Support for community organisations who are working with "Adults at Risk"​

In the last number of weeks, I have noticed an increase in requests from community organisations for support to implement their Adult Safeguarding Policy and provide Safeguarding Training for staff in their organisation. I believe this increase is directly related to the fact that Ireland, and specifically community groups in rural parts of Ireland, are now supporting large numbers of persons who have come here to flee War be it in Ukraine, the Middle East, or Africa.

Traditionally Adult Safeguarding has always been recognised as an essential elment of working with the elderly, persons with an intellectual disability and those who have limited capacity. The term “vulnerable” adult is the most commonly referred to term to identify those at most risk of abuse. According to the HSE 2014’s Safeguarding Vulnerable Persons At Risk of Abuse National Policy described vulnerable persons as:

“an adult who may be restricted in capacity to guard himself / herself against harm or exploitation or to report such harm or exploitation. Restriction of capacity may arise as a result of physical or intellectual impairment. Vulnerability to abuse is influenced by both context and individual circumstances”.

However according to the Governments discussion paper on Safeguarding there is a growing consensus both in Ireland and internationally that the use of the term vulnerable is insensitive and may stigmatise those affected. It also implies that the persons characteristics cause them to be at risk of being harmed, rather than those who cause harm. There is now a move towards the term "Adult at Risk" rather than focusing on their vulnerablility. The HSE are currently working on a revised definition of adult at risk in their new safeguarding policy (unpublished) which is as follows:

“an adult aged 18 years or over, who is at risk of experiencing abuse, neglect, or exploitation by a third party and lacks mental or physical capacity to protect themselves from harm at this time in their lives”

This shows a better understanding of both the situational nature of being “at risk” as well as demonstrating that it is the actions of a 3rd party rather than an inherent “vulnerability” due to the individuals characteristics and circumstances which cause the person to be at risk of abuse.

If you are working with Adults at Risk and are beginning to observe that they are experiencing vulnerability at this time in their lives and are concerned that your organisation needs to implement a robust safeguarding policy and procedure or revise your existing policies and procedures then please do get in touch at maighread@maighreadkelly.ie to discuss further.

In 2021 I partnered with Best Practice Healthcare Ltd. to deliver an online training course in "Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults at Risk of Abuse". For further information see https://bestpracticehealthcare.ie/safeguarding-vulnerable-adult-risk-abuse/

by Maighread Kelly

Why is the reporting of accidents, incidents and near misses so important for Safeguarding?

Across all sections in society, those involved in the provision of care can learn from any near miss, incident, complaint or accident. Any one of these can be a learning experience for all involved, particularly if there are certain situations that are recurring. It can unfortunately also be an indicator of abuse, including risk to safeguarding in the organisation, a situation that needs to be examined immediately.

A poor or toxic culture in an organisation may manifest itself in a culture of fear; fear of speaking out about issues like understaffing or the lack of necessary resources for the safe provision of care. This can increase the chances of safeguarding risks and the likelihood of abuse occurring. Every person working within an organisation contributes to the culture in that organisation, but if there is a systemic problem within the leadership of the organisation, it can be difficult for a positive and proactive safeguarding culture to exist. Those of us who are most vulnerable rely on those who are supporting us to be constantly aware of our safety and raise the alarm if they believe we are unsafe or are participating in activities which could put us in harms way. They also rely on us to report to those in authority if they suspect we are being ill treated.

What is safeguarding?

All adults have a right to be safe and to live a life free from abuse. According to the HSE, safeguarding means putting in place measures that promote and protect people’s human rights, their health and well-being whilst empowering people to protect themselves. Most adults can protect themselves and may only require advice or guidance from the people who support them. Others may require support to protect themselves and may in some cases require a health or care plan to help them feel safe. A minority of people cannot protect themselves adequately from abuse and will require additional protection. Safeguarding should also be viewed as responding to concerns to prevent abuse across a continuum of care.

Safeguarding focuses on the:

  • Prevention of abuse.
  • Identification of abuse.
  • Identification and implementation of measures that reduce/eliminate the risk of recurrence of abuse.

A Safeguarding Ireland Survey Found…

  • 1 in 2 Irish adults claim experience of vulnerable adult abuse.
  • Physical abuse of vulnerable adults has been witnessed, or suspected, by 1 in 3 adults.
  • Emotional abuse is the most common type with over 1 in 3 having experienced it.
  • More than 10,000 cases of alleged abuse are reported to the HSE Safeguarding and Protection Teams each year.

