20th Annual Report 2023-2024

I am very pleased to introduce the 20th annual report of the Salford Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) which covers the period April 2023 to March 2024.

The Care Act requires us to set out our strategic priorities which were revised and updated during the year. This annual report celebrates our achievements, highlights our challenges and provides updates on progress made against our five priorities: working to prevent abuse, communications and engagement, person centred approach, safeguarding effectiveness and exploitation.

I am pleased to report that good progress has been made against these strategic objectives, delivered through a planned programme of work ensuring that we continue to meet our statutory duties.

The report outlines how we have strengthened our approach to communication and engagement, supporting partners in offering training, multi-agency safeguarding resources and opportunities for learning and reflection through Safeguarding Adult Reviews. We have developed new approaches to seek feedback on the lived experience of individuals that have been through the safeguarding process and will continue to build on this work over the next 12 months. We have sought the views of practitioners working in the city and have incorporated their views into our work programme going forwards.

Services across the city continue to operate under significant pressure; the challenges brought about by the cost of living crisis, continued demographic changes and other external factors all contribute to this sustained demand. Our partners continue to deliver personalised and person-centred services to the residents of Salford despite the pressures brought about by these external influences. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment to working together in order to keep people safe in Salford during these difficult times.

There have been changes to key personnel within partner agencies during the year; despite these changes commitment to adult safeguarding within partner agencies remains a high priority. I would like to thank the interim Director of Social Services (DASS) Maggie Kufeldt for her contribution to the work of the board during the year and welcome our new substantive DASS Becky Wilkinson who will play a key role moving into 2024/25.

We continue to build on our approach to seeking assurance from partner agencies on their safeguarding arrangements and I am grateful to them for sharing their successes and challenges with the board. This has helped to ensure that we learn from one another; build on good practice as well as understanding any risks along with mitigating actions.

Partners continue to support the process of learning and improvement obtained through the Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) process. This report highlights information on SARs that have been commissioned or undertaken by the board during the year. Partners continue to provide information to the board on actions taken as a result of SARs to embed learning and improvement.

I look forward to working with the SSAB Business Manager, the SSAB team and board members to continue to deliver on our priorities, drive improvement and ensure safeguarding arrangements are effective in Salford. If you have any suggestions about how we can improve this report, please contact Jane Bowmer, Business Manager

Francine Thorpe

Independent Chair

The Safeguarding Adult Board has a number of statutory duties as set out in the Care Act 2014, the detail to how the SSAB are meeting each statutory duty will be detailed throughout the report.

• Ensure Statutory Partners are appropriately represented on the SSAB.

• Develop and produce a 3-year strategy and work plan in order to direct the work of the Board that reflects its priorities.
• It must publish an annual report detailing what the SAB has done during the year to achieve its main objective and implement its strategic plan, and what each member has done to implement the strategy as well as detailing the findings of any safeguarding adults reviews and subsequent action.
• Undertake Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) in accordance with Section 44 of the Care Act to establish whether there are lessons to be learned about how partner agencies worked together which will support system wider improvement.(the SSAB undertakes both mandatory and discretionary SARs in accordance with the national guidance of best practice and the Board’s SAR Policy.)

The SSAB has a strong partnership approach in working with the other core Board/Partnerships across Salford.

For further information about the other Boards/Partnerships, please visit the Partners In Salford webpage.

Below are some of the abbreviated names we use within the annual report:

SSAB - Salford Safeguarding Adults Board

SSCP - Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership

CSP – Community Safety Partnership

In the previous reporting year (2022/2023) work commenced between the SSAB and SSCP to align our strategic priorities, to ensure safeguarding arrangements in Salford are effective throughout a person’s lifetime.

The work undertaken to align the strategic priorities would also:

• Promote joint working and shared learning;
• Ensure better connectivity, a streamlined approach and strengthen the work across the Board and Partnership;
• Support us to evidence impact and outcomes.

As a result, in April, the SSAB’s 2023/2026 strategy was launched with the strategic priorities being:

For more information, please visit the Salford Safeguarding Adults Board website.

The SSAB has a robust governance structure which works well, and there is continual commitment from all partners in supporting the work of the SSAB and the subgroups.

You can click the image below to see a larger version.

Accessible description of the above image of the Salford Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) structure:

The table below explains provide a brief overview of each subgroup which drives the statutory duties and priorities forward.

The Care Act 2014 sets out the need for all partners to work collaboratively to create a framework of inter-agency arrangements that enables a joined-up approach which keeps the individual at the heart of the process. (The Care Act 2014 Statutory Guidance 14.137).

The SSAB continue to strengthen relationships to ensure we are working together, the transparency and the generous sharing of information by our partners is integral to this approach.

The continued successful functioning of Salford Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) would not be possible without the commitment and involvement of our partner agencies.

Below are some of the agencies that are represented on the SSAB:

Accessible text version of the above image:

Salford Integrated Care Partnership

Salford has an Integrated Health and Care Partnership: bringing together the services of GPs, nursing, social care, mental health, community-based services and voluntary organisations into a more joined up system. This enables us to deliver more integrated, person-centred services.

Salford is a city where adults and their families have the right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. People and organisations work together effectively to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse and neglect, ensuring at the same time that adults and their families wellbeing is promoted.

The SSAB wants the voice of adults in Salford to be heard so their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs remain central and inform everything we do.

The board aims to:

• Actively listen and be person centred and outcome focussed
• Be open and transparent to those who are being safeguarded, their representative(s) and the wider community
• Ensure there are engagement opportunities for both public and professionals
• Seek to evidence the impact of the work of the SSAB

Please see our website for more information about safeguarding in Salford and who is an adult at risk.

The six safeguarding principles are: 

• Empowerment
• Protection
• Proportionality
• Prevention
• Partnership
• Accountability

For more information about the six safeguarding principles please see the Salford Multi Agency Safeguarding Policy and Procedures safeguarding.

An important part of this report is to update you on what we said we would do and what we have achieved during the last 12 months.

Strategic Objective 1 – Working to Prevent abuse and neglect

Prevention is a core strand of all work of the SSAB including a focus on multi-agency training and work force development to enable people to recognise various forms of abuse and know what action to take.

