Policy document
MDG Health Consult Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk across all delivery environments.
Policy Owner and Approved By: Maka A, Founder / Director / Lead Trainer
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Maka A
Safeguarding Email: safeguarding@mdghealthconsult.co.uk
DSL Email: maka.a@mdghealthconsult.co.uk
DBS Status: Enhanced DBS holder, registered with the DBS Update Service
Version: 1.0
Effective From: 20 September 2026
Next Review Due: 20 September 2027, or sooner if guidance, legislation or delivery arrangements change
Where there is no immediate danger but a safeguarding concern exists, report it without delay to the relevant host organisation’s safeguarding lead or registered manager, and to MDG Health Consult Ltd’s DSL.
MDG Health Consult Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk who may be encountered during our training, consultancy, workplace, healthcare, care-sector, community or online activity.
We seek to provide learning and professional environments that are safe, respectful, inclusive and free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, harassment, discrimination and avoidable harm. Safeguarding responsibilities take priority over commercial, operational and reputational considerations. We will act promptly, record concerns factually, share information lawfully and refer concerns to the appropriate organisation or statutory service when necessary.
This policy applies to the founder, director, lead trainer and DSL; employees where engaged; associate trainers, freelancers and contractors; volunteers where engaged; learners and visitors where relevant to a safeguarding concern; and all face-to-face, workplace, healthcare, care-setting, community, home-based and online delivery undertaken by MDG Health Consult Ltd.
MDG Health Consult Ltd may work in settings where a host organisation has its own safeguarding procedures. In those circumstances, MDG Health Consult Ltd will follow the host organisation’s safeguarding arrangements alongside this policy.
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for MDG Health Consult Ltd is Maka A. Maka A is an Enhanced DBS holder and is registered with the DBS Update Service.
The DSL is responsible for receiving safeguarding concerns; considering immediate safety and emergency action; ensuring concerns are recorded and stored securely; liaising with host safeguarding leads or registered managers; determining whether referral or escalation is appropriate; maintaining safeguarding records; reviewing patterns and risks; ensuring associates understand this policy; reviewing safeguarding training needs; and reviewing this policy at least annually.
If a safeguarding concern involves the DSL, or the DSL is unavailable, report directly to the host organisation’s safeguarding lead, the relevant local authority safeguarding team, the police or emergency services, as appropriate.
MDG Health Consult Ltd adopts a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect, exploitation, discriminatory behaviour, bullying, harassment and unsafe professional practice. We encourage professional curiosity, respectful challenge and early reporting. A concern does not need to meet a high threshold before it is reported.
MDG Health Consult Ltd does not investigate allegations of abuse. We record what was observed, heard or disclosed, take reasonable immediate safety action, and refer or escalate concerns through the appropriate safeguarding route.
This policy is informed by applicable UK legislation and guidance, including:
Where MDG Health Consult Ltd delivers in schools, early-years settings, regulated care environments, NHS settings or other specialist services, the relevant host organisation’s statutory procedures and local safeguarding-partnership arrangements also apply.
MDG Health Consult Ltd takes proportionate steps to assess the suitability of associates, contractors, freelancers and workers engaged to deliver services. Depending on the role, setting and regulated activity, checks may include:
DBS eligibility is role-specific. MDG Health Consult Ltd will not assume that an Enhanced DBS check is required or legally available for every training role.
All persons delivering on behalf of MDG Health Consult Ltd must:
Low-level concerns about conduct will be recorded and reviewed proportionately to identify early risks and promote safer practice.
MDG Health Consult Ltd may provide services in workplaces, healthcare settings, care settings, schools, community venues, private homes and online environments.
At client or host premises, the host organisation remains responsible for its premises, service users and internal safeguarding arrangements. MDG Health Consult Ltd will seek the host safeguarding contact before delivery where reasonably practicable, follow site procedures, and escalate relevant concerns through the host safeguarding route unless doing so would create additional risk.
MDG Health Consult Ltd does not provide unsupervised activities for children. Delivery involving children or young people must be risk assessed and take place with appropriate responsible adults and host safeguarding arrangements.
For online training or consultancy, MDG Health Consult Ltd uses suitable and secure platforms; uses access controls where appropriate; maintains professional boundaries; avoids unnecessary one-to-one online engagement with children or adults at risk; obtains clear consent before recording; and responds to online safeguarding concerns in the same way as face-to-face concerns.
Safeguarding concerns may include, but are not limited to:
A person does not need to prove abuse or harm before reporting a concern. If in doubt, seek advice from the DSL, host safeguarding lead or relevant safeguarding service.
