Safeguarding Policy

Introduction

Green Rose CIC is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all individuals we support, particularly vulnerable adults and children. We believe everyone has the right to live free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This policy sets out the values and principles that underpin all work with vulnerable adults and children, outlines our approach to safeguarding and provides guidance for staff, volunteers, and partners. All staff must ensure that the policy and procedures are applied. 

Scope

This policy applies to all Green Rose CIC staff, volunteers, contractors, and anyone working on our behalf. It covers all interactions with service users, including home visits, workshops, training sessions, and digital communications. 

Definitions

Vulnerable Individual: Any person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental, physical or learning disability, age or illness and who is or may be unable to take care of themselves, or unable protect themselves from significant harm or serious exploitation which may be occasioned by actions or inactions of other people. 

Adult: Anyone over the age of 18. 

Child: Anyone under the age of 18. 

Abuse: A violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by any other person or persons. It may be physical, emotional, sexual, financial, discriminatory, neglectful, or self-inflicted. 

It may involve: 

‘a single or repeated act, or omission occurring within a personal or closed relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to a person‘ (No Secrets – Department of Health 2000) 

Abusers: Anyone who knowingly or unknowingly inflicts harm on another person, however the following are in positions of trust and have access to people who are vulnerable: 

  • health, social support or other professional visitor 

  • staff or management 

  • volunteers 

  • service user 

  • friend, family member or other social visitor 

Service User: Any person contacting Green Rose in order to access such support and advice as we offer. 

Significant Harm: Injury or ill treatment, (including sexual abuse and forms of ill treatment that are not physical); The impairment of, or an avoidable deterioration in, physical or mental health, and the impairment of physical, emotional, social or behavioural development’ (Law Commission 1995). 

Types of Abuse and Potential Indicators of Abuse

These lists are not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive. They are included to provide guidance and information. Note that more than one of these types of abuse may occur at one time, though only one may present itself initially.  

We recognise the following forms of abuse: 

Physical: Physical Abuse is the deliberate infliction of pain, physical harm or injury including: hitting, slapping, punching, kicking, air pulling, restraint, withholding or misuse of medication 

Indicators include: 

  • Multiple bruises 

  • A history of unexplained falls and/or minor injuries 

  • Fractures not consistent with falls or explanations of the injury 

  • Unexplained loss of hair in clumps 

  • Cuts that are not likely to be explained by self-injury 

  • Finger marks

  • Burns not consistent with possible explanations 

Effect on the vulnerable person 

  • May appear withdrawn 

  • Scared 

  • Reclusive 

  • Flinching when touched 

  • An increased awareness 

Emotional/Psychological: Psychological and Emotional Abuse is any pattern of behaviour by another that results in the psychological harm to a vulnerable person and may include: verbal abuse, humiliation, insults, ridicule, bullying, threats, enforced isolation, coercion, lack of privacy or choice and denial of dignity. 

Indicators include: 

  • Strain within the relationship 

  • The suspected abuser acts differently towards the vulnerable person when others are present 

  • An air of silence in the home when the alleged abuser is present 

  • A general lack of consideration for the vulnerable individual’s needs 

  • Refusal to allow the vulnerable individual an opinion of their own 

  • Denial of privacy in relation to their care, feelings or other aspects of their life 

  • Denial of access to the vulnerable individual, especially where the individual needs assistance which they will consequently not receive 

  • Denial of freedom of movement e.g. locking the person in a room or tying them to a chair 

  • Alterations in the psychological state, possible withdrawal or fear 

Effect on the vulnerable individual 

  • May display confidence checking behaviour i.e. putting themselves down, constant approval seeking 

  • Change in personality 

  • Self-abuse may be present 

Sexual: Sexual Abuse is any sexual act carried out without the informed consent of a vulnerable individual, or where that person would not be capable of understanding the consequences of their actions and may include: fondling, sexual intercourse, offensive or suggestive language, inappropriate touching or looking, taking indecent photographs. 

Indicators include: 

  • Unexplained bruising around the vaginal, rectal or genital areas 

  • Unexplained difficulties in walking or moving 

  • Reluctance of the victim to be alone with an individual known to themselves 

  • Unexplained behaviour change 

  • Unexplained bleeding from vaginal, rectal or genital areas 

  • Stained or bloody clothing 

Effect on the vulnerable individual 

  • May feel unsafe or scared 

  • Display checking behaviours 

  • May wish to cover up 

  • Can lead to self-harm, anorexia, bulimia or nervosa 

Financial: Financial Abuse is the misappropriation of the funds of a vulnerable individual and may include: misuse of finances, exploitation, theft or fraudulent use of money, embezzlement, fraud, misuse of property or possessions. Can also include where staff become involved in wills or Power of Attorney, or where carers use their store loyalty cards to obtain goods for their charges. 

