At Scope we take safeguarding seriously and believe that protecting people from harm is everyone’s responsibility. The following has been agreed as Scope’s corporate statement on its commitment.

Policy statement

"Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Scope is committed to promoting the welfare and wellbeing of children and adults protecting them from abuse or neglect, whether they are receiving services from us, are Scope staff and volunteers, or anyone else we meet through our work.”

Scope acknowledges its responsibilities to those who fall under statutory safeguarding definitions.

Purpose

This policy is to protect anyone that we become aware of, who is at risk of abuse or neglect. This is not restricted to those we have a legal responsibility or duty of care towards. In this policy, we describe:

• responsibilities for safeguarding
• responding to or reporting concerns
• our commitment to safeguarding

Definitions

Safeguarding

Safeguarding means protecting peoples’ health, wellbeing and human rights. It enables people to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm or abuse occurring. To protect from that harm. And respond appropriately when harm does occur.

Child

A child is anyone under 18 years old. A Child becomes an adult on the day of their 18th birthday.

Adult at risk

The Care Act (2014) describes an adult at risk as anyone over 18 years who:

• has care and support needs (even if these are not met)
• and is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect
• and is unable to protect themselves.

Under the Adult Support and Protection 2007, a person is classified as an adult from 16. An adult at risk is an adult who is:

• Unable to safeguard their own wellbeing, property, rights, or other interests, and is at risk of harm, because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness, or physical or mental infirmity.

The Adult Safeguarding: Prevention and Protection in Partnership, 2015, says an adult at risk of harm is someone aged 18 or over who:

• is or may be in need of community care services, because of mental or physical disability, their age, or illness.
• is or may be unable to take care of themselves, or unable to protect themselves against significant harm, exploitation, neglect, or abuse.

Workforce

Workforce refers to all staff and volunteers a Scope. This includes:

• employed staff
• unpaid staff or volunteers
• those on full, part time, temporary and zero hours contracts
• casual workers

Our workforce may work:

• in the Scope office
• our retail shops
• at events or out in communities
• on the telephone and online

Safeguarding children

We have a responsibility to all children in contact with our services, activities, and our colleagues. We must identify and share concerns as stated in the following legislation:

• England and Wales: Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026)
• Scotland: National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2023)
• Northern Ireland: Co-operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland (2017)

Our workforce must:

• recognise and respond to any concerns of a child being neglected or abused
• share information internally and to external agencies to keep children safe.

The local authority where the child is located must:

• respond to concerns of abuse or neglect
• investigate these in time

Safeguarding adults

We have a responsibility for any adults at risk. This could include any adults we come into contact with. For example, people who contact us online, our customers, members of the public, and our volunteers.

The legislation our workforce must follow:

• England and Wales: Care Act 2014 (England) and Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014
• Scotland: Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007
• Northern Ireland: Adult Safeguarding: Prevention and Protection in Partnership (2015)Under the Care Act (2014) we must work together to promote wellbeing and prevent risk of abuse and neglect.

Our workforce must:

• recognise and respond to any concerns of an adult at risk being abused or neglected

The law says the local authority where the adult resides must:

• investigate, and
• if needed, act to protect the individual

At Scope, if we have a concern about anyone over 18. We treat them as an ‘adult at risk’, while paying careful consideration to their wishes and rights.

Prevent

Safeguarding includes protecting people from the risk of radicalisation or exposure to extremist views. Scope is not subject to the statutory Prevent duty, but we recognise our responsibility to identify and respond to concerns.  We expect our workforce to follow our Safeguarding procedures where someone may be at risk of being drawn into harmful or extremist activity.

Expectation of our workforce

Training and compliance

Our workforce is expected to:

• complete mandatory safeguarding training and attend refresher sessions
• adhere to this policy
• contribute to creating an environment that promotes wellbeing and reduces the risk of harm
• Value, listen and respect everyone they come in to contact with

Acting on concerns

If any of our workforce have concerns about customers, colleagues, or volunteers, we expect them to:

1. identify the concern
2. respond to and report their concerns
3. follow our safeguarding procedures and maintain appropriate boundaries

Accountability for Safeguarding

Trustees

Scope’s Board of Trustees are accountable for ensuring that the organisation has appropriate structure, processes, and resources in place to ensure safeguarding is central to everything it does. The board also monitor compliance.

Chief Executive

The Chief Executive is the senior individual accountable for all aspects of safeguarding across the organisation, including a strong culture of safeguarding.

Executive Leadership Team (ELT)

Each member of ELT is accountable for embedding safeguarding in their directorate. This includes making sure that employees are adequately trained.

Customer Experience and Compliance Programme Lead

The Programme Lead - Customer experience and compliance is accountable for safeguarding compliance across Scope. They are accountable for making sure safeguarding policy and practice is developed, implemented, managed, and monitored.

Safeguarding Managers

The safeguarding managers are responsible for giving expert safeguarding advice and guidance across the organisation. They are also responsible for ensuring safeguarding training is available and can be accessed by all staff.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

The Designated Safeguarding Leads are responsible for supporting colleagues and volunteers to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns. They have responsibility for reporting, recording, and managing safeguarding concerns on a day-to-day basis. We have at least one Designated Safeguarding Lead for each department in Scope.

Investigating your concerns

We will put your needs first and respect your experiences as genuine. We will listen and treat you with dignity.

We will fully investigate any reported concerns. Including:

• recent incidents
• incidents from the past
• incidents you may have been involved in or witness to.

If you have concerns about someone using our services or activities. Or, if you have concerns about non-recent abuse or neglect (incidents before May 2018). Please contact the safeguarding team. Details below.