What we have done:

In 2023-24, the SSAB has continued to hold thematic Bite Size Briefings as a way of cascading information to a larger audience.

Bite Size Briefings were held on Autism, MARAC (Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conference), MAPPA (Multi-agency Public Protection Arrangements) and DAPP (Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme) and Mental Capacity and DOLS (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards), following the government announcement that Liberty Protection Safeguards would no longer be implemented.

All Bite Size Briefings were recorded and made available to watch via a YouTube link, however the viewings have fallen substantially in 2023-24. Moving forward, we will engage with the workforce to understand the reasons for this.

Training has also taken place on Safeguarding Adults (face to face and online) and the Duty to Cooperate and Stalking and Harassment.

Further online learning events were held to share learning from 2 Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs), Christopher (79 attendees) and Stanley (71 attendees). Both these learning events have been a longer format and included guest speakers to address issues raised in the reviews.

In 2021-22, the SSAB worked with Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to develop a short 8-minute video briefing to provide easily accessible information about ‘cuckooing’ to a wide range of professionals across Salford. This was updated in 2023 due to a change in the Adult Social Care contact information. The video has been viewed 237 times in 2023-24, taking the total viewings since it was published up to 958 at the end of March 2024.

The SSAB has continued to use Microsoft Teams to deliver training, briefings and learning events predominantly online. This has been extremely popular as it is more accessible to practitioners and some excellent feedback has been received.

In 2022-23 the SSAB commissioned an external company to provide our multi-agency safeguarding policy and procedure for 3 years. We continue to work with them to continually update the policy and procedures, along with any resources.

High level overview and feedback from training delivered in 2023/2024

Feedback received

"Felt this was a really informative and thought provoking session - Thank you [SAR Stanley attendee]

"Thank you for all your presentations; very informative. [SAR Stanley attendee]

"Thank you for such a compelling learning event [SAR Christopher attendee]

"Thank you to al the speakers for such an interesting session. [SAR Christopher attendee]

Strategic Objective 2 – Working to protect people from abuse/neglect

Ensure that there is a partnership commitment to safeguarding and protecting adult from harm.

We will ensure that our policies and procedures are up to date and responsive to levels of need and risk.

We will learn from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SAR) and share key messages to continue to improve practice and to keep adult safe in Salford.

What we have done:

Exploitation has been identified as a cross-cutting theme of the SSAB, SSCP and CSP, the governance of the group has been reviewed and all three partners have agreed to take lead governance for the area of safeguarding. As a result, there has been work to strength the terms of reference, strategic work plan and joint strategy.

In 2023/2024, Salford has continued to see a trend of local people being victims of ‘cuckooing’, a form of Modern Slavery where criminals take over a person’s home.

Work has continued by the SSAB to enhance the local resources and guidance to support the workforce.

During this reporting year, work started to create a Joint Exploitation Strategy, revise the subgroups' work plan for the coming year and plans were made to hold a development session to ensure all members had a clear understanding of the purpose and aims of the group. This has been completed and will be published at the beginning of 2024/2025.

Persons in Positions of Trust (PiPoT) – following some feedback the Practitioners Survey, there was an area of learning for the workforce regarding Persons in Positions of Trust (PiPoT). The SSAB has current guidance in managing allegations, but work has started to review the current guidance to understand whether its still relevant. Arrangements will then be made for the workforce to have communication and additional resources to raise awareness of the guidance. As a part of the Assurance Framework audit schedule, an audit will be undertaken to understand whether the knowledge and understanding of PiPoT and the local guidance has improved. This work started in 2023/2024 and will carry forward into the next reporting year.

Strategic Objective 3 – Voice of the Adult (including carers)

Continue to ensure that the Voice of the Adult is heard, remains central to safeguarding adults in Salford and that the views/wishes and feelings of safeguarded adults inform how we operate.

What we have done:

The SSAB continues to be committed to ensuring that the adult is central to everything we do and that the Voice of the Adult is always considered. It has been recognised in recent years that getting feedback from people with lived experience has been a challenge for a number of reasons, mainly because we were depended on Adult Social Care to nominate adults who wish to provide feedback. However, due to interest and demand on services, only a limited number of referrals have been received.

In this reporting year (2023/2024), the SSAB has taken a much more proactive approach and there has been a real focus on the Voice of the Adult to ensure there are a range of different methods that adults in Salford can use to provide feedback of their lived experience.

There are now several ways that adults and/or their advocates, carers or representatives can give us feedback about their experience of the safeguarding process.

Work has taken place to improve the ‘Lived Experience’ public facing page of the SSAB website to ensure adults who have been through the safeguarding process can access a range of different methods in which they can provide feedback. This includes completing a survey via an online form, via post, via email, over the telephone or face to face.

Tell us about your experience of adult safeguarding in Salford | Salford Safeguarding Adults Board

The SSAB has a schedule programme of multi-agency audits which are being managed under the SSAB Assurance Framework. Within this process, adults selected for audit are (if appropriate) contacted to enable them to provide feedback of their personal experience of the safeguarding process. Their responses are then fed into the audit and the corresponding Outcome Report.

From early 2024, when minutes from safeguarding meetings are sent out, there will be standard text added onto the end of the email or paper versions which asks involved adults: “Tell us about your experience of adult safeguarding in Salford. The Salford Safeguarding Adult Board (which is often referred to as the ‘SSAB’) wants to hear from you”, followed by a link and QR code redirecting them to the public facing ‘Lived Experience’ page on the SSAB website.

To further enhance engagement, a process has also been developed which went live in January 2024. The Performance and Quality Officer extracts a list of the adults with safeguarding processes which closed two calendar months previously from the Power Business Intelligence data system (known as Power BI). This list is converted to a report which then sent to Adult Social Care to screen and risk assess. Once that screening has taken place, the Salford City Council Engagement Officer then makes contact and asks the adult, their carer or representative if they wish to give feedback to the SSAB on their safeguarding experience. This has proved successful and resulted in seven adults providing feedback, either over the phone or face-to-face, within the first three months – a significant improvement compared to the previous years.

