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Adults risk Policy

SAFEGUARDING ADULTS AT RISK

The purpose of this policy is to outline our approach to safeguarding adults at risk in our care. This includes maintaining their human rights, safety, and freedom from abuse and neglect. Abuse is defined as any of the following: emotional, psychological, physical, sexual abuse, neglect, constraints, restrictive practices, and bullying.

This procedure applies to all our staff, contractors, volunteers and guests. 

Procedures

Happy Mates Support Care and all of its staff, contractors, and volunteers have a legal, moral, and ethical responsibility to: 

  • Protect adults at risk from all forms of abuse, bullying, and exploitation;
  • Acknowledge that protecting adults at risk is everyone’s business;
  • Manage the behaviour of all our guests appropriately and safely.

We believe that every guest has a right to enjoy our events without threat, intimidation, or abuse from its staff, contractors, and volunteers, or other guests. We understand we have a responsibility to ensure that no guest is neglected or exploited by staff, contractors or volunteers and therefore we will act to protect and uphold the legal and human rights of our guests, staff, contractors and volunteers.

To ensure the above, we will:

  • Use best practice standards in the recruitment, screening, and employment of Happy Mates Support Care staff, volunteers, and contractors so that they will not harm, abuse, or exploit adults at risk at our events.
  • Ensure that all staff, volunteers, and contractors provide a police check before working with us.
  • Request that all staff, volunteers, contractors and guests refer to the Behaviour Policy outlined on our website and confirm they will apply by the rules.
  • Any staff, volunteers, contractors, and guests exhibiting abusive, bullying or exploitative behaviour will be removed and prevented from attending future events.
  • Provide all our staff, contractors, and volunteers with the necessary support to enable them to fulfil their roles.
  • Provide regular opportunities to clarify and confirm the policy and procedures in relation to the protection and welfare of adults at risk.
  • Listen to all concerns voiced by Happy Mates Support Care, volunteers and contractors regarding keeping adults at risk safe from harm.
  • Maintain an environment for adults at risk to be safe and to feel safe. 

Breach of Policy

It is a serious breach of this policy, and possibly the law, if a Happy Mates Support Care staff member, volunteer or contractor harms or exploits adults at risk who are involved in any of our services. Breaches of this policy include, but are not limited to;

  • Sexually assaulting adults at risk who are involved in one of our events; • Physically assaulting adults at risk who are involved in one of our events; 
  • Verbally abusing, denigrating or bullying adults at risk who are involved in one of our events;
  • Taking, reproducing, and/or distributing photos of adults at risk without their consent
  • Publishing any materials containing images of children at risk who are involved in one of our programs that can be used for the sexual gratification of others. Any breaches will be dealt with immediately and in line with the law.

Our management reserves the right to make discretionary decisions regarding the implementation of this policy, provided that safeguarding adults at risk is the priority of the decision.