Latest News February 2023

In January, we saw the departure of Charlotte Ramsden, the Strategic Director of People for Salford City Council who as part of that role was the Director of Children’s Services and also the Director of Adult Social Services – a huge remit! 

Charlotte has left to take up a new position as the Chief Executive of Bradford Children and Families Trust.  On behalf of the SSAB, we would like to thank Charlotte and wish her all the very best in her new role.

We would also like to extend a warm welcome to Maggie Kufeldt, the new Interim Director of Adult Social Service (DASS).  Maggie has already begun in post and we look forward to working with her over the coming months.

We have been busy working with the Salford Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (SSCP) to align our strategies and priorities.  The SSAB had a 3-year strategy from 2021-2024.  However, it was agreed at the December board, that the strategy would be updated this year to bring it in line with the SSCP so it will run from 2023-26. The new priorities for adults and children for 2023-26 will be:

1. Working to prevent abuse
2. Working to protect the adult / child from abuse
3. Voice of the adult (including carers)
4. Communications and engagement
5. Safeguarding Effectiveness

We will be sharing the updated strategy soon.

Adult Social Care – new telephone number 0161 206 0604

From Monday 13 February, there will be a new telephone number for Adult Social Care and District Nursing – 0161 206 0604. This number will replace the existing adult social care contact team number 0161 631 4777. Please can you ensure all reference to the old number is updated at the earliest opportunity.

Other ways the service can be contacted include:

Text for those with speech or hearing difficulties: 07970 134 894

Adult Social Care Online Portal

Out of hours: 0161 794 8888 for Adult Social Care or 0161 206 8921 for District Nursing

Do you have any SSAB posters or leaflets on display anywhere?

Please can you check to ensure all SSAB posters with the old number are either amended or removed.  If you drop us an e-mail at ssab@salford.gov.uk, we can arrange for replacement posters to be sent out to you.

SAR Mathew Learning Event

On 12 January 2023, an online event was held to share the learning from SAR Mathew.  Mathew was a father of two, who was known to various services and who tragically died by suicide. Over 200 people attended the learning event which was great.

A number of guest speakers contributed to the event by sharing information about their services, some which were not around before Mathew’s death.  Services represented included: Adult Social Care, Living Well, Supported Housing Services, Dual Diagnosis Homeless Team, Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Service, Dad Matters, Young Father’s Project, Jamie Horrocks Trust and Safe in Salford Domestic Abuse service.

The event was recorded so if you missed it you can watch the recording or view the slides.

There is also a short briefing video (15 mins) now available, however this doesn’t include all the guest speaker information. 

SAR Irene Learning Event - 24 November 2022

We held a learning event to share the learning from this Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) completed following the death of Irene.  David Mellor, the lead reviewer, presented the learning from this review. 

What happened?

Irene was 71 years old at the time of her death. She lived at home with her husband ‘Brian’.  A few years earlier, Irene had been diagnosed with Alzheimers and subsequently Aphasia, which affected her ability to communicate verbally.  Following Irene’s death, concerns were raised about extensive bruising to her body.  Whilst some of this could be explained by falls, the post-mortem concluded that some of the injuries were likely to have resulted from physical assaults.

Learning from this review includes, hearing the voice of the adult, especially where there are communication difficulties; recognising and responding to domestic abuse in older adults, including coercive and controlling behaviour; dealing with tensions during discharge; and the use of the safeguarding enquiry amongst a number of other aspects.

If you missed this event and want to catch up, you can watch the recording.

Bite Size Briefing – Safe in Salford

On Friday 3^rd February, we held a Bite Size Briefing on the Safe in Salford Domestic Abuse Service.  Colleagues from different parts of the service spoke about the service, how to refer someone in and the work that they do with victims / survivors, children / young people and perpetrators.

Please watch the recording if you were unable to attend and/or share it with colleagues as appropriate.  It lasts approximately 75 minutes.

Reminder - NEW Multi-agency Safeguarding Policy and Procedures now live

Earlier in the year we commissioned an external organisation, Tri-X to provide our multi-agency safeguarding policy and procedures. Our new policy and procedures are now live. 

