This policy sets out Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group’s approach to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

The purpose of this policy is to outline to all staff the commitment to adult safeguarding through the CCG’s commissioning activity so that the six principles of Adult Safeguarding are enshrined in all the services commissioned via contracting arrangements.

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is committed to safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people who access services that it commissions.

The CCG will discharge its corporate accountability for safeguarding as per its organisational Accountability structure.  

This policy illustrates the requirements and compliance with legislative duties to safeguard Children and vulnerable adults. It is applicable to all CCG staff and all independent contracted staff. All provider organisations should have their own policies for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in accordance with their own statutory responsibilities

Comprehensive children’s and adult safeguarding supervision arrangements are required to ensure that appropriate advice and supervision is available to all staff, commensurate with their role.

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is committed to the protection of vulnerable children and adults. The CCG will execute its statutory duties under the Children Act 2004 and the Care Act 2014 by ensuring that all staff are trained to the required level according to their role and responsibilities. The principle philosophy is that safeguarding is everybody’s business and all staff will respond to concerns, raise safeguarding awareness and address any emerging issues.

As a commissioning organisation the CCG will ensure that all health services contracted by it have robust processes in place to prevent, identify and act upon abuse of any patient, this includes those services having clear accessible policy and procedures, safer recruitment, training and governance systems.

This policy relates to circumstances when an allegation is made that a child/young person or adult with care and support needs is suffering or likely to suffer harm caused by an employee/worker from Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) or that an employee’s behaviour indicates they are unsuitable to work with children or adults with care and support needs.

As both a local leader in commissioning health services for the population of Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and as an employer, the CCG provides the following statement in respect of its commitment to, and efforts in, preventing slavery and human trafficking practices in the supply chain and its employment practices.

To ensure staff and all other groups working with people where there are issues about mental capacity, in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin, work in accordance with The Act and Code of Practice.

The purpose of this document is to clarify the level and frequency of safeguarding training that is expected for all CCG staff. Provider organisations commissioned by the CCG are each required to have their own safeguarding strategy.

Primary Care Services have an important role to play in the identification of the individual health care needs of children and young people who are looked after.  They often have prior knowledge of the child or young person looked after, of the birth parents and of carers, helping them to take a holistic and child-centred approach to health care decisions and may also have continuing responsibility for the child or young person when they return home.

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group (STWCCG) acknowledges practitioners are often faced with difficult decisions when they are unable to make contact with or gain access to clients or clients and their carers disengage.  This protocol is to be used by staff when unable to make contact with or obtain access to children and young people.