Safeguarding aims to support adults, young people and children to live a life that is free from abuse and neglect. It involves a range of measures to protect people in the most vulnerable circumstances.
We do everything we can to make sure the services we commission are safe and compliant with all statutory safeguarding regulations. We also have procedures to help us recognise, report and respond to safeguarding issues promptly.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in couple relationships or between family members.
We attend a regular Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference in South West London, a partnership meeting chaired by the police public protection lead. The meeting is for partners to report risks and concerns, and includes representatives from the NHS, local authority social services and education departments.
More about domestic violence at nhs.uk
Serious Violence Duty
On 31 January 2023 the Serious Violence Duty commenced under the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSCA 2022). This includes statutory requirements in relation to the response to and prevention of serious violence.
The Duty emphasises the importance of understanding the drivers and impacts of serious violence, and a focus on prevention and early intervention.
It was introduced in the context of an increase in violence over the last decade and the impacts this has on victims and their families.
Duty holders include:
- Local authorities
- Metropolitan Police
- Youth offending teams
- Integrated care systems
- Probation
- London Fire Brigade
Due to the national focus, the London’s Violence Reduction Unit is leading on the coordination and delivery of the duty across the 32 London boroughs.
They have outlined the statutory actions needed to meet the requirements of the Duty. These statutory actions include the creation of the Violence Strategic Needs Assessment and the Violence Strategic Delivery Plan.
Borough delivery plans
Croydon community safety strategy
Safer Kingston partnership plan
Modern slavery and human trafficking
Modern slavery is the recruitment, movement, harbouring or receiving of children, women or men through the use of force, coercion, abuse of vulnerability, deception or other means for the purpose of exploitation.
People may be trafficked into, out of or within the UK, and they may be trafficked for several reasons, including sexual exploitation, forced labour, domestic servitude and organ harvesting.
We’re committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in any part of our business activity and, in so far as is possible, to hold our suppliers to account to do likewise.
Prevent
Our safeguarding duties include the Prevent strategy, which aims to protect vulnerable people from being groomed into terrorist activity or supporting terrorism. All our safeguarding mandatory training includes Prevent.
Visit gov.uk to report illegal or harmful information, pictures or videos you’ve found on the internet about terrorism or extremism.
Contact us
Contact us if you’re concerned about a vulnerable child or adult.