Safeguarding Statement

ADULT & CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
This policy sets out the key elements and overarching principles of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s commitment to safeguarding.
Safeguarding is a term used to describe a range of activities aimed at ensuring that children and adults who need care and support are not abused. The Organisation’s Commission asserts that safeguarding policy and procedures are vital for the effective operation of any organisation that works with vulnerable groups.

POLICY STATEMENT
For DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC safeguarding encompasses everything we do to protect adults and children who need care and support, our staff and our volunteers, from abuse. Safeguarding is a fundamental part of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s work.
This policy and procedure covers all staff, volunteers and areas of work. It must be clear to staff that they must share information in cases of abuse. All staff and volunteers in any organisation who have contact with adults and children who could be at risk of abuse or neglect have a duty to act if they have any concern that an adult or child is being abused, neglected or exploited.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
There are 2 main elements in DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s safeguarding work:
1. Prevention – We will put sensible measures in place to prevent abuse, including the use of safe recruitment practices, promoting safe working environments and raising awareness of safeguarding.
2. Protection – We will provide policy, procedures, information and training to enable all DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s staff and volunteers to identify and respond appropriately to concerns about abuse that may be affecting an adult or child who needs care and support.
Where there are reasonable doubts about the ability of the person raising concerns to obtain the right support for themselves or others, or where allegations concerning DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s staff or volunteers are raised, more complex responses may be required. Detailed information on how all safeguarding issues should be managed within DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC can be found in the DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s Safeguarding Procedures.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
ALL STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS
Every individual working for DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC, irrespective of their role, has a part to play in safeguarding adults and children who need care and support from abuse. Staff who are registered professionals are responsible for checking that they meet the requirements of their professional body in terms of their safeguarding training, competency and practice. All staff will undertake relevant training and must familiarise themselves with our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

DIRECTORS
The Directors of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC have responsibility for the general control and management of the administration of the CIC. Directors of not for profits which work with adults and children who need care and support have a duty of care to their not for profit, which includes taking the necessary steps to safeguard those at risk from abuse, managing risk and protecting the reputation of the not for profit.
Directors will ensure that safeguarding is included, where appropriate, in the strategic plans, risk assessments, communications and quality assurance processes of the organisation. In some cases they will be required to make decisions in relation to complex or serious safeguarding concerns, in consultation with the Executive Director.
Executive Director will ensure that their staff members are adequately trained to recognise signs of abuse and they should promote the discussion of safeguarding at team meetings and as part of supervision or one to one meetings.

BREACHES OF POLICY
Failure to comply with the DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s safeguarding policy may be managed in a number of ways, depending on the nature and consequences of any incident. In some cases a combination of responses may be required. Please refer to our Safeguarding Guidance & Procedures for further details.

IMPLEMENTATION & CONTROLS
MONITORING
This Policy will be reviewed at least once a year, whenever there are relevant changes in legislation and/or regulation and following a safeguarding incident where significant harm has been experienced or alleged by an individual under the care and support of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC.

BASIC TERMS & DEFINITIONS
ADULTS WHO NEED CARE AND SUPPORT
This document does not refer specifically to adults as ‘vulnerable’. It refers instead to adults who need care and support, who may be at risk of abuse. This is the wording used in the Care Act and is the common form of terminology in adult safeguarding practice. It also highlights the fact that a person’s needs for care and support should not cause them to be inherently vulnerable.

GOVERNANCE
Type Policy
Policy owner Executive Director
Support contact Please contact Executive Director for support and advice on safeguarding.
Author Dr Anna Dako, Executive Director of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC
Relevant for All staff and volunteers across the not for profit
Related topic Safeguarding


ABUSE IN RELATION TO ADULTS:
There is no single, universally accepted, definition of abuse in relation to adults who need care and support.
There are many different types of abuse. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, sexual, financial or domestic. It may be neglect, discrimination or institutional or modern slavery. Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it. Further information can be found in the DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s Procedures for Adult and Child Safeguarding.



SAFEGUARDING PROCEDURES

SAFEGUARDING GOVERNANCE
Governance of safeguarding throughout DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC is overseen by the board of directors. They ensure that all safeguarding requirements and quality standards are met with regard to the following:
• Safeguarding incidents or concerns
• Training compliance
• Regulatory updates
• Analysis of safeguarding risks and risk mitigations
• Development and agreement of the safeguarding strategy which is approved by the Board of Directors
• Ensure that all partner organisations have up to date governance and safeguard policies in place
• Development and agreement of the policy and procedures which are approved by the Board of Directors

