1. Introduction
Healthwatch Wakefield is committed to ensuring that all children, young people, and adults are protected from harm, abuse, and neglect. This policy outlines the responsibilities of staff, volunteers, and trustees in relation to safeguarding both adults at risk and children.
Healthwatch Wakefield aligns with Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership and The Wakefield and District Safeguarding Adults Board and will ensure that all practices comply with local and national safeguarding standards.
2. Purpose and Objectives
This policy aims to:
- Outline the responsibilities of Healthwatch Wakefield in safeguarding children and adults.
- Provide clear procedures for responding to concerns and disclosures.
- Ensure compliance with safeguarding legislation and best practice.
3. Legal Framework
This policy is guided by the following legislation and statutory guidance:
- Care Act 2014 – Defines the duty to safeguard adults at risk.
- Children Act 1989 & 2004 – Provides a legal framework for protecting children.
- Human Rights Act 1998 – Protects individuals from abuse and degrading treatment.
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 – Ensures decision-making rights for adults at risk.
- Data Protection Act 2018 – Governs the processing of personal information.
- Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 – Supports whistleblowing in safeguarding.
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) – National guidelines for child safeguarding.
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (2024) – Statutory safeguarding guidance for education settings.
The policy also follows the guidance laid out in the Joint Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures for West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and City of York. https://wynyy-wakefield.trixonline.co.uk/chapter/overarching-aims-duties-and-principles
4. Safeguarding Adults
Who is an Adult at Risk?
An adult at risk is defined as being aged 18 years or over, who may be in need of care and support by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.
When considering whether the adult has needs for Care and Support, it does not matter whether their needs have been formally assessed or not, nor does it matter whether those needs are being met by services.
Examples of adults who may have a need for Care and Support could include:
- Someone with mental health needs, including dementia or a personality disorder;
- An adult with a long-term health condition;
- An adult with a learning disability or Autism;
- Someone who misuses substances or alcohol to the extent that it affects their ability to manage day-to-day living.
Types of Abuse (Adults)
Types of abuse are covered in the mandatory Level 2 Adult Safeguarding training that all staff complete annually. The list below gives some examples but is not necessarily exhaustive:
- Physical abuse – Assault, hitting, slapping, misuse of medication.
- Sexual abuse – Rape, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching.
- Psychological abuse – Emotional abuse, coercion, verbal abuse.
- Financial abuse – Fraud, coercion in financial matters, theft.
- Neglect – Ignoring medical needs, withholding food, or failure to provide basic care.
- Self-neglect – Failing to care for personal hygiene or living conditions.
- Domestic abuse – Controlling or threatening behaviour by a partner or family member.
- Modern slavery – Human trafficking, forced labour, domestic servitude.
- Discriminatory abuse – Harassment due to race, gender, disability, or religion.
- Organisational abuse – Neglect or mistreatment within a care setting.
5. Safeguarding Children
Definition of a Child
In England and Wales, a child is defined as anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. Child protection guidance points out that even if a child has reached 16 years of age and is:
- living independently
- in further education
- a member of the armed forces
- in hospital; or
- in custody in the secure estate
They are still legally children until the age of 18 years old and they should be given the same protection and entitlements as any other child.
Types of Abuse (Children)
Types of abuse are covered in the mandatory Level 2 Safeguarding Children training that all staff complete annually. The Children Act 1989 tells us that there are 4 categories of child abuse: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual abuse and Neglect. The list below gives some examples of these and also of other types of abuse, but is not necessarily exhaustive:
- Physical abuse – Hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, suffocating, drowning or other physical harm.
- Emotional abuse – persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as making a child feel worthless, unloved or inadequate, bullying, or exposure to domestic abuse.
- Sexual abuse – Forcing or enticing a child into sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.
- Neglect – Persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs (food, shelter, supervision, emotional needs)
- Domestic abuse and other forms of abuse
- Technology assisted abuse – children are at risk of abuse and other risks online, as well as face to face.
- Online bullying and cyber bullying
- Child trafficking
- Sexual and criminal exploitation
- Female genital mutilation
- Forced marriage
- Radicalisation
Further guidance and information can be found on the West Yorkshire Consortium Inter Agency Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures or by visiting the Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership website home page.
