Rokpa Trust Safeguarding Adults with Care and Support Needs

1.1        Rokpa Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare, safety, and well-being of all who engage with the charity. We believe that everyone, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or sexual orientation, has the right to protection from harm, abuse, and neglect.

1.2        We take our safeguarding responsibilities seriously and follow UK legislation, statutory and regulatory guidance and best practice to ensure the safety of those who come into contact with the charity. We strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment in which people feel valued and listened to, and where their rights are respected.

2.1        The purpose of this policy is to outline the duty and responsibility of Trustees, staff, teachers and volunteers involved with or working for Samye Ling and the Samye Dzongs (“Centres”) in relation to safeguarding adults with care and support needs. These are adults over the age of 18 who need care and support for their daily living. Rokpa Trust may encounter these adults through its regular activities.

2.2        Abuse of an adult with care and support needs may consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may occur as a result of a failure to undertake action or appropriate care tasks. It may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur where a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction or other arrangement to which they have not, or cannot, consent.

2.3        Abuse can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the individual. Concerns about abuse may be raised and reported to the regulatory body as a result of a single incident or repeated incidents of abuse.

3.1        The ultimate responsibility for safeguarding compliance rests with the Trustees of Rokpa Trust.

3.2        All Trustees, staff, teachers and volunteers working on behalf of the Centres have a duty to promote the welfare and safety of adults with care and support needs. Staff and volunteers may receive disclosures of abuse and observe adults who are at risk. This policy will enable staff / teachers / volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific adult protection issues.

3.3        It is important that adults with care and support needs are protected from abuse. All complaints, allegations or suspicions must be taken seriously.  This procedure must be followed whenever an allegation of abuse is made or when there is a suspicion that an adult at risk has been abused.

3.4        Any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse or concern that an adult needs protection must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (“DSL”) using the contact details displayed on the relevant Centre’s public notice board. A report must be made even if you become aware of information about a concern that is non-recent or from an anonymous source. Under no circumstances should a volunteer, teacher or worker carry out their own investigation into an allegation or suspicion of abuse. 

3.5        In the absence of the DSL or, if the suspicions in any way involve the DSL, then the report should be made to the relevant Centre Manager using the contact details displayed on the relevant Centre’s public notice board.

3.6        If any suspicion, allegation or incident of abuse implicates both the DSL and the Centre Manager, then the report should be made to the Rokpa Trust Trustees using the contact details below.

3.7        If the adult is in immediate danger or has sustained a serious injury contact the emergency services, informing them of any suspicions. Action should also be taken to put safeguarding measures in place to prevent further harm.

3.8        Whilst allegations or suspicions of abuse will normally be reported to the DSL, the absence of the DSL or Centre Manager should not delay referral to Adult Social Care or the police.

3.9        A full record shall be made as soon as possible of the nature of the allegation and any other relevant information.  This must include information in relation to the date, the time, the place where the alleged abuse happened, your name and the names of others present, the name of the complainant and, where different, the name of the adult who it is alleged has been abused, the nature of the alleged abuse, a description of any injuries observed, the account which has been given of the allegation.

3.10     Promises of confidentiality must not be given as this may conflict with the need to ensure the safety and welfare of the individual. The DSL / Centre Manager may need to inform others depending on the circumstances and/or nature of the concern, including the Trustees who are responsible for safeguarding and who may also need to liaise with the insurance company or the charity commission to report a serious incident.

4.1        The role of the designated officer is to deal with all instances involving protection of adults with care and support needs that arise within the Centres; make referrals to statutory agencies; and ensure the relevant Centre’s staff and volunteers are aware of safeguarding policies and procedures.

4.2        All written notes or other information and evidence must be passed across to the DSL / Centre Manager. The DSL / Centre Manager will collate and clarify the precise details of the allegation or suspicion and pass this information on to relevant statutory agencies who have a legal duty to investigate.

4.3        A written record of the date and time of the report shall be made and the report must include the name and position of the person to whom the matter is reported. The telephone report must be confirmed in writing to the relevant local authority adult social services department within 24 hours.

4.4        Suspicions must not be discussed with anyone other than those nominated above. All records relating to the concerns must be kept in a secure place.

4.5        The DSL / Centre Manager is responsible to ensure that a copy of this policy is displayed on the Centre’s public notice board, and that the relevant contact details below remain up to date.

5.1        When someone attending a Centre is known to have abused children, is under investigation, or is known to be a risk to adults with care and support needs, a risk assessment should be carried out. Rokpa Trust will take specialist advice on how to proceed in such cases.

6.1        All Trustees, staff and volunteers must receive safeguarding training appropriate to their role.