BCP Council Adult Social Care, Housing, Commissioning and Operational Services
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
The Assertive Engagement Team (AET) have supported ‘Transitional Safeguarding’ by engaging with Children’s Social Care (CSC) to produce a report on what the pre-18 preparation and post-18 pathways look like across CSC. The team has attended CSC planning meetings and offered signposting/ advice for young people approaching 18 who are supported by the Complex Safeguarding Team – with some good outcomes.
The Homelessness Intervention Team (HIT) has worked with housing partners to gain grant funding for permanent recruitment of temporary Social Workers. HIT is well established within homelessness services and works assertively with people who are homeless, have multiple needs and are difficult to engage – there are numerous positive outcomes.
A Safeguarding Peer Review was undertaken in March 2023 which focussed on ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ (MSP). Positive and constructive feedback was received; the Report cited observation of strengths-based practice.
BCP Council service improvement team (SIT) continues to monitor quality across all commissioned care home and home care providers. Care provider quality in the BCP Council area remains above the national average. The SIT continues to work in close partnership with safeguarding practitioners to identify and support providers of concern.
What have the challenges been?
An increase in the number of people who are presenting with mental health distress, but not willing to engage with Homeless Health Team, have resulted in HIT currently bridging that gap.
Care provider recruitment for all staffing roles, particularly in home care services has been a challenge along with the cost pressures. Attendance at meetings from provider care agencies remains inconsistent which impacts on decision making, however the team continue to share information and intelligence and proactively support providers with improvements to prevent escalation of shortfalls.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs’ strategic plan
The AET will further promote Transitional Safeguarding by a representative attending Pan-Dorset Childrens Partnership meetings. The AET plans to increase the engagement with other adult social care teams, to support the awareness of contextual safeguarding and support people who present with more complex needs. The HIT plans to undertake engagement activities with other adult social care teams to provide more peer support, enabling smoother transfers of care and seek to prevent homelessness. The Pan-Dorset Advocacy contract has recently been re-tendered with a new provider taking over the contract in June 2023.
Dorset Council
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
A significant amount of work has been completed to ensure ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ (MSP) principles are embedded and understood and that recording accurately captures conversations. The safeguarding team has attended in-person community events to increase awareness of safeguarding and take opportunities to network. Dorset Council continues to deliver a wide range of safeguarding learning events across the health and social care sector with partners, including our 14th Annual Mental Capacity Act Conference delivered online with over 400 attendees.
The ‘Birth to Settled Adulthood’ programme (B2SA) aims to improve the transitions pathways for young people moving into their adult lives. A key workstream in this programme is Transitional Safeguarding to ensure risks are managed for those individuals who fall between services or thresholds but are still vulnerable young people.
Our enhanced weekend social work team facilitates hospital discharges for people in need of care and support, working closely with the voluntary and community sector, so avoiding unnecessary delays in hospital which may become safeguarding events. Mechanisms are in place for our quality team and safeguarding team to work preventatively with providers and to promote early intervention to share any concerns, ensure action is taken, or support offered so that services are of the expected standard.
What have the challenges been?
We have seen a significant increase in the reporting of safeguarding concerns over the last two years across all types of abuse categories, with an average of 101 concerns reported each week compared to approximately 80, two years ago.
Ensuring feedback is collected from people who have experienced a safeguarding enquiry is an area for continued improvement, as is understanding the context and mechanisms required to support young people to move safely into adulthood. We are seeking to improve understanding of self-neglect across all age groups and how we can work together effectively to provide the right support at the right time. There are ongoing concerns about contractures and how we can support learning and embed consistent preventative change across the system.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
Following the introduction of the Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in July 2022, further work is required with other system partners to nurture a more ‘county-wide’ approach to prevention of abuse and harm and safeguarding. Work is ongoing to ensure that the emerging housing strategy is closely aligned with the ‘A Better Life’ commissioning strategies – particularly around the housing needs of people with care and support needs. This also links to the ‘Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy’. We will increase our safeguarding presence at local community events to raise awareness and how/ where to seek support. We will improve joint working with children’s services to promote and deliver a whole family approach to practice and support delivery and implementation of a transitional safeguarding approach for young people moving into adulthood who fall between services.
