Safeguarding Adults

Safeguarding Adults Statement

Our values

• Adults with care and support needs are not inherently vulnerable but they may come to be at risk of abuse.
• Vulnerability can be a temporary state that can be affected by many different factors.
• Abuse occurs when someone’s human and/or civil rights are violated by someone else.
• Abuse is never acceptable.
• All adults have equal rights to protection from abuse.
• We are committed to ensuring that every adult who participates in activities or has contact through a third party with Lancashire Mind is provided with a safe environment and is protected from abuse.

What we will do

We will meet our commitment to protect adults from abuse through the following means:

Awareness: we will ensure that all staff and volunteers are aware of the problem of adult abuse
Prevention: we will ensure, through awareness raising and good practice, that staff and volunteers minimise the risks to vulnerable adults
Reporting: we will encourage staff and volunteers to report all safeguarding concerns and make sure they are clear what steps to take when they are concerned about an adult’s safety.
Responding: we will ensure that action is taken to support and protect adults where concern arises regarding possible abuse.

How we do this

To ensure the above standards are met, Lancashire Mind will:

• Take seriously any concerns raised
• Take positive steps to protect adults who are the subject of any concerns
• Support staff, volunteers or others who raise concerns or are the subject of a concern
• Co-operate appropriately and effectively with any subsequent process of investigation
• Listen to and take seriously the views and wishes of vulnerable adults
• Be guided by the six safeguarding principles – empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership, accountability
• Work in partnership with carers and other professionals to ensure the protection of vulnerable adults

Action to take

If an adult is at risk of serious, immediate harm staff should contact the local area Adult Services or the Police on 999. All safeguarding concerns will be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL.