1. Safeguarding Adults The Care Act 2014 Jo Wilkins Team Manager, Safeguarding Adults Team Reading Borough Council

2.  A ‘vulnerable adult’ is now described as an ‘Adult at Risk’  Safeguarding investigations are now referred to as Safeguarding Enquiries.  Institutional investigations are now referred to as Organisational Investigations.  Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) are now called Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) Changes in Language

3.  The Care Act requires all Local Authorities to have a SAB in place.  Reading has had a SAB for many years (SAPB).  The Act says that the SAB must:  Include the local authority, the NHS and the police, meet regularly to discuss and act upon local safeguarding issues.  Develop shared plans for safeguarding, working with local people to decide how best to protect adults in vulnerable situations.  Publish this safeguarding plan and report to the public annually on its progress, so that different organisations can make sure they are working together in the best way. Safeguarding Adults Board

4. Focus for 14/15:  Implementation of the Care Act  SCIE Learning Together training  Joint Adults & Children’s Services Conference  Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards  Workshops – Learning from SCRs  Protocol between the SAPB and the Health & Wellbeing Board SAPB Annual Report 2013/14

5.  The aim of the Health & Wellbeing Boards is to improve integration between practitioners in local health care, social care, public health and related public services so that patients and other service- users experience more "joined up" care, particularly in transitions between health care and social care. The boards are also responsible for leading locally on reducing health inequalities. Health & Wellbeing Board

6. The protocol agreement has been developed to support closer working. Under this agreement both organisations will:  Have an ongoing and direct relationship, communicating regularly.  Work together to ensure action taken by one body does not duplicate that taken by another.  Ensure they are committed to working together to ensure there are no strategic or operational gaps in policies, protocols, services or practice. Health & Wellbeing Board

7.  Section 42 of The Care Act requires Local Authorities to make appropriate enquiries into concerns around an adult with care and support needs, whether or not we are providing services.  There are no changes to how we make those enquiries, just that it is now in law rather than from Government guidance.  The SAB now has the power to request information from organisations (Sect. 45) and those organisations have a duty to share information with the SAB. Care Act Section 42 Enquiries

8.  The Care Act stipulates that self neglect is now a category of abuse.  We require a referral for anyone known or thought to be, neglecting themselves.  This could be self neglect over the short or long term.  How we respond will differ with each individual.  A team from Social Care, Mental Health, Environmental Health and Health Services have been asked to look at how we can work together for a positive outcome.  We hope to have some clearer guidance soon but in the meantime, please refer in the usual way. Self Neglect

9.  Please ensure you consider whether the situation is also domestic abuse (relationship with the person) and report this appropriately.  Please ensure you understand how to complete a Domestic Abuse Stalking & Harassment (DASH) tool to assess the level of risk or that you ask for a trained person to support you with this.  If identified as domestic abuse, you may need specialist advise around what you take into consideration and how you act.  Please talk to your manager, Adult Social Care or Berkshire Women’s Aid (0118 9504003/9597333). Domestic Abuse

10.  Section 44 of The Act requires the SAB to arrange a SAR should circumstances suggest there were failings in systems or process or where there has been a serious failure on the part of an organisation to support/protect an Adult at Risk.  West of Berkshire SAPB has a panel that meets once a month. That panel decides whether a SAR is required, what level of investigation is required and who will be the lead agency. Safeguarding Adults Reviews

11.  The local authority must now arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support a person who is the subject of an Enquiry or a SAR, if they need help to understand and take part in the enquiry or review and to express their views, wishes or feelings.  The person does not need to lack capacity to be entitled to an advocate.  We will provide an advocate if there is no-one else who is appropriate. Independent Advocacy

12.  The Care Act incorporates into it the ethos of personalisation, choice and autonomy for people.  It duplicates the Mental Capacity Act in its pursuit of the rights of the individual to be the lead person in any planning, support or other decisions that need to be made.  Please ensure that this is in the forefront of your mind when you are talking to people about a safeguarding matter and that your records reflect your efforts to promote the individual’s rights.  Making Safeguarding Personal will be a key area in our audits. Making Safeguarding Personal

13.  The Safeguarding Adults Team will now concentrate their effort on quality assurance, data analysis and leading in Organisational investigations  To talk about a safeguarding matter you need to call the Adult Social Care Single Point of Access Team through the main number – 0118 9374747 or by emailing: reACT.SPOC@reading.gov.ukreACT.SPOC@reading.gov.uk And Finally…..