Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

This document outlines our Safeguarding Policy, which is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of our clients and employees. It adheres to the South Yorkshire Safeguarding Policy procedures and covers various aspects of safeguarding, including allegations of abuse, risk assessments, and different forms of abuse. We are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone involved in our organization, and this policy serves as a guide for employees to follow in case of any safeguarding concerns.

Safeguarding, in the context of adults with learning disabilities, refers to the process of protecting these individuals from abuse, harm, and neglect. It involves implementing proactive measures, policies, and procedures to ensure their safety, well-being, and dignity. Safeguarding encompasses a wide range of activities, including promoting awareness of abuse and its signs, providing training to staff and carers, and working collaboratively with other agencies and organizations to prevent and respond to abuse effectively.

Policy

Training and Compliance

We follow the South Yorkshire Safeguarding Policy procedures that Sheffield City Council are signed up to. Learn more at sheffield.gov.uk/abuse.

The Registered Manager and other Managers have completed the Safeguarding Awareness and Safeguarding for Managers courses. All other employees have attended a Safeguarding Awareness Course. Training certificates are stored digitally and logged in our training database.

Reporting Allegations of Abuse

Any allegation of abuse must be reported to your line manager or senior manager. If the manager is implicated in the allegation, the concern must be reported to a senior manager. If this is not possible, contact Adult Social Care Services - Adult Access Team First Contact at (0114) 273 4908 (24-hour number).

Investigating Allegations of Abuse

All allegations should be followed up, regardless of whether the person involved resigns, refuses to cooperate, or enters a compromise agreement. Substantiated allegations may result in dismissal, referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service, or referral to a professional or regulatory body.

Risk Assessments

We conduct risk assessments for all individuals we offer support to, as well as individual risk assessments for the people we support. Staff members regularly review and update these assessments, discussing any relevant issues with the people concerned.

Identifying Adults at Risk

An adult at risk is anyone aged 18 years or older who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation.

Forms of Abuse

Abuse can take many forms, including physical, neglect, financial, sexual, psychological, discriminatory, institutional, hate crime, mate crime, and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Responding to Suspected Abuse

If you suspect abuse, assess whether the person is in immediate danger. If so, contact emergency services. If not, inform your manager or contact the Safeguarding Adults Office for advice at (0114) 273 6870. Preserve any evidence, record your observations, and make a referral to the Adult Access team at (0114) 273 4908.

Allegations of Abuse Against a Staff Member

If a staff member, carer, or volunteer is implicated in a case of alleged abuse, immediate discussions will occur between the employer, Seven Steps Support Ltd, and Adult Social Care. The police and healthcare providers may also be involved as appropriate.

A Strategy Meeting will be convened immediately, following the Safeguarding Strategy Procedure. The Strategy Meeting must:

  1. Review any previous allegations made against the worker and the establishment;
  2. Decide whether there should be a Safeguarding Assessment and/or an internal disciplinary investigation;
  3. Consider the implications arising from the police decision whether or not to investigate an allegation of crime;
  4. Allocate tasks;
  5. Set time-scales;
  6. Decide who to inform.

Support for the Subject of Allegations

The subject of the allegations should be:

  • Advised to contact their Union or professional association;
  • Treated fairly and honestly, and helped to understand the concerns expressed, processes involved, and possible outcomes;
  • Kept informed of the progress of the case, the investigation, and its outcome;
  • Provided with appropriate support (e.g., occupational health or employee welfare arrangements);
  • (If suspended) kept informed about workplace developments.

Recording and Central Log

We follow the South Yorkshire Safeguarding Policy and Section 42 Enquiries procedure. Alerts and Referrals are kept in a central log, located at the Main Office.

Prevention and Improvement

If an allegation is substantiated, the employer, Seven Steps Support, should review the case to determine if improvements can be made to the organization’s procedures or practices to prevent similar events in the future.

Unsubstantiated Allegations

If initial inquiries conclude that there is insufficient evidence to determine whether the allegation is substantiated, the chair of the Strategy Meeting will ensure relevant information is passed to the employing agency. The Directors, Kim Broughton and Jodie Broughton, will consider what further action, if any, should be taken in consultation with the Safeguarding Adults Manager/Coordinator.

The member of staff concerned must be notified in writing of the outcome, and the client and their relative should also be informed.

