Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement

St James’ Trust is committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, both in our working environment and in our output. We aim to reflect the diversity of the UK and make our services accessible to all. We are committed to providing a working environment that is free from harassment, intimidation, and unlawful discrimination.

 

We value and respect every individual’s unique contribution to St James’ Trust and seek to ensure that no one, group or individual is unlawfully disadvantaged.

 

At St James’ Trust we view equality and diversity as an opportunity to embrace, respond to and be relevant to our community.

 

We recognise that, in order to do this we need to create a working environment that empowers all of our volunteers and employees to thrive and achieve their full potential and as such, we regularly review our policies and practices

.

We expect everyone who works for, and with, St James’ Trust to support and act in accordance with this Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement. Any individual who has concerns in relation to equal opportunities at St James’ Trust are encouraged to raise this with their manager or a member of the St James’ Trust Management Team.

 

Updated 18th October 2021

 

To download a printable version of this Equal Opportunities Policy please CLICK HERE

Seaford’s Community Activities Centre

ST JAMES’ TRUST SAFEGUARDING ADULTS’ POLICY

 

The safety of our clients, volunteers and staff are paramount to St James Trust. We will endeavour to ensure that vulnerable adults are protected from harm while participating in our clubs/sessions or in other situations where we are involved. We will do this by:

1. Making sure our personnel and volunteers are carefully selected; through an interview, two references and a DBS check is sought, where appropriate.
2. Providing fitting training for personnel/volunteers in issues of safeguarding vulnerable adults.
3. Taking all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of any vulnerable adult in contact with us.
4. Reporting to the Manager of the service or a Designated Officer of St James’ Trust, any evidence or reasonable suspicion that a vulnerable adult has been physically, emotionally or sexually abused whilst in contact with us.
5. Ensuring that people are aware that we have a Safeguarding policy for vulnerable adults and where policy copies can be obtained.

 

Definitions of abuse

 

• Neglect:
  • The actual or likely persistent or significant neglect of a vulnerable adult, or the failure to protect a vulnerable adult from exposure to any kind of danger, including cold or starvation, or persistent failure to carry out important aspects of care, resulting in the significant impairment of the vulnerable adult’s health or development, including failure to thrive.
•  
• Physical injury:
  • Actual or likely deliberate physical injury to a vulnerable adult, or wilful neglectful failure to prevent physical injury or suffering to a vulnerable adult.
•  
• Sexual abuse:
  • Actual, or likely, sexual exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The involvement of in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, or to which they are unable to give informed consent.
•  
• Emotional abuse:
  • Actual or likely, persistent, or significant, emotional ill treatment, or rejection resulting in severe adverse effects on the emotional, physical and/or behavioural development of a vulnerable adult. All abuse involves some emotional ill treatment.

 

Safeguarding and welfare guidelines

• To take all reasonable steps to protect vulnerable adults from hazards;
• To take appropriate action if an accident occurs;
• To strictly observe the code of behaviour given here;
• To take all reasonable steps to prevent abuse of vulnerable adults in contact with us;
• To report any incident or suspicion of abuse.

 

Code of Behaviour for all personnel

People working with us must always observe the following requirements where vulnerable adults are concerned. You should always:

 

• Uphold the spirit and specific provisions of the Safeguarding Adults Policy and these Guidelines.
• Do your best to behave in an open and friendly manner, but avoid being over familiar in word or action.
• If a vulnerable adult is hurt or distressed, do your best to comfort or reassure them without compromising their dignity or doing anything to discredit your own behaviour.
• Try to avoid any physical contact or behaviour that could be unwelcome or misconstrued. Physical touch should only be in response to a vulnerable adult’s need and should respect their age and individual stage of development.
• Where you have to rely on your own judgement, always treat the vulnerable adult’s welfare as paramount.
• You have a strict duty never to subject any vulnerable adults to any form of harm or abuse.

 

Support in exercising your best judgement

If you witness, or suspect, abusive behaviour towards a vulnerable adult, you should use the procedural guidelines that follow. We all appreciate that this may call for fine judgement and even courage. If you are in any doubt as to what to do then you should in the first instance contact the Manager of the service or the Designated Officer of St James’ Trust who will be able to provide you with the necessary advice.

 

What to do if someone is being violent

If you come across someone hitting, hurting or violently shouting at a vulnerable adult, you should try to prevent the abuse, if you can do so without unreasonable risk to the person or yourself.

• You have to judge whether it is a fleeting incident, which warrants showing your disapproval or a threat of actual harm that requires someone to intervene.
• This can be even more complicated if one vulnerable adult is being abused by another.
• So long as you are mindful of the person’s welfare, you are entitled to intervene by:

• • Asking or telling the perpetrator to stop.
  • Explaining that such behaviour is not acceptable.
  • Restraining and preventing person from abusing another.
  • Saying that you will report the incident – as a matter of fact, not a threat.

 

Summoning help

• Notify Social Services on 0345 60 80 191, or if it is an emergency situation contact the police on 999.
• Asking the perpetrator to leave the property or club.
• While you have to be firm, it can only help if you are calm. Bear in mind that you are properly dealing with a distressed adult.
• Never use or threaten physical force as this could inflame the situation and result in further violence.

 

If you suspect a colleague or receive an allegation of adult abuse it is your duty to report your suspicions to the Manager on duty. It is not your responsibility to investigate your suspicions. Nor should you concern yourself with looking for evidence of abuse. This requires expertise you are not expected to have; your role is to respond appropriately.

 

If a vulnerable adult makes a disclosure to you about abuse not involving our personnel, it is not your responsibility to investigate any disclosure. Your role is to respond appropriately and to report what you have been told to the Manager of the service, who will make the judgement if it needs to go further.

 

GUIDANCE ON RESPONDING TO A DISCLOSURE OF ABUSE

Do your best to:

• Stay calm
• Receive the information
• Listen, reassure
• Record the information
• Report to an appropriate colleague
• Accept your own feelings and consider getting support for yourself

 

Do not:

• Probe in an investigative way or ask leading questions.
• Make a vulnerable adults repeat the story unnecessarily
• Promise confidentiality

 

Confidentiality

We recognise that it is important for us all to feel that any information about safeguarding issues will only be disclosed where it is in best interests of the vulnerable adult to do so. It is important that any incidents are treated confidentially and in a respectful way.

 

Training

Training will be provided on an ongoing basis and will be provided every 12 months (or as needed) by a contracted accredited trainer who will provide the training to all staff, Trustees and volunteers.

 

Recruitment

For recruitment and selection of staff we will require:

• Completion an application form
• Interview with each person to assess their suitability
• A minimum of two references
• Enhanced DBS check

 

Please consult our other safeguarding documents:

 

1. Serious Incident reporting guidance
2. Safeguarding Declaration
3. Safeguarding Incident/Disclosure Form
4. Safeguarding adults’ policy

 

Safeguarding contacts:

 

Viv Reynolds – St James’ Trust Manager                     07798875164

Liz Davies – St James’ Trust Assistance Manager       01323 492800

Jim Austin – Board Chair                                              01323 873660

 

Policy ratified 14th July 2021

 

 

To download a printable version of these conditions please CLICK HERE