Safeguarding adults

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Signed: October 2026
To be reviewed: October 2027

Introduction

BDEF (Bristol Disability Equality Forum) provides a range of activities and support for Disabled people. We recognise that we have a specific responsibility for the safety and protection of children and adults at risk, and a more general one for safeguarding anyone involved in the organisation and protecting them from harm.

Any employee, trustee or volunteer may encounter children or adults at risk during an event, project or activity organised by BDEF itself, or by a member of our wider network or partner organisation. Therefore, it is essential that all employees, interns, trustees and volunteers are aware of, and are able to follow, this Safeguarding Adults’ Policy and the relevant procedures.

BDEF recognises that good safeguarding policies and procedures are of benefit to everyone involved with the organisation, and as such, we will endeavour to follow good practice guidance.

This policy applies to all staff (permanent and temporary), the Board of Trustees, volunteers, and anyone working on behalf of BDEF, as well as our members, and people we work with or people who attend our events. For this policy, the term staff member is defined as any employee of the BDEF. The term volunteer is defined as any person not employed with BDEF, who has been approved in line with our Volunteer Policy to undertake unpaid work in any part of the organisation. This includes trustees and members of advisory groups.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to:

  • Provide staff and volunteers with the principles and legal framework that guide our approach to safeguarding, protection of children and adults.
  • Lay down firm rules and procedures specifically for the protection of adults at risk.
  • Support people who use our services to understand safeguarding and our approach.

This Safeguarding Adults Policy is separate from, and complements, BDEF’s Child Protection Policy and Procedures.  

Definitions

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is wider than just protecting children and adults at risk from harm. It is defined as:

  • Creating a safe and healthy environment where children and adults can thrive
  • Empowering children and adults to be able to keep themselves safe from harm
  • Support people who use our services to understand safeguarding and our approach.
  • Creating opportunities for children and adults to have their voices heard and to take part in the decision making about their lives and their futures
  • Ensuring all procedures are accessible to everyone in the organisation, particularly those who do not have English as a first language
  • Protecting children and adults at risk from maltreatment and abuse
  • Supporting children’s mental and physical health or development
  • Ensuring that children and adults live in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable all children and adults to have the best possible outcomes.

Child Protection

Child Protection is defined in the Children Act 1989 (s.47) as when a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm. Under statutory guidance and legislation, action must then be taken to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare.

A ‘child’ includes babies, children and young people from pre-birth up to 18 years.

Adults at risk

The Care Act 2014 defines an ‘adult at risk’ (previously called ‘vulnerable adult’) as someone who:

  • has needs for care and support (whether or not the Local Authority is meeting any of those needs); and
  • is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
  • as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.

‘Care and support’ needs can be a mixture of practical, financial and emotional support for adults who need extra help to manage their lives and to be independent. This may include older people, Disabled people, (including people with mental health needs or learning difficulties) and also carers.

Government legislation on the safeguarding of adults is mainly designed to protect those already known to the social care or health sector, and who are considered to be ‘at risk’. Disabled people will therefore not automatically be classified as ‘at risk’ as a group in the terms of this legislation.  Nevertheless, there may be times when staff and volunteers in BDEF are involved with those who may come under the formal definition (or they may do themselves). 

However, whilst BDEF recognises that most adults we work with are not generally understood to be ‘at risk’ under the above definition, we believe that the marginalisation and discrimination that Disabled people face and the denial of their human rights, brings about a different kind of risk to wellbeing and a vulnerability. Many of BDEF members of people who use services may not fall under the definition of being ‘at risk’, but need particular levels of support and need safeguarding due to the barriers they face in society.

We also recognise that economic and social discrimination impacts on the ability of particular groups to access support e.g. Disabled people, Black, racially minoritised and migrant people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, who continue to experience additional barriers.

We also recognise that Disabled people overall are more likely to experience abuse than non-disabled people, and less likely to report abuse. In addition, some groups of Disabled people may be more at risk of exploitation than others. For example: people with learning difficulties or neurodivergence may be more likely to be targeted for criminal or sexual exploitation, financial abuse or radicalisation; Disabled asylum seekers or refugees may be more at risk of trafficking, honour-based violence, and other forms of exploitation; Disabled women are more likely to face domestic abuse than non-disabled women.

