LGA and ADASS Advice and Guidance to
Directors of Adult Social Services
Presentation to ADASS Spring Seminar
18 April 2013
The full document can be downloaded from the LGA Knowledge Hub
https://knowledgehub.local.gov.uk/ or
http://www.local.gov.uk/publications or ADASS website
http://www.adass.org.uk/
The Background
The Law Commission's Review of Adult Social Care legislation
White Paper and draft Care and Support Bill published
Consultation on possible new safeguarding powers
Implementation of the Mental Capacity Act
Changes and developments in domestic violence legislation
Developments in how hate crime is treated
Winterbourne View, Ash Court, Mid Staffs, other high profile scandals
Changes in the Care Quality Commission
NHS re-organisation and new Healthwatch arrangements
Police and Crime Commissioners
Squeeze on public service spending
The Vision
People are able to live a life free from harm,
where communities:
have a culture that does not tolerate abuse
work together to prevent abuse
know what to do when abuse happens
Safeguarding is everybody's business
What Works
• A focus on people and the outcomes they want
valuing the difference that is made; process is important but not an
end in itself.
• Collaborative leadership
supporting, integrating and holding partners to account
• Effective interfaces
with Health and Wellbeing Boards, Community Safety Partnerships,
Children’s Safeguarding Boards, etc.
• Responsive specialist services
in place and have a portfolio of responses to support people with
difficult decision making.
• Concerns are addressed proportionately
so that systems are not swamped and we do not miss the really
serious concerns.
• Fully integrated systems
commissioning, contracts management, care management reviews
and safeguarding intelligence.
Achieving Good Outcomes for Service Users
Policies and procedures focus on
making a difference to people's
lives
People outcomes right through the
process
Performance framework
aggregates inputs, outputs,
outcomes and trends
Inclusive approach engages carers
& families
Directors should ensure that:
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you are leading a commitment to improve outcomes
for people at risk of harm;
your service and procedures drive engagement with
people and discusses with them the outcomes that
they want at the beginning, middle and end of the
process;
your staff are competent in working with families
and networks and have the skills, knowledge and
permission to use the full range of legal and social
work interventions;
you are engaged with local criminal and justice
services to make sure victims get the same access to
justice as everyone else;
the performance of your safeguarding services is
regularly checked and audited.
PRIORITY AREAS
Achieving Good Outcomes
Responding to Reported Abuse
Leadership
Safeguarding Adults Boards
Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Personalisation
Legal Powers
Workforce
Responding to Reported Abuse
Defining ‘abuse’
Proportional guidelines on alerts and referrals
Agreed multi-agency pathway for dealing with suspected abuse
Systematic monitoring of response times and outcomes
User-friendly procedures emphasise user outcomes not processes
Out-of-area placements
Leadership
Pro-active approach to build prevention into
the infrastructure.
Building strong relationships with partner
organisations
Challenge own services as well as external
Embed safeguarding in corporate & service
strategies
Get safeguarding on the agendas of new
organisations/boards/committees
We haven't got a
plan so nothing
can go wrong!
What makes Safeguarding Adults Boards Effective
A dynamic chair
Good governance
Sound strategy and planning
Holding people to account
Active members
Intelligent commissioning
Joined-up risk management
Pro-active communications
Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Serious Case Review to Safeguarding Adults Review
Range of proportionate types of review
Local protocol for deciding how and when to
undertake a Safeguarding Adults Review
All partners’ commitment to fully participate
Learning followed up & embedded in practice & procedures
Reviews from other areas considered & the learning applied
Safeguarding Personalisation Principles
Options for people to choose accredited services
(including an offer of CRB and quality checks).
Care planning is person-centred and regularly reviewed.
People have access to information and advice about
protecting themselves, the services they use and
what to do if they are being harmed or abused.
Advocacy services are available for people who are
unable to challenge or change circumstances that
they experience as abusive.
NHS and local authority commissioners build in the
assurance that a quality framework is in place and is
regularly tested.
Whistle blowing help lines are available to staff of all
care providing organisations.
Legal Powers
"What good is it making someone safer
if it merely makes them miserable?"
Lord Justice Munby
People fully involved & in control of processes
Least restrictive option
Legal literacy of social workers and managers
Easy access to legal advice
Usage of Mental Capacity Act monitored
Workforce
Considerable workforce development issues
Recognised competency frameworks
Safeguarding staff are person-centred
Range of training levels cover the needs of all who work with adults
Training and development strategy audits, delivers, and monitors