Corporate Safeguarding Policy

Corporate Safeguarding Children and Adults Policy (PDF) [765KB]

1. Introduction
2. Safe employment 
3. Safe workforce
4. Safe Practice
5. Safe Partnerships
   1. Safe Voice
6. Safe Performance- what the Council must deliver on 
7. Appendix 1
8. Appendix 2
9. Appendix 3
10. Appendix 4
11. Appendix 5

"Safeguarding is everyone's business"

• Safe governance
• Safe employment
• Safe workforce
• Safe practice
• Safe partnerships
• Safe voice
• Safe performance

"Doing nothing is not an option - Spot it, Report it!"

Introduction

1a) Policy context: 

Swansea Council has a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare 
of children at risk and of adults at risk. 

The council aims to ensure that everyone working with, or on behalf of, children and/or adults is competent, confident and safe to do so, by working within the legal and statutory frameworks set out in the following:

• Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019 (safeguarding.wales) (opens new window)
• Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 (SS&WbA)
• Children Act 1989 and 2004 
• Human Rights Act 1998
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 
• UN Principles for Older Persons 
• UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People (CRDP)
• Data Protection Act 2018 
• Equalities Act 2010
• Regulations and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2015
• Modern Slavery Act 2015

This revised Corporate Operational Safeguarding Policy (v5 3, June 2022) sets out how the Swansea Council will meet our statutory obligations towards the safeguarding of children and adults at risk, as set out in Wales Safeguarding Procedures (2019), codes of practice and statutory guidance. 
It aims to give assurance to members of the public, service users, councillors, employees and people working on behalf of the Council that there are clear arrangements in place to safeguard and protect children and adults:

Welsh Government | Codes of practice and statutory guidance (gov.wales) (opens new window)

Also, in relation to:
Keeping learners safe (PDF) [1MB] - The role of local authorities, governing bodies and proprietors of independent schools under the Education Act 2002.

West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board (WGSB)

West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board (wgsb.wales) (opens new window) was established to promote, inform and support multi-agency safeguarding for Children and Adults across Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. The Board are the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how organisations will co-operate to safeguard and promote the welfare of Children and Adults living in the region.
The WGSB is responsible for agreeing on how the different services and professional groups should co-operate to safeguard Children and Adults, for making sure that arrangements work effectively in bringing about better outcomes for Children and Adults in West Glamorgan.

Appendix 5 provides a full set of links to useful information.

1b) Legal duties for Swansea Council:

• To ensure our approach is consistent with the principles of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. 
• To apply Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019 (safeguarding.wales) (opens new window) for children and adults at risk of abuse and neglect. These are the national Wales Safeguarding Procedures. They detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect. 
• There is a duty to cooperate, working together as partners with the lead organisation in the exercise of any of its safeguarding functions.
• There is a duty to report a child at risk for all relevant partners of a local authority. Under Section 130 of the Social services and well-being (Wales) act 2014 (legislation.gov) (opens new window)
• There is a duty for a local authority to make enquiries (linking into section 47 of the Children Act) if they are informed that a child may be at risk; and to take steps to ensure that the child is safe. Under Section 130 of the Social services and well-being (Wales) act 2014 (legislation.gov) (opens new window)
• There is a duty of all relevant partners of a local authority to report a concern about an adult at risk, and for a local authority to make enquiries if it has reasonable cause to suspect that a person within its area (whether or not ordinarily resident there) is an adult at risk. Under Section 126 of the Social services and well-being (Wales) act 2014 (legislation.gov) (opens new window)
• To apply the Reducing Restrictive Practices Framework (PDF) [549KB] (2021)- A new framework to promote measures and practice that will lead to the reduction of restrictive practices in childcare, education, health and social care settings for people of all ages.

1c) "Safeguarding" is everyone's business in every service within the Council. "Safeguarding" is a much wider concept than the protection of children and adults. It involves the promotion of rights, supporting individuals to live safely and minimising risk, where possible, and the protection of citizen rights within the following areas of well-being:
• Protection from harm and neglect; 
• Safety
• Physical health, emotional well-being, and mental health; 
• Maintaining and protecting an individual's human rights
• Contribution to society
• Social and economic well-being. 

