Vulnerability Policy

1. Statement of Policy

Dyfed-Powys Police will consider and assess the vulnerability of all persons we encounter seeking support and intervention at the earliest opportunity.

This policy is to ensure that Dyfed-Powys Police achieves a consistent and professional approach which is trauma informed when dealing with persons who have been identified as being vulnerable. It applies to all Dyfed-Powys Police Officers, staff and volunteers from the first point of contact, through investigation and prosecution.

Dyfed-Powys Police will give special consideration to those members of society who may be defined as Vulnerable. The abuse of vulnerable people is unacceptable and Dyfed-Powys police is working to stop those who commit crimes against the vulnerable.

Dyfed-Powys Police will not tolerate the abuse of vulnerable people and will identify those who may be vulnerable, assess if they are at risk of harm, deal with any immediate safeguarding concerns and work with other agencies to put steps in place to prevent further abuse or harm. Dyfed-Powys Police will work collaboratively with the local safeguarding boards’ Multi-Agency Procedures in order to reduce the victimisation and exploitation of the most vulnerable in our communities.

2. Policy Scope

Applies (but not limited) to: All categories of Dyfed-Powys Police officers and staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, fixed term, temporary (including agency staff, associates and contractors), seconded staff and volunteers. Police Officers, staff and volunteers accessing and using Force assets and property must have due regard to the contents of this policy.

Dyfed-Powys Police will take direction from the National Vulnerability Strategy and associated action plan.

Through all linked policies and procedures, Dyfed-Powys Police ensures that members of our organisation –

• Recognise, record and safeguard vulnerable people in a consistent trauma informed manner.
• Promote the safety of vulnerable people, having due regard to their right and ability to make decisions for themselves.
• Identify prevention opportunities.
• Ensure appropriate referrals are made to other agencies in an effective manner.
• Adopt a multi-agency approach in the development of services for vulnerable people.
• Proportionally investigate crimes involving vulnerable people.
• Take appropriate and effective action against offenders so that they can be held accountable through the criminal justice system.
• Utilise civil orders to protect vulnerable people where appropriate.
• Promote a structure which regularly reviews performance, to ensure the force response to vulnerable people improves and evolves.

3.  Powers and Policy/Legal Requirements

Dyfed-Powys Police define Vulnerability as:

“A person is vulnerable if, as a result of their situation or circumstances, they are unable to take care of or protect themselves or others from harm or exploitation.”

Vulnerability’ comprises of a variety of different areas and therefore this policy should be read in conjunction with the following area-specific policies:

• Child Abuse and Child Protection Policy
• Adult at Risk Policy
• Crime and Incident Recording and Investigation Policy
• Missing Persons Policy
• Exploitation Policy
• Domestic Abuse Policy
• Stalking and Harassment Policy
• Female Genital Mutilation policy
• Honour based abuse and Forced Marriage Policy
• Offender Management Policy

As specified within the child protection and adults at risk policy, Dyfed-Powys Police will use established pathways for information sharing with partners within the parameters of legislation and at every opportunity seek to strengthen these processes and remove barriers to information sharing.

The Wales Safeguarding Procedures detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect. They also help practitioners (including Dyfed-Powys Police) apply the legislation and statutory guidance from the Social Services and Wellbeing Act, 2014 (Wales). The aim is to improve person-centred outcomes for adults at risk of abuse and neglect and children at risk.

The Children Act 1989 and 2004 places a duty on all agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, which includes sharing concerns at an early stage to encourage preventative action.

Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children is a comprehensive guidance document that covers the legislative requirements placed on individual services including the Police. This document provides a framework for local safeguarding partners to make arrangements in order to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children by identifying and responding to their needs.

4. Options and Contingencies

It is the responsibility of all frontline officers, staff and volunteers to recognise vulnerability. If it is felt a person/family require early intervention and support, Dyfed-Powys Police officers, staff and volunteers are encouraged to undertake appropriate immediate actions to signpost the individual(s) to relevant supporting agencies/ pathways, and subsequently submit a Public Protection Notice (PPN) outlining the vulnerability, which will be sent to the Triage and Assessment Desk based at the Vulnerability Hub at Headquarters.

For further information regarding the review of Public Protection Notices, please refer to the child protection and adults at risk policies.

The Code of Ethics Principles are relevant to this policy

• Courage
• Respect & Empathy
• Public Service

5.  Take action and review

This policy will be owned by CID-PVP.

It will be reviewed regularly to ensure its effectiveness and make necessary amendments in relation to changes and updates in related legislation and guidance.

Approval decisions regarding the implementation of this policy will be made by the Detective Superintendent of Protecting Vulnerable People and the Strategic Vulnerability Group.

Scrutiny and audit of force records is regularly carried out to ensure Dyfed-Powys Police have acted accordingly to safeguard and seek support for vulnerable persons where necessary.

Individual portfolios encompassing ‘vulnerability’ are reviewed regularly within the vulnerability portfolio meeting chaired by the head of PVP and the Strategic Vulnerability Board which provides governance and oversight, ensuring that the strategic approach and response to vulnerability is fully embedded within the organisation.

The NPCC National Vulnerability Action Plan and strategy provides clear direction and focus. Our progress against this plan is reviewed regularly within the Strategic Vulnerability Board. Regular reviews and audits of incident logs, records and decision making is carried out to ensure we are in compliance with all legislation and guidance.

CODE OF ETHICS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Code of Ethics and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Code and the principles underpinning it.

HUMAN RIGHTS ACT CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

This policy has been drafted in accordance with the Human Rights Act and has been reviewed on the basis of its content and the supporting evidence and it is deemed compliant with that Act and the principles underpinning it.

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Section 4 of the Equality Act 2010 sets out the protected characteristics that qualify for protection under the Act as follows: Age; Disability; Gender Reassignment; Marriage and Civil Partnership; Pregnancy and Maternity; Race; Religion or Belief; Sex; Sexual Orientation.

The public sector equality duty places a proactive legal requirement on public bodies to have regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other conduct that is unlawful under the Act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it;
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

The equality duty applies to all protected characteristics with the exception of Marriage and Civil Partnership, to which only the duty to have regard to the need to eliminate discrimination applies.

Carrying out an equality impact assessment involves systematically assessing the likely or actual effects of policies on people in respect of all the protected characteristics set out above. An equality impact assessment should be carried out on any policy that is relevant to the public sector equality duty. 

EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT COMPLETED: December 2024