Corporate Safeguarding Policy
Safeguarding People in Carmarthenshire | Updated November 2023
In this section
- Introduction
- Purpose
- Principles
- Scope
- Legislation, Policy and Guidance
- Strategic Context
- Governance
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Recognising and Responding to Concerns
- Dealing with a safeguarding concern
- Reporting a concern
- Monitoring and Review
- Appendix 1- Categories and Indicators of Abuse & Neglect
- Appendix 1 cont'd - Categories and indicators of abuse – Adults at Risk
- Appendix 2 - Carmarthenshire County Council Corporate Safeguarding Self Assessment Audit Tool
Legislation, Policy and Guidance
Legislation which is contained within the various Acts and identified below enshrine the right to protection from abuse. The legal starting point in achieving this objective is professionals’ duty to report allegations of abuse and neglect. The law also identifies the Local Authority as the lead organisation in making enquiries to identify whether an individual is at risk and in coordinating the response to protect. In practice this is never achieved in isolation or without clear leadership and accountability for the work, which is equally set out in law, along with the duty to cooperate and collaborate with others.
The Council recognises that good practice in safeguarding brings together all activity aimed at promoting safe practice and preventing abuse and neglect. For this reason, and because the law, policy, guidance and regulations change from time to time, it is impossible to provide an exhaustive list of relevant legislation and associated documents but the most significant are listed below:
- Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014
- Education Act 2002 – plus “Keeping Learners Safe” – The role of local authorities governing bodies and proprietors of independent schools under the Education Act 2002
- Children Act 1989 and 2004
- Section 17 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019
- Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015
- Housing Act 2004
- Licensing Act 2003
- Human Rights Act 1998
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- UN Principles for Older Persons and Human Rights
- Modern Slavery Act 2015
- Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015
The Council will ensure that practice is compliant with the following policies and procedures:
- Wales Safeguarding Procedures
- Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 and related Codes of Practice, Guidance and Regulations.
- Working Together to Safeguard People Volume 5 – Handling Individual Cases to Protect Children at Risk3
- Working Together to Safeguard People: Volume 6 – Handling Individual Cases to Protect Adults at Risk4
- WLGA Corporate Safeguarding Good Practice Guidance5
- Carmarthenshire County Council, Whistleblowing policy
- Carmarthenshire County Council DBS Policy
- Carmarthenshire County Council Behavioural Standards Policy
- Carmarthenshire County Council Code of Conduct
Employees and councillors should also act in accordance with the relevant professional Code of Conduct. The intention is that the Corporate Safeguarding Policy will supplement and not replace any responsibilities already set out in legislation, policy or guidance set out above or elsewhere. Those using this policy must be mindful of changes to legislation, guidance, policy and regulations that may have occurred post-publication of this document.
3 Working together to safeguard people - Volume-5 pdf
4 Handling individual cases to protect adults at risk - Volume 6 pdf
5 Corporate Safeguarding Good Practice Guidance (wlga.wales)
