Safeguarding Adults: Policy and Procedures
Safeguarding means protecting vulnerable adults from abuse or neglect and putting systems in place to prevent abuse or neglect from happening in the future.
Every organisation working with vulnerable adults should have its own safeguarding policy and procedures.
This shows vulnerable adults and their families that you take safeguarding seriously.
It also helps minimise the possibility of allegations against you or your staff.
A typical safeguarding policy and procedures document includes:
- How staff and volunteers are appointed and checked
- CRB self declarations and enhanced disclosures
- Responsibilities of staff and volunteers for safeguarding vulnerable adults
- Definition of a vulnerable adult
- Procedures and good practice guidelines:
- The types and signs of abuse
- The Mental Capacity Act (including the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards DoLS)
- Health and safety
- How staff can prevent abuse
- What to do if abuse is suspected or an disclosure or allegation made
- Principles guiding intervention
- Reporting procedures (internal and external
- Reference to other related policies:
- Whistleblowing policy
- Manual handling policy
- Medication administration policy
- Management of violence policy
- Physical restraint policy
- Racial harassment policy
- The role of the Care Quality Commission
- The role of the Independent Safeguarding Authority
- Key contacts, especially the local authority Safeguarding Adults Co-ordinator and the Local Safeguarding Adults Board.
If you would like help writing your own policy and procedures, please contact us and we will be happy to work with you.
Also look at our page on Safeguarding Adults Workshops for more information about the workshops we offer.