This policy applies to all Community Care Transportation (CCT) employees, contractors, volunteers, and agency workers. It covers concerns relating to safeguarding failures, unsafe practice, criminal activity, fraud, bribery, corruption, or breaches of company policy and professional standards.

What Can Be Reported
• Safeguarding failures or unsafe practices affecting children or adults at risk.
• Criminal activity, fraud, bribery, or corruption.
• Serious breaches of policy, procedure, or professional conduct.
• Deliberate concealment or cover-up of any of the above.

How to Raise a Concern
Concerns should be raised internally in the first instance with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL. Where a concern relates to safeguarding and you believe it has not been addressed appropriately, it may be escalated to external bodies in line with the procedures set out in the Safeguarding Policy.
Urgent safeguarding concerns must always be reported immediately via the appropriate external referral routes as outlined in the Safeguarding Policy.
For local authority reporting routes (including MASH, Emergency Duty Team, LADO, Adult Safeguarding, and Travel Assistance Service incident reporting), please refer to the current Community Care Transportation (CCT) Safeguarding Policy.

Protections for Whistleblowers
Individuals who raise concerns in good faith are protected under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. Any form of victimisation, detriment, or retaliation against a whistleblower is strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action.
Confidentiality will be maintained wherever possible, and all personal data will be processed in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR.

Investigation Procedure
• Acknowledgement of the concern and initial risk assessment.
• Fair and impartial fact-finding, with referral to external authorities where required (e.g. LADO, Police, Social Care).
• Clear documentation of decisions, actions, and outcomes. Feedback will be provided where appropriate and lawful to do so.
Training and Awareness
Whistleblowing awareness forms part of safeguarding induction and refresher training to ensure all staff understand how to raise concerns safely, confidently, and in line with legal requirements.

Training
• Safeguarding training for all staff – refreshed every 3 years and recorded.
• Safer Recruitment training for managers – refreshed every 2 years.
• Whistleblowing and GDPR responsibilities included in induction and refresher training.
• Core competencies monitored: First Aid, Equality and SEN Awareness, Passenger Assistance, Customer Service, and Manual Handling.
 
Safer Recruitment
• Enhanced DBS checks with barred list checks where appropriate.
• A minimum of two references, including the most recent employer, verified directly.
• Any concerns arising from DBS disclosures will be reviewed by the DSL in consultation with the Hackney LADO or LADO Local Authority for designated young person prior to engagement. Change for other LA
Whistleblowing
All staff are encouraged to raise safeguarding or misconduct concerns in good faith and without fear of reprisal. Please refer to the Community Care Transportation Whistleblowing Policy (Version 1 – Dated) for full reporting procedures and protections.