1d) Swansea's No 1 Corporate Priority: 
Safeguarding people from harm - so that our citizens are free from harm and exploitation.
In support of Safeguarding as the number one corporate priority and well-being objective, the following are key:
• Every child and adult (whatever their background, culture, age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religious belief) has a right to participate in a safe society without any violence, fear, abuse, bullying or discrimination;
• Every child and adult has the right to be protected from harm, exploitation and abuse;
• We will put the wellbeing of children and adults at the centre of all our policies and procedures;
• We will work closely in partnership with children, their parents, carers and adults and other agencies to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of children and adults;
• We will strive to respect the rights, wishes, feelings and privacy of children and adults by listening to them and minimising any risks that may affect them;
• We will invest in preventative and early intervention services and endeavour to minimise situations where abuse or allegations of abuse, neglect or harm may occur.

1e) Taking a Sustainable approach to Safeguarding
The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 puts in place a 'sustainable development principle' which tells organisations how to go about meeting their duty under the Act. There are 5 ways of working that should underpin all policies and practice:

• Long Term - The importance of balancing short-term needs alongside ensuring that long-term needs are met.
• Prevention - Intervening early to minimise the risk of problems occurring or getting worse may help public bodies meet their objectives.
• Integration - Considering how the public body's well-being objectives may impact upon each of the well-being goals, on other corporate objectives, or on the objectives of other public bodies.
• Collaboration - Acting in collaboration with any other person (or different parts of the public body itself) that could help the public body to meet its well-being objectives.
• Involvement - The importance of involving people with an interest in achieving the national well-being goals, the Council's well-being objectives and their own well-being goals. Also ensuring that those people involved and supported reflect the diversity of the area which the body serves.

1f) Improvement Actions 

To achieve this corporate priority, and to apply corporate safeguarding as everyone's business, this revised Policy comes under the governance of the Corporate Safeguarding Group, with a work programme to take forward improvement actions and report on progress (see Appendix 2b).

1g) Safe Governance structures

There is a strong governance structure in place to ensure these legal duties are carried out, and Swansea's approach to safeguarding is delivered.
See appendix 2 - Governance Structure

Swansea Council sets out how our approach to providing children, families and their carers, with the Right Support at the Right Time in a document.

Where there are professional differences then we follow the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Policy for West Glamorgan safeguarding boards resolution of professional differences (PDF) [507KB].

2. Safe Employment 

This section outlines the safe employment arrangement in place to safeguard vulnerable children and adults.

What we in Swansea are currently doing:

2a) Recruitment and selection - policies and procedures to prevent, wherever possible, unsuitable people from working in/volunteering for certain roles, particularly roles that involve children and adults who may be at risk. This includes:

• a Disclosure and Barring Policy which follows UK Law and requires every job role/volunteer position to have a risk assessment which will decide whether a disclosure and barring check is required, 
• managers cannot be involved in the recruitment and selection process unless they have undertaken specific training, 
• where a person's role requires a DBS check it must be rechecked every 3 years, 
• ensuring a person's identify and references are confirmed before they start their role, 
• adhering to the Authority's Employment of Ex-Offenders Policy 

2b) On commencement of employment: all employees, volunteers and contractors are expected make a commitment to safeguarding when they join the Authority or work on its behalf

Examples of the arrangements that are in place:

• all job descriptions include a committed to safeguarding statement,
• where there are any specific safeguarding requirements and responsibilities these will be included in the job description, personal specification and taken into account as part of the selection process.

2c) Awareness and understanding of safeguarding role: All employees, volunteers and contractors understand their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding and are aware that this includes reporting concerns or worries about children and adults they come into contact with

Examples of arrangements that are in place: 

• safeguarding is included as part of Authority's induction process, 
• all employees are required to undertake mandatory safeguarding children and adults training (for more information go to Training and staff development 
• Swansea Staffnet - Courses that all staff must complete (staff.swansea.gov)
• employees have access to Safeguarding (staff.swansea.gov) information and resources.