Disabled and older people are also more likely to face institutional abuse as they are over-represented in residential settings, and a ‘neglect and omission’ are often factors in Serious Case Reviews that happen when someone dies.

We also recognise our responsibility to ensure that all our events are safe. If we have safeguarding concerns or relevant information about any members or other people attending our events, that leads us to believe there is a possibility or history of them causing harm, we will ensure that there is a safety plan in safe, and they will not be left unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults. 

Principles

Statutory guidance enshrines six principles of safeguarding adults to help guide all professionals working in this area. The six principles are:

  • Empowerment – presumption of person led decisions and informed consent
  • Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs
  • Proportionality – proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented
  • Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need
  • Partnership – local solutions through services working in their communities
  • Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

BDEF also recognises that:

Every person has a right to live a life free from abuse, neglect and fear. We have a zero tolerance to the abuse of adults at risk. We believe that the empowerment of adults at risk should underpin all adult safeguarding work and helps to prevent abuse.

The focus of adult safeguarding should always be to identify and endeavour to meet the desired outcomes of the adult at risk. All reports or suspicions of abuse will be treated seriously.

Every member, volunteer and staff member should be able to access appropriate and accessible information about how to gain safety from abuse and violence.

Adult safeguarding work aims to prevent abuse from taking place, and to respond quickly and effectively to investigate this and take appropriate action where abuse is taking place or suspected.

Aims of policy

The aim of this Policy is to put in place practices and procedures that will ensure the protection of adults at risk by:

  • Ensuring that safeguarding adults at risk is everyone's business and responsibility.
  • Ensuring that staff and volunteers are clear about the definition of adults at risk and the types of abuse they may suffer.
  • Considering the suitability of staff and volunteers, including making the requirement of a criminal record check a condition of working with service users when the role may involve unsupervised contact.
  • Encouraging staff and volunteers to be sensitive to any factor of vulnerability of adults we are involved with, and to deal with such vulnerability appropriately.
  • Placing a duty on all staff and volunteers to report immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead any abuse, neglect, inappropriate boundaries or undue influence over people using our services from those covered by this policy.
  • Ensuring that staff and volunteers are clear about their roles and responsibilities.
  • Providing clear guidance on referral mechanisms within BDEF and to external organisations.

We also recognise that:

  • Volunteers or staff at BDEF, may be at risk of harm themselves, and that we have a duty of care to protect them.
  • All adults, regardless of any protected characteristics, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
  • Some adults may be particularly at risk because of the impact of previous experiences/trauma, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
  • Working in partnership with Disabled people and other agencies is essential in promoting adults at risk’s welfare.

Legislative and Policy Framework

This policy has been drawn up based on law and guidance that seeks to protect adults:

  • The Care Act 2014
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
  • Serious Crime Act 2015
  • Health & Social Care Act 2008
  • Domestic Abuse Act 2021
  • Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
  • Mental Capacity Act 2005
  • Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 2009
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Equality Act 2010
  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
  • Care Standards Act 2000
  • Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
  • Crime and Policing Act 2026
  • No Secrets: Guidance on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse (Department of Health and Home Office guidance, 2000)
  • Independent Safeguarding Authority Guidance

This Policy complements, and should be considered along with other BDEF policies and procedures:

  • Child Protection Policy
  • Disclosure Check Policy
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
  • Fair Recruitment and Selection Policy
  • Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Policy
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Volunteer Policy (if in effect)

Roles and responsibilities for safeguarding

Safeguarding adults at risk is everyone’s business and responsibility.