Ireland's first Adult Safeguarding Day public awareness event takes place on Friday November 19, 2021. The event is being coordinated by Safeguarding Ireland – in partnership with organisations across the health, social, financial and justice sectors. The aim is to raise a greater awareness and understanding of safeguarding with respect to

  1. Rights
  2. Services and
  3. Empowerment.

In celebration of Ireland's 1st ever Adult Safeguarding Day we will be giving away 5 vouchers (worth €50 each) to attend our Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults at Risk of Abuse training course. Designed for Healthcare Workers, Social Care Workers, Residential Service Providers, Home Care and Disability Sector employees. Our online Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults at Risk of Abuse course helps you clearly identify safeguarding risks, and understand when and how to report a safeguarding concern including allegations or concerns of abuse.

If you would like to be in with a chance to get a voucher the first 5 people to email me will get their free training voucher maighread@maighreadkelly.com

by Maighread Kelly

COVID-19: Guidance for Homecare Providers

This guidance takes account of latest government advice on COVID-19 and how to support people in their own homes.

Provision of care and support in people’s home is a high priority service, in that most care and support cannot be deferred to another day without putting clients at risk of harm.

1.  Steps for Homecare providers to maintain delivery of care:

  • We advise all providers to review their list of clients, and ensure that it is up to date, including levels of informal support available to those clients, who is in their circle of support and if the next of kin details are accurate.
  • Link in with the HSE and other homecare providers in your area to establish plans for mutual aid, taking account of their business continuity plans, and consider arrangements to support sharing of the workforce between homecare providers, and with local primary care services providers; and with deployment of volunteers where that is safe to do so.
  • Link in with your clients to enquire if there are any neighbours or friends who might be able to support them, should the situation worsen in the coming weeks.
  • Home care providers should check their stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and aprons are adequate and link in with other agencies to share resources in the event that the situation worsens in the coming weeks.

2.   If a Health Care Assistant is concerned, they have COVID-19

  • If a member of your staff is concerned they have COVID-19 they should follow the HSE’s advice which is regularly updated.
  • If they are advised to self-isolate at home they should follow the HSE’s guidance on self-isolation.
  • If advised to self-isolate at home, the Health Care Assistant should not visit and care for clients until safe to do so.

3.   If the client being cared is displaying symptoms of COVID-19

If the client receiving care and support has symptoms of COVID-19, then the risk of transmission should be minimised through safe working procedures.

3.1.   Personal protective equipment

  • Health Care Assistants should use personal protective equipment (PPE) for activities that bring them into close personal contact, such as providing intimate care, washing and bathing, and contact with bodily fluids.
  • Aprons, gloves and fluid repellent surgical masks should be used in these situations. If there is a risk of splashing, then eye protection will minimise risk.
  • New personal protective equipment must be used for each episode of care. It is essential that personal protective equipment is stored securely within disposable rubbish bags.
  • These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste within the room. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in the usual household waste bin.

3.2.   Cleaning

  • If Health Care Assistants undertake cleaning duties, then they should use usual household products, such as detergents and bleach as these will be very effective at getting rid of the virus on surfaces. Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned regularly.
  • Personal waste (for example, used tissues, continence pads and other items soiled with bodily fluids) and disposable cleaning cloths can be stored securely within disposable rubbish bags.
  • These bags should be placed into another bag, tied securely and kept separate from other waste within your own room. This should be put aside for at least 72 hours before being put in the usual household waste bin for disposal as normal.

3.3.   Laundry

  • If Health Care Assistants support the client with laundry, then they should not shake dirty laundry. This minimises the possibility of dispersing virus through the air.
  • Wash items as appropriate, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Dirty laundry that has been in contact with an ill person can be washed with other people’s items. If the client does not have a washing machine, wait a further 72 hours after the 7-day isolation period has ended; the laundry can then be taken to a public laundromat.
  • Items heavily soiled with body fluids, for example, vomit or diarrhoea, or items that cannot be washed, should be disposed of, with the owner’s consent.

4.  If neither the client nor the care worker have symptoms of COVID-19

  • If neither the care worker nor the client receiving care and support is symptomatic, then no personal protective equipment is required above and beyond normal good hygiene practices.
  • General interventions may include increased cleaning activity and keeping property properly ventilated by opening windows whenever safe and appropriate.
  • Health Care Assistants should follow the HSE guide on how to wash your hands

The HSE and HPSC brought out Guidance for Health and Social Care Workers who visit homes on the 19th March 2020.

