1. Our role and approach

At ParentCalls, regular contact means we may sometimes notice changes or concerns that matter. We take that responsibility seriously.

ParentCalls is not a regulated care provider, and we do not present ourselves as one. We are a care-adjacent service: we sit alongside families and other support around an older person, and we recognise that regular contact can sometimes bring welfare or safeguarding concerns to light. Because of that, we believe safeguarding should be handled seriously and with proper structure.

Our role is to provide consistent human contact, notice when something seems off, and handle concerns in a structured and proportionate way. That includes clear internal escalation, appropriate family contact, and staying within the boundaries of what our service is designed to do.

2. What ParentCalls does not do

ParentCalls is not an emergency service, a crisis line, or a substitute for hands-on care, medical care or regulated support. We do not attend homes, conduct investigations ourselves, or make care plan decisions. Families should continue to use the appropriate usual routes for emergencies, urgent medical issues and formal care decisions.

3. What we pay attention to

Because we speak with Clients regularly, we may notice changes that are easier to miss in occasional family calls or one-off interactions. That can include changes in mood, energy, responsiveness, confusion, general presentation, routine, or signs that something may not be right.

The value is not just in one call, but in building a picture over time and being able to recognise change against a known baseline. Safeguarding matters in this model because regular calls, family dynamics, loneliness, possible cognitive decline and increasing vulnerability can all mean that concerns show up early, even in a remote service.

4. What happens if we are concerned

If a Wellbeing Caller is concerned, they are expected to log it and raise it internally. Concerns are not brushed aside or handled casually. We review them through a structured internal process and decide what should happen next.

Depending on the situation, that may mean closer monitoring, contacting the Lead Contact promptly, or following the agreed escalation approach for that family. If something appears urgent or serious, we make sure the right people are informed without delay in line with that agreed approach.

5. Notes, recordings and review

We keep notes that are relevant to delivering the service safely and well. Family updates are intended to be useful, proportionate and respectful, not open-ended surveillance or a blow-by-blow account of private conversation.

Calls are recorded, transcribed and reviewed for defined service purposes, including quality assurance, complaint handling, safeguarding review and maintaining safe professional standards. This helps us support Wellbeing Callers properly, identify concerns early, and make sure the service is being delivered in the way it should be. Access is limited to authorised roles and handled under our privacy and retention controls.

6. Professional boundaries, training and oversight

We take professional boundaries seriously. Wellbeing Callers work within clear rules about what they can and cannot do, including strict limits on private contact, gifts, money handling, and any arrangement outside the service.

Calls, notes and service activity are carried out through ParentCalls systems and are subject to internal oversight. Wellbeing Callers are trained and supervised to work within clear boundaries. That means noticing and raising concerns, keeping clear records, following escalation routes, and not drifting into roles the service is not designed to provide.

We also maintain detailed internal procedures for training, escalation and responding to concerns.