Safeguarding Policy
Last updated November 2026 · Reviewed every year
1. Purpose
Pathways for Progress Limited (P4P) works with neurodivergent and disabled adults, and sometimes young people aged 16–17. This policy explains how we keep people safe and what we do if we are worried about someone. It applies to everyone who delivers services for P4P, online or in person.
We follow the Care Act 2014 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. We listen to what the person wants, involve them in decisions wherever possible, and recognise that disabled and neurodivergent people can face a higher risk of abuse and exploitation.
2. Designated Safeguarding Lead
Vasilis Papanicola, Director – admin@pathwaysforprogress.co.uk · 07404 404 286. If the DSL cannot be reached and a concern is urgent, contact the local council or police directly.
3. What to do if you are worried
- If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
- Listen calmly and let the person speak in their own words. Do not investigate.
- Do not promise to keep it secret. Explain who you may need to tell and why.
- Ask what they would like to happen. We share information without consent only where others are at risk, a crime is involved, the person lacks capacity to decide, or there is a serious risk to life.
- Write down what was said and seen, with the date and time, as soon as possible.
- Tell the DSL the same day. The DSL decides whether to make a referral and records the decision.
4. Who we refer to
| Situation | Contact |
|---|---|
| Immediate danger | 999 |
| Concern about an adult | Adult social care at the local council where the person lives |
| Concern about someone under 18 | Children's services at the local council where the child lives |
| Mental health crisis | NHS 111 (option 2), Samaritans 116 123 |
| Concern about radicalisation | Local council Prevent team or police on 101 |
5. Online safety
Online sessions use private links, and are only recorded with prior agreement. Support workers use only P4P contact channels, never personal social media. Our community space is for adults only, new members are approved, posts are monitored, and members can report concerns.
6. Safer working
- Support workers keep clear professional boundaries and hold an appropriate DBS check.
- In-person sessions take place in private, accessible rooms – never public places – and home visits are risk-assessed first.
- Everyone delivering services completes safeguarding training, refreshed at least every 3 years.
7. Concerns about someone working for P4P
Report any concern about a P4P worker to the DSL immediately, or to the local council if the concern is about the DSL. We will take advice from the local council, and refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service where required by law.
8. Records and information sharing
Safeguarding records are stored securely and separately from support notes. We share information only when it is necessary and proportionate to keep someone safe, and record what we shared and why.