Safeguarding Policy

Connectea is a platform that connects companions — people employed directly by Connectea — with older people and other vulnerable adults who would benefit from consistent, human social connection. We take our safeguarding responsibilities seriously, not because we are required to, but because the people we serve deserve nothing less.

This policy sets out Connectea's commitment to the safety and wellbeing of every person who receives a visit from a Connectea companion, and every companion who works for us. It applies to all companions, all staff, all contractors, and anyone acting on behalf of Connectea.

This policy has been written in accordance with:

• The Care Act 2014
• The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• The Mental Capacity Act 2005
• The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (as amended)
• UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
• Statutory guidance: Care and Support Statutory Guidance (DHSC, updated 2023)

This policy applies to all Connectea companions, all Connectea staff and contractors, and any third party acting on behalf of Connectea. It covers all interactions that take place in connection with Connectea, including visits, communications, and any digital interaction through the Connectea platform.

For the purposes of this policy, a vulnerable adult is any person aged 18 or over who has needs for care and support, and who is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect as a result of those needs. This includes but is not limited to older people, people with physical or learning disabilities, people with mental health conditions, and people with cognitive decline including dementia.

Connectea is committed to:

• The safety, dignity, and wellbeing of every person who receives a visit from a Connectea companion
• Creating a culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility — not just a policy on paper
• Ensuring that every companion is appropriately vetted, trained, and supported before they visit anyone
• Responding promptly, seriously, and proportionately to any safeguarding concern
• Sharing information with relevant authorities when there is a risk to life or a legal obligation to do so
• Treating every person — companions and those they visit — with dignity and respect
• Never allowing commercial interests to override safeguarding obligations

All Connectea companions are trained to recognise the following forms of abuse and neglect as defined in the Care Act 2014:

• Physical abuse — including hitting, pushing, restraint, or misuse of medication
• Emotional or psychological abuse — including threats, humiliation, controlling behaviour, or isolation
• Financial or material abuse — including theft, fraud, exploitation, or pressure in relation to wills, property, or finances
• Sexual abuse — including rape, sexual assault, or any sexual act to which the adult has not or cannot consent
• Neglect and acts of omission — including failure to provide food, warmth, medication, or medical care
• Discriminatory abuse — including abuse linked to a person's race, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation
• Institutional or organisational abuse — including poor care standards or a culture that does not respect dignity
• Domestic abuse — including coercive control within a family or intimate relationship
• Modern slavery — including trafficking, forced labour, or domestic servitude
• Self-neglect — including failure to care for one's own health or living conditions

Companions are not expected to investigate suspected abuse. They are expected to notice, record, and report.

Connectea's Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is Waqar Khan, Founder.
Contact: hello@connectea.co.uk

The DSL is responsible for:

• Receiving and recording all safeguarding concerns raised by companions or families
• Assessing the level of risk and determining the appropriate response
• Referring concerns to local authority adult social care or the police where required
• Maintaining a confidential record of all concerns and actions taken
• Ensuring all companions are appropriately trained
• Reviewing this policy annually and updating it as required

If the DSL is unavailable and a concern is urgent, companions must contact emergency services (999) directly. They should then notify the DSL as soon as possible.

Connectea takes a rigorous approach to companion recruitment. No companion may visit anyone until all of the following are in place:

• A completed application including personal statement and three written application questions
• A structured video or in-person interview conducted or reviewed by the DSL
• An Enhanced DBS check, funded by Connectea, on the Update Service
• Verification of the right to work in the United Kingdom
• Completion of all mandatory onboarding training modules with comprehension checks passed
• Digital signature of the Connectea Code of Conduct
• Two character references, contacted directly by Connectea

Connectea will not activate any companion profile until all of the above are confirmed and recorded.

Anyone — companion, family member, or member of the public — can raise a safeguarding concern with Connectea via:

• The Connectea companion dashboard (Report a concern — available at all times)
• Email: hello@connectea.co.uk
• In an emergency: 999

All concerns are received by the DSL, who will acknowledge receipt within 4 working hours, assess the level of risk, take immediate action where there is risk to life, refer to the relevant local authority adult safeguarding team where appropriate, and record all actions taken.

Safeguarding concerns are handled confidentially. Information is shared only with those who need to know in order to keep the person safe. Connectea will share information with authorities when there is risk to life, a legal obligation to share, or when sharing is necessary to prevent serious harm.

No Connectea companion may enter a family's home for the first time without a third person present. That third person must be a family member, trusted friend, or named representative of the family. Equally, no family should arrange a first meeting without ensuring that a third person they trust is present. This is not a suggestion. It is a condition of every companionship arrangement activated through Connectea.

The first visit is the moment of highest risk — for the elder, for the companion, and for Connectea. A three-way introduction protects the elder from meeting a stranger alone. It protects the companion from any allegation of misconduct from the outset. And it establishes from the very first moment that the companionship relationship exists within a framework of transparency and accountability, not behind a closed door.

What this means in practice

• The companion must confirm before travelling to a first visit that a third person will be present
• If the companion arrives and no third person is present, they must not enter the home
• The companion must contact Connectea immediately and the visit must be rescheduled
• Families are informed of this requirement at the point of making an enquiry and again when their first visit is confirmed
• A companion who enters a home alone on a first visit, regardless of the circumstances, will have their profile suspended pending review

This rule exists to protect everyone. It is one of Connectea's founding safeguarding principles and will never be waived for commercial reasons.

Companions employed by Connectea are not care workers. They must never assist with personal care tasks, administer or handle medication, provide medical advice, restrain or move a person, allow unauthorised third parties into the home, or accept any financial benefit from a person they visit or their family.

If a companion believes a person requires care beyond the companion's scope, they must ensure the person is safe, contact the family or next of kin, contact emergency services if there is immediate risk, and report the concern to Connectea.

After each visit, companions are required to log the date, time, and duration of the visit, a brief note describing how the visit went, and any concerns observed. These records form part of Connectea's safeguarding audit trail and may be provided to relevant authorities in the event of a safeguarding concern.

All companions must complete mandatory safeguarding training before their first visit, covering: what safeguarding means and why it matters, types of abuse and how to recognise them, the scope of the companion role, boundary management, how to report a concern, and lone working safety. Companions are required to refresh their safeguarding training annually.

If an allegation of abuse or misconduct is made against a Connectea companion, the DSL will suspend the companion's profile immediately, assess whether referral to the police or DBS is required, conduct a proportionate investigation, and document all steps taken. Connectea will refer a companion to the DBS where required by law.

This policy will be reviewed annually by the DSL, or more frequently if there is a change in legislation, a safeguarding incident, or a material change in Connectea's operations.