Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults Policy

Scope

The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly vulnerable adults, at risk and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Retirement Villages Group (RVG). This includes harm arising from:

• The conduct of staff or personnel associated with RVG
• The design and implementation of RVG’s programmes and activities

The policy lays out the commitments made by RVG, and informs staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

What is Safeguarding?

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect

In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.

Further definitions relating to safeguarding are provided in the glossary below.

Scope

• All staff contracted by RVG
• Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to RVG, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including heath care workers and resident visitors.

Policy Statement

RVG believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. RVG will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

This policy addresses the following areas of safeguarding: adult safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse.

RVG commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

Prevention

RVG Responsibilities

RVG will:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy
• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with RVG. This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated
• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel
• Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization
• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process

Enabling Reports

RVG will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.

Any staff reporting concerns or complaints through formal whistleblowing channels (or if they request it) will be protected by RVG’s Disclosure of Malpractice in the Workplace (Whistleblowing) Policy.

RVG will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.

Response

RVG will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations.

RVG will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy

Confidentiality

We ensure that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns. Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management will only be shared on a need to know basis, and will be kept secure at all times.

NB: This policy does not cover:

• Sexual harassment in the workplace – this is dealt with under RVG’s Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy
• Safeguarding concerns in the wider community not perpetrated by RVG or associated personnel