Safeguarding Procedures
The Travers Foundation believes that protecting vulnerable individuals from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility.
The Travers Foundation is committed to the belief that protecting vulnerable individuals from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility. These Procedures aim to ensure that all trustees, volunteers and contractors act appropriately in response to safeguarding concerns.
Preventing abuse
The Travers Foundation is committed to putting measures in place to reduce the likelihood of abuse and ensure that everyone involved within our organisation will be treated respectfully.
We are committed to safer policies and practices for trustees and volunteers. This will include DBS disclosure checks for volunteers and ensuring references are taken up, and adequate training on safeguarding is provided, where necessary.
Where we work with other organisations, we will ensure they adopt best practices for vulnerable individuals' personal safety and well-being.
We will encourage everyone to take a proactive approach to safeguarding issues.
We will exercise our right to ensure that any contractor has suitable safeguarding procedures and processes by inspecting their safeguarding documentation if we contract with them.
Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse
Abuse includes, but is not limited to:
Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. It may be a single act or repeated acts. People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds. They may be relatives, friends, neighbours or people who use the same services as the person experiencing abuse.
Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse
We acknowledge that taking action in cases of abuse is never easy, but there are ways to respond if you receive an allegation of abuse, in particular:
If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place the priorities are as follows:
Steps to implementing these procedures
The Travers Foundation will:
Designated Persons for Safeguarding matters
The Travers Foundation has appointed two individuals responsible for dealing with any safeguarding concerns, the Safeguarding Officer and the Deputy Safeguarding Officer. These individuals will be responsible for managing the escalation of all safeguarding reports, keeping secure and contemporaneous records in all cases, and, if necessary, making the appropriate referral to the relevant local authority.
Anyone wishing to raise an issue may do so with either Safeguarding Officer. The Designated Safeguarding Officers within The Travers Foundation are:
The roles and responsibilities of the DSOs are:
Last reviewed 6 January 2024
The Travers Foundation is committed to the belief that protecting vulnerable individuals from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility. These Procedures aim to ensure that all trustees, volunteers and contractors act appropriately in response to safeguarding concerns.
Preventing abuse
The Travers Foundation is committed to putting measures in place to reduce the likelihood of abuse and ensure that everyone involved within our organisation will be treated respectfully.
We are committed to safer policies and practices for trustees and volunteers. This will include DBS disclosure checks for volunteers and ensuring references are taken up, and adequate training on safeguarding is provided, where necessary.
Where we work with other organisations, we will ensure they adopt best practices for vulnerable individuals' personal safety and well-being.
We will encourage everyone to take a proactive approach to safeguarding issues.
We will exercise our right to ensure that any contractor has suitable safeguarding procedures and processes by inspecting their safeguarding documentation if we contract with them.
Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse
Abuse includes, but is not limited to:
- physical abuse, such as hitting, slapping, punching, burning, misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint;
- sexual abuse, such as including rape, indecent assault, inappropriate touching, exposure to pornographic material;
- online abuse, such as cyber bullying, online grooming, cyber- or e-stalking, revenge porn, doxing, malicious impersonation;
- psychological or emotional abuse, such as belittling, name calling, threats of harm, intimidation, isolation;
- financial or material abuse, such as stealing, selling assets, fraud, misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits;
- neglect and acts of omission, such as withholding medication, food or warmth, ignoring medical or physical care needs;
- discriminatory abuse, such as racism, sexism, discrimination based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment;
- institutional or organisational, such as unsafe practices, lack of person-centred care or treatment.
Abuse may be carried out deliberately or unknowingly. It may be a single act or repeated acts. People who behave abusively come from all backgrounds. They may be relatives, friends, neighbours or people who use the same services as the person experiencing abuse.
Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse
We acknowledge that taking action in cases of abuse is never easy, but there are ways to respond if you receive an allegation of abuse, in particular:
- Reassure the person concerned
- Listen to what they are saying
- Record what you have been told as soon as possible
- Remain calm and do not show shock or disbelief
- Tell them that the information will be treated seriously
- Do not start to investigate or ask detailed or probing questions
- Do not promise to keep any relevant information a secret
- Make a referral to the appropriate authority if necessary.
If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place the priorities are as follows:
- To seek medical attention (if required)
- To call the police (if required)
- To keep yourself, and those with and around you safe
- To preserve evidence
- To inform the Designated Safeguarding Officer in your organisation
- To make a record of the incident
- Make a referral to the appropriate authority if necessary
Steps to implementing these procedures
The Travers Foundation will:
- Comply with all relevant legislation and work in cooperation with other agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of our volunteers and beneficiaries.
- Pass on concerns or allegations of abuse promptly to the appropriate agency.
- Not knowingly appoint any person who has a conviction for the abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult.
- Carry out any relevant background checks, if necessary,
- Reserve the right to refuse to appoint any person who has a conviction for the abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult.
- Publicise our safeguarding policy.
- Designate a named person and a deputy with clearly defined roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.
- Ensure that the safeguarding policy is a living document and is used to inform when delivering activities.
Designated Persons for Safeguarding matters
The Travers Foundation has appointed two individuals responsible for dealing with any safeguarding concerns, the Safeguarding Officer and the Deputy Safeguarding Officer. These individuals will be responsible for managing the escalation of all safeguarding reports, keeping secure and contemporaneous records in all cases, and, if necessary, making the appropriate referral to the relevant local authority.
Anyone wishing to raise an issue may do so with either Safeguarding Officer. The Designated Safeguarding Officers within The Travers Foundation are:
- Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) - Gary Tait, [email protected]
- Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer - Terry Forsey, [email protected]
The roles and responsibilities of the DSOs are:
- To ensure that volunteers and trustees are aware of what they should do and who they should go to if they have concerns that an individual may be experiencing, or has experienced abuse or neglect;
- To follow up any referrals and ensure the issues have been addressed;
- To reinforce the utmost need for confidentiality and to ensure that staff and volunteers are adhering to good practice with regard to confidentiality and security;
- Gather information from the affected person(s);
- Contact the police if a criminal offence has taken place;
- Consider a plan of action based on the information collected;
- We are determined to keep improving our knowledge and understanding of best practices in safeguarding. We encourage our network delivery partners to do the same.
- We are committed to reviewing our safeguarding procedures annually.
Last reviewed 6 January 2024