At Great Places, we work with a diverse range of people, including many vulnerable adults. Safeguarding is therefore one of our top priorities at the moment, and over the past twelve months we’ve taken steps to educate and empower our customer-facing colleagues to be aware of the various risks, be able to spot the signs, and have the confidence to act on them appropriately and within our guidance. Anyone can fall victim to safeguarding concerns, from domestic abuse to cuckooing, and so raising awareness of this is key.
With this week being Safeguarding Adults Week, we took the opportunity to hone in on the key things we as housing professionals need to be aware of to create good working practices when it comes to safeguarding. We marked each day by taking a deep dive into the key themes.
Day one – Developing a professional curiosity
On Monday, we started off with what it is to have a professional curiosity whilst out and about and interacting with our customers and visiting their homes. This emphasised being conscious of the potential risks our customers may be vulnerable to, and observing key signs without making assumptions. Crucially, this highlighted the importance of maintaining that curiosity by following up on any concerns.
Day two – How do we listen to people?
On Tuesday, we looked at the ways we can actively listen to our customers when they disclose to us information indicating potential safeguarding concerns. This centred around creating a safe and open space in which customers can trust us and feel comfortable, and being inclusive thinkers as we listen to understand.
Day three – Establishing professional boundaries
On Wednesday, we established the importance of maintaining our professionalism when dealing with sensitive or serious situations. This professionalism is at the heart of our approach to safeguarding, and entails sticking to our procedures and keeping good records, as well keeping our conversations with customers appropriate.
Day four – Recognising exploitation
On the penultimate day, we looked at the practical warning signs that can be picked up on during our visits to customers’ homes, that can potentially point to a number of safeguarding concerns. For instance, notable changes in behaviour or appearance, sudden build-up of debt, lack of hygiene or poor living conditions, and unknown visitors frequenting our homes. It’s being aware of these signs that help us all to stay alert to them, and be best placed to act on them.
Day five – Professional and organisational learning
On the final day of Safeguarding Adults Week, we reflected on what we’re doing as an organisation to improve our practices when it comes to safeguarding. Beyond our ‘Eyes Wide Open’ campaign, we’re currently driving to better understand our customers and their needs through our recently approved Inclusive Services Policy, headed by a committed team to drive this change. This helps not only with delivering tailored services to our customers, but directly supports us to pick up on warning signs when things may be out of the ordinary.
At Great Places, we know that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we’ve engaged all of our colleagues – whether customer-facing or not – to be aware of the signs and understand their role in protecting our most vulnerable customers.