Strategic Objective 4 – Communications and Engagement

Continue to improve engagement with all partners and sections of the community including diverse communities to increase awareness and strengthen adult safeguarding practice in Salford.

What we have done:

We have continued to produce our quarterly newsletter which is sent out to partners and includes updates on local training and resources available such as video and 7-minute briefings, as well as national and regional updates. This can also be viewed on the SSAB website.

Following the launch of the new safeguarding policy and procedures, a review of the website took place, and this continued into early 2023-24. This was to ensure that content across both sites was streamlined where possible. In the last 12 months, we have strengthened the ‘For the public’ section of the website, including adding pages Communication Difficulties and Online safety. We have added a ‘Leave this page’ button to the website should people need to leave the site quickly.

Other changes include creating links in the in the drop-down menu to the process for sharing good practice with the board and the Tri-X pages on professional curiosity, hopefully making both more visible to professionals.

We have worked to improve accessibility, avoiding uploading PDF documents wherever possible. The SSAB Latest news is an example of this, it is added directly onto the website, rather than uploading a PDF version.

The page views on the SSAB website has remained similar to last year; there were 28,941 (approx. 600 fewer than the previous year).

There was an increase in visits to the Policy and Procedures pages which are hosted externally. This has risen from 4214 in 2022-23 to 6209 last year, which was expected as the procedures were launched in October 2022 so the data was only for part of the year.

The combined page views has risen from 33,728 in 2022-23 to 35,150 in 2023-24.

The SSAB posters were updated due to a change in contact number for Adult Social Care and a QR code was added which when scanned, takes people to the SSAB website. The new posters, along with suicide prevention posters were widely distributed to GP practices, care homes, Salford Royal Hospital, Greater Manchester Mental Health Service, the Gateways and Broughton Hub, Leisure Centres, Police Stations and housing providers.

We used Safeguarding Adults Week to raise awareness of safeguarding.

We produced a special edition SSAB Latest News bulletin, which included information on the various themes for the week. There were social media posts throughout the week. Information was included in Tom Stannard’s (the Chief Executive’s of Salford Council’s weekly bulletin to Council staff, which included an article about the work of the SSAB and a day in the life of Jane Bowmer, the Business Manager. We also had large posters on display or on digital screens in a number of prominent places, for example leisure centres.

Strategic Objective 5 – Safeguarding Effectiveness

We want to continue to strengthen systems to understand partnership safeguarding data to enable best practice, encourage professional challenge and evidence what is working well whilst highlighting our areas requiring further development and/or strengthening.

Please note - Statistical data is reported separately in the one-page summary version of the annual report which will be available later in the year, once the data has been ratified.

What we have done:

The Safeguarding Effectiveness (‘SEG’) subgroup analyse and discuss local safeguarding data:

• to better understand and evidence aspects of current safeguarding practice which are working effectively and are robust,

• to gain insight into emerging trends or risks which may affect safeguarding,

• to identify any areas requiring further assurance or development and

• to influence positive change across Salford.

In this reporting year, to strengthen assurance, partner agency representatives have been asked to present data via ‘Exception Reports’, outlining their safeguarding activity to their peers each quarter. Representatives are encouraged to professionally challenge this data to drive excellence in safeguarding practice. The SSAB subgroups are now scheduled in a cycle to enable efficient sharing, development and further operational exploration relating to key findings and encourage continuous safeguarding improvement.

This process was also implemented into the main Board meetings so they have oversight and assurance from the work of each subgroup.

In 2023, a new process was created to increase feedback from adults who have experienced the safeguarding process. This process went live in February 2024, and early results show that the lived experience of adults (as outlined in the above ‘Voice of the Adult’ section) are being captured more frequently. This will help the SEG to build valuable insight into person-centred practice, including what worked well and areas that could improve, directly from the perspective of those who have been safeguarded in Salford.

The Quality Assurance Framework has continued to be followed in 2023-2024, with five safeguarding assurance projects being carried out in total. This included three multi-agency audits based upon:

1. adults who had been safeguarded due to self-neglect,

2. who have experienced Exploitation in the form of ‘Cuckooing’ and

3. adults who have been victims/survivors of Domestic Abuse.

Two surveys were also carried out to help the SEG subgroup to better understand safeguarding effectiveness from the perspective of practitioners and from informal/unpaid carers of adults with care and support needs.

Following on from the Practitioner Survey, work has started in this reporting year of a ‘You Said, We Listened’ Report which will be published at the beginning of 2024/2025 reporting year.

The purpose of a SAR is not to hold any individual or organisation to account but to learn lessons when an adult in its area dies as a result of abuse or neglect, whether known or suspected; and

• there is concern that partner agencies could have worked more effectively to protect the adult.

OR

• an adult in its area has not died, but the SAB know or suspects that the adult has experienced serious abuse or neglect.

The SAR panel continues to be well attended by partner agencies including all the statutory partners. All partners of the Salford Safeguarding Adult Board are clear about their responsibilities to ensure the process for a Safeguarding Adult Review promotes a culture for learning and positive change. The panel members contributes well to discussions and are comfortable to constructively challenge each other when deciding whether the criteria for a SAR has been met.

Safeguarding Adult Reviews (known as SARs)

Mandatory SAR - A SAR must be commissioned if there is a statutory requirement to do so when all the criteria and conditions have been met. (Care Act 2014 S44, S1, 2 and 3)

Discretionary SAR - A discretionary SAR may be needed where part of the criteria/conditions have been met and the panel feel there is multi agency learning. (Care Act 2014, S4)

There are occasions the SSAB work in partnership with the CSP and SSCP for joint reviews.

Other types of statutory reviews include:

DHR - Domestic Homicide Review - A review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has or appears to have resulted from abuse or neglect by- a) a person to whom he was related or with whom he was or had been in an intimate personal relationship, or b) a member of the same household as himself, with a view to identifying lessons to be learnt from the death.

CSPR - Children Safeguarding Practice Reviews A Child Safeguarding Practice Review (CSPR) is an independent review into a case where a child has been seriously harmed or has died and abuse or neglect is known or suspected. Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPRs) are carried out where local partner organisations identify there may be learning from the case to improve the safeguarding and welfare of children, particularly regarding how organisations work together.