Section 42 Enquiry Decision Making

The safeguarding enquiry should be directly linked to the outcomes agreed with the adult at the start and throughout the safeguarding journey, including information about the adult, summary of relevant information gathered, records of interviews/conversations, capacity assessments, advocate involvement, risk analysis, and protection plan details.

Organizations that provide services to vulnerable adults have a professional duty of care, which requires them to report and respond to suspected abuse.

Forms of Abuse

  • Physical abuse: Bruises, cuts, burns, scalds, restraint marks, over-medication, and shaking.
  • Neglect and acts of omission: Dirty appearance, lack of clean clothes or appropriate nutrition, unattended health or medical needs, denied access to aids and adaptations (e.g., hearing aids, walking frames).
  • Financial or material abuse: Inability to pay bills or buy necessities, borrowing money despite receiving benefits/pensions/wages, visitors only calling on benefit cashing days.
  • Sexual abuse: Presence of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, urinary tract infections, bruises on inner thighs/breasts, genital/anal/mouth bruising or tears, reported or observed inappropriate touching, behavior changes.
  • Psychological abuse: Changes in behavior such as withdrawal, tearfulness, sleep issues, nightmares, incontinence problems, anger, or abusive reactions. Possible heavy drinking, drug use, or eating disorders.
  • Discriminatory abuse: Linked to race, gender, sexuality, or disability. Indicators may include hate mail, graffiti, unwanted services or goods, name-calling, or physical threats. This may be a hate crime.
  • Institutional abuse: Occurs when the culture and/or regime of an organization results in mistreatment, denial of choice, or exclusion of service users.
  • Mate Crime: Exploitation of people with learning disabilities by individuals or groups who pretend to be friends.
  • Female genital mutilation (FGM): Deliberate cutting, injuring, or changing of female genitals without medical reason.

What To Do If You Suspect Abuse?

  1. Assess if the person is in immediate danger.
    • If yes, contact Emergency Services.
    • If no, inform your manager or contact the Safeguarding Adults Office for advice at (0114) 273 6870 (Police, Social Services).
  2. Preserve any evidence.
  3. Record what you have seen, heard, or been told.
  4. Make a referral to the Adult Access Team at (0114) 273 4908.

Signs and Indicators of Abuse

Possible indicators of physical abuse

  • No explanation for injuries or inconsistency with the account of what happened
  • Injuries inconsistent with the person’s lifestyle
  • Bruising, cuts, welts, burns, marks on the body, or loss of hair in clumps
  • Frequent injuries
  • Unexplained falls
  • Subdued or changed behavior in the presence of a particular person
  • Signs of malnutrition
  • Failure to seek medical treatment or frequent changes of GP

Possible indicators of domestic violence or abuse

  • Low self-esteem
  • Feeling that the abuse is their fault when it is not
  • Physical evidence of violence, such as bruising, cuts, broken bones
  • Verbal abuse and humiliation in front of others
  • Fear of outside intervention
  • Damage to home or property
  • Isolation - not seeing friends and family
  • Limited access to money

Possible indicators of sexual abuse

  • Bruising, particularly to the thighs, buttocks, upper arms, and marks on the neck
  • Torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
  • Bleeding, pain, or itching in the genital area
  • Unusual difficulty in walking or sitting
  • Foreign bodies in genital or rectal openings
  • Infections, unexplained genital discharge, or sexually transmitted diseases
  • Pregnancy in a woman unable to consent to sexual intercourse
  • Uncharacteristic use of explicit sexual language or significant changes in sexual behavior or attitude
  • Incontinence not related to a medical diagnosis
  • Self-harming
  • Poor concentration, withdrawal, sleep disturbance
  • Excessive fear/apprehension of or withdrawal from relationships
  • Fear of receiving help with personal care
  • Reluctance to be alone with a particular person

Possible indicators of psychological or emotional abuse

  • An air of silence when a particular person is present
  • Withdrawal or change in the psychological state of the person
  • Insomnia
  • Low self-esteem
  • Uncooperative and aggressive behavior
  • Change of appetite, weight loss/gain
  • Signs of distress: tearfulness, anger
  • Apparent false claims by someone involved with the person to attract unnecessary treatment

