Safeguarding policy.

Last updated August 2026

Yanar Mind & Movement

Safeguarding Policy 2024-2026

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to protect people, particularly at-risk adults and beneficiaries of assistance, from any harm that may be caused due to their coming into contact with Yanar Mind & Movement.  This includes harm arising from:

·      The conduct of staff or personnel associated with Yanar Mind & Movement

·      The design and implementation of Yanar Mind & Movement’s programmes and activities

The policy lays out the commitments made by Yanar Mind & Movement, and informs staff and associated personnel of their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding.

This policy does not cover:

·      Sexual harassment in the workplace

  • Safeguarding children. Yanar Mind & Movement works with adults therefore safeguarding children is not a direct focus of this policy. If during a session it became apparent a child may be at risk of harm this would be reported to the appropriate local social service.

What is safeguarding?

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including at-risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.

Scope

This policy sets out the responsibilities of Yanar Mind & Movement to protect adults from abuse or neglect.  The safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:

·      has needs for care and support

·      is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and

·      as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

An adult with care and support needs may be, an individual:

·      with a physical, sensory or learning disability

·      with mental health needs

·      with a long-term health condition or brain injury

·      who misuses substances or alcohol to the extent that it affects their ability to manage day-to-day living.

This policy applies to:

·      All staff contracted by Yanar Mind & Movement

·      Associated personnel whilst engaged with work or visits related to Yanar Mind & Movement, including but not limited to the following: consultants; volunteers; contractors; programme visitors including journalists, celebrities and politicians

Policy Statement

Yanar Mind & Movement believes that everyone we come into contact with, regardless of age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or ethnic origin has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect and exploitation.  Yanar Mind & Movement will not tolerate abuse and exploitation by staff or associated personnel.

This policy will address the following areas of safeguarding: adult safeguarding, and protection from sexual exploitation and abuse

Yanar Mind & Movement commits to addressing safeguarding throughout its work, through the three pillars of prevention, reporting and response.

The Six Core Principles

The Department of Health Care and Support Statutory Guidance issued under the Care Act 2014, describes six principles that underpin all safeguarding adult work which applies to all sectors and settings including care and support services, further education colleges, commissioning, regulation and provision of health and care services, social work, healthcare, welfare benefits, housing, wider Local Authority functions and the criminal justice system.  These principles should always inform the ways in which professionals and other staff work with adults.

·      Empowerment: Support people to make their own choices and give informed consent.

·      Prevention: Take action to stop harm before it happens.

·      Proportionality: Use the least intrusive response that fits the risk.

·      Protection: Offer support and safety to those in the greatest need.

·      Partnership: Work with local communities to find solutions.

·      Accountability: Keep delivery transparent and responsible

Prevention

Yanar Mind & Movement will:

·      Ensure all staff have access to, are familiar with, and know their responsibilities within this policy

·      Design and undertake all its programmes and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may arise from their coming into contact with Yanar Mind & Movement.  This includes the way in which information about individuals in our programmes is gathered and communicated

·      Implement stringent safeguarding procedures when recruiting, managing and deploying staff and associated personnel

·      Ensure staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization

·      Follow up on reports of safeguarding concerns promptly and according to due process

Adult who has been or is at risk of abuse or neglect

The adult must be involved from the beginning of safeguarding procedures unless there are exceptional circumstances, and where possible their consent should be sought prior to concerns being shared on an inter-agency basis.  The adult’s (or their representative’s) views and wishes including their desired outcomes must be considered as part of the ongoing procedures. 

Family involvement

Where the adult has mental capacity to make decisions about Safeguarding Concerns, involvement of family, friends or informal carers should be agreed with the adult. In any case where the adult does not have mental capacity, family, friends or informal carers must be consulted in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Advocacy 

As part of the safeguarding adults procedure consideration must be given as to whether the adult may benefit from the support of an independent advocate.

Where the adult has substantial difficulty in participating in the safeguarding adults process, and there is no other appropriate person to assist them under the Care Act 2014 independent advocacy must be arranged by the Local Authority.

Staff responsibilities

Adult safeguarding

Yanar Mind & Movement staff and associated personnel must not:

·      Sexually abuse or exploit at risk adults

·      Subject an at risk adult to physical, emotional or psychological abuse, or neglect

Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse

Yanar Mind & Movement staff and associated personnel must not:

·      Exchange money, employment, goods or services for sexual activity. This includes any exchange of assistance that is due to beneficiaries of assistance

·      Engage in any sexual relationships with beneficiaries of assistance, since they are based on inherently unequal power dynamics

Additionally, Yanar Mind & Movement staff and associated personnel are obliged to:

·      Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents safeguarding violations and promotes the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy

·      Report any concerns or suspicions regarding safeguarding violations by an Yanar Mind & Movement staff member or associated personnel to the appropriate staff member

Enabling reports

Yanar Mind & Movement will ensure that safe, appropriate, accessible means of reporting safeguarding concerns are made available to staff and the communities we work with.

Yanar Mind & Movement will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies. 

How to report a safeguarding concern

Staff members who have a complaint or concern relating to safeguarding should report it immediately to hello@mindandmovement.uk

Response

Yanar Mind & Movement will follow up safeguarding reports and concerns according to policy and procedure, and legal and statutory obligations. Yanar Mind & Movement will offer support to survivors of harm caused by staff or associated personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response is carried out (such as an internal investigation).  Decisions regarding support will be led by the survivor.

Confidentiality

It is essential that confidentiality in maintained at all stages of the process when dealing with safeguarding concerns.  Information relating to the concern and subsequent case management should be shared on a need to know basis only, and should be kept secure at all times.

Glossary of Terms

Beneficiary of Assistance

Someone who directly receives goods or services from Yanar Mind & Movement.  Note that misuse of power can also apply to the wider community that Yanar Mind & Movement serves, and also can include exploitation by giving the perception of being in a position of power.

Child

A person below the age of 18

Harm

Psychological, physical and any other infringement of an individual’s rights

Psychological harm

Emotional or psychological abuse, including (but not limited to) humiliating and degrading treatment such as bad name calling, constant criticism, belittling, persistent shaming, solitary confinement and isolation

Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA)

The term used by the humanitarian and development community to refer to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of affected populations by staff or associated personnel.  The term derives from the United Nations Secretary General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (ST/SGB/2003/13)

Safeguarding

In the UK, safeguarding means protecting peoples' health, wellbeing and human rights, and enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect.

In our sector, we understand it to mean protecting people, including children and at risk adults, from harm that arises from coming into contact with our staff or programmes.  One donor definition is as follows:

Safeguarding means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, particularly sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment from occurring; to protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm; and to respond appropriately when harm does occur.

This definition draws from our values and principles and shapes our culture. It pays specific attention to preventing and responding to harm from any potential, actual or attempted abuse of power, trust, or vulnerability, especially for sexual purposes.

Safeguarding applies consistently and without exception across our programmes, partners and staff. It requires proactively identifying, preventing and guarding against all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having mature, accountable and transparent systems for response, reporting and learning when risks materialise. Those systems must be survivor-centred and also protect those accused until proven guilty.

Safeguarding puts beneficiaries and affected persons at the centre of all we do.

Sexual abuse

The term ‘sexual abuse’ means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.

Sexual exploitation

The term ‘sexual exploitation’ means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.  This definition incudes human trafficking and modern slavery.

Survivor

The person who has been abused or exploited. The term ‘survivor’ is often used in preference to ‘victim’ as it implies strength, resilience and the capacity to survive, however it is the individual’s choice how they wish to identify themselves.

At risk adult

Sometimes also referred to as vulnerable adult.  A person who is or may be in need of care by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.