Keeping people safe in your organisation

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Guidance for service providers

This section lists what organisations need to put into place to ensure that they develop good practice in respect of safeguarding adults.

Organisations in Wiltshire that provide services to people who may be at higher risk of abuse should:

• have a zero tolerance of abuse – aim to work in non-abusive ways and actively promote empowerment
• identify a ‘lead officer’ –i.e. someone whose responsibility it is to make sure that trustees, directors, managers, staff and volunteers understand about safeguarding and who is responsible for updating any internal policies and procedures
• have robust recruitment practices in place – it is important to take up Criminal Investigation Bureau checks and to comply with the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006).

www.crb.gov.uk: for further information on CRB checks.

http://www.isa-gov.org.uk: for further information on the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) and the work of the Independent Safeguarding Authority

• provide training and information on abuse as part of induction and on-going training for trustees, directors, managers, staff and volunteers and ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities to report abuse
• promote an open-organisation culture which encourages trustees, directors, managers, staff, volunteers and service users to report any concerns about abuse
• develop internal guidance on abuse which links to the local “Policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults in Swindon and Wiltshire”
• refer any safeguarding concerns to Wiltshire Council’s department of community services and co-operate with investigations into allegations of abuse which are undertaken using the local interagency “Policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults in Swindon and Wiltshire”
• deal with allegations against trustees, directors, managers, staff and volunteers in line with Section T of the “Policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults in Swindon and Wiltshire”.
• where appropriate, inform the Wiltshire Council contracts team and the registering authority (e.g. CQC) of any safeguarding allegations
• have a protocol for confidentiality and information sharing and ensure that that trustees, directors, managers, staff and volunteers understand how they are expected to work within this protocol
• ensure, where appropriate, that other guidance is in place to support safe working practice. for example on health and safety, handling service users’ money, moving and handling, maintaining professional boundaries, managing medication, and physical interventions
• ensure that trustees, directors, managers, staff and volunteers are aware that they also have a responsibility to report any concerns that a child might be at risk of harm.

Last updated: 2 December 2010