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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Promoting Social Inclusion and Community Involvement Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that {{org_field_name}} actively promotes social inclusion and community involvement for the people we support. We recognise that engagement with the community enhances wellbeing, independence, and quality of life, reducing loneliness and isolation. This policy outlines how {{org_field_name}} supports people to participate in meaningful social, cultural, educational, recreational, employment, volunteering, digital and community-based opportunities, in a way that reflects their rights, choices, outcomes, assessed needs, wishes and personal preferences. This will be delivered in line with the Health and Social Care Standards, the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, the Care Inspectorate Quality Framework for support services, including care at home and supported living, and the SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers.

Social inclusion is a rights-based part of care and support. We will support people to maintain relationships, community links, identity, culture, faith, interests, independence and citizenship. We will not assume that a person’s age, disability, diagnosis, communication needs, mental health, capacity, mobility, sensory needs or assessed risk prevents them from taking part in community life. Where barriers exist, we will work with the person, and where appropriate their representative, family, carers, advocate and relevant professionals, to reduce those barriers and promote safe, meaningful participation.

Our key commitments include:

• Promoting people’s human rights, dignity, equality, independence, choice and control.
• Supporting people to identify personal outcomes linked to social inclusion, relationships, community participation and quality of life.
• Reducing loneliness, isolation and exclusion by supporting meaningful relationships and community connections.
• Supporting access to education, lifelong learning, employment, volunteering, leisure, cultural, spiritual, religious, digital and civic opportunities where this is important to the person.
• Ensuring that social inclusion goals are recorded in the person’s personal plan and reviewed with them at least every six months, or sooner where their needs, wishes, circumstances or risks change.
• Taking a positive, enabling and proportionate approach to risk, recognising that people have the right to make informed choices and take everyday risks.
• Making reasonable adjustments and providing accessible communication so people can participate in a way that is right for them.
• Respecting each person’s identity, protected characteristics, culture, faith, language, values, relationships and personal history.
• Working in partnership with families, unpaid carers, advocates, representatives, community organisations, health and social care professionals and local partners where the person wishes this or where it is legally required.
• Training and supporting staff to promote inclusion, rights-based practice, outcome-focused support, adult protection, equality and person-centred care.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All individuals receiving support from {{org_field_name}}.
• All staff, volunteers, and care workers responsible for promoting social inclusion.
• Family members, advocates, and external professionals collaborating with our organisation.
• Local community partners, businesses, and service providers who contribute to inclusion efforts.

3. Legal and Regulatory Framework

This policy will be implemented in accordance with the following legislation, standards, codes and guidance, as applicable to Care at Home Services in Scotland:

• Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, under which the Care Inspectorate regulates care services in Scotland.
• Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, including requirements relating to service users’ welfare, personal plans, fitness of providers and managers, staffing, complaints and records.
• Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011, including requirements relating to registration and records.
• Health and Social Care Standards: My support, my life, which set out what people should experience when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland.
• Care Inspectorate Quality Framework for support services, including care at home and supported living models of support, used for self-evaluation, scrutiny and improvement.
• SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and Employers, revised 2024, which set out the standards of conduct, practice and employer responsibility expected in Scottish social services.
• Equality Act 2010, including the duty not to discriminate and the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
• Human Rights Act 1998, including respect for private and family life, freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression, and freedom of association.
• Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, including the principles of benefit, least restrictive option, taking account of the adult’s wishes and consulting relevant others.
• Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, where there are concerns that an adult may be at risk of harm.
• Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, including principles relating to participation, respect, least restriction, carers and advocacy.
• Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, supporting choice, control, participation and involvement in decisions about support.
• Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, including recognition of adult carers and young carers and the importance of carer involvement where appropriate.
• UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring personal information is processed lawfully, fairly, securely and proportionately.
• Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 and Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2018, where an unintended or unexpected incident results in death or harm, or additional treatment is required to prevent such harm.

{{org_field_name}} will review this policy whenever relevant legislation, regulations, Care Inspectorate guidance, SSSC requirements or national good practice guidance changes.

4. Promoting Social Inclusion in Everyday Life

{{org_field_name}} is committed to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of age, disability, or social background, have equal opportunities to participate in society. This includes:

4.1 Reducing Social Isolation

• Regular social activities and outings are planned based on individual preferences.
• Encouraging peer connections through group activities and befriending schemes.
• Supporting individuals to maintain existing relationships with family and friends.
• Providing transport and mobility support to ensure accessibility.
• Identifying and addressing barriers to social engagement.

Staff will identify and record any factors that may increase a person’s risk of loneliness, isolation or exclusion. These may include bereavement, reduced mobility, sensory loss, communication needs, mental health difficulties, anxiety, trauma, cognitive impairment, loss of confidence, financial barriers, transport difficulties, digital exclusion, discrimination, cultural barriers, language barriers or lack of informal support.