The 4th thematic review for 2023/2024 has been planned to be held in October 2024. The thematic review is attended by the members of the SSAB to understand and examine current or emerging themes/trends from the SARs in Salford. The report is shared with members of the SAR Panel, Board members, senior leaders, executive members of the leadership team and lead members for the City Council.

The process of managing Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SAR)

Salford has a robust SAR Policy and process embedded into practice with positive engagement throughout from all partners, despite this, the policy and process is kept under review to ensure its in line with national policy and research.

The SAR Policy and Procedures continues to be integrated into the SSAB Multi Agency Safeguarding Policy and Procedures hosted by an external company.

Work continues to progress to embed the SAR in Rapid Time methodology, which was developed by SCIE in practise, but it can prove challenging due to the SSAB having limited capacity and the continue increase demand on the wider system. Localised documentation has been developed, and the methodology is usually applied to Discretionary SARs. There is further work to do but the potential of completing for timely reviews is promising.

Referrals for Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR)

During the reporting year 2023/2024, the Safeguarding Adult Review Panel continued to see regular referrals being made, however there is a slight increase on the previous reporting year (2022/2023).

As volumes of SARs are typically low, any trends, or patterns in the data are easily skewed.

In 2023-2024, the breakdown of referrals for each quarter was:

• Quarter 1 x 1 referral (down on the previous year 2022/23 which was 4)
• Quarter 2 x 7 referrals (increase on previous year 2022/2023 which was 4)
• Quarter 3 x nil referrals (down on the previous year 2022/2023 which was 3)
• Quarter 4 x 7 referrals (increase on previous year 2022/2023 which was 2)

Table displaying data from the above image of a graph showing Number of Referrals by Financial Year/Quarter:

The outcome for those referrals are shown in the graph below:

Table displaying data from the above image of a graph showing SAR Panel Decisions 2019-2024:

Overview of SARs in Salford for 2023/2024

Stanley

A Mandatory SAR for 'Stanley' was published in June 2023 and written by external independent author David Mellor.

Stanley was 82 years of age when he passed away in hospital in May 2021. This followed Stanley being placed in a nursing home for a short respite stay while his carer and partner of 45 years, Matthew, recovered from a minor operation. Stanley had a diagnosis of vascular dementia and dysphagia and was unable to communicate verbally. Matthew was concerned about the quality-of-care Stanley was receiving during this respite placement and raised these concerns on several occasions with a number of agencies with a view to trying to get Stanley’s return home.

Review themes include:

• Continuity of care and care needs
• Strength based assessment.
• Making Safeguarding Personal
• Nutrition and hydration
• Assurance around standards of care
• Capacity/Market Management
• Working Together
• Voice of the care
• Escalation pathways
• Impact of Covid 19

Click the link below for a copy of the Final Report and Briefing Document

SAR Stanley 2023 | Salford Safeguarding Adults Board

ET

A Discretionary SAR for ET was published in June 2023 and written by SSAB Business Manager, Jane Bowmer.

ET was living in her own home, due to a lack of capacity in the care market, she needed to go into a care home for a short stay whilst a support package was being arranged. Unfortunately, due to circumstances highlighted in the review, ET was never able to return home.

ET had an unwitnessed fall which resulted in a hospital admission. After several weeks in hospital, she was discharged back to the care home where there was a number of safeguarding incidents including ET being inappropriately touch by another male resident on different occasions.

At the time of this review, there was covid restrictions in place which prevent ET’s family visiting as often as they wanted to. Sadly, ET’s health started to deteriorate, and she required end of life care. ET sadly passed away in the care home.

Review themes include:

• Capacity in the care market
• Hospital Admission/Discharge
• Therapeutic Support/Rehabilitation
• Sexual Assault
• Safeguarding – management S42 enquiries
• Deprivation of Liberty (DOLS)
• End of Life Care

Click the link below for a copy of the Final Report and Briefing Document

SAR ET 2023 | Salford Safeguarding Adults Board

Christopher

A Mandatory SAR for 'Christopher' was published in October 2023 and written by external independent author Allison Sandiford.

The published briefing document was written by the Business Manager of the Salford Safeguarding Adults Board, Jane Bowmer.

Christopher was a gay man with long term health conditions (both of which are protected characteristics as codified by the Equality Act 2010), who passed away in hospital. Christopher was known to live with various challenges both physically and with his mental health. Christopher’s engagement with mental health services over the years was sporadic and he was often discharged from services due to poor attendance and ‘non-engagement’.

Christopher was in a long-term relationship and had disclosed incidents of domestic abuse. There were also concerns from professionals regarding controlling and coercive behaviour.

Review themes include:

• Domestic abuse / Carer abuse
• Mental Health
• LGBTQ+
• Bariatric care
• Strength based assessment
• Making Safeguarding Personal
• Multi-Agency Approach

Click the link below for a copy of the Final Report and Briefing Document

SAR Christopher 2023 | Salford Safeguarding Adults Board

Joint SAR/CSPR -In this reporting year a joint SAR/CSPR has been completed but due to the sensitive nature of the review, a decision has been made that the final report would not be published.

Learning Events

In this reporting year, following the completion of SAR Stanley and SAR Christopher, learning events were held to share the learning wider. Attendance and feedback were good for both sessions. See Section 6 of this report for further information.

For this reporting year, partner agencies were asked to provide a high-level overview to these key questions

1. Tell us about what your agency has been doing to meet the SSAB strategic priorities?

2. Detail any areas of good practice

3. Provide details of any positive changes made/outcomes as a result of learning from SARs

4. What safeguarding training has been provided in the last 12 months and how many staff have completed

The response have been inserted below:

Working to Prevent abuse or neglect

Healthwatch in Salford

All staff and volunteers receive safeguarding training. The organisation has separate adults and children's safeguarding policies which are reviewed to ensure they are up to date. Chief Officer circulates all SSAB and SSCP newsletters and SAR invites to staff to attend if they wish. Organisation has designated safeguarding leads familiar with protocol.