Possible indicators of financial or material abuse

  • Missing personal possessions
  • Unexplained lack of money or inability to maintain lifestyle
  • Unexplained withdrawal of funds from accounts
  • Power of attorney or lasting power of attorney (LPA) obtained after the person has ceased to have mental capacity
  • Failure to register an LPA after the person has ceased to have mental capacity to manage their finances
  • The person allocated to manage financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative
  • Family or others show unusual interest in the person’s assets
  • Signs of financial hardship when the person’s financial affairs are managed by a court-appointed deputy, attorney, or LPA
  • Recent changes in deeds or title to property
  • Rent arrears and eviction notices
  • Lack of clear financial accounts held by a care home or service
  • Failure to provide receipts for shopping or other financial transactions carried out on behalf of the person
  • Disparity between the person’s living conditions and their financial resources
  • Unnecessary property repairs

Possible indicators of discriminatory abuse

  • The person appears withdrawn and isolated
  • Expressions of anger, frustration, fear, or anxiety
  • Support does not take account of the person’s individual needs related to a protected characteristic
  • Lack of flexibility and choice for people using the service
  • Inadequate staffing levels
  • People being hungry or dehydrated
  • Poor standards of care
  • Lack of personal clothing and possessions and communal use of personal items
  • Lack of adequate procedures
  • Poor record-keeping and missing documents
  • Absence of visitors
  • Few social, recreational, and educational activities
  • Public discussion of personal matters
  • Unnecessary exposure during bathing or using the toilet
  • Absence of individual care plans
  • Lack of management overview and support
  • Poor environment - dirty or unhygienic
  • Poor physical condition and/or personal hygiene
  • Pressure sores or ulcers
  • Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss
  • Untreated injuries and medical problems
  • Inconsistent or reluctant contact with medical and social care organizations
  • Accumulation of untaken medication
  • Uncharacteristic failure to engage in social interaction
  • Inappropriate or inadequate clothing

Possible indicators of organizational or institutional abuse

  • Lack of flexibility and choice for people using the service
  • Inadequate staffing levels
  • People being hungry or dehydrated
  • Poor standards of care
  • Lack of personal clothing and possessions and communal use of personal items
  • Lack of adequate procedures
  • Poor record-keeping and missing documents
  • Absence of visitors
  • Few social, recreational, and educational activities
  • Public discussion of personal matters
  • Unnecessary exposure during bathing or using the toilet
  • Absence of individual care plans
  • Lack of management overview and support

Possible indicators of neglect and acts of omission

  • Poor environment - dirty or unhygienic
  • Poor physical condition and/or personal hygiene
  • Pressure sores or ulcers
  • Malnutrition or unexplained weight loss
  • Untreated injuries and medical problems
  • Inconsistent or reluctant contact with medical and social care organizations
  • Accumulation of untaken medication
  • Uncharacteristic failure to engage in social interaction
  • Inappropriate or inadequate clothing

Indicators of self-neglect or self-abuse

  • Very poor personal hygiene
  • Unkempt appearance
  • Lack of essential food, clothing, or shelter
  • Malnutrition and/or dehydration
  • Living in squalid or unsanitary conditions
  • Neglecting household maintenance
  • Hoarding
  • Collecting a large number of animals in inappropriate conditions
  • Non-compliance with health or care services
  • Inability or unwillingness to take medication or treat illness or injury

General advice and resources

  • Always trust your instincts. If you suspect someone is being abused, it is essential to report your concerns to the appropriate authorities.
  • Encourage open communication with the person you are concerned about. If they are comfortable talking to you, they might share information that could be vital in identifying and addressing abuse.
  • Educate yourself about the various forms of abuse and the possible signs and indicators. The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you will be to recognize and respond to potential abuse.
  • Reach out to local support groups, social services, or other organizations that specialize in addressing abuse. They can offer valuable guidance and resources to help you navigate the situation.
  • Remember that it is not your responsibility to investigate the situation or determine if abuse is occurring. Your role is to report your concerns and support the person in seeking help from the appropriate professionals.

Key Safeguarding Contacts

Other Helplines & Support

✅ Digitally Signed

© 2025 Seven Steps Support Ltd. This document may be printed but the most up-to-date central copy is always found on our online Policies Repository. You can find a timestamp below for the last time this policy was updated.

Page last modified: Apr 4 2023 at 11:01 AM.