Watch the recording of the short demonstration session or please contact us at ssab@salford.gov.uk if you would like us to attend one of your team meetings to provide a short demonstration. 

There is lots of information on the new site and initially this may seem overwhelming. Please have a look at the new site and please familiarise yourself with the sections that are most relevant to you.

MARAC and DASH Training (Online) – Monday 13 March (10am-12noon or 1.30-3.30pm)

Pre-requisite: this training requires an understanding and basic working knowledge of domestic abuse.

It is aimed at front line professionals who work with or may identify victims of domestic abuse.

Course Aims and Objectives:

• Increase practitioners’ awareness of the DASH risk assessment tool and MARAC process.
• Explore how to respond to disclosures of Domestic Violence and Abuse. Providing guidance on how to refer to specialist support.
• Increase practitioner’s knowledge of the high-risk referral pathway.
• Raise practitioners’ awareness around domestic abuse and the impact on victims and their families
• Raise and improve standards of good practice

To apply  for a place, please complete the online application form by Friday 17^th February 2023.

Working with Fathers Training (Face to Face) – Thursday 23 March 9.30am-1pm

This training aims to:

• Increase your understanding of issues relating to working with fathers;
• Provide the starting point for discussions to explore how to engage and effectively work with fathers and father figures in your settings;
• Increase your confidence and motivation to engage and work with dads.

If you wish to request a place, please e-mail your Name, Job title, Agency, Team, Full address, E-mail address and Manager’s name to Debbie.Hulme@salford.gov.uk

Please note, places are limited.

Save the date – 29 June - Baton of Hope

The Baton of Hope UK tour comes to Manchester this June.  Suicide is the biggest killer of men and women under 35 in the UK. The #BatonofHopeUK is designed to be the biggest suicide awareness and prevention initiative and will be touring UK towns and cities for two weeks in Summer 2023.

Hub of Hope – Directory of Support

Chasing the Stigma has launched the Hub of Hope, the UK’s leading mental health support database.  It brings together local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place for the first time.

Shining a Light on Suicide

Shining a light on suicide is an extremely useful resource that offers information and support for people who are feeling suicidal, those who are concerned about someone who is or may be feeling suicidal or those who are tragically bereaved by suicide.

Salford Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (SSCP) New 7 Minute Briefing – Fabricated and Induced Illness / Perplexing Presentations

The SSCP has recently published this new 7-minute briefing after a 15-year old young person was removed from their mother’s care due to fabricated and induced illness over a number of years.  The review found that there was a slow and inconsistent response by agencies.  There were recommendations in relation to the role of the father, the voice of the child and the escalation process.  More information can be found in the actual briefing.

Sunday 6 February was Zero Tolerance Day of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

If you would like to know more about FGM, there is a pre-recorded ‘lunch bowl’ briefing session which explains the pathways for both children and adults, the FGM toolkit and support and services available in Salford.

The FGM toolkit and a 7-minute briefing are available on the Female Genital Mutilation page on the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership website.

NICE make changes to recommendation in guideline on Social work with adults experiencing complex needs

NICE have made changes to recommendation 1.5.6 on care plans.  The updated recommendation reads:

Social workers should ensure that, at time of writing or review, care plans:

• take account of the person's wishes and preference
• state how the person's eligible and non-eligible needs would be best met
• identify how arrangements have been or will be made to meet eligible needs
• record any eligible needs which are unlikely to be met or only partially met, the reasons they cannot be met or only partially met and any potential actions that would allow them to be met in future.

The updated guideline better aligns with the Care Act and clarifies social worker and local authority responsibilities about meeting eligible needs.

Upcoming dates:

• 5-12 March 2023 No More Week 2023 coinciding with International Women’s Day on 8 March. This campaign aims to raise awareness of domestic abuse and sexual violence.
• 23 March National Day of Reflection 2023– an opportunity to remember our loved ones who’ve died and support those who are grieving a loss.
• 20-24 March 2023 – Social Work Week

Links to other news

Partners in Salford Latest News

SSCP Latest News

Finally…

If you would like us to include anything in our next bulletin or have any feedback, please email us: ssab@salford.gov.uk

Best wishes

The SSAB Team