Marlborough Choral Society
Safeguarding/Protecting Adults Policy and Procedure
POLICY STATEMENT
Marlborough Choral Society (MCS) is committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all who join it. We recognise that we have a responsibility to protect the welfare of adults at risk and acknowledge a responsibility to pass on to the appropriate statutory agency (Wiltshire MASH team) any concerns in relation to the safety or welfare of an adult at risk so that these concerns can be assessed.
Where there are concerns about the safety or welfare of an adult at risk this policy and these procedures will be followed and information will be shared with the relevant agencies in order to protect them.
DEFINITION OF AN ADULT AT RISK
- Someone over the age of 18 who has a need for care and support
- Someone who is currently experiencing, or is at risk of, neglect or abuse
- Someone who is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect, or the risk of it.
- Is elderly or frail
- Has a mental illness, including dementia
- Has a physical or sensory disability
- Has a learning disability
- Has a severe physical illness
- Has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, or whose use of drugs or alcohol is causing them harm
- Is homeless
- Is experiencing domestic abuse, which could include coercive control, or is deemed at risk of experiencing it in the near future.
- Is a victim of modern slavery
- Is being sexually exploited by gangs, or an individual. Or, is at risk of being exploited due to several known risk factors
- Is a victim of forced marriage, or is liable to be forced into marriage against their will in the near future
- Is an asylum seeker.
Adult abuse may involve:
- Physical abuse
- Domestic violence or abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Psychological or emotional abuse
- Financial or material abuse
- Modern slavery
- Female genital mutilation
- Radicalisation
- Discriminatory abuse
- Organisational or institutional abuse
- Neglect or acts of omission
- Self-neglect.
PRINCIPLES
This policy and following procedures are based on the following principles.
All adults at risk in MCS, irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation, have the right to:
- Have their money, goods and possessions treated with respect and to receive equal protection for themselves and their property
- Guidance and help in seeking assistance as a consequence of abuse
- Be supported in making their own decisions about how they wish to proceed in the event of abuse and to know their wishes will only be over-ridden if it is considered necessary for their own safety or the safety of others
PROCEDURE
MCS will take all possible steps to ensure that adults within the choir are kept safe through:
- Clear procedure for raising concerns about an adult at risk
- Clear procedure for recording concerns
- Procedures to structure the management of an allegation of abuse
- All personal data will be processed in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
Disclosure of Information
- MCS recognises the importance of sharing information to protect an adult at risk and normally any disclosure of confidential information to any other person may only be undertaken with the express permission of the person
- Where it is considered necessary for the welfare and protection of an adult at risk, the person will be kept informed unless to do so would put his or her welfare and safety at risk of harm
- If anyone associated with MCS has concerns about the welfare of an adult at risk, they must raise those concerns and inform the chair or a committee member. If an adult discloses that they are being, or have been, abused this information must be taken seriously and the information must be passed to the designated person who will deal with their concerns without delay.
- The designated safeguard lead should follow the flow chart which will be kept in the register for ease of access.A copy is attached to this policy.The first priority should always be to protect the safety of all adults and children at risk and it is the responsibility of all within MCS to act on any suspicion or evidence of abuse or neglect.
This policy will be reviewed annually