Dorset Police
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
In terms of Prevention - we have improved the response to episodes of people who are missing by the creation of 2 place-based Missing Persons Teams (MSTs) within both local authority boundaries. This dedicated resource is focused on improved standards of investigation, improved quality of return interviews and achieved reduction in risk and missing episodes.
In terms of Protection - we have created 2 place-based ‘Local Safeguarding Hubs’ within the local authority boundaries. This has resulted in a 7-day a week capability to respond to and investigate crimes that impact adults at risk. These include crimes within care homes, modern slavery and human trafficking, forced marriage and honour-based violence. Investigations now receive added value and expert advice from police specialising in these crime types. The local Safeguarding Hubs combine the specialism associated with child and adult exploitation to prevent silo working and provide focus on whole family needs and transitional safeguarding of young people from childhood into adulthood.
Learning-through annual ‘Vulnerability Training’ has focussed on statutory reviews on topics such as Missing Adults, Stalking and Harassment and Domestic Abuse. Part of the training is to ensure that recommendations from reviews are understood by all practitioners, and they are provided with the skills and knowledge to support their continued professional development.
Governance restructuring of Dorset Police into 2 Local Policing Areas in 2021 has evolved further with the introduction of Local Safeguarding Hubs in 2023. Whilst they are in their infancy, these placed-based partnership working relationships are already demonstrating a commitment to addressing complex safeguarding issues with a more preventative mindset to addressing issues earlier with the aim of reducing harm in our communities.
What have the challenges been?
The National shortage of Detectives is also felt in Dorset. The offences linked to adult safeguarding are often complex and require the additional skills held by Detectives but at present Dorset Police is carrying several Detective vacancies. Whilst we are optimistic that the benefits of the national uplift programme will be felt in the future it is anticipated there will be challenges in resourcing for a further 2/3 years.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
In BCP plans are currently being developed to create a new proposed meeting structure for the multi-disciplinary team to work with Adult Social Care on a list of the most complex adult safeguarding issues and victims. The purpose will be to provide ownership and multiagency solutions to complex problems. Work with partners to commission provision of Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) for all risk levels and for the ‘Save Lives’ recommendation to outsource the high-risk service currently offered by Dorset Police is going forward.
We also plan to implement the national ‘Right Care Right Person’ programme which will focus on delivering the most appropriate service for the individual’s needs. We will continue to embed and build place-based initiatives to support adults with care and support needs utilising specialist staff from the Local Safeguarding Hubs.
NHS Dorset
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
NHS Dorset has continued to develop the digital data collection platform (Dorset Insights and Intelligence System – DiiS) to collect data about safeguarding and health inequalities in Dorset.
The organisation has worked with other NHS and social care organisations to make sure the Learning from Safeguarding Adults reviews (SAR) is being put into practice.
The organisation used a SAR from Dorset in training to staff to improve knowledge of coercive and controlling behaviour.
What have the challenges been?
The organisation has asked for a data set to be identified by the Safeguarding Adults Boards (SAB) Quality Assurance sub-group. This is still being developed with this subgroup.
Agreement on how Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) will be introduced across Dorset is still to be reached and this will be agreed once the government has indicated when LPS is likely to be introduced,
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
NHS Dorset is working with regional NHS organisations to analyse the Mental Capacity Act training and how this can be embedded into our daily work.
The organisation will continue to improve the safeguarding training on offer to staff.
NHS England (South West)
The Safeguarding Team at NHS England (South West) have oversight of the DBCPSAB Board papers however since July 2022 is no longer attending the Board meetings. NHSE (SW) continues to attend the SW Regional Independent Chairs Network and meets with the ICB heads of safeguarding on a regular basis, and produces their own Annual Report which is usually published in the autumn.
The Safeguarding Team and the DBCPSAB Business Team remain in contact for any matters that need to be discussed.
Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust (DHC)
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
DHC enhanced its adult safeguarding arrangements across all service areas - mental health, learning disability and community physical health services. Safeguarding adults remains a priority in service delivery and patient safety.
DHC has:
- reviewed staff requiring Level 3 Safeguarding training, with more staff now having it as a mandatory requirement
- shared the learning from SAR Katherine and SAR Aziza
- focussed on improving knowledge, skills and practice relating to transitional safeguarding and multi-agency working with those who experience homelessness
- highlighted the principles of ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ and embedding the ‘Think Family’ approach
What have the challenges been?
This year still had its challenges as we moved out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff sickness in some areas has been high, with vacant posts adding pressure on the system, including time to complete training. The success of remote working continued although staff moved to work more face to face; this includes for training.
There continues to be an increase in calls to the DHC safeguarding advice line from staff within the Trust. The challenge is capturing data on all IT systems to identify good practice and gaps.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
DHC objectives for the following year are to:
- continue to share learning from SARs
- audit to identify good practice and areas for improvement
- ensure staff apply ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ and embedding ‘Think family’
- improve practice in relation to the Mental Capacity Act 2005
- make sure patients on our wards feel and are ‘Sexually Safe’
- improve data collection and analysis
Quality Assurance - DHC will continue to provide assurance to the DBCP Board that safeguarding priorities are in line with best practice and evidence positive outcomes for families. We will monitor our objectives to ensure they are delivered in line with the Board strategic plans through the Trust’s bimonthly Safeguarding Meeting and the Trust’s Quality Committee.
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD)
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
- The Safeguarding Team structure and governance process for the new UHD organisation, post-merger, has now been implemented across the organisation
- a new e-form has been embedded, for use by professionals for supporting patients with learning disabilities
- following a recent CQC inspection UHD received positive feedback about observed safeguarding practices in the emergency departments and maternity services
- UHD continued to support the wider system safeguarding agenda, working collaboratively with safeguarding partners in health, social care and police
- an increase in referrals relating to domestic abuse for both patients and staff has been noted. This is linked to the impact of the Domestic Abuse Workers from the domestic abuse charity ‘Paragon’ working within the hospital in partnership with staff
What have the challenges been?
The challenges have been that:
- there has been an increase in the number of patients with mental health needs waiting in acute hospital care for placement within mental health services
- UHD has seen a rise in patients presenting with challenging behaviours which requires additional resources to manage
- the number of patients waiting in UHD for on-going health and social care referrals, or placement post-hospital discharge has risen
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SAB's strategic plan
The key focus of the safeguarding teams at UHD will be to continue to work in collaboration with system partners to meet the system objectives. These will be monitored through our internal governance processes as well as through providing assurance to the Board. In addition, we will ensure that all our staff continue to safeguard people using our services and embrace the ‘Think Family’ approach through applying professional safeguarding curiosity. For UHD, a key focus for the coming year will be to further our work around care of patients with learning difficulties and neurodiversity.
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS)
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
DWFRS has a key role in safeguarding those most at risk. The organisation fully recognises its duty to protect adults and children at risk.
Following our HMICFRS (His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) inspection, which found the service to be ‘outstanding’ in efficiency, with a ‘good’ rating across effectiveness and people. We are one of the highest performing Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in England and the best in the South-West.
An audit was carried out by our Internal Audit Service, to provide assurances around the DWFRS safeguarding arrangements for protecting vulnerable people. The outcomes from the audit were positive, ‘A sound system of governance, risk management and control exist, with internal controls operating effectively and being consistently applied to support the achievement of objectives in the area audited’.
We have developed effective partnerships to support risk reduction services to those identified as vulnerable and at risk from exploitation from abuse. We have 148 partnerships which refer vulnerable adults for ‘Safe and Welfare’ visits where we can identify possible abuse and neglect. Notable partnerships include, for example, Thames and Wessex Water where those at risk are referred to us from the priority services register and Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) and Wales & West utilities, who provide funding for risk reduction equipment for vulnerable users.
We launched a new Home Safety Leaflet with safeguarding paragraph
What have the challenges been?