2d) Identifying and raising concerns - all staff are aware that any behaviour causing concern whether by another employee, volunteer contractor or citizen towards a child or adult at risk are reported sensitively and effectively, in accordance this policy.

In support of the above, the Council has:

• Staff mandatory training programme for all staff
• Employee handbook- all staff have access to key procedures and guidance,
• Specialist information, advice and assistance is available, via Social Services, Corporate Services, HR and West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board. 
• There is a Council Whistle Blowing Policy in place:
• HR - Whistleblowing policy (staff.swansea.gov)
• Supporting employees affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence policy:
• HR - Supporting employees affected by domestic abuse and sexual violence policy (staff.swansea.gov)
  • Also  Safe Swansea VAWDASV Strategy (PDF) [1MB].
• Other Council policies and procedures

Section 4 of this Safeguarding Policy describes the processes for reporting allegations and concerns. 

Also, see flowcharts for reporting (Appendix 3a and b).

3. Safe Workforce

This section sets out what is expected of all Council staff and partners

3a) Safeguarding is Everyone's responsibility.

Swansea council expects all employees to take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of any child or adult involved in any activity or interaction for which they are responsible.

The Council's safe workforce covers the following roles:

• Employees
• Managers
• Contractors
• Named Safeguarding Persons
• Safeguarding Strategic Managers
• Social Services Lead Officer Safeguarding Children
• Social Services Lead Officer: Safeguarding Adults
• Director of Social Services
• Chief Executive
• Elected Members
• Cabinet member for Safeguarding 
• A safe workforce within Swansea Council should:
  • be constantly alert to the possibility of abuse and neglect;
  • participate in relevant safeguarding training and multi-agency partnership working to safeguard children and adults at risk;
  • be familiar with local procedures and protocols for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and follow the employer's and any relevant professional codes of conduct: HR - Code of conduct policy (staff.swansea.gov)
  • report any concerns about the safety or welfare of a child or adult.

3b) Workforce training

Staff and councillors receive relevant training on Safeguarding, appropriate to their role, and are aware of this policy. This must be a continuous and permanent arrangement within the Council. This training should be completed every three years. The Policy should continue to be reviewed in line with relevant policy and legislative changes.

This arrangement will include:

• Lead safeguarding roles within each service are reviewed regularly, as team structures/ posts/ personnel may change
• Designated Safeguarding Lead's to have role-specific safeguarding training 
• Safeguarding Awareness training for volunteers/ casual staff
• Corporate workforce information system to act as the sole record of safeguarding training undertaken by staff
• Annual training needs analysis is undertaken to audit compliance to mandatory training in all service areas, and to identify gaps.

3c) Key Council roles in Corporate Safeguarding (see Appendix 4):

3d) Training Resources

Swansea Council's e-Learning (now accessed via Oracle Fusion), including training modules on Safeguarding Adults v2 and Safeguarding Children v2 which are mandatory for all staff.

4. Safe Practice

Safeguarding practice is both person-centred and outcome-focused.

Swansea has a Spot It! Report It! Campaign.

By working collaboratively to identify and prevent abuse and neglect, where possible. To ensure all agencies, services and individuals can give timely and proportionate responses, when possible occurrence of abuse or neglect of children and adults at risk has noticed. 

As an organisation, the Council can be assured that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place, and that all safeguarding practice within the wider workforce (including partners, providers and volunteers) is continuously improving and working towards enhancing the lives and well-being of Swansea citizens.

This section describes the practice and practical arrangements put in place to achieve this new framework.

4a) Identifying signs of potential abuse: 

As mentioned, there are many types of abuse, and there are many possible signs of abuse, none of which are conclusive on their own. 

