Safeguarding Young People & Vulnerable Adults

Hygiene Sue Personnel

Hygiene Sue’s policy is for all staff that come into direct contact with learners to have an enhanced CRB check. Staff are supervised until a satisfactory check has been made. New staff are asked to present their current enhanced CRB approval and we will also carry out a further enhanced CRB check, a copy of which will be kept on file at the Hygiene Sue office. Hygiene Sue will also work with the Independent Safe Guarding Authority to ensure all staff are able to work with young people and vulnerable adults.

Hygiene Sue has a nominated ‘champion’ for Safeguarding and an out-sourced consultant for H&S training and advice. The nominated champions are experienced and qualified in Health & Safety and Safeguarding. They are responsible for delivering staff update training at regular intervals to include changes to legislation and how to deal with young and vulnerable adult learners. All training will be documented on CPD logs and in the company health and safety file at the Hygiene Sue office. All of Hygiene Sue’s policies and procedures are adhered to by subcontractors and associates; safeguarding update training is mandatory for all such personnel.

The Safe Learner
Assessors speak to young people and vulnerable adult learners to ensure their welfare is safeguarded. Should there be any indication that it isn’t, Hygiene Sue will investigate fully. Investigations will be lead by the Managing Director, supported by the nominated champion and assessor. Records are maintained by the Safeguarding Champion and are treated as strictly private and confidential.

Standard 10 as detailed in the Hygiene Sue Safeguarding Assessment document is utilised fully with young people and vulnerable adult learners. The findings are communicated to Hygiene Sue and an action plan of additional support, supervision and training is agreed and documented. A copy is retained by the Assessor in the learner file and by the Hygiene Sue office. A copy will also be given to the learner’s line manager. Assessor’s ask questions and make observations at every visit; this is recorded on the visit report.

Risk assessments carried out
• Employer agreement document to be completed at initial site visit
• Standard 10 Safeguarding Assessment document to be completed at the initial site visit, if
  any young people or vulnerable adults have been identified.
• Staff carrying out the assessment are all competent and qualified to level 2 and above
• All assessments are quality assured by the Managing Director of Hygiene Sue, who is qualified
  to a minimum of NVQ level 3 or equivalent
• Hygiene Sue agrees control measures with employer
• Risk assessments take into consideration any changes and are updated accordingly
• Control measures and risk assessments are evaluated through observation and questions and
  reviewed at every visit
• Action plans are filed at the Hygiene Sue office; the Assessor and managing director manage
  the progression of all action plans.
• Lone working is not a suitable working arrangement for young and vulnerable adult learners.
  Hygiene Sue will ensure that adequate and appropriate supervision is in place at all times.

Incident Reporting
Employers and Learners are informed about the requirements to report accidents and incidents to Hygiene Sue as well as the normal authorities for all Learners. Employers and/or learners can report accidents directly to the Hygiene Sue office via the telephone or their Assessor via their mobile number. At every visit Assessors check with their learners to establish if any accidents or incidents have occurred and this is recorded on the visit report.

Hygiene Sue Reporting Schedule
Hygiene Sue will investigate the circumstances of the incident within the guidelines set out by RIDDOR, this will be carried out by the H&S representative (competent person). The investigation will consider if the age or vulnerability of the learner contributed to the incident. Depending on the outcome, further risk assessments and supervision arrangements may be put in place.

• Gather information
• Analyse information
• Identify risk control measures
• Implement an Action plan

Hygiene Sue continues to monitor the work place to ensure the learner is not affected by the incident. Action would be taken if further harm occurred to the learner. Regular contact will be maintained by the Assessor and further training will be offered to learners and employers.

The Learner Experience
Pre-briefing
During the enrolment process learners are asked about the health & safety training they have received to date; they complete a health & safety questionnaire, which is used as part of the training needs analysis and informs the planned training on the ILP (individual learning plan). This is all recorded in the learner sign up pack and ILP. Young learners are at extra risk, mostly due to lack of experience. Vulnerable adult learners have a wide range of needs ranging from a disability, additional learning needs to mental health. Hygiene Sue ensures that the pre-briefing stage meets the needs of each learner. This might include additional resources, use of a translator, extra visits prior to enrolment, support from others and other appropriate delivery methods.

Induction
Health & Safety is covered again at the programme induction and this time it can be made more specific to the learner and their actual place of work and individual circumstances. Similarly to the pre-briefing, different delivery and communication methods will be adopted for young and vulnerable learners.

On-programme
All of Hygiene Sues vocational programmes incorporate Health & Safety; some qualifications have an entire unit dedicated to health & safety whilst others encourage learners to prove their knowledge. The Health & Safety unit of the NVQ is always started at the beginning of the learning programme, however it is not often completed until closer to the end, to ensure full knowledge has been gained and evidence of competence has been gathered over a period of time and taking into account different situations; we use the assess-train- assess model. Hygiene Sue has a variety of learning tools to suit the needs and learning styles of our learners; workbooks, worksheets, risk assessments, projects/assignments, walk and talk sessions, demonstrations, coaching and training.

Learners that undertake an adult literacy qualification with their NVQ often use Health & Safety as the basis of their teaching and learning. Learners working in higher risk environment or those with greater needs undertake the CIEH Basic Health & Safety course. Assessors will provide feedback and give examples of good practice when poor practice has been observed.

Health & Safety is reviewed with the learner at every visit; in addition for young and vulnerable adult learners Hygiene Sue reviews the Health & Safety with the employer and/or line manager at a minimum of 12-weekly intervals.