Safeguarding Adults Policy Statement

Our vision for Safeguarding in Northumberland is:

‘It is our vision to work together and provide added value across the safeguarding system, to improve practice and outcomes, and safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people, adults and their families in our community.‘

The Care Act 2014 has enshrined in law the principles of Safeguarding Adults, which will not only ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are afforded appropriate support and protection, but will also help them to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible.

In Northumberland we have an integrated Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership which meets our responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults with needs for care and support and ensures the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in Northumberland. This supports the shared benefits of a joint safeguarding approach across the life course, and further develops the Think Family model across our services.

The Safeguarding Partnership remains committed to ensuring our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures are Care Act compliant, and are fully embedded, up to date and fit for purpose.

These procedures define the course of action that should be taken to protect ‘adults at risk’ of harm from abuse and/or neglect and provides a framework for staff across agencies, to enable them to ensure the safety of individuals and to understand each other’s role in carrying out this task. To ensure a consistent approach individual internal safeguarding policies, procedures and practice across our partner agencies whether statutory, independent or voluntary, should be directly aligned to this this policy and associated procedures.

These Policy and Procedures relate to all adults who require safeguarding and applies to all agencies in contact with them. Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It encompasses all activity which enables an adult to retain independence, well-being and choice, and is about preventing abuse and neglect, as well as promoting good practice for responding to concerns on a multi-agency basis.

A corner stone of the Care Act is the general responsibility placed on all local authorities to promote wellbeing. Significantly, the Care Act emphasises the importance of beginning with the assumption that the individual is best placed to judge their own wellbeing. The rights of the individual to be heard throughout the safeguarding adults process are a critical element of the drive towards Making Safeguarding Personal – ensuring that safeguarding adults is person-led and outcome focussed. In Northumberland we strive to ensure that the adult is at the heart of safeguarding by structuring our support systems around them.

When abuse or neglect occurs, it must be dealt with swiftly, effectively and proportionately. The Care Act also introduces a general principle that there should be cooperation between public organisations and all those concerned in the care and support of and the provision of health and health-related needs of their local population. Safeguarding is Everyone's Responsibility. Whilst it is recognised that Local Authorities are responsible for leading on the co-ordination of safeguarding enquiries, all agencies are expected to collaborate fully in safeguarding activity.

The prevention of abuse and neglect must be a key priority for all agencies. Everyone should work together to ensure that practice is carried out with dignity, respect, compassion and choice. The prevention of abuse and neglect relies on developing and maintaining a culture where poor practice is challenged and addressed and the needs and rights of the Adult are always considered and promoted.

All organisations should produce their own single agency safeguarding policies and procedures that should be followed if they become aware that an adult has experienced, or is at risk of experiencing, abuse or neglect. The responsibilities of all staff, volunteers and organisations, include ensuring that:

• All staff and volunteers know when to report concerns to managers and know how raise concerns with the local authority where appropriate;
• All staff and volunteers are made aware of their respective organisation's whistleblowing policy and are given information on when and how this policy can be used;
• The organisation, its staff and volunteers work in partnership with other agencies to meet the safeguarding needs of the Adults;
• Information is shared between agencies in accordance with information sharing policies and protocols;
• The organisation keeps its own records in relation to safeguarding concerns, actions taken, and any outcomes;
• Senior representatives of the organisation support the Safeguarding Adults process including attendance and participation at professional meetings and planning meetings as required;
• Decisions are reached in line with the principles of Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the associated Code of Practice.