All BDEF staff, trustees, and volunteers are expected to:

  • Recognise indicators of abuse or harm.
  • Report any safeguarding concerns effectively and in line with procedures set out in this Policy.
  • Ensure procedures are accessible to people using the organisation including producing translated materials where necessary and providing access to interpreters.
  • Respect and uphold the rights and dignity of children and adults at risk.
  • Know the categories of abuse, to be aware of the safeguarding principles, and to be able to use them to inform their response to safeguarding.
  • Known that any child or adult can be at risk, whilst understanding that there are particular factors that can increase the risk.
  • Help adults at risk to make their own informed decisions, and also to take or prompt action if an adult at risk is unable to protect themselves from abuse or harm.
  • Access and take an active part in safeguarding children and adults training and any other ongoing learning opportunities with a commitment to good quality safeguarding practice.

Named designated safeguarding lead(s)

The Director is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) responsible for safeguarding children and adults and should be the initial point of contact with all safeguarding queries. In their absence, the BDEF Safeguarding Trustee lead should be contacted as Deputy.  When the Director post is temporarily vacant, a suitably qualified and experienced person will be nominated by the trustees as interim DSL.

The areas of responsibility for the DSL include:

  • Identifying possible risks to people who use services or anyone else connected with BDEF, taking into account local and national intelligence.
  • Establishing and maintaining a positive safeguarding culture in BDEF.
  • Ensuring that everyone involved in BDEF (staff and volunteers) knows how to recognise and report a safeguarding concern, and has safeguarding updates relevant to their role at least annually.
  • Ensuring that all posts that need to be DBS checked are dealt with appropriately, and conducting a risk assessment for anyone who does not require a DBS check.
  • Referring cases where a crime may have been committed to the Police.
  • Referring, and supporting staff to refer, cases of suspected abuse to the relevant local authority.
  • Referring, and supporting staff to refer, cases of suspected abuse to the relevant local authority.
  • Ensuring all related safeguarding adults’ policies and procedures are known, understood and used appropriately, and that the Safeguarding Adults Policy is reviewed annually.
  • Ensuring the Safeguarding Adults Policy is available publicly (e.g., through the website).
  • Linking with the local safeguarding partners.
  • Being available to discuss any safeguarding concerns (in person, phone, Zoom or other such media) and arranging adequate and appropriate cover arrangements for any out of hours activities.
  • Overseeing the budgetary allocations for safeguarding.
  • Undertaking any safeguarding audits as necessary, including audits of the Single Central Record.
  • Producing an Annual Safeguarding Report for the Trustees.
  • Ensuring that these duties can be carried out by the Deputy DSL in their absence.

The Designated Safeguarding Trustee has responsibility for:

  • Ensuring that BDEF has up to date policies and procedures in place for protecting adults and children at risk that are reviewed annually.
  • Ensuring that BDEF has safer recruitment policies and that these are implemented in all recruitment activity.
  • Ensuring BDEF has a Designated Safeguarding Lead in place, and that they have had the required training that is appropriate for their role.
  • Identifying possible risks to people who use services or anyone else connected with BDEF, taking into account local and national intelligence.
  • Continually reviewing the safeguarding culture in BDEF.
  • Ensuring that everyone involved in BDEF (staff and volunteers) knows how to recognise and report a safeguarding concern and has safeguarding training relevant to their role at least annually.
  • Ensuring that there is a process in place to ensure that all posts that need to be DBS checked are dealt with appropriately and that a risk assessment process is in place for anyone who does not require a DBS check.
  • Ensuring that, as a Board, all trustees are aware of BDEF safeguarding policies and procedures and receive at least annual briefings on safeguarding.
  • Receiving an annual safeguarding report.
  • Being aware of Serious Case reviews or other major incidents and ensuring that reviews are taken place to address any issues raised by Safeguarding Boards.
  • Checking the Single Central Record.
  • Ensuring that relevant incidents are reported to the Charity Commission.

The Chair of BDEF has responsibility for:

Appointing a Designated Safeguarding Trustee, and for ensuring that BDEF has policies and procedures in place for protecting children and adults at risk including safer recruitment policies. They must also ensure that there are named staff designated to lead this work, and for overseeing the operation of the Policy, and ensuring that resources are allocated to carry out the work.

Well-being

BDEF believes that it has a duty to create a safe culture and to take all reasonable steps to promote the well-being of its staff, volunteers and the people we work with.