Where a person is at risk of social isolation, staff will discuss this with the person and, where appropriate, their representative, family, carers, advocate or relevant professionals. Agreed actions will be recorded in the person’s personal plan, including the person’s preferred level of social contact, what matters to them, who is important to them, how they wish to stay connected, and what support is required.

4.2 Community Engagement and Participation

• Encouraging individuals to join local clubs, hobby groups, and community centres.
• Supporting involvement in cultural, religious, and special interest events.
• Promoting participation in sports, leisure, and arts-based activities.
• Ensuring individuals have access to libraries, educational classes, and digital resources.

Community involvement must be led by the person’s own wishes, interests, routines, culture, faith, identity, relationships and personal outcomes. Staff must not impose activities based on assumptions about age, diagnosis, disability, gender, culture, religion, sexuality or perceived ability.

Where important to the person, staff will support access to civic and community life, including voting information, local forums, community consultations, social groups, peer support, faith communities, cultural events, libraries, learning opportunities and digital communication.

Digital inclusion will be promoted where this supports the person’s outcomes. This may include support to use phones, tablets, video calls, online groups, accessible technology, digital appointments or online community resources, while respecting privacy, consent and data protection.

4.3 Volunteering and Employment Support

• Assisting individuals in finding volunteering roles suited to their interests and abilities.
• Supporting access to employment services and vocational training.
• Partnering with local employers and skills development organisations to create opportunities.
• Providing guidance on workplace adjustments and assistive technologies.

Any volunteering, employment, training or skills opportunity must be chosen by the person and must be appropriate to their wishes, strengths, skills, support needs and assessed risks. Staff will support the person to understand what is involved, including travel, role expectations, health and safety, expenses, safeguarding arrangements and how to raise concerns.

Staff must be alert to the risk of exploitation, financial abuse, discriminatory treatment or unsafe working arrangements. Concerns must be reported in line with safeguarding, adult support and protection, whistleblowing and incident reporting procedures.

5. Personalised Approach to Inclusion

5.1 Social Inclusion Outcomes within the Personal Plan

Each person receiving support will have their social inclusion, relationship and community involvement outcomes recorded within their personal plan. A separate social inclusion plan or activity plan may be used where helpful, but it must link directly to the person’s personal plan and must not replace it.

The personal plan will include, where relevant:

• What matters to the person in relation to relationships, community life, hobbies, interests, faith, culture, identity, learning, volunteering, employment and leisure.
• The person’s preferred level of social contact, including whether they prefer one-to-one, group, family, community, online or independent activities.
• People who are important to the person and how the person wishes to maintain contact with them.
• The person’s strengths, abilities, preferences, routines and previous community connections.
• Outcomes the person wants to achieve, written in a meaningful and measurable way.
• Any communication, sensory, mobility, transport, financial, cultural, psychological or health-related barriers.
• Support, reasonable adjustments, equipment or advocacy needed to enable participation.
• Any risks linked to community involvement and how these will be managed in the least restrictive way.
• Who is responsible for agreed actions and when these will be reviewed.
• Evidence of the person’s involvement and, where appropriate, involvement of their representative, family, carers, advocate or relevant professionals.

5.2 Choice, Control and Supported Decision-Making

People will be supported to make informed choices about whether, how and when they participate in social, community, educational, employment, volunteering, cultural, religious, spiritual, leisure or digital activities.

Staff must respect a person’s right to decline activities, change their mind, try new things, stop taking part, or choose a different form of involvement. A person must not be pressured to participate for the convenience of the service, staff, family members or others.

Where a person has communication needs, cognitive impairment, fluctuating capacity, mental health needs or difficulty making decisions, staff will provide appropriate support to help the person express their views. This may include accessible information, visual aids, interpreters, communication tools, extra time, involvement of people who know the person well, independent advocacy or consultation with a legally authorised representative.

Where a person lacks capacity for a specific decision, any action taken must follow the principles of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, including benefit, least restrictive option, taking account of the person’s present and past wishes, and consultation with relevant others.

5.3 Positive Risk-Taking and Risk Enablement

{{org_field_name}} recognises that people have the right to take everyday risks and to make informed choices about their own lives. Social inclusion and community involvement may involve risks, but these must be balanced against the risks of loneliness, isolation, loss of confidence, reduced independence and poorer wellbeing.

Staff will support positive risk-taking by:

• discussing potential benefits and risks with the person;
• involving representatives, families, carers, advocates or professionals where appropriate and with due regard to consent and legal authority;
• recording agreed risk management arrangements in the personal plan;
• using the least restrictive approach;
• avoiding unnecessary restrictions based on staff convenience or overly protective practice;
• reviewing risks when the person’s needs, wishes, circumstances or environment change.