Some examples may include:

• Unexplained injury / weight loss / cuts and bruises / dirtiness
• Sudden or unexplained changes in behaviour
• Depression / low self-esteem / anxiety
• Lack of self-care / dehydration / abnormal eating pattern
• Harm to self
• Obsessive behaviour
• Changes in financial circumstances- bills not being paid or sudden poverty
• Decline in living standards, or neglect of property
• An overly critical or disrespectful carer or guardian or boss (in cases of trafficking) who may control, bully or undermine
• Isolation from usual network of friends, family or community
• No access to General Practicioner / local services and legal documents for example passport (trafficking)

See- Appendix One: glossary of terms & Appendix 5: Useful Information

4b) Reporting any potential concern

When a child protection or adult protection concern is being raised then, first and foremost, we must adhere to the Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019.

The Wales Safeguarding Procedures detail the essential roles and responsibilities to safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect.

See Appendices 3a and 3b: corporate safeguarding flow charts for reporting concerns about children and adults at risk.

Where a possible safeguarding concern is recognised, you, as a Council employee, are responsible for raising the matter with your Line Manager or the Named safeguarding person (staff.swansea.gov).
On occasion, it may be appropriate or necessary to contact Social Services directly via the contact details shown below.

Staff are directed to follow relevant safeguarding procedures for their individual service and directorate, and services should have their own safeguarding procedures which are accessible to staff in the course of their daily work. 

Together with their safeguarding lead, they can then decide whether to contact the safeguarding lead in their service area, or to contact specialist help:

• Adult Services Common Access Point
• Swansea Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
• Safeguarding adults concerns

If a Councillor (or any member of the public) has concerns regarding the safety of an adult, then the Social Services Common Access Point should be contacted immediately by completing a referral form or by phone.

Adult Services Common Access Point for Health & Social Care: 
Tel. 01792 636519
CAP@swansea.gov.uk 

Safeguarding Adults:
safeguarding@swansea.gov.uk
Tel. 01792 636519
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 08.30am - 5pm and Friday 08.30-4.30pm

If a Councillor (or any member of the public) has concerns regarding the safety of a child or young person, then the Social Services Single Point Of Contact Team should be contacted immediately on:

Child & Family Services Single Point of Contact
Email: singlepointofcontact@swansea.gov.uk
Tel: 01792 635700
SMS: 07796275457
Monday - Thursday 08.30am - 5pm and Friday 08.30-4.30pm

Social Services Out-of-Hours Team should be contacted if the issue arises after 5.00pm, Monday to Thursday, after 4.30pm on Fridays, and on weekends and Bank Holidays. Tel: 01792 775501

The emergency services (Police, Ambulance, Fire and Rescue) must be contacted immediately if the child or adult is in immediate danger.

5. Safe Partnerships

This section covers

• Links to Regional safeguarding arrangements

5a) West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board (WGSB)

WGSB is responsible for agreeing on how the different services and professional groups should co-operate to safeguard Children and Adults, for making sure that arrangements work effectively in bringing about better outcomes for Children and Adults in West Glamorgan.

5b) West Glamorgan Safeguarding Children 

West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board has certain powers to lead and direct other organisations in their safeguarding arrangements and in making clear where improvement is needed. 
These include:

• Coordinating the work of all agencies represented on the board for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in their area,
• Through Section 28, carrying out checks to assess whether partners are fulfilling their statutory obligations set out in statutory guidance 
• Ensuring the effectiveness of what is done by each such person or body for those purposes 
• Developing policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting preventative approaches which promote the welfare of children in their area 
• Communicating the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 
• Participating in the planning of services for children in the area, and assess the effectiveness of the help being provided to children and families
• Carrying out practice reviews to learn

5c) West Glamorgan Safeguarding Adults 

West Glamorgan Safeguarding Adults supports organisations in their arrangements to safeguard adults with managed care and support needs. It does this by: assuring itself that local safeguarding arrangements are in place, and checking these are working effectively.
Activities include:

• Publishing a business plan setting out how they will meet their objectives and how their members and partner agencies will contribute 
• Publish an annual report detailing how effective their work has been
• Carry out a work programme to check the effectiveness of current arrangements,
• Hold events to promote safeguarding and preventative practices
• Overall, the West Glamorgan Regional board has statutory responsibilities, defined within regulations, statutory guidance, and codes of practice by the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, to lead and coordinate adult safeguarding arrangements across its locality and oversee and coordinate the effectiveness of the safeguarding work of its member and partner agencies.

