recognize and respond to safeguarding issues.
• Training will include how to handle disclosures of abuse and how to report suspected abuse or neglect.

Record Keeping

• Maintain secure records of all safeguarding activities, including concerns received and referrals made.
• Document decisions and rationale for sharing or not sharing information, detailing what was shared, with whom, and for what purpose.