Safeguarding
Safeguarding Declaration 2022
We remain committed to ensuring safeguarding is part of its core business and recognises that safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk is a shared responsibility with the need for effective joint working between partner agencies and professionals. In order to do this the Trust works closely with others to ensure that all of the services provided have regard to the duty to protect individuals human rights, treat individuals with dignity and respect and safeguard them against abuse, neglect, discrimination, embarrassment or poor treatment.
We take all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and protect children, young people and adults at risk from harm, abuse and exploitation. We are fully engaged in the work of the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Safeguarding Partnerships, and their associated sub-groups for both children and adults.
We are fully compliant with Safeguarding Vulnerable People in the NHS – Accountability and Assurance Framework 2015.
The Executive Director for Nursing Quality and Governance is our Executive lead for safeguarding across the Trust. This responsibility has been delegated to the Head of Safeguarding who is supported by a team of Named professionals for Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk.
Our Integrated Safeguarding Group is chaired by the Executive Director of Nursing Quality and Governance. This Group leads and supports all safeguarding activity in line with our Safeguarding Strategy and underpinning work plan, and ensures that the Trust executes its statutory duties in relation to safeguarding of children and adults at risk. This meeting is held on a quarterly basis. The Trust Board takes safeguarding extremely seriously and receives an Annual Safeguarding Report as well as update reports to the Quality and Safety Committee.
The Trust adheres to its statutory duties in line with Section 11 of the Children Act 1989. The three local Safeguarding Children Partnerships provide sufficient and robust challenge around our assessment of compliance with Section 11 of the Act.
We meet statutory requirements in relation to Disclosure and Baring (DBS) checks – all staff employed at the Trust undergo a standard or enhanced DBS check prior to employment. The Trust is committed to ensuring DBS checks are repeated every 3 years.
All eligible staff are required to undertaken relevant safeguarding training and this is regularly reviewed to ensure it is up to date. The Trust has a training strategy in place with regard to delivering safeguarding training at appropriate levels as defined in the relevant Intercollegiate Documents for both Safeguarding Children and Safeguarding Adults. The target for all safeguarding training is 90% compliance.
Our commitment to prevent slavery and human trafficking
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Act (2015) Annual Statement 2023/24
Modern Slavery is a crime resulting in an abhorrent abuse of human rights. It is constituted in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 by the offences of ‘slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour’ and ‘human trafficking’.
Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires all organizations to set out the steps it has taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains, and in any part of its own business.
The principal activities of the Trust are to support and enable people with mental health problems to live fulfilling lives. The aim of this statement is to demonstrate that the Trust follows good practice, and all reasonable steps are taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking.
All members of staff have a personal responsibility for the successful prevention of slavery and human trafficking with the procurement department taking responsibility lead for overall compliance.
We have zero tolerance of slavery and human trafficking and are committed to maintaining and improving systems, processes and policies to avoid complicity in human rights violation and to prevent slavery and human trafficking in our supply chain. Training is provided to those involved in the supply chain and the rest of the organisation as part of the Trust's safeguarding role.
The Trust policies, procedures, governance, and legal arrangements are robust, ensuring that proper checks and due diligence are applied in employment procedures to ensure compliance with this legislation. We also conform to the NHS employment check standards within our workforce recruitment and selection practices, including through our managed service provider contract arrangements. This strategic approach incorporates analysis of the Trust’s supply chains and its partners to assess risk exposure and management on modern slavery.
The Trust Board and all employees are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business activity, and in so far as is possible to holding our suppliers to account to do likewise. We will continue to support the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and any future legislation.
How to Report Crimes of Modern Slavery
Trafficking gangs are dangerous criminals; therefore, it is extremely important for members of the public do not attempt to act on suspicions themselves, which may put themselves or the possible victims at risk.
In the first instance the point of contact for all modern slavery crimes should be:
- The local police force. If you have information about modern slavery crimes – those who are committing such crimes or where victims are at risk that requires an immediate response, dial 999.
- If you hold information that could lead to the identification, discovery and recovery of victims in the UK, you can contact the modern slavery helpline on 08000 121 700.
This statement constitutes the Trust’s slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year 2023/24.