BEACON CLINIC SAFEGUARDING POLICY AND PROCEDURE

 

1. Introduction

The Beacon Clinic provides a workspace for a group of private independent practitioners who are responsible for their own work and policies in relation to their work. The clinic aims to make a positive contribution to a strong and safe community and recognises the right of every individual to stay safe. The directors have produced this safeguarding document for our own working practice and as a framework for those working in the clinic setting. Independent Practitioners who work at The Beacon Clinic come into contact with children and / or vulnerable adults through therapies including: Counselling and psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, mindfulness and CBT, homeopathy, physiotherapy, osteopathy, Mc Timoney Chiropractic, craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, Tui Na, massage, neuroflexology, reflexology. The types of contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will be: Regulated (occasional) or may also be more intensive, regular contact. This will depend on the therapy and need of the person. This policy seeks to ensure that those who work at The Beacon Clinic undertake their responsibilities with regard to protection of children and/or vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support independent practitioners in their practices and clarifies expectations.

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2. Legislation 

The principal pieces of legislation governing safeguarding policy are:

- Working together to safeguard Children 2010

-The Children Act 1989

- The Adoption and Children Act 2002

- The Children act 2004

- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

- Care Standards Act 2000

- Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998

- The Police Act 1997

- Mental Health Act 1983

- NHS and Community Care Act 1990

- Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

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3. Definitions

Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the clinic to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.

Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.

It can take a number of forms, including the following: · Physical abuse · Sexual abuse · Emotional abuse · Bullying · Neglect · Financial (or material) abuse

 

Definition of a child A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

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Definition of Vulnerable Adults A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited.

This may include a person who: · Is elderly and frail · Has a mental illness including dementia · Has a physical or sensory disability · Has a learning disability · Has a severe physical illness · Is a substance misuser · Is homeless

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4. Responsibilities

All practitioners are responsible for their own Safeguarding policy if they see any children or vulnerable adults. We would expect them to follow the guidance in this document as a minimum and to share any welfare concerns promptly with the clinic directors, if appropriate. We expect all practitioners to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices. There are no administrators or ancillary staff at the clinic during clinic working hours. Clients are asked to arrive at the time of their appointment and they leave the clinic after their appointment is finished. They would only be expected to come into

contact with their own practitioner or in the communal areas of the waiting room or corridor with other practitioners or clients. A notice in reception requests that children are not left unattended in reception. The directors are responsible for reviewing the general clinic policy. This will be done annually.

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5. Implementation Stages

The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:

- Health and safety policy

- Lone working policy

- Data protection

- Confidentiality

- Induction of new practitioners

 

Safe recruitment

Complementary therapy clinics do not usually follow screening or interview processes but would normally accept any therapists who apply to work. At the Beacon Clinic, we do not accept just any therapist but try to enable safe recruitment of new practitioners through the following processes: CV and follow-up of training and registrations with professional bodies, following up references, interview involving other practitioners.

Disclosure and Barring Service Gap Management

The organisation commits to expecting checks on practitioners whose roles involve contact with children and /or vulnerable adults.

In order to avoid DBS gaps, the organisation will: commit to checking up on gaps and acting on this. In addition to checks on new applicants who work with children/ vulnerable adults, for established practitioners the following processes are in place: we need evidence of rolling updates.

Service delivery contracting and sub-contracting

We have in our contract that subcontracting is not allowed. If a locum is needed we are actively involved in the recruitment and expect the practitioner to do relevant checks.

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6. Communications training and support for staff

Induction

Beacon Clinic commits to undertake induction of new practitioners, including discussion of safeguarding policy.

 

Training

Independent practitioners who work with children/young people/vulnerable adults are responsible for their own safeguarding policy and will have different levels of safeguarding training needs according to the work that they carry out. They will therefore be expected to arrange their own relevant safeguarding training.

 

Communications and discussion of safeguarding issues

Practitioners are expected to communicate directly with the directors if they have any safeguarding concerns so that any aspects that affect the clinic as a whole can be addressed.

 

Support

Practitioners are expected to make their own supervision arrangements for their clinical professional work. Should any safeguarding issues arise then support from the directors is also available for professionals working at the clinic

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7. Professional boundaries

Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between a therapist and a client. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that allows this necessary and often close relationship to exist while ensuring the correct detachment is kept in place.

 

The Beacon Clinic expects practitioners to protect their own professional integrity and the reputation of the clinic as a whole.

The clinic directors cannot monitor or dictate how independent practitioners run their business or monitor their professional boundaries with their clients. However, the directors would expect those working at the clinic to respect the following:

- Personal relationships between a practitioner and a client who is a current client is prohibited.

- It is also prohibited to enter into a personal relationship with a person who has been a client over the past 12 months.

- Abusive or inappropriate language or behavior is unacceptable at the clinic

- Passing on of client personal contact details is not acceptable unless specifically agreed with the client.

 

If the professional boundaries and/or policies are breached this could lead to initiating of the practitioner complaints procedure and a practitioner may ultimately be asked to leave the clinic. The following areas are expected to be matters for practitioners individually:

- Gifts to/from clients

 - Fee reductions/increases for particular clients

 - Contact with clients outside the work situation.

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8. Reporting

The process outlined below details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at the Beacon Clinic .

 

- Communicate your concerns with the directors

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- Seek medical attention for the vulnerable person if needed

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- Discuss with parents of child or with vulnerable person.

Obtain permission to make referral if safe and appropriate

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- If needed seek advice from the Children and Families helpdesk or Adults helpdesk

www.safeguardingworcestershire.org.uk/report-it/

 

- Complete the Local Authority Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Incident Report Form if required and submit to the local authority within 24 hours of making a contact

 

- Ensure that feedback from the Local Authority is received and their response recorded and acted upon.

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9. Allegations Management

The Beacon Clinic recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against independent practitioners working in the premises. The process for raising and dealing with allegations is as in part 8.

The Beacon Clinic recognises its legal duty to report any concerns about unsafe practice by anyone who works at the clinic to the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), according to the ISA referral guidance document.

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10. Monitoring

The Beacon Clinic directors are unable to monitor work practices or Safeguarding with regard to practitioners working in the clinic since they are all work as self-employed independent practitioners.

We can, however, continue to:

• Follow checking procedures on new applicants who wish to work at the clinic.

• Encourage good practice and support high professional standards

• Respond to any concerns reported to us by practitioners or clients.

• Request DBS checks for those working with children or vulnerable adults.

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11. Managing information

Information will be gathered, recorded and stored in accordance with GDPR.

All practitioners must be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. The public interest in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults may override confidentiality interests. However, information should be shared on a need to know basis only.

All staff must be aware that they cannot promise service users or their families/ carers that they will keep secrets where there are safeguarding issues.

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12. Conflict resolution and complaints

The Beacon Clinic advises clients to address any concerns with their own practitioner in the first instance. If this is not appropriate, then the matter can be brought to the attention of the clinic directors, in accordance with the Complements and Complaints section on the website. This is particularly relevant if there is a need for resolution of professional disagreements in work relating to the safety of children, young people or vulnerable adults. The matter will be taken forward with the local safeguarding team by the directors, if deemed necessary.

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13. Communicating and reviewing the policy

The Beacon Clinic will make clients aware of the Safeguarding Policy through a statement on the website.

This policy will be reviewed by The directors once a year, and when there are changes in legislation.

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