Safeguarding Policy

1About this policy

This policy explains how LivWell Companions ("LivWell", "we", "us") works to keep older adults safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation, and what we do if we have a concern.

It applies to:

• LivWell and anyone who works for us or on our behalf;
• every companion in our network, from the moment they apply; and
• the clients and families we work with, who can use it to understand what to expect and how to raise a concern.

It should be read with our Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy and our Complaints Procedure.

2Our commitment

Many of the people our companions spend time with are older, and some may be vulnerable. Everyone has the right to live safely, free from abuse and neglect, and to make their own choices about their life.

We follow the six safeguarding principles set out in the Care Act 2014:

3Our role, and its limits

LivWell is an introductory agency. We find, vet and match independent, self-employed companions, and introduce them to clients and their families. We are not a care agency, and we are not registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Companions provide companionship only: conversation, outings, shared interests, company at appointments or events, and, where agreed, overnight companionship, where the companion is present in the home for reassurance. Companions do not provide personal care, nursing or medical care, or medication support, at any time, including overnight.

Once a family and a companion decide to go ahead, they arrange visits, hours and rates directly with each other. We do not supervise visits. Section 11 explains what this means for safeguarding.

4How we vet companions

No one joins our network, or is introduced to a client, until they have completed every step below.

1. Application. The companion completes our written application, including their experience, availability, right to work and, if relevant, driving details.
2. Identity check. We verify their identity using official photo ID and proof of address.
3. Right to work. We confirm they have the right to work in the UK, using the documents they provide.
4. Formal virtual interview. We interview every shortlisted applicant by video, to understand their character, motivation and experience, and to talk through this policy and our code of conduct.
5. Criminal record check. We carry out a check through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at [DBS check level], through [Background check provider].
6. References. We take up at least two references, at least one of them from someone who has seen the applicant's work with people, and we follow them up directly.
7. Agreement. The companion signs our companion agreement, which includes this policy and the code of conduct.

Before each introduction, we check again that the companion is suitable for that particular client, taking into account the client's needs, home, pets and any driving.

We repeat the criminal record check [how often, for example every three years]. Companions must tell us straight away if anything changes that could affect their suitability, such as a caution, a charge or a conviction.

5Companion code of conduct

Every companion in our network agrees to the following.

Respect and dignity

• Treat the client with kindness and respect, and respect their home, their choices and their privacy.
• Never shout at, threaten, humiliate, restrain or physically harm a client.
• Keep the client's personal information, and anything they share, confidential, except where there is a safeguarding concern.

Staying within companionship

• Never provide personal care, nursing or medical care, or give, prompt or manage medication.
• If a client seems unwell or hurt, call 111 or 999 as appropriate, and tell the family.
• For overnight companionship, be present for reassurance only, and call for help if it is needed.

Money and property

• Never borrow or lend money, accept cash or valuable gifts, or ask for or accept a loan, a bequest in a will, or any other financial benefit from a client.
• Never handle a client's bank cards, PINs, online banking or passwords.
• Never witness or sign a will, a power of attorney or any other legal or financial document for a client.
• Small gifts of low value, such as a card or a box of chocolates, are fine.

Boundaries

• Keep the relationship friendly and professional. Never begin a romantic or sexual relationship with a client.
• Never visit while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Never bring other people, children or pets to a visit unless the family agrees in advance.
• Never post photos or details of a client on social media.

Driving

• Only drive a client if the family has asked, and only if the companion holds a valid UK driving licence and has arranged their own suitable insurance, including business use. LivWell does not provide insurance.

Speaking up

• Report any concern about a client's safety or wellbeing to LivWell promptly, as described in section 7, even if they are unsure.

If a companion breaks this code, we may remove them from our network and, where appropriate, report the matter as described in section 9.

6Recognising abuse and neglect

Abuse can be a single event or something that happens over time, and it can be done by anyone, including family, friends, neighbours, professionals or strangers. The Care Act 2014 statutory guidance describes these types:

Signs can include unexplained injuries, changes in mood or behaviour, unpaid bills or missing money, a new "friend" taking a sudden interest in someone's finances, poor hygiene, or someone seeming afraid of a particular person.

