PUBLIC SAFEGUARDING POLICY (Document 52)

SOS is fully aware of the need for robust safeguarding measures both internally and externally.  Protecting you, your integrity, your safety and your confidentiality is paramount.

Our public safeguarding policy covers all of our services and helps to inform you and perhaps guide the choices you make.  We are not just talking about your emotional safeguarding, but your physical safeguarding as well

Although we don’t provide regulated activities in a regulated space, and are not monitored by the CQC, we strive to follow best practice laid down by them as a matter of course.  Their definition of safeguarding is:

‘Safeguarding, according to the CQC, is about protecting people’s health, well-being, and human rights, ensuring they are safe from harm, abuse, and neglect’

Our policy ensures all staff, however they are supporting you, do so with compassion, empathy, kindness and understanding, without making you feel judged.  However you communicate with us, we aim to make you feel safe and we aim to treat everyone equally.

If you have any questions about this policy, please email [email protected]

We understand that vulnerable children, young people and adults who come into contact with the charity, its employees, voluntary workers, ambassadors and Trustees have the right to be safeguarded to the best of our ability.

We only provide support to children aged 12 and above.

Our freephone helpline is open 8pm until midnight Mon-Fri and 4pm – midnight at weekends.

Our frontline staff are fully trained in the handling of a wide variety of complex situations, including, but not limited to:

*Those presenting as suicidal, with or without an immediate intent

*Those who are self-harming

*Those who have an addiction

*Those who are homeless

*Those who are struggling with rehabilitation

*Those with overall poor emotional health

*Those with suicidal ideation

*Calls from children, young people and adults

*Those living in isolation

*Survivors of domestic abuse

*Living with domestic abuse

*Depression, anxiety and stress

*Some frontline support staff have some lived experience of challenges in the list above (and beyond the list) including being bereaved by suicide, making them ideally placed to support you in the way you deserve.  Some maybe studying or working within the field of mental health.

Our training and safeguarding handling was assessed by Stuart Yudofsky, a Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences as part of a multi-year funding agreement.

*All of our frontline staff have undergone DBS checks and are not allowed to support members of the public without a valid certificate

*We will only call 999 when there is an immediate risk to life – either your own, or that of someone else.  However, if you refuse to give us your personal information, then we cannot call 999 and would urge you to do this for yourself.  We call 999 as we have a duty of care towards you.

*We will always encourage you to speak with your GP if you have not already done so.  This should always be your first port of call as your GP can then decide what referrals, medication and/or other support may be best for you.

*We will always encourage you to speak with your out of hours mental health team where this is possible or to call the next day during office hours, subject to you already being on this pathway.

*SOS do not give advice in any situation.  We are here to engage with you, in open conversation and through active listening, to walk alongside you through your hardest times

*Our group talking meetings offer the same levels of safeguarding as any other service.  Regardless of to whom they are delivered, or where, no member of SOS will breach the confidentiality you expect from us.

*Should further support be needed at the end of group meetings, a member of SOS will stay behind to assist you to the best of their ability.

*There is very little we probably haven’t heard before, so please do not worry, whatever it is you need to talk about, we are here for those difficult conversations

*Our mobile wellbeing hubs may be seen in your local community.  Please feel free to approach us if you wish to talk.  You are under no obligation to step inside the hub, and we will speak to you outside if you feel safer and more comfortable.  Our hubs are manned with a staff of 2, both of whom have been DBS cleared and fully trained.  We also DVLA licence check them and ask they undergo a basic medical with their GP prior to starting with us.

*Our staff are highly trained and we expect everyone to have the same, high level of service and support.  However, if you are unhappy with a team member in whatever way, please email [email protected]

End: December 2023 /Updated May 2025 SY/Hubs