Introduction

Safeguarding means protecting the health, wellbeing and human rights of adults at risk, enabling them to live safely, free from abuse andneglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and reduce both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks

The DBS check has now replaced the Criminal Records Bureau checks. DBS checks are used when your organisation provides unsupervised activities for children young people and vulnerable adults. “Unsupervised Activities” for children, young people or vulnerable adults are activities where no guardian or carer is present.

Your organisation is entitled to ask for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check on staff trustees and volunteers taking part in providing unsupervised activities including

• teaching or training for children
• caring for children or supervising children
• registered child minding
• providing information advice or guidance on health and well-being
• transport for children or vulnerable adults
• providing regular social or personal care for example washing or dressing
• health care by or supervised by a professional;

If a child or young person or vulnerable adult attends an activity aimed at other people in the community this does not require your organisation to check the DBS of staff or volunteers taking part.

An example of a situation where a check is not required is a person with a learning disability sitting in on an adult education session.

If young people aged between 16 years and 18 years are employed by your organisation you do not require a DBS check.

If your organisation works with children, young people or vulnerable adults you must protect them from harm and safeguard them.

Safeguarding children young people and vulnerable adults means

• Protection from maltreatment
• Preventing any incidents with affect a person’s health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Taking action to enable all children and young people and vulnerable adults have the best outcomes from your activities

Most local authorities have an Independent Safeguarding Board for Children and an Independent Safeguarding Board for Adults.

The safeguarding boards provide information and support and training for community groups who want to work with vulnerable people. The independent safeguarding boards also collect information about safeguarding incidents in Manchester and you must report any incidents that occur in your organisation to them and the police.

If your organisation is to work with children young people or vulnerable adults you must appoint a “designated officer”. A designated officer must be trained and accredited to an advanced safeguarding Level 3 qualification. A designated officer is responsible for:

• Providing support advice and expertise within the your community group on safeguarding issues
• Keeping safeguarding policies and procedures up to date
• Making sure safeguarding cases of suspected abuse or allegations against trustees staff or volunteers are reported to the police or the safeguarding boards
• Making sure the trustees directors or management committee is kept up to date and informed of any safeguarding issues in your community group