Indicators include 

  • Situations where, despite having a personal income, the vulnerable individual is without money soon after its receipt, particularly where that person is not able to spend money without assistance 

  • Unexplained shortage of money despite a seemingly adequate income 

  • Unexplained withdrawals from savings accounts 

  • Unexplained disappearance of financial documents e.g. building society books and bank statements 

Effect on the vulnerable individual 

  • May find themselves in debtor rent arrears 

  • Personal appearance may change 

  • May take part in reduced social activities 

  • May also suffer depression, feel isolated or embarrassed 

Neglect: Neglect may be deliberate or by default where the abuser is not able to provide the care needed and may not recognise the need for that care to be given, and may include: failure to provide necessary care, regimes or routines are too rigid, withheld or incorrect treatment, including medical attention. 

Indicators include 

  • Consistent lack of supervision for long periods, especially during activities which hold danger for them 

  • Denial of religious or cultural needs 

  • Physical problems and medical needs that are not attended to 

Effect on the vulnerable individual 

  • Constant fatigue or listlessness 

  • Loss of weight 

  • Poor hygiene 

  • Persistent hunger 

  • Inappropriate dress 

Self-Neglect: When an individual fails to care for themselves in a way that threatens their health or safety. Although not technically abuse as another person is not involved, it may be considered in some circumstances as a type of abuse 

 

Discriminatory: Discriminatory Abuse can manifest itself in any of the above ways and frequently will include a combination of forms of abuse. What differentiates it from the other categories is that the abuse is motivated by prejudice and discrimination against the individual because they are perceived to belong to a specific group based on race, gender, disability, religion, or sexual orientation amongst others. 

When delivering services to vulnerable individuals from minority ethnic communities, it is important to acknowledge that the failure to recognise their cultural, religious and ethnic diversity can be interpreted as a form of abuse, since it deprives the individual of their own personal identity.  

Responsibilities

  • All staff and volunteers must be familiar with this policy and act in accordance with its principles. 

  • The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for overseeing safeguarding concerns and ensuring appropriate action is taken. 

  • Concerns must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Lead or relevant authority. 

Reporting Concerns

If abuse is alleged, suspected, or confirmed:  

Alleged abuse is a situation where someone reports to you that an individual is being abused or the individual themselves alleges they are being abused.  

Suspected abuse is s situation where, from your own observation, rumours etc you think someone may be being abused but you do not know for certain 

Confirmed abuse is a situation where there is clear evidence of abuse taking place, for example when you have seen it yourself and it cannot be anything else  

 

In an emergency situation – Follow this procedure if someone has been attacked and immediate assistance is needed to help the individual, protect property or protect evidence In an emergency, a quick assessment of the situation is made in order to conclude that the emergency services should be contacted.  

  • Call the appropriate emergency service using 999 

  • Do not put yourself in danger 

  • Do not contaminate any evidence 

  • Once the emergency is over, follow the process under appropriate non-emergency situation. 

 

In non-emergency situations – Where possible, staff should discuss non-emergency with the Safeguarding Lead and complete an incident report. In line with local safeguarding procedures staff should immediately report the alleged, suspected or confirmed abuse to the appropriate local authority safeguarding team. Staff should telephone the relevant agency to inform them that a report is being made. 

Social services are the lead agency in abuse of vulnerable individuals and in all cases, staff must make a referral. Staff should ensure that a note of the circumstances and of all actions taken is included on client forms or on any other appropriate internal records.  

 

“Grey Areas” –  Situations where what is actually going on is very unclear and there may not even be a definite victim, but there is a lot of hostility, people may feel victimised or someone is acting out of character. Where a member of staff is uncertain as to how to proceed they should, as a matter of urgency, discuss the situation with their manager and agree a course of action in line with this policy. 

Staff Training and Vetting

  • All staff and volunteers working with vulnerable individuals will undergo appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.

  • Safeguarding training will be provided regularly to ensure awareness and compliance.

Confidentiality

Safeguarding concerns will be handled with sensitivity and confidentiality. Information will only be shared with relevant parties on a need-to-know basis, in line with data protection laws. All reports must be documented securely and confidentially. 

Statement Approval

This statement has been approved by the Board of Directors of Green Rose Sustainability CIC and will be reviewed annually.

Signed,
Georgina Sommerville
Director
August 2025