Under section 42 of the Care Act 2014, a local authority must make, or arrange, enquiries when it has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult in its area has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and cannot protect themselves from that risk because of those needs.
If a safeguarding allegation or serious conduct concern is made about an MDG Health Consult Ltd trainer, contractor or associate, the person may be removed from delivery pending an appropriate risk decision. The concern will be recorded factually and handled without delay. The relevant host organisation and statutory service will be notified where required. MDG Health Consult Ltd will cooperate with statutory agencies and will not conduct an internal investigation that could compromise external enquiries.
MDG Health Consult Ltd encourages people to report unsafe practice, safeguarding failures, inappropriate conduct or concerns about leadership decisions. No person who raises a genuine safeguarding concern in good faith should face disadvantage, retaliation or victimisation.
Safeguarding records will be factual, secure and accessible only to people with a legitimate safeguarding need. Personal information may be shared without consent where necessary, lawful and proportionate to protect a child, young person or adult at risk, or to prevent or detect serious crime.
Concerns about radicalisation, extremism or vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism will be treated as safeguarding concerns. They will be raised with the host organisation’s safeguarding lead and referred through relevant local Prevent or Channel processes where appropriate.
MDG Health Consult Ltd will ensure that people delivering services understand this policy and know how to report safeguarding concerns. The DSL will maintain safeguarding knowledge appropriate to the delivery environments and review training needs regularly. This policy will be reviewed at least annually and earlier where there is a significant incident, change in delivery model, or change in law or statutory guidance.
This policy reflects the safeguarding arrangements and delivery model of MDG Health Consult Ltd as at 20 September 2026. It will be reviewed at least annually and updated sooner where legislation, statutory guidance, delivery arrangements or identified risks change.
Safeguarding FAQs
How do I report a safeguarding concern?
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999. Otherwise, report the concern promptly to the host organisation’s safeguarding lead or registered manager where MDG Health Consult Ltd is delivering, and contact the MDG Health Consult Ltd DSL at safeguarding@mdghealthconsult.co.uk. Concerns must be recorded factually and escalated through the appropriate local safeguarding route without delay.
Will my concern be kept confidential?
Safeguarding information is treated as sensitive and shared only with people who need it to protect someone or carry out a lawful safeguarding response. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information sharing is necessary to protect a child or adult at risk, or to prevent or detect serious crime.
Does MDG Health Consult Ltd investigate safeguarding concerns?
No. MDG Health Consult Ltd records concerns, takes proportionate immediate safety action and refers or escalates them to the relevant host organisation or statutory safeguarding service. The police, local authority or other authorised body is responsible for any formal investigation.
What happens after a concern is reported?
The DSL considers immediate safety, liaises with the host organisation’s safeguarding lead where appropriate, and determines whether the concern needs referral to children’s services, adult social care, MASH, police, Early Help, LADO, Prevent or Channel. Relevant actions and referrals are recorded securely.
What is the legal adult-safeguarding threshold?
Under section 42 of the Care Act 2014, the local authority must make or arrange enquiries where it reasonably suspects that an adult has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and cannot protect themselves from that risk because of those needs. A concern can still be reported when it is unclear whether this threshold is met; the local authority determines the appropriate response.
Does MDG Health Consult Ltd have DBS checks?
The MDG Health Consult Ltd DSL, Maka A, holds an Enhanced DBS certificate and is registered with the DBS Update Service. An eligible employer or organisation may complete an Update Service status check only with the certificate holder’s consent, where it is legally entitled to request that level and type of DBS check, and after the original certificate and identity have been seen.
Do you deliver directly to children?
MDG Health Consult Ltd does not provide unsupervised activities for children. Any delivery involving children or young people must be risk assessed and take place with appropriate responsible adults and host safeguarding arrangements in place.
What safeguarding measures apply in care or healthcare settings?
MDG Health Consult Ltd follows this policy and the host organisation’s safeguarding process. Before delivery, we seek the appropriate safeguarding contact where practicable; any concern is reported promptly to the host safeguarding lead or registered manager and escalated to statutory services where necessary.
Do you cover Prevent and radicalisation?
Yes. Concerns about radicalisation or a person’s vulnerability to being drawn into terrorism are treated as safeguarding concerns. They are reported through the host organisation’s safeguarding route and referred to local Prevent or Channel arrangements where appropriate.
How long are safeguarding records kept?
MDG Health Consult Ltd stores safeguarding records securely and restricts access to those with a legitimate safeguarding need. Records are retained only for as long as necessary for safeguarding, legal, insurance and contractual purposes, in line with the organisation’s retention arrangements and applicable data-protection law.
