Latest News January 2026
January 2026
Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year from all of us at the SSAB Team! As we step into 2026, it’s a great time to reflect on our shared commitment to safeguarding adults across Salford. This year, let’s stay resolved to work together to safeguard people in Salford, because safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and every action we take makes a difference
Towards the end of 2025 we we distributed Adult Safeguarding awareness posters to agencies across Salford. If you have received a poster, please ensure it is displayed prominently for everyone to see. If you haven’t received one and would like a copy, please email us at SSAB@salford.gov.uk to request yours.
It’s already proving to be a busy start to the year for the SSAB team. We’re delighted that Katie D’Rozario, our Quality Assurance Officer, is now working an additional day each week until the end of March 2026. Her focus will be on strengthening the Board’s engagement with diverse communities across Salford. If you know of any individuals or groups who might be willing to share their experiences or insights with Katie, please do get in touch with her—we’d love to hear from you.
Thank you for your continued dedication to safeguarding. Together, we can make 2026 a year of progress, collaboration, and positive impact.
The SSAB Team
Looking Ahead: Highlights from December's Board Meeting
In December, we were thrilled to come together face-to-face at the Civic Centre for a truly productive Board meeting—a great chance to reflect on what we’ve achieved and set the tone for the year ahead. A full summary of the minutes will soon be available on our website, but here are some key headlines.
One of the big discussions was around the draft SSAB Strategy for 2026–2029. The Board agreed to keep our five core priorities:
- Working to prevent abuse or neglect
- Work to protect adults from adults from abuse or neglect
- Voice of the adult and their carers
- Communication and engagement
- Safeguarding effectiveness
But we’re also adding new thematic areas based on learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews—because turning lessons into action is what really drives change. We’re planning to visit teams to share information more information about this, If you would like us to visit your team, please get in touch at SSAB@salford.gov.uk
The meeting closed with a strong sense of collaboration and determination to keep improving safeguarding across Salford as we move into 2026.
DHR Debbie (Previously known as DHR)
This Domestic Abuse Related Death Review (DARDR) examines the tragic death of Debbie (pseudonym), who died by suicide in August 2021 following a history of domestic abuse. Domestic Abuse Related Death Review (DARDR) is the new name for Domestic Homicide Review (DHR).
Commissioned by Salford Community Safety Partnership, the review explores agency responses, Debbie’s contact with services, and opportunities for safeguarding.
It identifies critical learning themes, including:
- The need for greater professional curiosity and trauma-informed practice
- Improved routine and selective enquiry in health settings, and better understanding of post-separation abuse risks.
- The review also highlights the strong links between domestic abuse, mental health, and suicidality.
- The importance of timely multi-agency communication.
- The role of employers in supporting staff affected by abuse.
These lessons aim to strengthen local and national practice, ensuring victims receive earlier, more effective support and that systemic improvements reduce future harm. You can find the report for Debbie and other Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews here.
Policies and Procedures - Easy Access and Updates
It’s essential that everyone is familiar with our safeguarding policies and procedures, which include safeguarding resources specific to Salford. All Salford Adult Safeguarding policies and procedures are hosted online by Tri-X, making them easy to access.
✅ Take a moment today to review them here
Save the Link for Quick Access
Now is a great time to make sure you’ve saved the link to the procedures to your desktop or other devices. Having them easily accessible means you can quickly check guidance when you need it most.
Stay Updated
If you haven’t already, please register for update alerts. This ensures you’ll be notified whenever a procedure changes. You can do this from the procedures homepage.
Bookmark the link and stay informed—because up-to-date knowledge is key to effective safeguarding!
Introducing the New Adult Safeguarding Team in Adult Social Care
In September 2025, Adult Social Care launched a dedicated Adult Safeguarding Team, and it’s now been operating for several months. The new team is a focused resource within Adult Social Care to respond to safeguarding concerns.
What does this mean for you?
The process for raising a safeguarding concern has not changed. If you need to report a concern, you should continue to do so via the Adult Portal.
Training and learning Opportunities
Looking to refresh your safeguarding knowledge or explore a new topic? Visit our Upcoming Training page. Here you’ll find details of upcoming safeguarding sessions and can request a place directly.
New dates for 2026 will be added soon, so keep an eye on the page for updates. To make sure you never miss an opportunity, sign up to our Training Distribution List and receive updates straight to your inbox:
📩 Request to be added to the list
Coming Soon: Joint Training on Exploitation
We’re excited to share that SSAB is working closely with our colleagues from the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) and the Salford Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (SSCP) to deliver a special multi-agency training event focused on exploitation of both adults and children.
This will be a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness of the different types of exploitation—such as criminal, sexual, financial, and modern slavery—and to strengthen understanding of how professionals should respond when concerns arise.
The event is being developed in direct response to learning from Reviews, a previously completed training needs analysis around exploitation.
Keep an eye on our Upcoming Training Page for more details. Together, we can build confidence and consistency in tackling exploitation across Salford.
Coming Soon: Learning from Reviews
This spring, we’re bringing professionals across Salford together for a focused learning event on the key lessons from SAR Steven and other Safeguarding Adult Reviews. These reviews highlight recurring themes and missed opportunities that impact outcomes for adults at risk.
The session will explore critical issues such as homelessness, trauma, social isolation, self-neglect, and multi-agency risk management—alongside the importance of hearing the voice of the adult and thinking family.
This is an opportunity to reflect on practice, share insights, and strengthen our collective safeguarding approach. Look out for more details soon—we’d love for you to be part of this important conversation. Keep an eye on our Upcoming Training Page for more details.
New 7-Minute Briefing: The 'Right to Access' and Associated Legal Powers
The Salford Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) has just published a new 7-minute briefing on The ‘Right to Access’ and Associated Legal Powers.
The term ‘right to access’ refers to the ability of professionals—typically from local authorities or partner agencies—to gain access to an adult who may be at risk of abuse or neglect in order to carry out safeguarding enquiries. Understanding these powers is essential for ensuring that adults at risk receive timely and appropriate protection.
You can read the full briefing on our 7-Minute Briefings page.
Dementia Resources from Skills for Care
If you work with people living with dementia—or support their families—this is something you’ll want to explore. Skills for Care has developed a range of dementia resources designed to help staff and volunteers provide the best possible care and support.
These resources are aimed at the Adult Social Care workforce, including home care workers, care home staff, community teams, and family carers. They make dementia information accessible, person-centred, and practical, so everyone involved can feel confident and informed.
With the right skills and knowledge, we can help people living with dementia enjoy a good quality of life at every stage—keeping them active, engaged, and connected for as long as possible.
Please share these resources widely with colleagues and volunteers.
Keep Homes Safe: Fire Safety Assessments and Training
Did you know that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) offers Home Fire Safety Assessments? These assessments are a vital way to help keep people safe, especially those who may be more vulnerable—such as older adults, people with disabilities, or those living alone. GMFRS can visit homes, identify risks, and provide practical advice and equipment to reduce the chance of a fire.
Find out more and make a referral here: Home Fire Safety Assessment – GMFRS
New Training Dates Available
GMFRS has also released new dates for its Home Fire Safety Assessment Training for partner organisations, with options for both face-to-face and online delivery.
Book your place and see the full details here: Fire Safety in the Home Training – GMFRS
Please share these opportunities widely—together, we can help prevent fires and protect our communities.
Links to other news
If you would like us to include anything in our next bulletin or have any feedback, please e-mail us at ssab@salford.gov.uk
Salford Safeguarding Adult Board (SSAB)
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