When Blossom Comes CIC Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Policy

Last updated: January 2025

The aim of the policy is to ensure that When Blossom Comes CIC can safely include all people in it’s  work, and ensure that, when engaging with our work, all those involved are protected from abuse, exploitation and mistreatment

This policy is intended to support freelance workers and volunteers working within When Blossom Comes CIC to understand their role and responsibilities in safeguarding adults. 

All freelance workers and volunteers are expected to follow this policy.

The key objectives of this policy are for all freelance workers and volunteers in When Blossom Comes CIC to:

  • Have an overview of adult safeguarding

  • Be clear about their responsibility to safeguard adults

  • Ensure the necessary actions are taken where an adult with care and support needs is deemed to be at risk

This policy is based on guidance and legislation set down in:

  • The Care Act 2014 and Care and Support statutory guidance

  • London Safeguarding Adults policy and procedures

  • Human Rights Act 1998

2. What Is Safeguarding Adults?

Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to proactively prevent, reduce and stop the risks and experience of abuse or neglect. While at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing and agency is promoted including, where appropriate, being led by their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. 

All adults should be able to live free from fear and harm. When Blossoms Comes CIC recognises that we live in an unjust and unequal society in which many people are unable to access the support they may need, in the way they would like. We recognise that a contextual approach to safeguarding is required to understand that some structures and policies in statutory organisations and supporting agencies can be harmful as well as protective.We are committed to centering the wishes of the adult experiencing fear and harm wherever possible.  

An adult may be unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation due to many reasons, including their isolation, mental or physical incapacity, sensory loss or physical or learning disabilities. This includes adults who are usually able to protect themselves from harm but may be unable to do so because of a particular circumstance such as an accident, disability, frailty, addiction or illness.

When Blossom Comes CIC adheres to the following six key principles that underpin safeguarding work:

  • Empowerment

  • Prevention

  • Proportionality

  • Protection

  • Partnership

  • Accountability


When Blossom Comes CIC will not tolerate the abuse of adults. We will ensure that our work reflects the principles above. We are committed to a radical safeguarding practice which is proactive and centre the needs and wants of the adult at risk. When Blossom Comes CIC will ensure that the safeguarding action agreed is the least intrusive response to the risk. 

We are transparent and accountable in delivering safeguarding actions and committed to working collaboratively with other groups, organizations and statutory bodies in the community.

  1. What is Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP)?

MSP means a case should be person-led and outcome-focused. The individual should be involved in identifying how best to respond to their safeguarding situation by giving them more choice and control, it should prioritize improving their quality of life, wellbeing and safety.

  1. Who do adult safeguarding duties apply to?

The Care Act 2014 sets out that adult safeguarding duties apply to any adult who:

  • Has care and support needs (whether or not these are being met)

  • Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse and neglect

  • Is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect, because of those needs.

5. Good Practice Guidelines

All freelance workers and volunteers doing work in the name of When Blossom Comes CIC will be given the training they need to best support the communities they are engaging with. 

When Blossom Comes CIC is committed to create an environment where safeguarding is an integrated practice, ensuring all freelance workers and volunteers have access to regular training, workshops and reflection spaces to consider how this work is functioning in practice. 

When Blossom Comes CIC is committed  to building relationships with communities and individuals based on mutual trust. Our work will always endeavor to build self-determination for participants, facilitators and volunteers. Self determination theory is based on the following three pillars. 

  • Relatedness refers to the need to feel connected and a sense of belongingness with others. It is supported when others are involved and show interest in the person’s activities, are empathic in responding to their feelings and convey that the person is significant, cared for, and loved.


  • Competence refers to the experience of mastery and being effective in one’s activity. It is supported by providing the person with optimal challenges and opportunities (specific goals that are challenging enough, but not overwhelming), encouraging their sense of initiation, providing structure, to mobilise and organise behaviour and providing relevant feedback.


  • Autonomy refers to feeling one has choice and is willingly endorsing one’s behaviour. The opposite experience is feeling compelled or controlled in one’s behaviour.


