ACTING FOR HEALTH

It is the policy of Acting for Health that the welfare of children, young people, vulnerable adults and anyone participating in Acting for Health activities is paramount regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity and that everyone who may participate in our activities has a right to protection from physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

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The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly children, at risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Acting for Health. This includes harm arising from:

• The conduct of staff or personnel associated with Acting for Health

• The design and implementation of Acting for Health’s programmes and activities

 

The policy lays out the commitments made by Acting for Health and informs staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. This applies to all staff contracted by Acting for Health and associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Acting for Health.

 

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. In our programmes, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or activities.

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Policy Statement

Acting for Health believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation. Acting for Health will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

 

This policy addresses child and adult safeguarding. Acting for Health commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

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Prevention

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Acting for Health responsibilities:

• Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy

• Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Acting for Health.  This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated

• Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel

• Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process

 

Staff responsibilities

Child safeguarding

Acting for Health staff and associated personnel must not:

• Subject a child to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

• Engage in any commercially exploitative activities with children including child labour or trafficking

• Engage in sexual activity with anyone under the age of 18

• Sexually abuse or exploit children

 

Adult safeguarding

Acting for Health staff and associated personnel must not:

• Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

• Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults

 

Additionally, Acting for Health staff and associated personnel are obliged to:

• Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy

• Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an Acting for Health staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member

 

Enabling reports

Acting for Health will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with. Acting for Health will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies. 

 

How to report a safeguarding concern

Acting for Health members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to their Safeguarding Focal Point at Acting for Health or via info@actingforhealth.org.

 

Response

Acting for Health will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations. Acting for Health will apply appropriate disciplinary measures to staff found in breach of policy and will follow up on other instances in accordance with procedure. Acting for health will also support victims to the best of its capacity.

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It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns.  Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.