Safeguarding Policy
Introduction
The Avenue Tennis Club is committed to supporting the right of adults at
risk to be protected from abuse and to making sure all staff and
volunteers work together, in line with the B&NES Multi‐Agency
Safeguarding Adults Policy, and act promptly when dealing with
allegations or suspicions of abuse.
We think that:
SAFEGUARDING IS EVERYBODY’S BUSINESS
Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. We will work together to
prevent and minimise abuse. If we have concerns that someone is being
abused our loyalty to the vulnerable person comes before anything else –
our group, other service users, our colleagues and the person’s friends
and family.
DOING NOTHING IS NOT AN OPTION
If we know or suspect that a vulnerable adult is being abused, we will
do something about it and ensure our work is properly recorded. We will
work within the boundaries of the Multi‐Agency Safeguarding Adults
Procedures.
What is a vulnerable person?
The definition of a vulnerable adult is a person over the age
of 18 years who:
• Is or may be in need of / eligible for Community Care Services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness.
• AND is unable to take care of him / herself.
• OR is unable to protect him / herself from significant harm or exploitation,
A vulnerable person may fall into any one of the following groups: older and frail people; people with a mental health need, a learning difficulty, a physical impairment, a sensory impairment; people who are substance or alcohol dependent; or family carers providing assistance to another vulnerable adult.
Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other persons(s) or group of people. Abuse may be single or repeated acts. It can be:
Physical: for example, hitting, slapping, burning, pushing, restraining or giving the wrong medication. Psychological and emotional: for example, shouting, swearing, frightening, blaming, ignoring or humiliating a person, threats of harm or abandonment, intimidation, verbal abuse.
Financial: including the illegal or unauthorised use of a person’s property, money, pension book or other valuables, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance.
Sexual: such as forcing a person to take part in any sexual activity without his or her informed consent – this can occur in any relationship.
Discriminatory: including racist or sexist remarks or comments based on a person’s disability, age or illness, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment. This also includes stopping someone from being involved in religious or cultural activity, services or support networks.
Institutional: the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to vulnerable people. This includes a failure to ensure the necessary safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable adults and maintain good standards of care in accordance with individual needs, including training of staff, supervision and management, record keeping and liaising with other providers of care.
Neglect and acts of omission: including ignoring medical or physical care needs. These can be deliberate or unintentional, amounting to abuse by a carer or self‐neglect by the vulnerable person: for example, where a person is deprived of food, heat, clothing, comfort or essential medication, or failing to provide access to appropriate health or social care services.
How Might We Notice Abuse?
Concerns about or evidence of abuse can come to us through:
1. A direct disclosure by the vulnerable adult.
2. A complaint or expression of concern by the coaching team or official of the club, a volunteer, another service user, a carer, a member of the public or relative.
3. An observation of the behaviour of the vulnerable adult by the volunteer, member of the coaching team or official of the club or carer.
Our Commitment
• Identifying the abuse of vulnerable adults where it is occurring.
• Responding effectively to any circumstances giving grounds for concern, or where formal complaints or expressions of anxiety are expressed.
• Ensuring the active participation of individuals, families, groups and communities wherever possible and appropriate.
• Raising awareness of the extent of abuse on vulnerable adults and its impact on them.
• Promoting and supporting work designed to reduce abuse and the fear of abuse as experienced by vulnerable adults.
• Regularly monitoring and evaluating how our policies, procedures and practices for protecting vulnerable adults are working.
• Making sure our policies, procedures and practices stay up to date with good practice and the law in relation to safeguarding vulnerable adults.
• Ensuring our procedures are in line with the Multi‐Agency Safeguarding Procedures. Ensuring our procedures are in line with the Multi‐Agency Safeguarding Procedures.
Prevention and Confidentiality
All staff and volunteers will have Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
checks taken out and have two references provided before they will have
direct contact with vulnerable adults or their carers. In accordance
with the LTA guidelines our coaches self certify against this every 6
months.
All staff and volunteers will be requested to read The Avenue Tennis Club’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedure and will be requested to attend safeguarding training.
The Avenue Tennis Club will work with vulnerable adults in a way that meets all the aspects of confidentiality in our different policies, but where abuse to a vulnerable person is alleged, suspected, reported or concerns are raised, the Safeguarding Adults Procedure must be followed. The confidentiality of the vulnerable person will be respected wherever possible and their consent obtained to share information. The vulnerable person should be made aware that staff cannot ignore issues around abuse and that steps will be taken to deal with them in as sensitive a manner as possible. The welfare of the individual is paramount.