For more information, see Appendix 5 - West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board.

6. Safe Voice

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 gives people a stronger voice and real control over the support they need to remove
barriers to their wellbeing. It focusses on earlier intervention to prevent needs becoming critical, and promotes investment of resources in the short term, towards a more sustainable approach.

Each citizen must feel that they are an equal partner in their relationship with
Professionals, in discussions about their safety and well-being

Advocacy

An individual must be made to feel safe, and that they are an equal partner in their relationship with professionals. It is open to any individual to invite someone of their choice to support them to participate fully and express their views wishes and feelings. This support can be provided by someone's friends, family or wider support network.

Under Part 10 of the Act that deals with Advocacy, there are further requirements on a local authority to work, in partnership with the individual, must reach a judgement on how advocacy could support the determination and delivery of an individual's personal outcomes, including safeguarding outcomes; together with the circumstances when a local authority must arrange an independent professional advocate. 

Advocacy services: code of practice (gov.wales) (opens new window)

Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is a UK wide initiative which aims to develop an outcomes focus to safeguarding work, and a range of responses to support people to improve or resolve their circumstances

The development of Making Safeguarding Personal is not simply about a focus on personalised, safe practice at the front line. It requires a whole system approach across and within organisations, to promote the voice and control of the person at the centre.

Some examples of a "Safe Voice" approach to safeguarding would be:

• treating people with 'lived experience' as equal partners in the safeguarding adults relationship, and with dignity and respect 
• making sure that each person's involved in safeguarding activities is valued for their experience, strengths and knowledge, and this includes staff and carers 
• making sure the voice of families, groups and communities are heard with safeguarding activities, including groups who are seldom heard.
• making sure safeguarding processes and user involvement as made as clear and simple and accessible as possible, with easy-to-understand information about what each activity entails made available
• Undertaking temperature checks of how safeguarding processes are experiences by staff and citizens. 
• By focusing on an individual's own outcomes

7. Safe Performance- what the Council must deliver on 

This section cover how the Council will know if it is delivering on this framework.

In support of Safeguarding as the number one corporate priority and well-being objective, the Council needs to deliver on the following 

• Continue to improve understanding and awareness of safeguarding and how to identify and report concerns amongst Council staff, elected Members, partners, the public and those working on behalf of the Council. 
• Continue to ensure that effective safeguarding arrangements are in place to protect those at risk from significant harm and exploitation.
• Continue to strengthen collaboration and partnerships on safeguarding through the West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board.
• Continue to involve looked after children in getting their voice heard about the services that they receive through engagement with children and young people and through strengths-based practice that focusses on their strengths and assets and what they and their families can do to help themselves.

Key Performance Measures

Swansea Council through the corporate safeguarding steering group board will collect, analyse, monitor and review data associated with these safeguarding objectives arising from the improvement actions listed above, and to report on a range of key performance measures, both quarterly and annually.
 
The Council is also independently audited annually by the regional Safeguarding Board, and may be subject to inspection by Audit Wales. 

Key performance indicators may include:

• Improved staff awareness of safeguarding policy, and safeguarding leads
• Safeguarding procedures in place and understood across the organisation 
• Number of concerns and referrals generated by non-specialist council teams
• All job descriptions to include safeguarding as a key responsibility for all staff posts
• Mandatory safeguarding training completed by staff and elected members

Appendix 1: Glossary of key terms used within Safeguarding:

Safeguarding is about protecting children and adults from abuse or neglect and educating those around them to recognise the signs and dangers, and as this policy makes clear there is a duty to report:

Wales Safeguarding Procedures (safeguarding.wales) (opens new window)

Wales Safeguarding Procedures app is available for download via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Social Services legislation (gov.wales) (opens new window)

Welsh Government Guidance on Reporting suspected abuse, harm or neglect (safeguarding) (gov.wales) (opens new window). 

