It is important to minimise the risk of employing unsuitable staff to work and care for adults by having robust selection and recruitment procedures in place and by following best practice.

With the primary emphasis on preventing abuse, each organisation has a responsibility to ensure:

• Safeguarding is at the heart of practice and service delivery at every level of the organisation
• There is a system of leadership and accountability that monitors safeguarding systems
• All staff are clear about roles and responsibilities in respect of job requirements in relation to safeguarding adults at risk
• All staff have access to an appropriate 'Whistle Blowing Policy' that enables concerns to be raised without fear of retribution
• Lead responsibility for safeguarding adults is delegated to an appropriate member of staff
• Best practice in relation to safe recruitment and retention is adhered to, including the requirements of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• Staff and volunteers have a clear understanding of important concepts such as choice, capacity, consent, privacy and dignity
• Staff and volunteers have read and understood the agency’s safeguarding policy and procedures
• Staff and volunteers are provided with safeguarding training at a level appropriate to their roles
• Wider training needs, such as the Mental Capacity Act and (where applicable) those relating to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are identified and provided
• Each organisation must evidence how it assesses the effectiveness of its practice and its learning from experience.