Due to financial uncertainty and new challenges, there has been a restructure of the Prevention Department and a large reduction in the Youth Intervention services we can offer.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
We continue to deliver various national and local campaigns throughout the organisation. Training is ongoing and targets are consistently achieved. We continue to work with our partners to improve the wellbeing of vulnerable people by helping them with their additional needs and signposting to appropriate help, advice and services as well as helping them with basic crime prevention and signposting.
HMP Portland (Prison)
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
HMP Portland has introduced a weekly ‘Release Planning Meeting’ that identifies all prisoners within 12 weeks of release and checks that either accommodation is in place, or appropriate measures have been taken, such as DTR (Duty to Refer) and CRS (Commissioned Rehabilitative Services) to ensure accommodation can be provided as soon as practicable on release.
Those prisoners assessed as vulnerable are prioritised and where gaps are identified, actions are taken from the meeting to provide the necessary support. This involves multi-agency working with the Prison Offender Manager and the Community Offender Manager acting as liaison between prison and community services.
Accommodation in place on release has consistently been in the high 90 percentile for prisoners being released from HMP Portland.
What have the challenges been?
There have been various challenges such as a shortage of staff in the Pre-Release Team with effectively one practitioner working with the entire cohort.
Another significant challenge has been the volume of prisoners who have been recalled to prison and, when not released after a parole board review; released at end of sentence with no Probation supervision and therefore limited support in place.
HMP Portland is committed to working on this area of need to support by expanding the Pre-Release Team to have two full-time and one part-time practitioner and we have a system in place now to identify those prisoners likely to be released without Probation supervision and escalate to a manager in the community when support is not being provided leading up to release.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
Homelessness: lack of suitable accommodation on release has been shown to have a direct impact on mental health, likelihood of reoffending, risk of self-harm, drug and alcohol misuse etc. There are many measures in place within the prison to support vulnerable adults such as the CSIP (Challenge, Support and Intervention Plan), SIM (Safety Intervention Meeting), ACCT (Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork) document. However, where support is not there in the community other agencies are hampered when someone has no fixed abode.
CAS3 (Community Accommodation Service level 3) is being introduced in the forthcoming year (June 23) so that all prisoners will have up to 84 nights in basic accommodation provided but unfortunately this will not be available for those men who are released without any supervision from Probation.
Dorset Probation Service
Achievements during 2022 to 2023
Transitional Safeguarding - We continue to focus on our transitions between the Youth Justice Service to Adult Probation Services to ensure young people’s needs are met and they are safeguarded.
Homelessness – We have co-commissioned Housing Navigators in both council areas to develop housing pathways for people on probation. We are introducing a Community Accommodation Service (CAS3) for people leaving prison and have also allocated a Probation Service Officer
Involving People in the Work we Do – We have employed a manager to engage with people on probation.
What have the challenges been?
We continue to have a shortage of trained Probation Officers in the Dorset Probation Delivery Unit; however we have a large cohort of Trainee Probation Officers (PQIPs); these staff develop knowledge in Safeguarding Adults during their training.
Planned work for 2023 to 2024 to support the SABs strategic plan
We have made a commitment to staff a Family Safeguarding Hub in Dorset Council Area – this will allow us to support a multi-agency team to address Domestic Abuse in the pre- conviction space.
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
DWP in Dorset continues to train staff on safeguarding awareness in particular:
- identifying customers, their families or members of their household at risk of abuse, harm and neglect
- referral procedures to statutory agencies for safeguarding
- general signposting support to non-statutory agencies for help
- training Dorset DWP colleagues to understand and support vulnerable people through domestic abuse, gambling and radicalisation problems
- working with SABs by participation in Boards and the subgroups and contributing to SARs and DHRs
DWP in Dorset, as part of the DWP national approach, is working intensively with its front facing staff who visit the most vulnerable customers to provide an improved service. The main change is management by leaders who are skilled in vulnerable customer support, known as Advanced Customer Support Leaders. These leaders will lead on awareness, training and escalation routes for serious cases.