7How to raise a concern

Anyone can raise a safeguarding concern with us: a client, a family member, a companion, a neighbour or a professional. You do not need proof, and you do not need to be sure. If something feels wrong, tell us.

In an emergency

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 first. For a crime that isn't an emergency, call the police on 101.

Telling LivWell

Contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead, [Name]:

Email

livwellcompanions@gmail.com, with "Safeguarding" in the subject line

Phone

[Phone number]

If you can, tell us who is involved, what happened or what you noticed, when and where, and whether anyone is at immediate risk. Don't worry if you don't have every detail.

For companions

• If a client tells you something worrying, listen calmly, take it seriously and don't ask leading questions.
• Don't promise to keep it secret. Explain that you may need to share it to keep them safe.
• Don't investigate or confront anyone yourself.
• Write down what you saw or were told, in the person's own words where you can, with the date and time, and contact us the same day.

8What we do with a concern

1. We respond quickly. We aim to acknowledge every safeguarding concern within one working day. If someone may be at risk, we act the same day.
2. We check the person is safe. If there is an immediate risk, we contact the emergency services.
3. We listen to the person at risk. Where it is safe and possible, we ask what they want to happen, and we respect their wishes as far as we can.
4. We decide what to do. This may include referring the concern to the local authority or the police (section 9), pausing a companion's visits, or removing a companion from our network.
5. We keep a record. We write down the concern, what we decided and why, and who we told (section 10).
6. We follow up. We tell the person who raised the concern what we have done, as far as we can without breaking anyone's confidentiality.

9When we involve others

The local authority

The local authority where the older adult lives leads on adult safeguarding. If we think someone may be experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect, we will refer the concern to that council's adult safeguarding team. Their contact details are in section 14.

The police

If a crime may have been committed, we will contact the police.

The Disclosure and Barring Service

If we remove a companion from our network because they have harmed, or may harm, someone, we will refer them to the Disclosure and Barring Service where the law requires or allows us to.

Consent and capacity

We will normally ask the older adult for their consent before we share a concern. We may share information without consent where:

• someone is at risk of serious harm;
• other people may be at risk;
• a crime may have been committed;
• the person may lack capacity to make the decision, in which case we act in their best interests under the Mental Capacity Act 2005; or
• the law requires it.

Where we share without consent, we share only what is needed, and we record why.

10Records and confidentiality

We keep a secure, confidential record of every safeguarding concern: what was reported, by whom and when, what we did, who we told and the outcome. Only the people who need to see these records can see them.

We handle this information in line with UK data protection law and our Privacy Policy. We keep safeguarding records for [retention period], because they may be needed later by the local authority, the police or the Disclosure and Barring Service.

11After an introduction

Once a family and a companion go ahead, the family arranges visits directly with the companion and is responsible for the day-to-day arrangement. We do not attend or supervise visits.

Our safeguarding role does not end there. We still want to hear about any concern, at any time, and we will:

• respond to it as described in sections 8 and 9;
• remove a companion from our network if we believe they are not safe to work with older adults; and
• help the family find another companion where that is part of their service with us.

We encourage families to stay in regular contact with their loved one and the companion, to agree clear boundaries at the start, and to tell us straight away if anything worries them.

12Concerns about LivWell

If your concern is about LivWell itself, or about how we handled a safeguarding matter, you can contact the adult safeguarding team at the older adult's local council directly (section 14). You do not need to tell us first.

Companions who raise a genuine concern in good faith will not be treated unfairly for doing so.

For anything else that isn't a safeguarding concern, please use our Complaints Procedure.

13Training and review

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead completes adult safeguarding training and refreshes it [how often]. Every companion is taken through this policy and the code of conduct during their interview, and agrees to them before joining our network.

We review this policy at least once a year, after any serious concern, and when the law or guidance changes. The latest version is always on this page, with its date at the top.

14Contacts

LivWell

Designated Safeguarding Lead

[Name]

Email

livwellcompanions@gmail.com

Phone

[Phone number]

Post

[Registered business address]

Emergency and police

Emergency

999

Police, non-emergency

101

NHS, urgent but not an emergency

111

Local authority adult safeguarding teams

Contact the council where the older adult lives.