SAFEGUARDING & THE CARE ACT 2014: PREPARING LOCALLYJill.manthorpe@kcl.ac.ukAge UK July 2014

Age Concern/Help the Aged:long and honourable histories in this area

• Tackled the taboo• Helped set up Action on Elder Abuse

• Supported policy and legal reform

• Addressed own practices

• Avoided ‘victimhood’ & ‘rescuing’

• Promoted access to justice

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Possible Implications of Care Act 2014

• New duty for local authorities to make enquiries =• Need to know process locally (highly variable)• Getting involved in policy and procedures• Co-production of training, attending and cascading

• Questions• Should you have a safeguarding lead?• How to manage + record alerts/referrals• Who needs training/skills development?• Your web site links

New terminology –• vulnerable adult to adult at risk

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New terminology + emphases

• Vulnerable adult to adult at risk

• Growing attention to Making Safeguarding Personal (what does the adult at risk want? Are they involved & included (with support) in discussions and decisions?

• What outcome do people want and how do we measure that this has been achieved (using this to know if safeguarding is working effectively)

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Local Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB)

Must have one (or share) but local discretion over:• Membership beyond core• Sub groups, committees, emphases• Must do annual report

Questions • What roles can Age UK play locally – member of SAB, voluntary

sector rep?, supporting any user/lay rep. or involvement?• What does membership entail?• Using annual report as resource eg for Trustees, new staff…• Contributing to annual report

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Serious Case Reviews to Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)

Move to statutory basis = likely to increase

Questions• Co-operating within confidentiality?• Know local protocols and methods (varied)• Any role in offering ‘advocacy’ or support to family etc?• Supporting vols/staff if providing info or account of

involvement• Support for staff in internal & external investigations• Managing communications when report published• Getting involved in ‘learning the lessons’

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SAB power to request information

• As part of SAR• Also part of commissioning of home care, etc

• Development of information sharing protocols

Questions•Understanding and helping to devise new protocols•Which staff are best at this? And who has time?

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Disclaimer

The preparation of this presentation was made possible by funding from the Policy Research Programme of the Department of Health. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Department of Health.

This presentation was made in the consultation period of the Care Act 2014 guidance and final guidance/regulations should be consulted

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Thanks to….

To you for listening

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