As we have highlighted in previous blogs, safeguarding is about
protecting the health, wellbeing and rights of others, in particular those who
are vulnerable from abuse or neglect.
Often associated with child protection, safeguarding is also applicable to
adults, whatever their age or background.
Within the workplace, employers have a responsibility to safeguard
those who work for them. Employers could be liable for both their actions and
inaction, for example not acting when an employee is being bullied or failing
to support employees with mental health issues.
Who is
safeguarding aimed at?
Safeguarding is applicable to:
- Those aged 19-24 with an Education Health and Care
Plan (EHCP), a document drafted by the relevant Local Authority following an
assessment. EHCPs are defined by the government as being: “for children and
young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through
special education needs support” (find out more at: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help).
- Anyone who could be at risk at specific points
in their life, for example someone who has suffered from a bereavement or who
is under stress at home or in the workplace, as well as those who have mental
health issues.
What
measures should employers put in place?
Employers should have a safeguarding policy, which should be
communicated to all relevant staff with clear procedures to follow.
This should include:
- Training for all staff members, including those
at the top level of management, on issues such as recognising the difference
between workplace banter and bullying
- Ensuring employees are made aware of policies,
have a clear process for reporting any complaints and are supported in the
correct manner after making a complaint
Procedures should not only be in place to deal with abuse, harassment
and bullying but also for any special requirements that employees may have.
Examples could be:
- Allowing someone out of a meeting to take
medication at a set time
- Ensuring employees have ergonomically designed
work stations to ease or avoid back and joint pain
- Meeting the access needs of those with
disabilities
- Creating policies to reduce the likelihood of
discrimination on the grounds of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age or religion
Do we need
a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)?
While not a legal requirement, it’s a good idea for companies and other
organisations to have a Designated Safeguarding Officer, especially those over
a certain size and/or those that employ or have contact with children or vulnerable
adults.
As the first point of contact for employees, the role of the DSO
is to ensure the company has a safeguarding policy in place and is following
it. They may be involved in creating the policy as well as enforcing it and
should proactively monitor workplace wellbeing as well as responding to
complaints.
While there are no specific qualifications for the role of DSO,
it’s an important position for which it’s helpful to have a clear understanding
of safeguarding procedures and responsibilities.
How can
you work with CMS to safeguard your staff?
As a training provider, we are here to help you recognise,
highlight, support and report any safeguarding issues that might arise in your
organisation. Our Designated Safeguarding Officer, Hadyn Luke, can be contacted
by email (hadyn.luke@cmsvoc.co.uk) or phone
(01924 470 477) to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
Find out more
We have a series of blogs on safeguarding, which can be found at: https://cmsvoc.co.uk/blog/category/safeguarding/
These cover a variety of safeguarding issues, such as:
- Gambling Awareness
- Vulnerable Adults
- Fabricated or Induced Illness
- Educate Against Hate
- Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
