Safeguarding Policy Statement

1. Our commitment

Placement Findr is committed to promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk who may be connected to accommodation requests, placements or services arranged through our platform.

We recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. We expect our team members, contractors, Property Partners and organisations we work with to act appropriately, report concerns promptly and follow relevant safeguarding procedures.

2. Placement Findr’s role and boundaries

Placement Findr is an accommodation/property platform and intermediary. We do not provide direct care, regulated care services, support work, clinical services, social work services, education services, risk assessments, DoLS assessments, safeguarding case management or day-to-day supervision.

Care Providers, Local Authorities and other commissioning or support organisations remain responsible for assessing the needs, risks, suitability, staffing, safeguarding arrangements, care plans and ongoing management of each person they place or support.

Property Partners remain responsible for their own property-related duties, including compliance, access arrangements, repairs, maintenance and any fire/property safety responsibilities that apply to them.

3. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to Placement Findr team members, contractors, consultants, virtual assistants and anyone acting on behalf of Placement Findr. It also sets out the standards we expect from Property Partners and other third parties when they are involved in accommodation connected to children, young people or adults at risk.

4. Recognising safeguarding concerns

Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:

• physical, emotional, sexual or financial abuse
• neglect or self-neglect
• exploitation, coercion, trafficking or modern slavery
• domestic abuse or controlling behaviour
• risks linked to missing episodes, absconding or unsafe visitors
• unsafe property conditions that create an immediate risk
• inappropriate conduct by staff, contractors, visitors or third parties
• information suggesting a child, young person or adult at risk may be unsafe

5. Reporting concerns

If there is an immediate risk of harm, call 999.

Any safeguarding concern identified by Placement Findr should be reported promptly to the relevant Care Provider, Local Authority or safeguarding contact responsible for the person. Where appropriate, concerns may also be referred to emergency services, police, the Local Authority safeguarding team or another statutory body.

Placement Findr team members must also notify the Placement Findr senior team as soon as possible, following internal procedures.

6. Information sharing and confidentiality

Safeguarding information should be handled carefully and shared only where necessary, proportionate and lawful. Confidentiality must not prevent appropriate safeguarding action where someone may be at risk of harm.

Records of safeguarding concerns should be factual, dated, securely stored and limited to those who need access for safeguarding, legal, operational or audit purposes.

7. Conduct and professional boundaries

Placement Findr team members and representatives must maintain professional boundaries. They must not provide care, support, advice or supervision outside Placement Findr’s role. They must escalate concerns to the appropriate provider, Local Authority or emergency service rather than attempting to manage safeguarding matters themselves.

8. Property access, contractors and visits

Where property access, repairs, inspections or contractor visits are required during an active placement, these should be arranged through the agreed communication route and with appropriate awareness of the person’s needs, risks and safeguarding arrangements. Care Providers remain responsible for managing supervision, risk and the person’s welfare during the placement.

9. Recruitment, training and awareness

Placement Findr will take reasonable steps to ensure team members understand safeguarding boundaries, confidentiality, escalation routes and the importance of reporting concerns. Where roles require access to sensitive information or contact with vulnerable people, appropriate checks, training and supervision should be considered.

10. Allegations or concerns about people connected to Placement Findr

Any concern about the behaviour of a Placement Findr team member, contractor, Property Partner or other person connected to our work must be escalated to a senior manager immediately. Where appropriate, the concern may also need to be reported to the relevant Care Provider, Local Authority, safeguarding partnership, police or regulatory body.

11. Review

This policy should be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there is a significant change to Placement Findr’s services, legal requirements, safeguarding guidance or operating model.

12. Safeguarding contact

Safeguarding concerns relating to Placement Findr’s role can be raised with the Placement Findr senior team.

Email: office@placementfindr.org.uk

Telephone: 0330 818 2419