The purpose of this policy is to outline Divine Social’s approach to safeguarding adults at risk in our care. This includes maintaining their human rights, safety and ensuring freedom from abuse and neglect. Abuse is defined as any of the following; emotional, psychological, physical, sexual abuse, neglect, constraints and restrictive practices and bullying.

This procedure applies to all of Divine Social’s staff, contractors, volunteers and guests. 

Procedures 

Divine Social and all of it’s staff, contractors and volunteers have a legal, moral and responsibility to:

• Protect adults at risk from all forms of abuse, bullying and exploitation; 
• Acknowledge that protecting adults at risk is everyone’s business; 
• Manage the behaviour of all our guests in an appropriate and safe manner. 

We believe that every guest has a right to enjoy Divine Social events without threat, intimidation or abuse from its staff, contractors and volunteers, or other guests. We understand we have a responsibility to ensure that no guest is neglected or exploited by staff, contractors or volunteers and therefore we will act to protect and uphold the legal and human rights of our guests, staff, contractors and volunteers. 

To ensure the above we will:
 

• Use best practice standard in the recruitment, screening and employment of Divine Social staff, volunteers and contractors so as they will not harm, abuse or exploit adults at risk at our events. 
• Ensure that all staff, volunteers and contractors provide a police check prior to working with DivineSocial
• Request that all staff, volunteers, contractors and guests refer to the Behaviour Policy outlined on our website and confirm they will apply by the rules. 
• Any staff, volunteers, contractors and guests exhibiting abusive, bullying or exploitative behaviour will be removed and prevented from attending future events. 
• Provide all Divine Social staff, contractors and volunteers with the necessary support to enable them to fulfil their roles.
• Provide regular opportunities to clarify and confirm the policy and procedures in relation to adults at risk’s protections and welfare. 
• Listen to all concerns voiced by Divine Social staff, volunteers and contractors regarding keeping adults at risk safe from harm. 
• Maintain an environment for adults at risk to be safe and to feel safe. 

Breach of Policy 

It is a serious breach of this policy, and possibly the law, if a Divine Social staff member, volunteer or contractor harms or exploits adults at risk who are involved in any of our services. 

Breaches of this policy include, but are not limited to;
• Sexually assaulting adults at risk who are involved in one of our events; 

• Physically assaulting adults at risk who are involved in one of our events; 

• Verbally abusing, denigrating or bullying adults at risk who are involved in one of our events;
• Taking, reproducing and/or distributing photos of adults at risk without their consent
• Publishing any materials containing images of children at risk who are involved in one of our programs that can be used for the sexual gratification of others. Any breaches will be dealt with immediately and in line with the law. 

Divine Social management reserve the right to make discretionary decisions regarding implementation of this policy, provided that safeguarding adults at risk is the priority of the decision.