This policy supports you to ensure that team members understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and the prevention of any form of abuse of any service user, thus enabling them to be transported in a safe and non-threatening environment.

To achieve this aim, it is essential that all team members are fully aware of what constitutes abuse in order that they can identify abuse by being further aware of what to look for. Team members must also be fully aware of how to report concerns, recognise the importance of doing so immediately and understand the procedures through which to do this. This policy provides the information staff will require to fulfil their duties and obligations in respect to the safeguarding service users.

All team members have a responsibility to be vigilant regarding the indicators of abuse and this policy supports you to proactively encourage a culture of raising all concerns, whether or not these result in being reportable safeguarding events. Team members can be assured that they will not be penalised for reporting the possibility of abuse provided this is done without malice.