Keeping learners safe (PDF) [1MB] - The role of local authorities, governing bodies and proprietors of independent schools under the Education Act 2002.

Welsh Government Codes of Practice: Social services codes of practice (gov.wales) (opens new window)

Under the Code Of Practice 7 Working Together to Safeguard People (p8) of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 (PDF) [2MB], redefines children and adults 'at risk':

Section 130 (4) defines a 'child at risk' as a child who:

(a) is experiencing or is at risk of abuse, neglect or other kinds of harm; and

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

Section 126(1) defines an adult at risk.

An "adult at risk", for the purposes of this Part, is an adult who:-

(a) is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect;

(b) has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs); 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."

This definition of an "adult at risk" applies in relation to the statutory powers and duties included in Part 7 of the Act and, for those purposes, replaces the definition of a "vulnerable adult" included within In Safe Hands (Welsh Assembly Government 2000).

In relation to 'adults and children at risk', section 197(1) of the Act provides definitions of "abuse" and "neglect":

Abuse- means physical, sexual, psychological, emotional or financial abuse (and includes abuse taking place in any setting, whether in a private dwelling, an institution or any other place), and "financial abuse".

Neglect- under the Act, "neglect" means a failure to meet a person's basic physical, emotional, social or psychological needs, which is likely to result in an impairment of the person's well-being (for example, an impairment of the person's health or, in the case of a child, an impairment of the child's development).

Categories of Abuse and Neglect:  Code Of Practice 7 Working Together to Safeguard People (p8) (PDF) [2MB](p8) provides a non-exhaustive list of examples for each of the categories of abuse and neglect:

• physical abuse - hitting, slapping, over or misuse of medication, undue restraint, or inappropriate sanctions;
• sexual abuse - rape and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the vulnerable adult has not or could not consent and/or was pressured into consenting;
• psychological abuse - threats of harm or abandonment, coercive control, humiliation, verbal or racial abuse, isolation or withdrawal from services or supportive networks (coercive control is an act or pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation, intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish or frighten the victim);
• neglect - failure to access medical care or services, negligence in the face of risk-taking, failure to give prescribed medication, failure to assist in personal hygiene or the provision of food, shelter, clothing; emotional neglect
• financial abuse in relation to people who may have needs for care and support. Possible indicators of financial abuse include:
  • unexpected change to their will.;
  • sudden sale or transfer of the home;
  • unusual activity in a bank account;
  • sudden inclusion of additional names on a bank account;
  • signature does not resemble the person's normal signature;
  • reluctance or anxiety by the person when discussing their financial affairs;
  • giving a substantial gift to a carer or other third party;
  • a sudden interest by a relative or other third party in the welfare of the person;
  • bills remaining unpaid;
  • complaints that personal property is missing;
  • a decline in personal appearance that may indicate that diet and personal requirements are being ignored;
  • deliberate isolation from friends and family giving another person total control of their decision-making.

Safeguarding and abuse

Safeguarding children

Safeguarding adults

As part of Swansea Council's safeguarding arrangements, there are lead officers within each service who have role-specific safeguarding training and who can advise colleagues in their service about safeguarding issues. These officers are called Named safeguarding persons (staffnet.swansea.gov.uk).

OTHER TERMS /LINKS:

Child and Young People Sexual Exploitation (CSE):where there is coercion or manipulation of children and young people into taking part in sexual activities. This serious form of sexual abuse may involve an exchange of some form of payment which can include;, money, mobile phones and other items, drugs, alcohol, a place to stay, 'protection', friendship, or affection. The intent of the perpetrators, as evidenced by the grooming process employed, often via social media, is to prey on the vulnerability of the child or young person, who are unable to give informed consent. Their actions seek to render a victim powerless, and unable to recognise the exploitative nature of relationships, and to prevent them, by coercion, from reporting it on their own behalf. Child sexual exploitation - Swansea

Domestic Abuse- any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional (UK Home Office Definition of Domestic Abuse, 2013) Violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV)

Female genital mutilation (gov.wales) (opens new window) - there is a mandatory duty on professionals to report Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) under the FGM Act 2003 (England & Wales).