Maighréad Kelly is a management consultant and offers a range of supports to employers in the area of HR and Operations.  For more information on the services that Maighréad provides go to www.maighreadkelly.com or check out her experience on https://www.linkedin.com/in/maighreadkelly/

by Maighread Kelly

Flexible Working and Working from Home Policy & Procedure

1.  Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline [Social Enterprise / Organisation] policy on flexible working arrangements and to guide and expose to a greater extent the benefits of a more agile workforce within our [Social Enterprise / Organisation] This policy sets out the guidelines to you as an employee on how to make effective use of a more flexible working environment.

It shall also provide a framework of understanding about how home working operates in [Social Enterprise / Organisation] should the need arise whereby employees are required to work from home for example during Worldwide Pandemic situation such as Covid-19.

 

It is based upon the principles outlined below, which also meet the requirements of all relevant employment legislation and support a new and modern way of working.

This policy defines what home working means for [Social Enterprise / Organisation] and what needs to be in place to ensure the well-being of employees. It is the [Social Enterprise / Organisation]’s policy to encourage open discussion with employees to ensure that questions and problems can be resolved as quickly as possible.

2.  Scope

This policy and procedure applies to all employees. In order for the policy to be effective, it is essential that employees and those involved in the management of employees are aware of the policy and procedure and adhere to it. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] Board and Management to ensure that this is the case.

No [Social Enterprise / Organisation] employee will be deemed as a home-based worker so there will be no change [Social Enterprise / Organisation]’s responsibilities as an employer or of employees’ responsibilities to work to required policies and processes.

3.  Policy

[Social Enterprise / Organisation] recognises the benefits of flexible working options to you as an employee, including flexible hours, working from home, part-time working and job sharing, while using a range of technologies to stay connected.

The employer has a trusting approach to flexible working, where performance, quality and a results-driven ethos remain at the forefront.

4.  Core principles

  • [Social Enterprise / Organisation] will promote best practice in the management of home working. It will regularly review its provisions to ensure that they are legally compliant and reflect best practice.
  • [Social Enterprise / Organisation] will support home working, and this will be agreed between the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] manager and the individual taking into consideration team and business needs. Individual needs for flexibility will also be considered on a case by case basis.
  • Whilst home working, employees must take responsibility for their work during [Social Enterprise / Organisation] office hours; the system is reliant on there being trust between managers and employees. This is so fundamental that any breach of trust will be treated very seriously and may be regarded as misconduct. Appropriate action may follow under the Disciplinary Policy. If misconduct is found, the agreement to work at home may be withdrawn.
  • Working at home is a benefit available to all employee and not a requirement nor an automatic right and days must be agreed in advance with the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] There will be some circumstances where working from home a viable option is not or where the operational needs necessitate a different approach. For example, a member of employee whose performance is being reviewed under the capability procedure may not be considered suitable for home working. Such circumstances are expected to be the exception not the norm.
  • In exceptional circumstances [Social Enterprise / Organisation] may request that you work from home due to bad weather, health management crisis etc. In these circumstances we would ask that all employees openly state if they have the resources, equipment and space to be able to work from home, so that alternative options can be explored if they are incapable of carrying out their duties in their home environment.

5.  Making a Request

Prior to submitting a formal request, an employee should have an informal conversation with their manager regarding possible flexible working arrangements.

In circumstances whereby [Social Enterprise / Organisation] request all employees to work from home [Social Enterprise / Organisation] management will meet with each employee individually to discuss what needs to be put in place in order for them to be able to work from home.

Every attempt will be made by the employer to accommodate each request where it is reasonably possible.

6.  Job Roles

  • [Social Enterprise / Organisation] understands that some roles lend themselves to homeworking more readily than others.
  • Under home working, roles can be undertaken from the office or home. The balance between office and home working will vary depending on the role and the person concerned, and the days which are office-based days, and which are home-based days will be agreed. Home working will normally be no more than 2 days per week to support team engagement.
  • In crisis situations the length of time working from home may be longer therefore arrangements will be put in place to support each employee to ensure they are not isolated and are given the required support that they need in order to complete their work.
  • All roles will have their principle workplace as the [Social Enterprise / Organisation]

7.   Home Working in Practice

Employees where home working is mutually agreed will be asked to meet with the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] Manager to discuss and agree the employee’s responsibilities and those of [Social Enterprise / Organisation] while working at home. This includes the areas covered below:

7.1.   Insurance cover

Employees should ensure that all [Social Enterprise / Organisation] property is used appropriately and responsibly and that all reasonable precautions are taken to prevent damage and theft. Any damage or theft of [Social Enterprise / Organisation] property must be reported to the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] manager immediately.

