Launch date 1st April 2013

West Yorkshire

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Adults

Policy and Procedures

Background

• By coming together to develop joint safeguarding adult policies

and procedures this will:

• Improve consistency in safeguarding practice across West

Yorkshire

• Benefit joint working with partners, particularly those that

work across the whole area such as police, probation, fire

and ambulance services

• Based on the guidance contained within No Secrets (DH 2000)

and the standards set out in “Safeguarding Adults” (ADASS

2005)

Key Terminology Changes (1)

• Alleged Perpetrator is replaced by the terms person

alleged to have caused harm or Organisation alleged to

have caused harm.

• The term adult at risk replaces the term person at risk and

guidance is provided on the scope of the policy and

procedure.

• On 1 December 2012 ISA became the Disclosure and

Barring Scheme.

• Protection plan meetings are replaced by case conference

discussions or case conference meetings.

Key Terminology Changes (2)

• The role of the Safeguarding investigating officer is

introduced and is undertaken by a professionally qualified

and experienced staff member within health or social care.

• Safeguarding coordinator describes the role of the staff

member who is responsible for overseeing the

safeguarding process, including the work of the

safeguarding investigator.

• Defines large scale investigations.

• Introduces the term defensible decision making.

Key changes / guidance (1)

• The threshold for intervention is harm

• There is a detailed glossary and acronyms section

• The policy is underpinned by a clear set of principles and

values - Empowerment/Protection/Proportionality/Prevention/

Partnerships/Accountability .

• There is detailed guidance on the prevention of abuse which

covers the strategic and operational roles at all levels of the

organisation, which includes guidance on Commissioning

Governance.

Key changes / guidance (2)

• There is detailed guidance on the roles of safeguarding

partners (i.e. the CCG) and specialist support schemes /

linked agendas (i.e. Honour based violence)

• There is guidance on managing safeguarding arrangements

in respect of key legislation, risk assessment & how to

involve the adult at risk.

• The safeguarding stages have reduced from 7 to 6 as the

referral and decision-making stages in Calderdale’s policy

are covered by the referral stage in the new policy.

Key changes / guidance 3

• There is guidance on how to get out of the safeguarding

process at each of the 6 stages.

• The policy places timeliness around the production and

final circulation of all agreed safeguarding meeting

minutes.

• There is information to outline the purpose of a Serious

Case Review

1. The Alert stage

• The alert stage is consistent with Calderdale's alert stage

with additional guidance on how to implement this part of

the process.

• Alerts are to be made on the same working day.

• This section includes a flow chart to provide guidance on

issues to be considered by the alerting manager.

• This section includes details on how to make a

safeguarding alert to each of the Local Authorities in the

West Yorkshire Network.

2. Referral stage (1)

• This stage describes the process for receiving a

safeguarding alert and making a decision on the outcome

of the alert. Replaces Calderdale's referral and decision

stages.

• The decision needs to be made immediately if required or

no later than 24 hours from the alert.

• There is guidance on issues the safeguarding coordinator

needs to consider when making a decision to investigate.

• This section also provides guidance on alternative

outcomes to a safeguarding investigation (i.e. review of

needs)

3. Strategy (1)

• The strategy stage is consistent with Calderdale's strategy

stage.

• The strategy discussion/meeting needs to take place no

later than 5 working days after the referral decision.

• Guidance is provided to allow the safeguarding

coordinator to decide whether a strategy discussion or

meeting is required.

• There is information around outcomes from a strategy

discussion or meeting that do result in a safeguarding

investigation.

3. Strategy (2)

• There is guidance on how to plan an investigation,

individual roles and responsibilities in the investigation

process and how the investigation should be coordinated.

• There is a table on the different types of investigation that

can take place.

• There is guidance on how to include the adult at risk in the

strategy discussion or meeting.

4. Investigation (1)

• This replaces Calderdale's safeguarding risk assessment/

investigation stage.

• This stage introduces the role of the safeguarding

investigating officer.

• The safeguarding investigating officer is required to

produce a safeguarding investigation report 7 days in

advance of the case conference.

4. Investigation (2)

• Guidance is provided on how to plan for a safeguarding

investigation.

• Guidance is provided on how amendments to the

safeguarding investigation plan should be managed by the

safeguarding coordinator.

• There is a detailed set of principles that should guide the

completion of the safeguarding investigation and

subsequent report.

5. Case Conference (1)

• This replaces Calderdale’s protection plan stage.

• The expectation is that the case conference will take place

no later than 8 weeks after the referral decision.

• The main purpose of this stage is to conclude the

investigation and to develop protection plan arrangements

in respect of the conclusions.

• There is detailed guidance to support the safeguarding

coordinator to decide if a case conference discussion or

case conference meeting is needed.

5. Case Conference (2)

• There is guidance on how to involve the adult at risk and

the person or organisation who are alleged to have

caused harm.

• This section offers guidance on the role of legal

representatives at safeguarding case conferences (silent

supporter) and actions to be undertaken by the

safeguarding coordinator if this role cannot be agreed with

attendees.

• There is guidance on how decisions about outcomes and

conclusions are made including the need to seek all

parties views (including the adult at risk and person /

organisation alleged to have caused harm). Areas of

disagreement must be recorded

5. Case Conference (3)

• There should be an individual case conclusion for each

allegation of abuse and the four conclusions are: (1)

Substantiated fully (2) inconclusive (3) not substantiated

(4) investigation ceased at the individuals request.

• There should also be an overall conclusion for the

safeguarding investigation and the five conclusions are:

(1) Substantiated fully (2) substantiated partially (3)

inconclusive (4) not substantiated (5) investigation ceased

at the individuals request.

• There are new AVA outcomes that will be implemented

from 1 April 2013.

6. Review

• This stage is the same as Calderdale’s review stage.

• The expectation is the first review will take place no later

than 3 months after the case conference meeting.

• It is recommendation that the chair from the original case

conference is maintained for continuity.

Closing Comments

• Changes to CIS

• Training strategy to provide investigating officer and

safeguarding coordinators the technical skills to undertake

these new roles.

• Policy will be held on Calderdale Council’s website and will

replace the Calderdale policy and procedure

• There is a protocol that says how Calderdale will implement

this which will be held on Calderdale’s council website.

• Six-month review of the policy and procedure

• Review of own policy and procedures.

Questions

• Initial thoughts on what you have heard today?

• Anxieties about the way forward?

• Obvious gaps in what you have heard today?

• Your training / support needs to embed the policy?

• Any other comments?

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