Safeguarding Policy

Haslemere Food Bank Trust is committed to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers, contractors, volunteers and visitors who attend our premises, or who participate in food bank activities elsewhere, as far as is reasonable and practicable. This policy relates to the safeguarding of those that may be vulnerable, and to children.

Haslemere Food Bank Trust commits:

• To identify risks, and to control those risks wherever practicable
• To provide a safe and nurturing environment for all those considered vulnerable
• To provide adequate information, instruction and training in relation to safeguarding to our volunteers
• To provide adequate support and supervision to all volunteers carrying out Food Bank business
• To review this policy and associated procedures on a regular basis (at least annually) and revise policy and procedures as the need arises

Definitions (for this document)

Vulnerable adult: A person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation. Vulnerable adults are entitled to: privacy; be treated with dignity; lead an independent life and be enabled to do so; be able to choose how they lead their lives; the protection of the law; have their rights upheld regardless of ethnic origin, gender, sexuality, impairment or disability, age, religion or cultural background.

POLICY STATEMENT

The Haslemere Food Bank Trust seeks to restore dignity and revive hope to people from all walks of life. We are concerned with individuals and their circumstances and actively encourage an inclusive environment.

We seek to ensure that all our team members are aware of what is required from them under the vulnerable adult and child protection policy and make sure that it is practised at all times.

It is the responsibility of each one of us to prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults.

We commit ourselves to co-operate fully with the appropriate statutory services when they are conducting official investigation into physical, emotional or sexual abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults, children or young people (by an adult or young person).

This statement is to be brought to the attention of all staff and volunteers when they join, as part of their induction programme. Any amendments will be brought to the attention of all team members.

Implementation

Haslemere Food Bank Trust will plan its work so as to minimise situations where abuse might occur.

Although the number of people who actively seek to abuse vulnerable adults and children is very small, the Food Bank can reduce opportunities for abuse in various ways. We will, for instance:

• Ensure that there is adequate supervision for all vulnerable adults
• Ensure that any vulnerable adult working with the Food Bank is aware of who they can talk to if they have concerns
• Ensure that all volunteers know where the nearest telephone is in case of emergencies and that phones are clearly labelled with directions for how to make external calls
• Make sure the designated person has correct and up-to-date training
• Ensure volunteers supervising vulnerable adults are suitably trained

Safeguarding Officer (the designated person) and their role

The Food Bank has a designated person who is responsible for dealing with any concerns about the protection of vulnerable adults or children. THE DESIGNATED PERSON FOR THE FOOD BANK IS DAVID RICE (Chair of the Trust).

The designated person will be available for vulnerable adults to speak with should they feel the need to talk with someone about an incident which has happened whilst working for or receiving assistance from the foodbank project, particularly if they feel they have been physically, sexually or emotionally abused.

Recording

The designated person will make notes and keep confidential records of any disclosure or concerns they have or another staff/team member has, and will seek advice from the Social Services Department or the Police.

Volunteers must ensure that their recording of facts, incidents, assessments, referrals, and case discussions are all sufficient, accurate, concise, up-to-date, legible, dated, factual and kept confidential. Opinions should be kept to a minimum and backed up by factual evidence. Any supporting evidence should be preserved and clearly labelled. These records must be stored in an individual file and stored securely in a manner that safeguards the individual’s right to privacy and security. These records are available to individuals on request (not third party information) and may be used as evidence in disciplinary proceedings or in civil or criminal prosecutions.

Whistle-blowing

Volunteers are encouraged to take action when suspicious that abuse is occurring at work – no matter what the setting, who the perpetrator is or who the victim is. The Food Bank will respect and not penalise those who stand up for anyone who is suspected of being abused.

The Trustees have a responsibility to report any occurrences or suspicions of adult abuse. Those who report abuse are protected by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

REMEMBER

It is important that everyone in the Food Bank is aware that the person who first encounters a case of alleged or suspected abuse is not responsible for deciding whether or not abuse has occurred. That is a task for the professional vulnerable adult and child protection agencies following a referral to them of concern about someone.

Additional points

Displaying Information

Display the name of the designated person

Make sure all workers in the Food Bank know the name of the designated person and how they might be contacted

Applying agreed procedures for protecting vulnerable adults and children to all and volunteers

It is possible to be lulled into a false sense of security, believing that those who work alongside vulnerable adults and children in the Food Bank will never be guilty of abuse because they are part of a charitable organisation. It is not safe to assume that all others are automatically safe to be with vulnerable adults or children. For this reason, all procedures set in place to protect vulnerable adults should apply to all those in contact with them. This is not the same as treating each person who relates to vulnerable adults as being under suspicion, but a matter of taking sensible measures to protect vulnerable adults, which are then observed by everyone. This will involve thought and planning within each group to minimise the risk.

If any volunteer has concerns, they should raise them with the designated person. If it is brought to the attention of the designated person and not adequately dealt with the next step is to talk to the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Help in the Community for advice, or contact Social Services/the Police as a private citizen to discuss your concerns.

Disclosure of Information

There is a difference between confidentiality and secrecy. All personal and delicate information disclosed to us is confidential, but may not always be secret.

Personal and delicate information about volunteers will be:

• Confidential to the Food Bank and can be shared with other volunteers on a ‘need to know basis’ only and
• Can be shared with another agency when:
  • Permission is given by the person about whom the information is held
  • There is an overriding justification to share information without the person’s consent
  • The law requires it

Clear roles

Abuse of vulnerable adults is most easily concealed where there is confusion among adults about roles and responsibilities. Induction training will include basic safeguarding awareness and the expected behaviour towards vulnerable adults when working with the Food Bank will be explained.

It is the Food Bank’s policy not to engage in “regulated activities” (close or personal tasks such as washing, dressing, or accompanying to the lavatory) with vulnerable adults: volunteers are not required to have DBS checks

Supervision as a means of protection

Regular volunteer meetings should be held where volunteers and Trustees meet together to raise issues about the work of the Food Bank and discuss them. When receiving feedback about the project, particular attention should be paid to any situation or suggestion that a vulnerable adult is being highly favoured or harshly treated, as these are signs of abuse.

The Food Bank reserves the right to dismiss a volunteer and/or ban them from the property should they feel it is necessary.

Training

Training in the prevention of abuse and the action to take if abuse occurs should be included as part of the Induction Training for the Food Bank either through a local authority scheme or on-line. A copy of this safeguarding policy should be handed to each new volunteer and a copy displayed for easy reference.

General

Volunteers should always seek to ensure that they are never alone with someone who has come to the Food Bank for support. There should always be two volunteers on duty for each session. In the unlikley event that only one volunteer attends, the Food Bank must remain closed until a second volunteer arrives. (Lone volunteers should ring 07818 692389 to seek help.) Volunteers may, at their own discretion and at their own risk, offer to transport food packs for those who have received them, but never offer a lift to anyone in whatever circumstances.

Review

This policy and its implementation will be reviewed at least annually and whenever there are any legislative changes or amendments to guidance issued by relevant statutory bodies.

Agreed by trustees: 11th January, 2021 Review Date: January 2022