To create a safer culture and safer communities, Torus is currently training all its employees, including contractors, HMS, and Board members, to ensure everyone - no matter their role - understands what safeguarding is, how it can affect both colleagues and customers and the critical part they play in keeping people safe.

The news comes at the start of Safeguarding Adults Week 2021. Led by the Ann Craft Trust, the focus this year is on ‘Creating Safer Cultures’ – something the Torus Group believes, both internally and across its 40,000 households in the north west, is vitally important in helping to protect people from abuse and neglect.

The training forms a vital part of Torus’ commitment to ensuring that every adult, child and young person across their communities can live a life that is free from harm, neglect and abuse. Earlier in 2021, Torus launched their new three-year Safeguarding Strategy that sets out how they will work in partnership with partners and communities to promote wellbeing and keep people safe.  Focusing on early intervention, prevention, and continuous improvement.

Torus Safeguarding Lead, Jo Aston, said:

“The organisation-wide training is vital to the success of the strategy. The training supports our commitment and ensures that everyone understands their role when it comes to keeping our customers safe.

“All staff - from ground level to Board - are receiving tailored training based on their own role within safeguarding to given them the skill to spot the signs of abuse and act appropriately.  The sessions range from one hour to full day sessions depending on their role.

“It’s important that everyone understands that we all have a responsibility to be alert to possible concerns and act to safeguard others in our families and communities who may be less able to protect themselves.”

Torus Group employees are being encouraged to use professional curiosity and to ‘turn on their eyes’ to the signs of abuse and neglect in the 40,000 Torus households, and in the wider community.

Feedback about the training has positive and emphasises that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and reminding employees to remain vigilant to the signs of abuse and neglect and know how to report our concerns, with staff saying:

“The safeguard training was really well delivered and I feel everyone will really benefit from the training.”

“The trainer gave excellent examples of abuse by referring to real case histories and explaining it in a way that made the training worthwhile and empowering.”

“It was the best training I have had in a long while.”

“I thought I knew quite a bit about safeguarding, but it was a real eye-opener and made me realise how important it is that everyone attends, no matter what their role.”

Everyone, from all walks of life, should be aware of the role they can play in helping to prevent neglect and abuse.

That’s why Safeguarding Adults Week is so important. Follow the campaign on Torus Twitter and Facebook using #SafeguardingAdultsWeek.

Reporting a safeguarding – what to do if you are concerned about someone: Safeguarding covers a range of areas, including, but not limited to, neglect, self-neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, organisational abuse, discriminatory abuse, and financial abuse.

If you are concerned that a child, young person, or a vulnerable adult is at risk of or experiencing abuse or neglect, or you yourself are a victim of abuse, you should report it straight away so that the appropriate services can take the appropriate actions to prevent harm.

Please click here to find out the contact details, if you are not sure please contact us on 0800 678 1894 or email info@torus.co.uk.

If you believe anyone is in immediate danger you should call 999.