Briefing Note : Safeguarding Adults

Policy Context:

Independence Well Being and Choice (2005) Our Health, Our Care, Our Say  (2006) Putting People First 2007

Transforming Social Care Agenda (LAC (DH) (2008)

Overall Policy Thrust

People want access to support when they need itPeople want a greater focus on preventative approaches which promote independence, well being, choice and control rather than reactive, crisis focused services.

People want to be safe!

The Vision

Safeguarding as an integral part of wider transformation of services, is a complex agenda which requires whole system transformation and working across boundaries of health, social care, police, criminal justice, housing, benefits, leisure and transport to achieve a strategic balance of investment for local services. As such the Safeguarding Agenda raises several key questions including:

The Safeguarding Agenda  :   Key Messages

Safeguarding is Everybody’s Business/Responsibility. This means it has to be mainstreamed as part of wider transformation of health and social care.Safeguarding must run through every agency’s organisational plan structures and be cross linked and referenced appropriatelySafeguarding is Integral to all current policy/practice developments – not an‘add on’ or afterthought. ‘Be Safe’ has to be an outcome in its own right – a prompt for good practice and a measure of success.‘Be Safe’ definition  can apply  to  a very broad group of vulnerable adults including prostitutes, victims of domestic violence, people with LD, people with  MH problems and vulnerable older people.Safeguarding requires a new professionalism  which puts people in charge of their own services whilst putting in place checks and balances to safeguard them where necessary. This has significant implications for assessment and care management.

Safeguarding - Key challenge is to empower/enable AND protect!

Safeguarding : Key Questions?

What should Safeguarding Cover?What are we trying to do for/with our citizens to empower/protect them?Which group of citizens need safeguarding and which groups can protect themselves – threshold?What are the links between the individual and his/her community/environment and how can we address these to enable/protect?What risks does  the personalisation/individualisation agenda pose and how can we balance these against people’s rights?How can we work with other agencies and with Service Users to empower AND protect/safeguard?

How do we know when we are getting it right? (Development of Learning Culture)

Download the 'Safeguarding Adults' national framework here.