Safeguarding policy – children and vulnerable adults

Definition

Safeguarding is broader than traditional child- or adult-protection because it also covers prevention. It is defined as:

  • All agencies that work with children, young people, their families or vulnerable adults taking every reasonable measure to minimise risks of harm to welfare; and

  • When concerns arise about welfare, those agencies acting appropriately to address them.

Gemstone recognises its duty to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse. Abuse is any behaviour that knowingly or unwittingly causes harm, endangers life, or violates rights. It may be physical, sexual, psychological, financial/material, or neglect.

Key Aims

Gemstone believes that adults and children have rights which must be respected and safeguarded. The company therefore commits to:

  • Supporting and partnering with agencies tasked with protecting these groups.

  • Operating robust recruitment procedures, ensuring all relevant staff are DBS-checked.

  • Making safeguarding responsibilities clear to staff who deliver services that may affect children or vulnerable adults.

  • Ensuring every group—regardless of age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, nationality, or economic status—has the right to be protected from abuse.

  • Responding quickly and effectively when issues arise.

  • Sharing information appropriately on a need-to-know basis, as detailed in a separate Data Protection & Information Sharing policy.

Key Principles

  • The welfare of children and vulnerable adults is the paramount concern and outweighs all other considerations.

  • Everyone in the organisation must report concerns promptly to the correct agencies.

  • Wherever possible, consent will be sought before information is disclosed; however, in urgent or serious situations lack of consent will not prevent disclosure.

Who This Policy Affects

All staff, contractors, and clients of Gemstone IT Services Ltd.

Implementation

To put this policy into practice Gemstone will:

  1. Brief staff on the policy and related procedures.

  2. Develop guidelines and make them accessible to all staff.

  3. Provide training where required.

  4. Promote the policy to clients and other stakeholders.

  5. Appoint a lead staff member responsible for implementation and for overseeing individual cases.

Monitoring & Review

  • The policy is reviewed annually to ensure compliance with legislation, regulation, and best practice, and each review is submitted to the Board for approval.

  • Performance is monitored by:

    • Discussing safeguarding issues during induction, regular one-to-one sessions, and group supervision; and

    • Recording statistical information on reported issues and presenting it to the Board each year.