MIND in Salford

All staff, students and volunteers are appropriately trained so they are aware of what abuse is, we also have a designated safeguard lead. We empower anyone we work with to ensure they are aware that they have choices and rights. We ensure they are actively involved in choices in their lives, and they feel confident to speak up about anything they feel is not right. We empower people to speak up and clients lacking capacity we ensure they are living in a safe abuse free environment; all staff are fully trained to look for signs of abuse. Safeguarding is discussed at every supervision and every team meeting. We keep our own records in relation to safeguarding concerns, actions taken and outcomes. All staff know to report any concerns to the Diane Ferris the designated safeguard lead.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

• GMFRS work in partnership with other agencies
• Allow Safeguarding concerns to be raised
• Train all staff on Safeguarding issues

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

• Primary Care Training.
• Safeguarding Assurance for NHS Commissioned providers (Primary Care, Nursing Homes and Small and Acute Providers).
• Working in collaboration with other key stake holders.
• Salford Standard Key performance indicators.

Salford Probation Service

The following policies are in place:

• Managing Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse 
• Providing support to victims of domestic abuse (for Domestic Abuse Safety Officer and Victim Liaison Officers.
• MARAC
• Personality Disorder Pathway 
• Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub and probation responsibilities 
• Community Safety Partnership/Reducing reoffending 
• MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements)
• Veterans 
• Safeguarding Adult Boards – Roles and Responsibilities 
• YOS (Youth Offending Service) – National Partnership Framework
• Faith Based Communities 
• Family Safeguarding 
• Child Safeguarding 
• Prevent 
• Managing those who sexually offend
• And many more

Each member of staff has their own learning plan on the national system which highlights mandatory learning (Prevent, Domestic Abuse, Child safeguarding and adult safeguarding are mandatory for all staff regardless of role or grade) and role specific training. Without completing these, the staff member is not able to continue with pay progression.

Staff must complete the Civil Service Induction which is a 2-day course and highlights the expectations of working within the civil service. Further to this, all staff receive a regional induction where they will receive the key policy and be allocated on to training. They must repeat the Civil Service expectations annually.

The national team (EPSIG – Effective Practice Service Improvement Group) review all national legislation and policy and disseminate to staff. All senior leaders have lead roles and ensure that this is disseminated into local policy and practice and fits with local priorities.

Greater Manchester Probation has a clear complaints policy in place which is advertised to all service users. This is notified in both offices and on the website. It is also highlighted at induction.

All policies are held on the national database that all staff can access and the GM database (Hive) that all GM staff members can access. Both sites are easy to navigate.

All Serious Further Offences (SFOs) learning is held by a strategic lead in GM and feeds into the central team. Learning is then disseminated into practice as required. SFOs are transparent to the victims as they have the option of meeting with the Head of PDU (Probation Delivery Unit) to go through the transparent review.

All staff are subject to a regime of audits throughout the year focussed on safeguarding.

GMPS (Greater Manchester Probation Service) has access to a solicitor in the region and Government Legal Department as required.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

We have delivered 9 Adult Safeguarding Basic Awareness sessions to VCSE (Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise) organisations to ensure that staff and volunteers recognise signs of abuse, neglect and exploitation and know what action to take to support and protect the adult at risk. We had 97 participants in total.

We also promote SSCP training programme to VCSE groups and organisations.

We support VCSE organisations with their Safeguarding policies and procedures to ensure that they include definitions of abuse and a clear procedure to follow if abuse is disclosed.

We continue to deliver a Disclosing Barring Service (DBS) at Salford CVS (Community and Voluntary Service) for VCSE groups and organisations across Salford and Greater Manchester. The service is growing as fewer organisations are delivering this vital service in the area: we processed 360 applications for Salford VCSE organisations in the last year.

This equates to:

• 191 DBS checks for paid staff
• 169 DBS checks for volunteers

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

The Trust has 2 x 0.6 WTE (Whole Time Equivalent) safeguarding trainer posts – Level 3 Adult Safeguarding and Level 3 Children Safeguarding training delivered on a weekly basis in addition to MCA, Section 42 and Chairs training which are delivered on a monthly basis.

• At the end of March 2024, the Trust achieved 85% compliance in Level 3 Adult Safeguarding Training.
• Launch of a Trust wide Patient Safety Newsletter which includes a section for safeguarding learning, developments and guidance.
• Trust wide Learning Events held following incident reviews to share learning.
• Commissioned legal training in relation to self-neglect and MCA (Mental Capacity Act).

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

A new Advanced Practitioner post has been created within Adult social care to provide expert support and enable policy development around the emerging issues of exploitation and ‘cuckooing’. The post holder will support colleagues in the Safeguarding partnership to recognise and respond to concerns more quickly and minimise harm. The appointment was made towards the end of the year under report and more details will appear in next year’s report.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Salford Adult Safeguarding Unit have oversight of all DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking and Honour Based Violence) / DAB (Domestic Abuse and Violence) reports that require partnership engagement and ensure the appropriate referrals for partner support are submitted to support victims of abuse and neglect and those at risk of HBV

Salford has a domestic abuse improvement plan to ensure that Domestic abuse is treated appropriately, victims supported and every opportunity is explored to achieve positive outcomes
Attend partnership meetings (MARAC, MAPPA, Problem solving).

Work to PROTECT adults from abuse or neglect

Healthwatch in Salford

All staff and volunteers receive safeguarding training. The organisation has an adults safeguarding policy which is reviewed to ensure it is up to date. Chief Officer attends SSAB meetings and also circulates all SSAB newsletters and SAR invites to staff to attend if they wish. Organisation has designated safeguarding leads familiar with protocol.

