1 Introduction
Sounddelivery Media’s work is all about amplifying lived experience stories and expertise to address social inequalities. We want to see people in positions to use their lived experience of social injustice to influence change on that issue.
We believe in a confident civil society able to develop and amplify lived experience to address social inequalities. We work alongside charities to develop the potential of the stories within their networks to change perceptions and influence change.
Safeguarding is a fundamental part of Sounddelivery Media’s work and this commitment is reflected in the values of our organisation, which inform and support all of our safeguarding activity; we believe in:
- Trust – our support is personal, relational; we listen, we learn and together we take action
- People – our approach is people-first: we help the people we work with feel confident and recognise their value
- Commitment – to the people we work with and the challenges they might face in getting their voice heard. We build relationships for the long term
- Connectivity – we pride ourselves in being connected with what is happening, knowing which stories need to be told, where they can be told, and how they can be told to have a sustainable, lasting impact.
2 Purpose and Policy Statement
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults and adults at risk of abuse or neglect. This policy does not cover children (ie those under 18 years of age) because Sounddelivery Media does not work with children.
This policy defines how Sounddelivery Media operates to safeguard adults and adults at risk of abuse or neglect with whom it works alongside.
We have a duty of care and are committed to the protection and safety of all adults involved as participants or visitors in all our activities, wherever the events are held. We also want to protect and support our staff.
Sounddelivery Media acknowledges its duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse.
This Policy (and the associated Adult Safeguarding procedure) has been drawn up in order to enable Sounddelivery Media to:
- Promote good practice and work in a way that can prevent harm, abuse and coercion occurring;
- Ensure that any allegations of abuse or suspicions are dealt with appropriately and the person experiencing abuse is supported appropriately.
In order to implement the policy, Sounddelivery Media will work to:
- Ensure all trustees, staff, volunteers and participants (as appropriate) are familiar with this policy and associated procedures
- Directly identify, where possible, any potential adults at risk through our recruitment processes and subsequent training programmes.
- Work with other agencies within the framework of the relevant local authority’s policies and procedures.
- Ensure that the Designated Safeguarding Lead understands their responsibility to refer incidents of adult abuse to the relevant statutory agencies (Police/Local Authority)
Where Sounddelivery Media is engaged to provide services for an external organisation, we will support that organisation to fulfil its requirements in relation to any adults/adults participating in our projects who are also felt to be adults at risk.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Sounddelivery Media is the Sounddelivery Media DIrector (‘the Manager’):
Name: Jude Habib
Telephone: 07803721481
Email: jude@sounddelivery.org.uk
The Designated Safeguarding Lead is also the named lead for Prevent under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. A role outline is contained in Appendix 1.
They should be contacted for support and advice on implementing this policy and associated procedures.
If the Director is unavailable, safeguarding adults’ issues will be referred to the Chair of Sounddelivery Media
Name: Emma Harrison
Telephone 07867 808356
Email: harrison.emma@gmail.com
and, if both the Director and Chair are unavailable, then the Sounddelivery Media Operations Manager:
Name: Amanda Lee
Telephone: 07966 078 065
Email: Amanda@sounddelivery.org.uk
This policy should be implemented through the associated procedure and we are in the process of developing a ‘duty of care’ statement, which will run alongside this policy.
3 Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, the following definitions are used:
Adults
An ‘adult’ refers to someone who is aged 18 year or over.
Adults at risk
An ‘adult at risk’ refers to someone who, according to paragraph 42.1 of the Care Act 2014:
- is over 18 years old
- has care and support needs
- is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
- as a result of their care and support needs is unable to protect themself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.
If someone has care and support needs but is not currently receiving care or support from a health or care service, they may still be classed as an ‘adult at risk’.
Abuse or neglect
As defined by the Statutory Guidance [Care and Support Statutory Guidance, updated Jan 2022], there are 10 different types of abuse, as follows:
- Physical abuse
- Domestic violence or abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Psychological or emotional abuse
- Financial or material abuse
- Modern slavery
- Discriminatory abuse
- Organisational or institutional abuse
- Neglect or acts of omission
- Self-neglect
A further category is being highlighted through a Government strategy (the ‘Prevent Strategy’) – that of ‘radicalisation’ which aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting violent extremism in all its forms. This can also be a safeguarding issue.
4 Responsibilities
Sounddelivery Media has a zero-tolerance approach to abuse. Sounddelivery Media recognises that, under the Care Act 2014, it has a duty for the care and protection of adults who are at risk of abuse. It is committed to promoting wellbeing, harm prevention and to responding effectively if concerns are raised. Adults will be included in swift and personalised safeguarding responses.
This policy applies to:
- all staff (paid or volunteers) including the members of the board
- all service users/participants
- all visitors, contractors, or agency staff
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. All those listed above are required to:
- report any suspected abuse of adults at risk and/or
- signpost any adults affected by abuse/neglect for appropriate support
The Safeguarding Officer(s) will discharge their safeguarding functions in a way that ensures that adults are safeguarded from harm and promotes their welfare. They are responsible for following up any suspected adults at risk of abuse and for informing the Police or other appropriate external bodies
Appendix 1: Designated Safeguarding Lead – Role Outline
The designated person within the organisation has primary responsibility for putting into place procedures to safeguard adults at risk, supporting other organisational welfare/safeguarding leads, where relevant and for managing concerns about adults at risk. They will have the appropriate Designated Safeguarding Lead training to support them in this work.
Duties and responsibilities include:
- Working with others within the organisation to create a positive inclusive environment.
- Play a lead role in developing and establishing the organisation’s approach to safeguarding adults and in maintaining and reviewing the organisation’s implementation plan for safeguarding adults in line with current legislation and best practice.
- Coordinate the dissemination of the safeguarding adult policy, procedures and resources throughout the organisation.
- Contribute to ensuring other policies and procedures are consistent with the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding adults.
- Advise on the organisation’s training needs and the development of its training strategy.
- Receive reports of and manage cases of poor practice and abuse reported to the organisation – including an appropriate recording system.
- Manage liaison with, and referrals to, external agencies for example adult social-care services and the police.
- Create a central point of contact for internal and external individuals and agencies concerned about the safety of adults within the organisation.
- Represent the organisation at external meetings related to safeguarding.
Sounddelivery Media’s Safeguarding Policy is reviewed annually by Trustees.
Last review date: November 2023