In order to help anyone who is part of BDEF to thrive, BDEF has a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy. There are a variety of things that we can do, for all users of BDEF services, staff or volunteers. For those with particular problems, we need to offer that support in an effective way. Where severe problems occur, we should support them to get support elsewhere as well, including from medical professionals, voluntary organisations and local GPs.

There are resources available to help staff support the good mental health and emotional wellbeing of members and the people we work with. Specifically BDEF has a trustee lead for Wellbeing and Culture. We should intervene early to support anyone who is experiencing difficulties and consider if anyone in these groups would benefit from the offer of counselling and work with other organisations to look at what provision is available locally.

We will also work to promote the well-being of everyone who uses a BDEF service or event, and this might include protection from abuse and neglect, but also wider issues of:

  • personal dignity (including treatment of the individual with respect)
  • physical and mental health and emotional well-being
  • control by the individual over day-to-day life (including over care and support or support, provided to the individual and the way in which it is provided)
  • participation in work, education, training or recreation
  • social and economic well-being
  • domestic, family and personal relationships
  • suitability of living accommodation
  • the individual’s contribution to society.

To develop good practice, BDEF will introduce Wellbeing Plans for any volunteer or person we work with where they are not considered ‘at risk’ according to statutory thresholds, but where there are safeguarding or well-being concerns which we feel need to be monitored and supported to ensure their situation does not deteriorate.

If any staff member has safeguarding or well-being concerns, they should be raised through supervision. A well-being plan can be developed if the staff member wishes, with either the Director, the line manager, one of the Trustees, or a staff or union representative or union as requested.

BDEF would use Wellbeing Plans to encourage anyone around whom where there are safeguarding concerns, and those supporting them, to consider what other organisations can do in terms of advocacy, advice, referrals and signposting to:

  • Reduce isolation/improve social networks
  • Reduce poverty/hunger
  • Improve physical & mental health and well-being
  • Ensure safe place to sleep/live
  • Find meaningful activity, i.e., volunteering/work/ classes etc
  • Other specialist advice services required e.g., debt/housing/careers

Mental capacity

Any adult at risk must be assumed to have capacity to make their own decisions and be given all practicable help before anyone treats them as not being able to make their own decisions. Where an adult is found to lack capacity to make a decision, this must be through the legally defined process in the Mental Capacity Act.  Thereafter, when any action is taken, or any decision is made for, or on their behalf, this must be made in their best interests.

All professionals and other staff are required to work in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘MCA’) and have regard to the relevant Code of Practice. The provisions of the Act are binding upon anyone seeking to make decisions for a person who may lack capacity.

When safeguarding concerns arise, the mental capacity of the individuals involved – victims as well as those alleged to be responsible – is central to the assessment and decision-making processes. It is essential that in any level of safeguarding enquiry the mental capacity of those involved is clarified at the outset.

However, it is important to ensure that safeguarding decision-making and mental capacity best interests decision-making do not become confused. In essence, this is because safeguarding procedures do not convey any authority to act on behalf of a person who may lack mental capacity. Where there are disputes about a person’s mental capacity or the best interests of an adult deemed to be at risk and these cannot be resolved locally, legal advice should be sought about whether an application to the Court of Protection is required.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is crucial to all our relationships - but the welfare of an adult at risk is paramount.  BDEF does not allow anyone to keep concerns relating to an adult at risk to themselves. Confidentiality may not be maintained if the withholding of the information will prejudice the welfare of an adult at risk.

Staff have a responsibility to share relevant safeguarding information with other professionals, particularly the investigative agencies. Any information sharing will be done in line with statutory guidance. It is important to remember there can be significant consequences to not sharing information as there can be to sharing. Staff must use their professional judgement to decide whether to share or not, and what information is appropriate.  A record of what information has been shared, with whom, the date and why should be kept. All information will be kept locked and secure, and access will be limited to the appropriate staff, management and relevant agencies. 

Think Family approach 

Bristol Safeguarding Board encourages a “Think Family Approach” through their Multi-Agency Guidance.  The guidance seeks to embed good practice so that any child’s needs are not overlooked by adults’ services where the focus may be on the adult in front of them, and likewise for children’s services to not overlook the adults’ needs.   Further information is available on Think Family Bristol Safeguarding.