7.2.   Communication and contact

Communication arrangements must be robust. Employees working from home should be readily contactable, normally by email and by telephone, during normal working hours. Home workers must let their line manager or employees know in advance (where appropriate) of any times they will be out, seeking permission where appropriate.

7.3.   Information security

All employees working from home must ensure that they adhere to [Social Enterprise / Organisation]’s policies, procedures and guidance in relation to Information Security, Data Protection and Freedom of Information.

7.4.   Health and Safety

The work that employees will be carrying out at home is paper-based or computer-based work and in general such work is not high risk. Nevertheless, [Social Enterprise / Organisation] has responsibilities under health and safety legislation when employees are working from home, including the requirement to undertake appropriate risk assessment.

Employee will be provided with equipment which is appropriate for their job roles and in line with any reasonable adjustments that an individual has.

Any other equipment requested outside of the normal equipment provision will need to be considered once a clear business reason has been made by the individual

7.5.   Additional household expenses

[Social Enterprise / Organisation] will not pay any additional household costs as home working arrangements are deemed a mutual benefit.

8.  Attendance and Availability for Work

  • Employee must be available and able to work on their contracted days whether they are in the office or working from home, unless absence is for an authorised form of leave or sickness. Any variation to this arrangement can only be made by prior agreement with the [Social Enterprise / Organisation]
  • Employees should remember that the needs of [Social Enterprise / Organisation] clients and [Social Enterprise / Organisation] will always take priority. This will mean that employees are expected to be available to come into the office on a working from home day should a need arise. This may include situations when they are unable to connect to the business systems, or if they are asked to do so by their manager e.g. in the event of sickness of a employee, inadequate cover, emergency or service need.
  • Managers will be aware of the personal circumstances of their employees and should try to balance individual needs when calling an employee in on working from home days.
  • Where an employee is being asked to attend the office at short notice, managers should endeavour to make the call at a time that enables the employee to arrive at their normal starting time. Where this is not possible the employee’s travelling time will be considered as part of their working day
  • Employees should log in regularly to clearly indicate their availability status throughout their working day. This entails ensuring that outlook calendars are kept open, accessible to employees and are up to date.
  • As a rule, employees are expected to work in the same way, whether they are in the office or working from home. For example, if they would usually be available to answer the telephone, respond to emails etc. during the hours the service operates they will be expected to do this when working from home, unless a change is agreed with the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] Whether or not the [Social Enterprise / Organisation] manager agrees to a change, will depend upon the circumstances of the request and its impact on the team and service delivery.
  • In the case of a systems failure, employees should contact their manager, who will need to establish the extent of the system failure, the impact on the service and decide on the appropriate course of action. In some cases, this will involve seeking advice from the Board of Management.

9.   Patterns of Work

  • Working from home does not mean that employees are able to choose when and where they work. The days that employees work in the office or work from home will be organised, planned and agreed in advance with their line manager. This will not be in a public place e.g. library or internet café.
  • The needs of the service will always take priority, however a collaborative approach between management and employee is more likely to achieve a mutually beneficial arrangement.
  • Ultimately the manager will have the responsibility for ensuring that service needs take priority; that employee are treated fairly and are trusted to take responsibility for themselves and their work when working from home.
  • Managers will, in consultation with their employee, decide a pattern that best meets the needs of the service.
  • Employees must understand that these patterns are subject to change; there is no entitlement to work from home on specific days of the week. Consequently, employees must be ready to alter their working pattern if required and should be wary of making any commitments on homeworking days as these may need to change.
  • Working from home is not a substitute for caring for dependents’ long term. Employees are expected to have made alternative arrangements for the care of their dependents during their working day if they wish to apply for homeworking on a long-term basis.

10.  Absences

10.1.  Sickness

As when due in the office where an employee is unable to attend for work due to sickness, they must on the first day of absence, contact their manager at the earliest opportunity.

10.2.  Working from home when sick

  • As a guide working from home is not to be used as a substitute for a working in the office day, when an employee feels “under the weather” i.e. they feel unable to make the journey into the office but feel able to continue their normal work from home. Last minute changes could impact on other team members and are therefore difficult to accommodate.
  • It is however recognised that there may be times or circumstances where such requests may be agreed by exception such as in situations where the employee does not feel sick but has been advised by a health professional to self-isolate due to contact or suspected contact with someone who has Covid-19. In their discussion the manager should consider the hours the employee expects to be able to work and their likely output before determining whether it is appropriate for the employee to work from home in this situation. It is also imperative that the employee has the necessary equipment at home to be able to do this (i.e. laptop etc.,).
  • An employee who has reported in as sick and will have it recorded as such, is not expected to work either in the office or at home. Managers should be respectful of this.

