The Safeguarding of all of our service Users is Phoenix Support’s primary duty of care, to always consider the consequences of the acts or omissions of ourselves and others. Phoenix Support believes that it is always unacceptable for any person in our services to experience abuse of any kind. Phoenix Support recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all service users and will protect them by a commitment to good practice. The procedure will ensure staff and managers are aware of the actions they are required to take within their role.
In 2011 the government produced six key principles which was to underpin all adult safeguarding work. These principles should inform the ways in which professionals and other staff work with adults. The principles apply to all sectors and settings including care and support services.
The Care Act 2014 (14.13)
An adult who may be at risk of abuse is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves, or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited. This may be because their circumstances, such as chronic illness, disability, age, mental health, mental capacity or lifestyle, cause them to be at risk in some situations, regardless of if they are receiving a service.
Please see our new 2023 updated Safeguarding Policy updated by the Safeguarding Forum.
Please see our Whistle Blowing Policy
In December 2019 Management created a Safeguarding Forum and have invited a group of specialised trained personnel to be members of the Forum group. Their mission statement is to support our safeguarding response within the company.
The members of the Forum are as follows:
Rebecca Ablitt (Supporting Services Manager) representing safeguarding areas for staff and service users.
Contact: bex@phoenixkent.com
Abuse is mistreatment by any other person or persons that violates a person’s human and civil rights. Abuse can happen anywhere; in a person’s home, in a residential or nursing home, in a supported living setting, a hospital or GP surgery, a prison, day centre or educational setting, library, sports centre, within the workplace, or within the community.
Please see below leafletes about safegaurding vulnerable adults from abuse,
Abuse and what to do about it - Easy Read
NHS - Abuse and neglet of vulnerable adults (safeguarding)
Staying safe out and about - Easy Read
Discriminatory: This is when someone treats a person differently because of who they are or because of their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age and disability.
Psychological: This is when a person scares another person and includes emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.
Financial and material: is the use of a person's property, assets, income, funds or any resources without their informed consent or authorisation.
Organisational : This was Institutional abuse and has changed in name to reflect the times, it is the mistreatment, abuse or neglect of an adult by a regime or individual within services, which including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
Neglect and acts of omission: is when someone does not give a person the things they need.
Physical: is when someone hurts another person.
Sexual: is someone performing acts of a sexual type to another person when they do not want them to or cannot agree to. This includes non sexual contact abuse. This is when someone witnesses others performing sexual acts on others.
Domestic violence: As defined by the Home office in 2013:
Modern Slavery: Modern slavery is a crime which knows no boundaries and does not discriminate on gender, age, creed, culture or race. Traffickers and slave masters exploit whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment. This could also include domestic situations where service users are unfairly used to complete jobs/tasks where they live, against their will.
Self neglect: This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
People who have been abused do not always react in the same way. In fact, reactions to abuse can vary quite widely, some signs to look out for if there is a difference in a person that may include:
To read about types and indicators of abuse click here.
This list is not exhaustive.
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