Safeguarding Policy for Women’s Alpine Adventure Club

The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club is a supportive welcoming community, where being safe, having fun, sharing skills and encouraging more women into the mountains is at the heart of what we do. We are committed to Safeguarding Adults in line with national legislation and relevant national and local guidelines.

 

Introduction

This policy is to make sure that the Women’s Alpine Adventure Club has all the right things in place to protect and safeguard adults. 

The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club believes in protecting an adult’s right to live in safety and free from abuse and neglect. This policy sets out the roles and responsibilities of The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club in working together in promoting the adult’s welfare and safeguarding them from abuse and neglect. 

Adult safeguarding is the responsibility of all those involved with the Women’s Alpine Adventure Club. By ensuring that all volunteers, instructors, WAAC members and participants are aware of adult safeguarding and of this policy, together we can make a safe environment for our community.

 

Care Act 2014 Definition of an Adult at Risk of Abuse

Where a local authority has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in its area (whether or not ordinarily resident there)

(a) has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs),

(b) is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and

(c) as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

 

Key Principles of Adult Safeguarding

In the safeguarding of adults, The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club is guided by the six key principles set out in The Care Act 2014 and Making Safeguarding Personal. The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club aims to demonstrate and promote these six principles in our work: 

  • Empowerment – People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent

  • Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs.

  • Proportionality – The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented. 

  • Protection – Support and representation for those in greatest need. 

  • Partnership – Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.

  • Accountability – Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

 

Recognising the signs of abuse

Volunteers and instructors are well-placed to identify abuse. It may come in the form of a disclosure, complaint, body language or an expression of concern. WAAC volunteers and instructors are aware of safeguarding procedures and understand what to do and where to go to get help, support and advice. This policy is also available for WAAC members or participants to ensure anyone who becomes aware of a safeguarding concern can action this correctly.

 

Types of Abuse

The Care Act 2014 defines the following ten areas of abuse. These are not exhaustive but are a guide to behaviour that may lead to a safeguarding inquiry. This includes physical abuse, domestic violence/domestic abuse, exploitation, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, financial or material abuse, modern slavery, discriminatory abuse, organisational abuse and neglect and acts of omission.

 

Reporting Concerns

Any volunteer or instructor who becomes aware that an adult is or is at risk of being abused must raise the matter immediately with the organisation’s designated safeguarding person. If the adult requires immediate protection from harm, contact the police and Adult Social Care.

Any WAAC members or participants who become aware that an adult is or is at risk of being abused must raise the matter immediately with either the organisation’s designated safeguarding person or with any volunteer or instructor. If the adult requires immediate protection from harm, contact the police and Adult Social Care.

Early sharing of information is the key to providing an effective response where there are emerging concerns. To ensure effective safeguarding arrangements no one should assume that someone else will do it.

 

Is there a Person in a Position of Trust Involved?

In any instance of safeguarding, consideration must be given as to whether an allegation has been made against a person in a position of trust (PiPoT) and who may be a risk to others. This may be WAAC volunteers or instructors. Women’s Alpine Adventure Club will take necessary steps for sensitive information sharing and reporting individuals.

 

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

The Women’s Alpine Adventure Club expects all volunteers and instructors to maintain confidentiality.  Information will only be shared in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and Data Protection.

However, information should be shared with the Local Authority if an adult is deemed to be at risk of harm or contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed.

 

Recording and Record Keeping

A written record must be kept about any concern regarding an adult with safeguarding needs. This must include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern, actions taken, and the decisions made and why they were made.

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

 

WAAC Safeguarding actions

Appoint members of the Club as the named persons to adopt and implement the best practice to safeguard and protect adults taking part in club activities (all volunteers and instructors). 

  • Ensure all volunteers and instructors are aware of the adult safeguarding policy and can action any concerns raised.

  • Ensure all WAAC members and participants are aware of the adult safeguarding policy and can action any concerns raised.

  • Jenny Dart is the dedicated safeguarding lead, to whom all safeguarding concerns are reported.

  • Review this policy and relevant procedures regularly.

 

September 2023