Where there is a significant risk of harm, staff must follow safeguarding, adult support and protection, incident reporting and escalation procedures.

6. Supporting Accessibility and Overcoming Barriers

{{org_field_name}} is committed to ensuring that all individuals have equal access to community activities by:

• Providing accessible transport to events and social opportunities.
• Ensuring activities are physically and cognitively inclusive.
• Using communication tools and assistive technology for individuals with additional needs.
• Supporting individuals who experience anxiety or sensory challenges in social settings.
• Working with community organisations to improve accessibility in public spaces.

• Providing information about activities in accessible formats, such as large print, easy read, pictures, audio, translated information or digital formats.
• Supporting access to independent advocacy where this would help the person express their views, understand choices or challenge barriers.
• Considering financial barriers and supporting the person to access free, low-cost or funded opportunities where available.
• Supporting people to access community transport, mobility aids, companion travel, accessible venues and safe travel planning.
• Reviewing accessibility arrangements where a person’s needs or circumstances change.

This includes making reasonable adjustments where required, in line with the Equality Act 2010, and ensuring that people are not excluded from activities because of disability, communication needs, sensory needs, language, culture, religion or belief, mental health, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race, pregnancy or maternity, or any other protected characteristic.

6.1 Communication, Language and Accessible Information

Staff will communicate with each person in a way that is right for them and at their own pace. Communication needs and preferences will be recorded in the personal plan and shared with staff on a need-to-know basis.

Where required, staff will support the use of interpreters, communication aids, visual prompts, hearing support, speech and language advice, digital tools, easy-read information, advocacy or involvement of people who understand the person’s communication style.

Staff must not assume that a person lacks interest, understanding or capacity because they communicate differently, require more time, use non-verbal communication, or need support to express their views.

7. Staff Training and Responsibilities

All staff are responsible for promoting social inclusion, community involvement, dignity, rights, choice and independence as part of person-centred care and support.

Staff must:

• Work in line with the SSSC Codes of Practice for Social Service Workers and the organisation’s policies and procedures.
• Promote the rights, wishes, choices, identity, dignity, privacy and independence of each person.
• Support people to identify and work towards personal outcomes linked to social inclusion, relationships and community life.
• Encourage individual-led decision-making and act as facilitators rather than decision-makers.
• Communicate in the person’s preferred way and use accessible information where required.
• Recognise barriers to inclusion and take practical steps to reduce them.
• Support positive risk-taking using proportionate and least restrictive risk management.
• Understand the signs of harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and coercion, and report concerns promptly.
• Maintain professional boundaries when supporting community involvement and relationships.
• Keep clear, accurate and up-to-date records of agreed outcomes, support provided, incidents, concerns and changes.
• Be aware of local resources, activities, community partners and inclusive opportunities.
• Seek advice from managers or relevant professionals where they are unsure how to support safe and meaningful participation.

{{org_field_name}} will ensure staff receive induction, supervision, learning and development appropriate to their role. This will include social inclusion, equality and diversity, human rights, adult support and protection, communication, capacity and consent, trauma-informed practice, personal outcomes, risk enablement and community-based support.

8. Collaboration with External Organisations

To enhance opportunities for the people we support, {{org_field_name}} collaborates with:

• Local councils and community development initiatives.
• Charities and volunteer organisations offering inclusive services.
• Employment and skills development agencies.
• Cultural and leisure facilities that promote accessibility.
• Religious and faith-based groups for those who wish to engage with them.

Collaboration will be based on the person’s wishes, consent, assessed needs and personal outcomes. Staff must only share personal information where there is a lawful basis to do so, and information sharing must be proportionate, relevant and recorded.

Where appropriate, and with due regard to consent and legal authority, {{org_field_name}} may work with:

• Health and Social Care Partnerships.
• Social work teams and care managers.
• Community link workers and social prescribing services.
• Independent advocacy services.
• Carer centres and local carer support organisations.
• Adult learning, employability and volunteering services.
• Mental health, dementia, disability, sensory impairment and autism support organisations.
• Community transport providers.
• Faith, cultural and community groups.
• Local adult support and protection services where there are concerns about harm.

9. Safeguarding, Adult Support and Protection, and Risk Management

{{org_field_name}} will promote social inclusion while protecting people, as far as possible, from harm, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination.

Staff must follow the organisation’s safeguarding, adult support and protection, incident reporting, whistleblowing, complaints, confidentiality and information sharing procedures. Where there is concern that an adult may be at risk of harm, staff must report this promptly in line with the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and local adult protection procedures.

Risks linked to community involvement will be assessed and managed proportionately. Risk assessments must:

• be person-centred and outcome-focused;
• involve the person as fully as possible;
• consider the benefits of participation as well as potential risks;
• identify the least restrictive way to support the person safely;
• be recorded in the personal plan;
• be reviewed when circumstances change.