11.  Performance

Working from home relies on outcome-based management. This means that employee are managed based upon their results. To achieve this an employee is expected to deliver outcomes within their contractual hours. The arrangements for how hours are worked will be agreed in advance with line managers.

This approach will require a strong commitment by managers and employees to plan and ensure that regular 1-2-1 meetings take place and relevant targets are used to represent the outcomes required.

Working from home requires some changes in relationship between employees and their managers. As a result, there are different responsibilities for all employee. All responsibilities are set out below.

11.1. Employees will:

  1. Agree working arrangements with their manager (and in consultation with other team members where appropriate)
  2. Ensure that their manager knows when and where they are working at all times
  3. Ensure their Outlook calendar is up-to-date, and their working status is known at all times
  4. Meet agreed work objectives, deadlines and monitoring arrangements, with a focus on outcomes and achievement
  5. Take care of [Social Enterprise / Organisation] equipment such as laptops, particularly when travelling or working from home. Any loss, damage or theft must be reported to the manager and the police if appropriate.
  6. Comply with the IT security and data protection requirements
  7. Complete the Data Protection Act training module
  8. Take reasonable care of their own health and safety and follow the Display Screen Guidance and other health and safety arrangements and procedures

11.2. Managers will:

  1. Ensure that safe working practices are understood by employees and that they have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively
  2. Ensure, in consultation with other managers, that working arrangements mean we do not exceed our desk capacity on any one day.
  3. Plan which members of employee are working in and out of the office on any given day. This will necessitate thinking creatively about how home working could work for their employee.

11.3. Managers will ensure that their employees:

  • Understand that it is not compulsory to work from home, but that it is an available benefit
  • Have access to the appropriate technology to work effectively both in the office environment and from home
  • Take responsibility for creating a safe working environment when working from home.
  • Have access to appropriate support equipment to assist in the creation of a safe working environment when working from home.
  • Have SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) objectives, priorities and targets which can be measured in line with the Performance Reviews, as well as clarity about the outcomes expected of their job role.
  • Have their individual circumstances and requirements (particularly where an employee has a disability) taken into account, including the needs of newly appointed employee, trainees and apprentices who may initially need to come into the office more often for support rather than working at home.
  • Have access to continuous performance review process which includes regular 1:1 conversation and/or supervision.
  • Ensure that information governance and health and safety requirements are adhered to at all times.

12.  Refusing Requests

While every attempt will be made to accommodate each request, where possible, the following circumstances may result in a request not being approved:

  • anticipated detrimental effect on ability to meet stakeholder demand.
  • anticipated detrimental impact on service quality.
  • inability to reorganise work among existing employees.
  • burden of additional costs exceeding maximum acceptability by the employer.
  • anticipated detrimental impact on [Social Enterprise / Organisation]
  • insufficiency of work during the periods the employee proposes to work.
  • planned operational changes that are not compatible with the requested working arrangement.
  • Employee who require specialist equipment.
  • Employee whose personal circumstances are not conducive to home working. There could be a number of reasons where working at home is not possible for a member of employee, e.g. shared flats/houses, insufficient space, someone else caring for children/relatives in the home, etc. In the short-term, they may need to attend the office more frequently than other members of employee and managers are expected to manage this in consultation with other team members.

13.  Timeline for Handling Flexible Working Requests

If you wish to avail of flexible working, you must submit a formal request to your manager at least two weeks prior to the date on which you would like the arrangement to commence. If the flexible working arrangement request is approved, [Social Enterprise / Organisation] will issue you a confirmation document as soon as possible, but not less than four weeks before the commencement date of the flexible working arrangement.

14.  Review of Policy

[Social Enterprise / Organisation] reserves the right to amend or revise this policy at any stage. Any such amendments will be communicated to all employees.

15.  References

Available upon request

 

If you would like a Word Version of this Policy & Procedure please email maighread@migration.tworf.opalstacked.com

Maighréad Kelly is a management consultant and offers a range of supports to employers in the area of HR and Operations.  For more information on the services that Maighréad provides go to www.maighreadkelly.com or check out her experience on https://www.linkedin.com/in/maighreadkelly/

by Maighread Kelly