MIND in Salford

We work with the most vulnerable clients through Care Act Advocacy, Mental Capacity Advocacy, Independent Mental Health Advocacy and community advocacy. We work with clients through the safeguard process, we ensure that their voice is heard and that where applicable they fully understand processes. All staff, volunteers and students are fully trained to recognise signs of abuse or neglect. Information is shared between organisations in accordance with information sharing policies and procedures. We keep our own records in relation to safeguard concerns, actions taken and outcomes. All staff know to report any concerns to Diane Ferris the designated safeguard lead.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

• All staff must complete mandatory Safeguarding Training
• Any incidents of abuse and neglect are escalated and a Safeguarding referral is raised which is then quality assured by a DSO (Designated Safeguarding Officer)
• A DSO will represent the service at MDTs/Professional meetings
• A DSO attends SSAB and other sub groups to assist and glean learning for future cases, as well as attendance at subgroups and Case Audit groups
• GMFRS discusses cases at Safeguarding meetings so learning can be shared
• Key staff contacts for all agencies are known so quick liaison is available, and the sharing of information is undertaken
• GMFRS take part in campaigns and in particular Safeguarding Adults

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

This has been covered in the previous answers (above). Standard operating procedures - linking in with procurement with newly commissioned services.

Salford Probation Service

Staff within the Probation Service do not regularly work with children. Contact, if any, is likely to take place via Home Visits, Court appearances, at Child Protection meetings (with the family) and where unavoidable during an office visit, where a parent, carer or guardian is subject to a Court Order/Licence.

The Probation Service adopt robust recruitment practices: Any recruitment campaign will be subject to pre-Employment Checks, including:

• enhanced vetting
• identity checks
• qualifications check
• DBS checks where necessary (see Performance Indicator 03/2014)
• face-to-face interviews with candidates (may be virtual)
• 2 references minimum
• verification of right to work in UK.

Safeguarding roles and responsibilities are explicit within job descriptions.

Performance Indicator 02/2014 advises of amendments to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 to enable the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to share relevant information relating to the barred status of a PoP (Person on Probation) with prisons and providers of probation services for the purposes of protecting children and vulnerable adults. It provides guidance on the role of the DBS and the barring scheme and sets out the process to be followed when seeking information from the DBS. The PI also outlines changes to the Disqualification Order regime as a result of the introduction of the barring scheme.

National Security Framework provides an explanation of the policy and procedures that must be followed for the security vetting of all staff and workers (both directly and non-directly employed).

Exclusion of personal Policy regularises the exclusion of non-directly employed workers from a HMPPS establishments, due to safety and security issues, misconduct, or other substantial reasons

The National Partnership Framework for England Youth Offending Services outlines the process of recruitment requirements when appointing a secondee for Youth Offending Services. This is the same vetting process for all Probation Practitioner as outlined above.

Greater Manchester has an Operational Administration Hub with a vetting arm who scrutinise vetting and deadlines. They also address any conflict-of-interest issues.

Completion of training by staff is monitored and provided to Heads of PDU and Business Managers on a monthly basis.

Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs), Child Practice Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews is led nationally by EPSIG who develop national responses and locally by the Quality and Performance team who provide regular reviews of what learning is required and a number of ways of dissemination. This could be through further training or briefings, further auditing or targeted support and development. They have an assigned Quality Officer to each PDU who provide monthly development sessions for all practitioners.

Presence on MARAC and administrate / co-chair MAPPAs.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

Our Adult Safeguarding Basic Awareness training includes information on how to recognise the key safeguarding themes of Self-Neglect and forms of exploitation including Modern Slavery; financial and material abuse; cuckooing and and radicalisation to terrorism.

GMMH - Development of a new Trust incident reporting system which will ensure the triangulation of information relating to safeguarding/complaints and incidents.

• Establishment of Patient Safety panels at a Local, Care Group and Trust level.
• Review and update of the Trusts safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance, for example, Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy.
• Ongoing safeguarding training offer to all staff.
• Support and advice from Operational and Corporate Safeguarding Team staff in response to concerns/incidents.
• Sexual Safety guidance reviewed and launched Trust-wide.
• Safeguarding flowcharts updated and circulated across the Trust.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

• Development of a new Trust incident reporting system which will ensure the triangulation of information relating to safeguarding/complaints and incidents.
• Establishment of Patient Safety panels at a Local, Care Group and Trust level.
• Review and update of the Trusts safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance, for example, Safeguarding Adults at Risk Policy.
• Ongoing safeguarding training offer to all staff.
• Support and advice from Operational and Corporate Safeguarding Team staff in response to concerns/incidents.
• Sexual Safety guidance reviewed and launched Trust-wide.
• Safeguarding flowcharts updated and circulated across the Trust.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

The staffing position in adult social care has improved considerably since the previous year’s report. The department was fully staffed at the end of the year under report. This has increased the available capacity to respond to safeguarding concerns.

The Principal Social Worker has established a Safeguarding Chairs network for team managers and advanced practitioners who lead Safeguarding investigations. The network provides opportunities for peer support and for reflective discussions with partners from other agencies to address complex safeguarding issues.

Adult social care is developing its relationship with Safe In Salford. This is to ensure better responses to safeguarding queries where domestic abuse is an issue, and sharing of expertise and learning between the services.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Salford ASU (Adult Safeguarding Unit) review all PIPOT (Person in Position of Trust) reports and ensure that the appropriate resources are allocated to deal with them and the appropriate action is taken to prevent any further abuse to that adult or any other adult the suspect has access to.

Operation Connect deal with adults at risk of Exploitation

We review daily adult care plans and sit on weekly vulnerable meetings to work effectively with partners to assess risk and take the appropriate steps to protect those at risk.

Attend partnership meetings (MARAC, MAPPA, Problem solving)

Voice of the adult and their carers

Healthwatch in Salford

The role of Healthwatch is focused around listening to Salford people and their experiences and ensuring the system is aware of this and acting upon it.