1. POLICY STATEMENT
1.1 Steps to ensure that people who join our organisation are suitable for their roles.
We do this by:
• Making sure that our job descriptions are a good reflection of what will be expected from the role
• Making sure our person specifications outline the values, behaviours and skills we are seeking in a successful applicant
• Checking references carefully
• Ensuring that every member of staff/volunteer has the appropriate level of criminal records/barring list checked via Disclosure Scotland. These steps are in accordance with our responsibilities under: Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
1.2 We expect our staff and volunteers to uphold our organisational values and behave in a way that reflects these values.
• We have a code of conduct for all staff and volunteers
• If staff do not adhere to this code of conduct, we may take disciplinary action
• If our volunteers do not adhere to the code of conduct, we will look at whether:
1. they need more training/supervision, additional support/adjustments to their roleshould be moved to another role
2. they can continue to volunteer with DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC
We refer any relevant allegations to Disclosure Scotland.
1.3 Steps we take to minimise the risk of staff/volunteers coming to harm in the course of their work for us.
We take a zero tolerance approach to physical, verbal and discriminatory abuse towards our staff and volunteers. We are committed to providing a working environment free from bullying and harassment and have a robust policy and procedure that staff and volunteers can use if they feel they are being bullied or harassed in the course of their work for us or as a result of their employment/volunteering.
1.4 Support we offer to help staff/volunteers overcome difficulties they may face
All staff and volunteers can refer to the executive director of DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC or our board of directors for advice and support. All communications will be held in confidence.
1.5 Training staff/volunteers to recognise signs which could indicate that a child/adult at risk may be being harmed and to know what action to take.
All staff and volunteers will be trained to recognise signs of abuse/neglect and what to do when they have a concern. By law we have a responsibility to be vigilant for and responsive to signs that children, and particular groups of adults, may be at risk of harm.
Staff/volunteers may come across children whilst delivering our caring services, They may also hear/see information from other adults (service users or colleagues) which may suggest that a child is at risk (e.g. disclosure of domestic abuse in a household where children are present).
Staff/volunteers may come across adults at risk in our caring services or may be working or volunteering alongside an adult who they come to know/believe is at risk. Equally, they may come across information in the course of their work, or via a colleague which would suggest that someone using our services, a volunteer, colleague or member of the public may be an adult at risk.
Some staff will need more extensive training because of their roles, because they are working in a clinical environment and/or in regulated activity. Staff who are registered professionals must check that they meet the requirements of their professional body in terms of their safeguarding training, competency and practice.
1.6 Safeguarding children
All volunteers and staff must be alert to indications that a child may be at risk of harm and report these in accordance with the safeguarding children procedure for their nation. Harm to children may take the form of: physical, sexual or emotional abuse; neglect; exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups; trafficking; online abuse; sexual exploitation and the influences of extremism leading to radicalisation. It also includes the harm which can be caused to children from seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another (e.g. in cases of domestic abuse). Reference: The Scottish Government (2021) National guidance for child protection in Scotland.
We will do this by

• providing a safe environment for the development of physical and emotional well-being
• identifying and responding to children and young people sensitively in need of support and/or protection
• supporting children’s development in ways that will foster a sense of self-esteem and awareness of the needs of others
• fostering a learning environment in which every company member feels valued and able to articulate their wishes and feelings in an atmosphere of acceptance and trust.

We will endeavour to ensure that children and young people are protected from harm while they use services offered by DUNAMI - MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC by:

• making sure all staff are carefully selected and fully qualified
• all teachers and anyone else that may come into contact with children and young people will undergo or hold an DBS certificate
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through support, training and quality assurance measures
• recording and storing information professionally and securely
• sharing general information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, and teaching staff
• using our safeguarding procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
• using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
• creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have procedures to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
• ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
• recognising that all children regardless of age, disability, gender, race, sexual orientation or identity or religious belief have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.

1.7 Deprivation of Liberty
Restraint and restrictions which amount to continuous supervision and control and the inability of an adult to leave the premises of their own free will constitute a deprivation of liberty. Depriving someone, who lacks the mental capacity to consent to the arrangements of their liberty is not unlawful, or a safeguarding concern, as long as the appropriate steps to protect the rights and interests of the individual have been taken. Nevertheless, any deprivations of liberty shall be reported to the appropriate body.
1.8 Prevent
Prevent is part of the UK’s Counter Terrorism Strategy and applies to services in England, Wales and Scotland.
Prevent operates to support individuals by redirecting them rather than criminalising them. Prevent aims to challenge the ideology that supports terrorism and those who promote it, to prevent vulnerable individuals from being drawn into terrorism and ensure they are offered appropriate advice and support and to work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation.
If you are concerned that a child, or an adult at risk is being radicalised please refer this to the Local Authority. If in Scotland you are concerned about:
• someone connected to the organisation is promoting extremist ideology or has made extremist comments in a professional or personal capacity
• DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC’s premises, funds or name is being used by individuals/organisations to promote terrorism or express, without challenge, extremist ideology please report this to the Executive Director.



2. ADULTS AT RISK
Some adults are less able to protect themselves from harm than others because of their care and support needs/life circumstances. This includes the risk of abuse (physical/sexual/discriminatory, domestic/organisational/institutional) neglect (including self- neglect) or radicalisation. If anybody comes across information that may suggest that an adult falls into this category they must follow the safeguarding adults procedure for their nation.
There are differences in the definition of an adult at risk across the four nations, details for Scotland listed below.
Scotland (Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) code of practice (under the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007)
An adult at risk is someone:
• Aged 16 or over
• Unable to safeguard their own wellbeing, property, rights or interests
• At risk of harm
• Because of disability, mental disorder, illness (physical or mental) are more vulnerable than others
2.1. Making a referral to the Police or Local Authority about an Adult at Risk
Adults have the right to make decisions about their own lives, even if those decisions seem unwise or might put them in situations which are not safe. A decision can be made on behalf of an adult, in their best interests if, at the time the decision needs to be made, they lack the capacity to make it. If someone is not able to understand, retain and weigh up the risks and benefits of a decision or cannot communicate their decision we call this lacking capacity.
In Scotland referrals to the Local Authority/Police can be made without consent. They will act in accordance with the Adults Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007.
3. SPEAKING UP
Speak up about things which could cause harm to people within/in contact with DUNAMI – MOVEMENT ARTS WELLBEING CIC or email us at anna@dunami-somatics.com.
3.1 Concerns about practices within the organisation: We encourage our staff/volunteers to speak up if they have any concerns about the organisation. We take all issues and concerns very seriously and will provide the appropriate care and attention to each individual.