6. Roles and responsibilities

  • All freelance workers and volunteers at When Blossom Comes CIC are expected to report any concerns to Maddie Wakeling, Safeguarding Lead. If the allegation is against a freelance worker or volunteer working for When Blossom Comes CIC,  seek advice from the safeguarding lead. If the allegation is against the Safeguarding Lead, seek advice from the co-director Fernando Solis.


  • The Safeguarding Lead is responsible for providing acknowledgement and appropriate feedback to the person raising the original concern. Feedback should be given in a way that will not make the situation worse or breach the Data Protection Act. If the police are involved, they should be consulted prior to giving feedback to the referrer to ensure any criminal investigation is not affected. 


  • In making the decision about the next steps, the Safeguarding Lead will consider what is in the best interest of the individual, taking into consideration prejudices that exist within current safeguarding strategies and practices to avoid discrimination, as presented in “Radical Safeguarding - A Social Justice Workbook for Safeguarding Practitioners”


  • The Local Authority will decide on who will lead on a safeguarding enquiry should it progress to that stage. When Blossom Comes CIC should not conduct its own safeguarding enquiry unless instructed to do so by the local authority.

Freelance workers and volunteers should ensure that the adult at risk is involved at all stages of their safeguarding enquiry ensuring a person-centred approach is maintained. 

7. Use of photographic/filming equipment at events

Video and audio recordings and photographs must only be made with full, informed consent.  When Blossom Comes CIC  will always ensure the intended use of these materials is explained in an accessible way to all participants so they can make an informed choice as to whether or not they would like to be filmed/recorded/photographed.

8. Pre-selection checks of members who will work with vulnerable adults.

When Blossom Comes CIC is committed to safe employment. All volunteers and freelance workers will be asked to disclose their criminal record and share their DBS certificate. When Blossom Comes CIC will support people to apply for DBS certificates where needed. Every new freelance worker or volunteer should provide evidence of identity (e.g. passport or driving licence with photo).

  1. Training and induction

When Blossom Comes CIC ensures that all freelance workers and volunteers receive relevant safeguarding training. As detailed above they will also ensure there is space available for all freelance workers and volunteers to reflect on the work in practice - through regular debriefs, reviews and training.

 9. What should I do if I am concerned?

Freelance workers and volunteers at When Blossom Comes CIC who have any adult safeguarding concerns should:

  • Respond. Take emergency action if someone is at immediate risk of harm/in need of urgent medical attention. Dial 999 for emergency services.

  • Record. Get brief details about what has happened and what the adult would like done about it. Listen and record - do not ask leading questions or make assumptions. Write up your notes and send them to the relevant safeguarding lead. All the information must be kept confidential. As far as possible, records should be dated and signed. The records about safeguarding concerns must be kept confidential and in a location where the alleged abuser will not have access to the record. 

  • Seek consent from the adult to take action and to report the concern. Consider whether the adult may lack capacity to make decisions about their own and other people’s safety and wellbeing.   If you decide to act against their wishes or without their consent, you must record your decision, the reasons for making it and inform the adult of your decision (where this is possible).  

  • Report any potential safeguarding concerns to When Blossom Comes CIC Safeguarding Lead and/or the safeguarding lead of the venue you are delivering in.

  • Refer. In making a decision as to whether to refer or not, the designated safeguarding lead should take into account

  1.  the adult’s wishes and preferred outcome and whether the adult has mental capacity to make an informed decision about their own and others’ safety

  2. The safety or well being of the adult 

  3. Whether there is a person in a position of trust involved

  4. Whether a crime has been committed

10.Confidentiality and information sharing

When Blossom Comes CIC expects all freelancer workers and volunteers to maintain confidentiality. In line with Data Protection law, When Blossom Comes CIC does not share information if not required. 

It should however be noted that information should be shared with authorities if an adult is deemed to be at risk of immediate harm. Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people can make all the difference to preventing harm.

Safeguarding Contacts:

Safeguarding Lead : Maddie Wakeling   

Director: Fernando Solis