6. Responsibilities of Staff, Volunteers, and Trustees
All staff and volunteers must:
- Be aware of safeguarding responsibilities and report concerns.
- Follow this policy
- Complete annual Level 2 Safeguarding training for both adults and children
- Maintain confidentiality and ensure information is shared appropriately.
- Take all concerns seriously and act promptly.
All Trustees must:
- Be aware of safeguarding responsibilities and report concerns.
- Follow this policy
- Attend an annual Board session based on ‘the role of Trustees in Safeguarding’
- Maintain confidentiality and ensure information is shared appropriately.
- Take all concerns seriously and act promptly.
7. Consent
Adults
Consent of an adult should always be sought before reporting a concern, apart from in specific limited circumstances. And if the adult does not consent, the organisation needs to consider if their wises should be overridden and the concern reported anyway, again in specific limited circumstances.
The views and wishes of the adult of risk should be sought and included when reporting the concern. Unless it might prejudice a safeguarding enquiry or a Police investigation, the Safeguarding Concerns Manager (or other individual acting) should speak to the adult at risk to get their views about:
- What has happened;
- What they want to happen now;
- The desired outcomes that the adult at risk wants.
Desired outcomes are those changes that the adult at risk wants to achieve from the support they receive, such as feeling safe at home, access to community facilities, restricted or no contact with certain individuals or pursuing the matter through the criminal justice system.
https://wynyy-wakefield.trixonline.co.uk/chapter/stage-1-reporting-a-concern#consent
7. Reporting concerns and disclosures
If a staff member becomes aware of a safeguarding concern, they should:
- Ensure the person is safe. If immediate danger is present, call 999. Complete the Healthwatch Wakefield Safeguarding Form after the call has been made to document what the concerns were, who was spoken to and what action was agreed.
- Raise their concern with the Safeguarding Lead – the Chief Officer, or the Operations and Impact Manager. If this is not possible, they should contact Social Care Direct themselves. Safeguarding concerns must be reported as soon as possible to ensure that the local authority is able to provide a timely and appropriate response. There is an expectation that any concerns are reported within 24 hours of identification. https://wynyy-wakefield.trixonline.co.uk/chapter/stage-1-reporting-a-concern#reporting-a-concern
- Staff member and Safeguarding Lead will discuss and agree next steps. Safeguarding Lead will advise next action required.
- If a decision is made to report a safeguarding concern, the staff member who raised the initial concern will do this. All safeguarding concerns must be reported to:
Adults: Wakefield Social Care Direct
Telephone: 0345 8 503 503
Email: social.care.direct@wakefield.gov.uk
Minicom: 01924 303 450
Children: Telephone: 0345 8 503 503
Email: Social_Care_Direct_children@wakefield.gov.uk
Minicom: 01924 303 450
Whether or not a safeguarding concern has been raised, the staff member who raised the initial concern will record all relevant details on the Healthwatch Wakefield Safeguarding Form and email this to the Safeguarding Lead
The Safeguarding Lead will save the Healthwatch Wakefield Safeguarding Form on SharePoint in the confidential ‘Safeguarding’ folder. The Safeguarding Lead will also record the safeguarding concern on the ‘Safeguarding Concerns Log’ in the confidential ‘Safeguarding’ folder on SharePoint
Do not investigate – leave this to the appropriate safeguarding authorities.
All referrals will be taken to the Safeguarding QIG by the Chief Officer. This is an external group run by Wakefield Council Safeguarding Adults team, it is a committee of the Safeguarding Adults Board.
Serious safeguarding incidents will be reported to the Charities Commission. For further details on what constitutes a ‘serious incident’, please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-a-serious-incident-in-your-charity.
8. Confidentiality and Data Protection
Healthwatch Wakefield will ensure:
- Personal information is only shared on a need-to-know basis.
- Records are securely stored on SharePoint in a dedicated ‘Safeguarding’ folder
- Data breaches are reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) within 72 hours where necessary.
Implementation and review
Implementation date: June 2025
Review date: June 2028