Prevent duty

It is essential that staff members and volunteers are able to identify adults at risk who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and to know what to do when they are identified. Staff will be trained to recognise possible signs. 

There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to a radicalisation. As with managing other safeguarding risks, staff should be alert to changes in behaviour which could indicate that they may be in need of help or protection. 

The Prevent duty does not require staff to carry out unnecessary intrusion but, it is important to take action when they observe behaviour of concern. The Police Prevent Team can give advice. Contact them by phone: 01278 647466 or ring 101 and ask for the Prevent team, explaining you are calling about extremism or radicalisation. 

Any concerns will be referred through Care Direct or the police. The concern may then be dealt with through usual safeguarding procedures or referred to the Channel process. For information regarding the Channel process, which is a voluntary process to address radicalisation, an email address is in the Appendix 6, along with other contacts.

It should be discussed with the individual before a referral is made and clearly explained to them that it is a multi-agency initiative involving the police.  Referrals may only be made with the consent of the individual.

In addition if an individual is at risk of extremism, contact the Counter Extremism Group.

Complaints

If anyone believes that BDEF has failed to implement its Safeguarding Adults Policy properly, or believes they have been the subject of any form of discrimination, they should notify BDEF using the Complaints Procedure to raise concerns. We take all complaints seriously and we undertake to investigate promptly and respond in accordance with the appropriate procedure. Staff are reminded that any member/beneficiary raising a grievance in good faith, with reasonable grounds, has a right to be protected against victimisation for making such a complaint, even if it is not upheld.

We take all complaints seriously and we undertake to investigate promptly and respond in accordance with the appropriate procedure. Staff are reminded that any member/beneficiary raising a grievance in good faith, with reasonable grounds, has a right to be protected against victimisation for making such a complaint, even if it is not upheld.

If a staff member wants to raise a concern about the Policy implementation, they should use the Grievance Procedure.

Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing is reporting a serious concern about another member of staff or volunteer, about trustees or about the systems of the organisation. Reporting may be to a more senior member of staff or to an appropriate external organisation if necessary. 

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects employees against detrimental treatment or dismissal as a result of any disclosure of normally confidential information in the interests of the public. 

A serious concern may be:

  • a criminal offence
  • abuse or neglect of people we work with
  • bullying or victimisation of staff, volunteers or the people we work with financial malpractice
  • negligence in governance
  • a health and safety risk
  • a failure to deliver appropriate standards of care

There may be other serious concerns, which do not fit into these categories.

All staff or volunteers are required to report serious concerns to the Chair of BDEF, as well as any concerns or allegations about BDEF practices or the behaviour of colleagues (including volunteers and trustees) which are likely to put the people we work with at risk of abuse or other serious harm. In the event of their unavailability, concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Deputy in his / her absence. 

If it is felt necessary to consult outside the organisation, staff should speak in the first instance to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) following BDEF's Whistleblowing Policy.

Staff who feel unsure about whether or how to raise a concern or want confidential advice can contact the independent charity Public Concern at Work (PCAW). Their lawyers can give free confidential advice on how to raise a concern about serious malpractice at work.

Monitoring and implementing this policy

An Annual Report on progress in implementing safeguarding and this policy and procedures will be presented to the Board of Trustees by the DSL.

Volunteers and staff will receive briefings and training on safeguarding issues as part of their induction and on-going staff development and will be given a copy of the relevant policies. In supervision, all staff and volunteers will have an opportunity to raise any concerns and to practice and discuss any skills required for keeping adults and children safe during their work with BDEF.  

All staff and volunteers will undertake safeguarding training, and this is to be updated every 3 years, along with annual briefings on any changes to legislation or policy. 

BDEF will review this policy annually to ensure it is being implemented.  Appropriate action will be taken if deemed necessary, through consultation with the relevant agencies.

Contact details

Contact the DSL

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Megan Belcher

Position: Director

Safeguarding Trustee

Designated Safeguarding Trustee: Ruth Pickersgill

Appendix

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