MIND in Salford

We ensure that any work we do the Voice of the adult, and their carers is person centred. We look at different ways of working with people to ensure their voice is heard e.g. easy read, materials in another language, translators, BSL translator, makaton etc We promote our services across the borough, so people are aware of how to make a referral. We ensure that all parties understand processes and that their wishes, feelings and voice is heard. Also, we work with them if there has been abuse to look at different outcomes, depending on the circumstances, including prosecution if abuse or neglect is proven. In other cases, the risk of abuse may be tackled, but the adult may have other care and support needs which require different services and may need to a needs assessment or review of an existing care and support plan, the advocate would work with them through this process.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

• During both carrying out HFSAs and Safeguarding referrals GMFRS always demonstrate Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) and a statement in the Safeguarding Policy and Procedure undermines this pledge
• Staff will ask and listen to the views of the Adult and/or carers
• We will make a record of their views in their own words and ensure such views and individual comments were reflected in safeguarding referrals and subsequent MDTs/Professionals meetings

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

Within the quality and safety nursing team we monitor safeguarding concerns voiced by Salford people and their families via CHC (Continuing Health Care) Nursing Reviews, Quality and safeguarding assurance visits to care homes and NHS Providers. This is fed back via our local quality group and Locality Board, where we also start each group with a patient story.

Salford Probation Service

Probation's primary responsibility is public protection. Whilst we strive where possible to include the adult, we cannot do that to the detriment of victims. In order to be as transparent as possible, we ensure that Person’s on Probation are aware at induction that we do regular domestic abuse and child safeguarding checks in all cases, and we gather their consent to share information with relevant professionals based on their sentence and risk management plan.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Board chaired by a senior leader is in place. An information pack is produced on a monthly basis. 

All policy and practice decisions have an equality impact assessment. 

EPOP is a lived experience led service which listens to those we work with to effect change for the better. 

We have a People on Probation Survey twice a year and the results are fed into the local management meetings to develop a plan to effect change. 

Interpreters are offered to all where English is not their first language. 

Sentence plans reflect a focus on managing risk of serious harm and protecting victims and communities and preventing further offending behaviour.

An induction is provided to all cases to understand their needs and look at any reasonable adjustments required.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

Our Adult Safeguarding Basic Awareness course includes a section about Making Safeguarding Personal, and the 6 Key Principles of Safeguarding.

VOCAL: Participating organisations represent the voice of people with lived experience, and some are led by people with lived experience.

Vocal Domestic Abuse & Sexual Violence Forum 20th June
The members of the forum were consulted about the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation and Support Needs Assessment which is being carried out by Salford City Council to inform the development of the next strategy.

The members also agreed to complete the Stakeholder Survey and share the user survey with the people they work with. They agreed to bring together some focus groups to participate in the consultation about the Domestic Abuse Safe Accommodation and Support Needs Strategy development. 

Impact: The VCSE Sector contributes to the DA Safe Accommodation and Support Needs Assessment and enables the voice of victims/survivors.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

Patient Advice and Liaison Service established.

• Re-launch of Freedom to Speak up arrangements and resources to support.
• To develop a service-user and carer forum.
• Capturing of the voice of the adult - how safe did/do they feel and identification/achievement of desired outcomes within safeguarding documentation and Power BI dashboards.
• Service-user/carer stories now captured at Trust Board meetings.
• 'Lets talk About Domestic Abuse' training module to be co-produced and co-delivered via the Trusts Recovery Academy with an adult with lived experience.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

Adult social care staff are now collaborating with the Board's Performance and Quality Assurance officer and the Council's adult engagement workers on a new process to listen to the voices of adults and their carers. This is leading to increasing numbers of people giving feedback to the Board on their experiences of the Safeguarding process

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Salford ASU make contact with adults and carers to follow up DAB / CAP (Care Plan) to discuss their needs and support requirements, be that through Police or partner agencies.

Communication and Engagement

Healthwatch in Salford

We achieve our aim of listening to Salford people and their experiences of health and social care by communicating effectively and regular engagement in a variety of forms, always learning and ensuring we are covering Salford and its diverse communities.

MIND in Salford

We promote our service across the borough, with leaflet's, booklets. posters etc. We also attend professionals team meetings to talk about the importance of advocacy. We send out information to local groups, GP surgeries, Hospitals etc.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

• Safeguarding banners are displayed on all stations
• A route map for Safeguarding is displayed in all stations and sent to all individual staff by email
• All staff have regular alerts sent in respect of Safeguarding
• Regular “tea and toast” sessions are held with all firefighters delivered by a senior DSO
• Scenarios and case studies are discussed and evaluated at above sessions.

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

As part of the NHS Greater Manchester System learning and improvement delivery group, we have been developing a GM communications annual plan for safeguarding. The safeguarding training framework for GM also includes a public facing platform linked to the ICB safeguarding webpage.

Salford Probation Service

As per question 4.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

We delivered the Essential Information Day on 26th April 2023 to promote Salford CVS services, including Adult Safeguarding training and IAG to Salford CVS members. We delivered Safeguarding Awareness taster sessions to allow people to see the quality of training we have to offer, and to help spread the word about our Adult Safeguarding Basic Awareness Training and Working Together to Safeguard Children training. 49 people from VCSE organisations attended.

Our annual conference held on 25th October 2023 focused on the theme of disability and was called “Justice for Disabled People: The role of the VCSE Sector in Salford”. Belonging: Exploring Identity and Place (salfordcvs.co.uk) Workshops included addressing the exploitation and the abuse of disabled people. 126 people attended. 

We were commissioned to deliver research and a report in to “Improving Health & Wellbeing for People in Salford - Assessing the strengths of the VCSE Sector in Salford - 2023” as part of the refresh of Salford Council’s JSSNA (Joint Strategic Strengths and Needs Assessment). This focused on adults in Salford and the role of the VCSE sector in supporting some of the most vulnerable adults in the community.

Examples of communications produced supporting SSAB:

In October 2023 we promoted the SSAB Voice of the Carer survey through our website, e-bulletin and social media.

We promoted engagement in the GM Hate Crime Awareness Plan in February 2024, through our website, e-bulletin and social media.

For #HateCrimeAwarenessWeek we ran a campaign featuring a dedicated webpage, outcomes, and quotes from grant recipients detailing what the Hate Crime Awareness Fund meant to their organisation and service users, to give our followers and wider audience an insight into the great things local groups were doing to combat hate and educate service users that were taking part. Our webpage (https://www.salfordcvs.co.uk/hate-crime-awareness-week-2024) gave information about where you can report a hate crime, including a link to local Hate Crime Reporting Centres.