Hate Crime - involves a criminal offence perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person's actual or perceived disability, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation and transgender: Hate hurts Wales (gov.wales) (opens new window)

Human Rights - duty on public authorities under section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 not to act in a way that is incompatible with rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. Part 7 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 engages a number of rights included in the Convention:

Article 2 - right to have life protected;

Article 3 - right not to be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment;

Article 5 - right to liberty and security;

Article 6 - right to a fair hearing;

Article 8 - right to respect for private and family life, home, and correspondence

Human trafficking (south-wales.police.uk) (opens new window)- victims are coerced or deceived by the person arranging their relocation. However, there is a difference between adult and child trafficking - where the victim is a child neither coercion nor deception need to be present for the child to be considered trafficked.

Modern Slavery: recruiting people by deception or coercion and moving them to a new place where they can be exploited.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 makes provision around Slavery (gov.wales) (opens new window), servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking, including provision for the protection of victims. The Act consolidates and clarifies the existing offences of slavery and human trafficking whilst increasing the maximum penalty for such offences. The Act introduces measures for the support and protection of victims, and disclosure requirements for businesses with the aim of eliminating slavery and trafficking from supply chains.

PREVENT --the Council also has a duty under the Counter-terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have 'due regard to the need to prevent vulnerable people from being drawn into extremism and acts of terrorism': PREVENT strategy (staffnet.swansea.gov.uk) 

APPENDIX 2a: Governance Structure

Appendix 2b. Improvement Actions (linked to policy sections)

Appendix 3b - Safeguarding Children and Young People - Reporting

SPOT IT, REPORT IT!

A concern may involve any child or young person under the age 18 years old.

There is a statutory duty to report concerns regardless of whether the child is living permanently in the Swansea area or not.

If you think, there are child protection concerns, then you should seek immediate advice from your safeguarding lead, or from the specialist IAA service.

Appendix 3b Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults - Reporting

SPOT IT, REPORT IT!

Under the Social Services & Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, which came into effect in April 2016, there are new statutory duties to protect a vulnerable 'adult at risk'.

There is a duty to report any concerns about an adult at risk, and for a local Authority to make enquiries if it has reasonable cause to suspect that a person within its area (whether or not ordinarily resident there) is an 'adult at risk'.

Appendix 4: Swansea Council's Named Safeguarding Persons (roles)

The Named safeguarding persons and Strategic Leads from each service area are as follows (subject to change)

All Heads of Service

All Heads of Service - through their Management Teams - will be jointly responsible for ensuring that all the statutory requirements in terms of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults receive due consideration. This includes the quality, content and frequency of training provided and maintaining sufficient staff training records.

Appendix 5: Other useful information (Public Information)

Audit Wales: Corporate Safeguarding across Wales | Audit Wales

Care Inspectorate Wales:https://careinspectorate.wales/

Children and Young People rights, including United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child:

• Swansea - Children and young people's rights
• Doing it the Rights Way! - Swansea

Children's Commissioner:https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/

DEWIS CYMRU a primary web search resource for information about well-being in Wales, including "Being Safe":Home - Dewis Wales

National Independent Safeguarding Board (NISB):https://safeguardingboard.wales/

NISB Corporate Safeguarding Good Practice Guidance: Corporate Safeguarding Good Practice Guidance - Safeguarding Board Wales

Older People's Commissioner for Wales:https://olderpeople.wales/

Public OmbudsmanSocial Services - General Information (ombudsman.wales)

Rights of Older Adults:https://www.swansea.gov.uk/olderpersonrights

SCIE - Safeguarding:https://www.scie.org.uk/safeguarding

Making Safeguarding PersonalMaking Safeguarding Personal (MSP) - SCIE

Swansea Council Corporate Safeguarding Policy:Corporate Safeguarding Policy - Swansea

WASPI:http://www.waspi.org/home

Welsh Government: Social care Wales (safeguarding.wales)