10 Safeguarding Policy PDF 451 KB
To receive a report from the Head of Housing and Health on the Safeguarding Policy.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Cabinet had before it a report * from the Head of Housing and Health on the Safeguarding Policy.
The Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure outlined the contents of the report with particular reference to the following:
· The Council was committed to safeguarding from harm all children, young people and adults with care and support needs using any Council services and involved in any of their activities and to treat them with respect during their dealings with the Council’s staff and elected Members and Mid Devon District Council partners and contractors.
· Feedback from Members Safeguarding Training that took place in December 2023 had also helped to shape the policy format.
· As part of the policy review process, a potential gap was also identified in safeguarding provisions for Members with a recommended mechanism to review Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) checks which could be included in a future update of relevant policies.
· This would be a member led decision and the final recommendation recommended that the Standards Committee established a working group to review its potential future inclusion.
· Those leaving care faced their own unique challenges and support needs, and one of those challenges that the Council must break down was the presumption that they were predisposed to vulnerability rather than, in experience, often individuals who could teach Members a lot about supporting others.
RESOLVED that:
1. Cabinet revised para 1.3.3 of the updated Corporate Safeguarding Policy so the final bullet point was replaced by two new ones:
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having been in care, prison or other institution
• being care-experienced
• having been in prison or other institution
2. The updated Corporate Safeguarding Policy that was recommended for approval by the Community PDG was approved.
3. Cabinet NOTED that the Community PDG recommended to Standards Committee that a Member working group was established to review the potential future inclusion of DBS checks for Members within the Corporate Safeguarding Policy and related DBS Policy.
(Proposed by Cllr D Wulff and seconded by Cllr G DuChesne)
Note: *Report previously circulated