Staff must be alert to risks including abuse, neglect, financial harm, exploitation, coercion, unsafe relationships, discriminatory behaviour, hate crime, harassment, bullying, mate crime, online harm, unsafe transport arrangements, medication risks during outings, environmental risks and risks linked to health or mobility.

Where restrictions are considered necessary, they must be lawful, necessary, proportionate, time-limited, reviewed and recorded. The person and, where appropriate, their representative, family, carer, advocate or relevant professionals must be involved as far as possible.

9.1 Transport, Outings and Community Activities

Where staff support a person to attend community activities, appointments, outings or events, the arrangements must be planned, safe and proportionate to the person’s needs and wishes.

The personal plan or activity plan should record, where relevant:

• the purpose of the activity and the person’s desired outcome;
• travel arrangements and accessibility needs;
• mobility, falls, medication, continence, nutrition, hydration, sensory or communication support required;
• emergency contact arrangements;
• financial arrangements, including who will hold or support the person with money;
• staffing or support requirements;
• any known risks and agreed actions to reduce them;
• what the person wants to happen if they become distressed, unwell, anxious or wish to return home.

Staff must respect the person’s privacy, dignity, confidentiality and independence when supporting them in public or community settings.

9.2 Money, Expenses and Financial Safeguards During Activities

Where staff support a person with money during social or community activities, this must be done in line with the organisation’s finance, gifts, property and adult protection procedures.

Staff must:

• encourage the person to manage their own money as independently as possible;
• record any financial support provided where required by organisational procedure;
• keep receipts where required;
• never borrow from, lend to, or financially benefit from a person receiving support;
• report any concern about financial abuse, coercion, exploitation or unexplained loss of money or property.

Any regular support with money must be agreed, risk assessed and recorded in the person’s personal plan.

10. Monitoring, Review and Continuous Improvement

{{org_field_name}} will monitor the effectiveness of this policy through personal plan reviews, service user feedback, carer and representative feedback, staff supervision, observations of practice, incident and complaint analysis, quality assurance audits and self-evaluation.

Social inclusion outcomes recorded in personal plans will be reviewed with the person at least every six months, or sooner if the person’s needs, wishes, outcomes, risks, health, relationships or circumstances change.

Quality assurance will consider:

• whether the person is involved in decisions about social inclusion and community participation;
• whether the personal plan reflects what matters to the person;
• whether outcomes are meaningful, measurable and reviewed;
• whether barriers to inclusion are identified and addressed;
• whether risks are managed proportionately and in the least restrictive way;
• whether staff are supporting independence rather than creating dependency;
• whether people feel less isolated and more connected where this is their desired outcome;
• whether feedback, complaints, incidents and missed opportunities are used for learning and improvement.

The service will use the Care Inspectorate Quality Framework for support services, including care at home and supported living, to support self-evaluation and improvement planning.

11. Related Policies

This policy should be read alongside:

• Person-Centred Care and Support Planning Policy.
• Personal Planning Policy.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
• Human Rights Policy.
• Adult Support and Protection / Safeguarding Adults Policy.
• Capacity, Consent and Supported Decision-Making Policy.
• Adults with Incapacity Policy.
• Risk Assessment and Positive Risk-Taking Policy.
• Communication and Accessible Information Policy.
• Confidentiality, Data Protection and Information Sharing Policy.
• Medication Policy.
• Transport and Community Activities Policy.
• Service User Money, Property and Financial Safeguarding Policy.
• Complaints and Feedback Policy.
• Duty of Candour Policy.
• Staff Supervision, Training and Development Policy.
• Whistleblowing Policy.
• Incident and Accident Reporting Policy.
• Carers and Family Involvement Policy.
• Advocacy Policy.

12. Equality, Human Rights and Non-Discrimination

{{org_field_name}} will ensure that social inclusion and community involvement are promoted in a way that respects equality, diversity and human rights.

People must not be excluded from social, cultural, educational, volunteering, employment, leisure, religious, spiritual, digital or community opportunities because of age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, mental health, communication needs, diagnosis, appearance, lifestyle, socioeconomic status or any other personal characteristic.

Staff will challenge discriminatory attitudes, barriers and practices that restrict a person’s opportunities. Any incident of discrimination, harassment, bullying, hate crime or exclusion must be reported and managed in line with organisational procedures.

13. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually, or earlier where there are changes to legislation, regulations, Health and Social Care Standards, Care Inspectorate guidance, SSSC Codes of Practice, local adult protection procedures, commissioning requirements, organisational learning, complaints, incidents or best practice guidance.

The review will consider feedback from people receiving support, families, carers, advocates, staff, managers, external professionals and community partners where appropriate.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}}{{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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