3b. Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults

Preamble

The BGA is required (under, for example, the terms of its insurance policy) to have policies concerning the “Safeguarding of Vulnerable Adults” (although the term “adults at risk of harm” is now preferred). However, the Care Act 2014 makes it clear that adults cannot simply be categorised into “Vulnerable” and “non-vulnerable” categories; for example, they may be able to make small decisions about everyday matters such as what to wear or what food to eat, but they may lack the ability to make more complex decisions about financial matters.

However, in general Adults At Risk include those who:

• Have needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;

• Are experiencing, or are at risk of, abuse or neglect and;

• As a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.

Although it will be unusual for a Go player to fall under the above criteria, it is not unheard of. An individual may have the capacity to play Go, but they may also (because of illness, disability or a deterioration of mental faculties) have difficulties in other areas, for example social interaction or financial acumen. This could lead the individual to be at risk of sexual or financial exploitation.

Accordingly the BGA has adopted the following policy, applicable to all Go players irrespective of age. It includes specific requirements associated with Vulnerable Adults.

The BGA has a separate policy governing the safeguarding of children.

Policy

The BGA adheres to the following principles:

• Everyone has a right to be safe and to be treated with dignity and respect, with a right to privacy

• Everyone, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse

• all incidents of suspected poor practice and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately

• confidentiality should be upheld in line with the Freedom of Information Act (2004) and the General Data Protection Regulations (2016).

If the BGA becomes aware that one of its members has abused one or more people in the context of playing Go, then our response will depend on the level of abuse as follows: -

• Simple rudeness may be responded with a request for an apology; in serious circumstances the abuser will be asked to leave the event.

• As soon as any form of abuse of an adult at risk is suspected or becomes apparent it should be reported to the appropriate local authority Adult Social Care Team (advice on this can be obtained from the BGA Child Protection Adviser).

• Where there are grounds to suspect that a crime has been committed the incident should be reported to the Police.

The BGA has a separate policy governing on-line abuse.

Further advice and guidance is available from the BGA Child Protection Advisor child-protection AT britgo DOT org

More Information

See also:

BGA Equalities Policies

BGA Working with Children and Young People Policy

BGA Policy and Procedures for Checking Criminal Records

BGA Policy on On-line Abuse

Last updated Thu May 02 2019.
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