Safeguarding

Our commitment

Everyone we support has the right to live free from abuse, neglect and harm. Kare Plus Rugby is committed to protecting the safety, dignity and wellbeing of every person in our care, and to acting promptly whenever a concern is raised.

Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. Every member of our staff has a duty to report any concern about abuse or neglect, whether it relates to something they have seen, been told about, or suspect.

What we mean by abuse

Abuse can take many forms, and it is not always obvious. It includes:

• Physical abuse — hitting, restraining, or misusing medication.
• Neglect — failing to provide food, warmth, medication or personal care.
• Emotional or psychological abuse — threats, humiliation, intimidation or isolation.
• Financial abuse — theft, fraud, or pressure around money, property or wills.
• Sexual abuse — any sexual act without informed consent.
• Discriminatory abuse — harassment or unequal treatment based on a protected characteristic.
• Organisational abuse — poor practice built into how a service is run.
• Self-neglect — where someone is unable or unwilling to care for their own health or surroundings.

How we prevent harm

• Safer recruitment. Enhanced DBS checks, verified identity and right to work, and employment references before anyone works with the people we support.
• Training. Safeguarding training during induction and refreshed regularly, so staff can recognise and report concerns.
• Supervision. Regular supervision and spot checks, with a named coordinator responsible for each package of care.
• Clear reporting routes. Staff know who to tell, and are expected to report concerns rather than investigate them themselves.
• A culture of speaking up. Nobody is penalised for raising a concern in good faith, including under our whistleblowing arrangements.

How to raise a concern

You do not need to be certain, and you do not need proof. If something does not feel right, tell us. We would far rather look into a concern that turns out to be nothing than miss one that mattered.

1. Contact us by phone or email using the details above.
2. Tell us what you have seen or been told, and when. Write down anything you remember.
3. Our safeguarding lead will acknowledge the concern and decide, with you where possible, what happens next.
4. Where the threshold is met, we will refer to the local authority safeguarding team and notify the Care Quality Commission as required.

You can also report a concern directly to the local authority safeguarding team, or to the Care Quality Commission, without telling us first. You have every right to do that.

Mental capacity and consent

We work in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. We assume someone has capacity to make their own decisions unless it is established otherwise, we support people to make their own decisions wherever possible, and any decision made on someone's behalf must be in their best interests and the least restrictive option available.

Contacts

Safeguarding lead: [TODO: INSERT NAME AND JOB TITLE OF THE DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD]
Local authority safeguarding team: [TODO: INSERT THE ADULT SAFEGUARDING CONTACT FOR EACH LOCAL AUTHORITY AREA COVERED, INCLUDING OUT-OF-HOURS NUMBERS]
Care Quality Commission: 03000 616161
Police: 999 in an emergency, otherwise 101

Related policies

This page summarises our approach. Our full safeguarding policy, whistleblowing policy and complaints procedure are available on request.

[TODO: CONFIRM THIS PAGE MATCHES THE ORGANISATION'S ACTUAL SAFEGUARDING POLICY, AND THAT THE POLICY ITSELF HAS BEEN REVIEWED AGAINST CQC REQUIREMENTS AND LOCAL SAFEGUARDING BOARD PROCEDURES.]