We also funded £6273.72 to 10 VCSE organisations to deliver projects that raised awareness of hate crime, educate people on what it is, how and where it can be reported and promote support available for victims of hate crime. Our webpage also offered further details about successful recipients’ projects, and what they would be creating as an outcome. For example, Ganga, Grants Assistant, filmed a Hate Crime Awareness Week event interviewing participants and the organisers: https://www.salfordcvs.co.uk/too-great-hate-never-too-young-educate

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

National Safeguarding Adults Week promoted via resources and training.

• Launch of a Trust wide Patient Safety Newsletter – includes a section for safeguarding learning, developments and guidance.
• Staff intranet resources - policies, procedures and guidance.
• Promotion of training via our Learning Hub - banners and splash screens.
• Ongoing engagement with our safeguarding partners.
• Engagement with all Trust Safeguarding Leads on a monthly basis.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

Adult social care staff have contributed to the Board’s Learning Events throughout the year and their contributions have been welcomed by partner agencies.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Salford  Adult Safeguarding Unity (ASU) recognise the importance of communication both internally (supporting our colleagues) and externally (Victims, witnesses and partners)

Salford utilise Corporate Comms to promote good work and building trust from public and community.

Sharing good practice amongst partners (internal and external)
Recognising good work amongst partners (Independent Domestic Violence Advocate co-locating)

Safeguarding Effectiveness

Healthwatch in Salford

Regularly reviewing process and protocol. Taking onboard recommendations/output from SSAB and SARs.

MIND in Salford

We have regular team meetings and throughout supervisions where we look at any safeguards we have raised or worked on. We are always looking to improve our service. All staff attend regular training. At the end of any safeguard process, we speak to the clients/their carers/parents to see how they felt through the process and if there is anything that they didn't like or that they found helpful, and we look at how we work going forward. We regularly update our Safeguard policies and procedure. We also talk to partner agencies as to how they deal with safeguards, so we ensure we are carrying out best practise.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

• All Safeguarding referrals are now quality assured, and feedback given
• All staff are aware Safeguarding is “Everyone's Business” and this message is promoted.
• All staff have been trained and are using the Salford online Portal to refer Safeguarding cases
• A new process for collating Safeguarding referrals and identifying both trends and compliance with the process has been introduced
• Regular reliable data on Safeguarding referrals is now available
• DSOs have regular updated training and are in the process of being Level 5 accredited
• Regular internal Safeguarding meetings are held with clear actions and accountability

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

Assistant Director Safeguarding and Quality currently chairs the Safeguarding Effectiveness Group, whose purpose is to enable the SAB to evaluate the effectiveness and quality of interagency arrangements and improve practice and outcomes for safeguarding adults at risk in Salford.

• Supported development of Health data/dashboards for GMMH and NCA.
• The deputy designated nurse has coordinated a weekly interagency meeting to monitor the safeguarding and quality across care homes in Salford.
• The NHS GM locality safeguarding team operate an annual safeguarding audit calendar.
• The NHS GM locality safeguarding team have established a local Safeguarding Health Collaborative to support the strengthening and effectiveness of health safeguarding arrangements across the locality. 
• Annual safeguarding assurance processes completed by the NHS GM Safeguarding team, including case file audits for primary care and quality and safeguarding walk rounds for acute providers and care homes.
• Safeguarding quality standards have been built into the Salford Standard year on year
• The NHS GM Safeguarding team produce annual safeguarding training evaluations - outcome data shown below.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

We have promoted the Salford Safeguarding Standards to VCSE organisations through our training offer. This year we supported 2 organisations. Following feedback from our members, we have worked with Salford Council to improve the Standards to make them more accessible to small and micro-organisations, who make up the majority of our members.

We provided Safeguarding IAG (Information, Advice and Guidance) to VCSE groups and organisations including:

• Safeguarding Policy reviews
• Safeguarding Policy development
• Support with safeguarding issues

We have delivered this support to 59 different organisations in 2023-24.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

Associate Director of Safeguarding commenced in post (Feb 2024)

Strategic Safeguarding Sub-Committee established, which reports to the Trust Quality Assurance Committee – Chaired by the Chief Nurse / Executive Lead for Safeguarding.

Operational Safeguarding Leads Group established – Chaired by the Head of Safeguarding.

Refresh of the Terms of Reference for Locality Safeguarding Groups.

Establishment of Patient Safety Incident Groups at a Trust, Care Group and Locality level which includes safeguarding, incidents, complaints, risks, themes, trends and outcomes, and triangulation of data/information from a systems perspective.

A review of the Safeguarding staffing establishment across the Trust has been undertaken, taking into consideration dedicated specialist safeguarding lead roles and operational safeguarding lead roles alongside other roles and responsibilities.

Task and Finish Group to be set up to establish Safeguarding Champion roles across the Trust.

Review and update of the safeguarding documentation on the Trusts clinical record system.

Quarterly reporting schedule in relation to internal and external safeguarding updates, and assurance/oversight presented to the Quality Assurance Committee.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

The Safeguarding form and associated workflow on the adult social care database are now well embedded. The new process is easier for staff to use and allows for better oversight and quality assurance by adult social care managers and by the Board.

Adult social care now has a draft self-assessment document to share with CQC when the assurance process begins. This incorporates the Safeguarding data that has been considered under the Board’s existing assurance processes.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Governance around performance (Dip sampling, peer review, assessing first contact with victims)
Training and development (Specialist staff, CPD (Continual Professional Development) for frontline)
Accountability around poor performance - Internally and externally
Recognition of good performance - Internally and externally

Areas of good practice

Healthwatch in Salford

Safeguarding is a standing agenda item for team meetings. Chief Officer has practical experience of following safeguarding protocol and referrals.

MIND in Salford

We have had some really good feedback from some clients/carers/parents that we have supported through the safeguard process.

We are looked at changing our making safeguard personal toolkit we use after discussions with our user led group.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

There is a clear Safeguarding process that is understood by all Firefighters and Support staff. A new process to capture Safeguarding information is being rolled out at present which includes anew KPI around compliance in safeguarding referrals. This will enhance the overall standard of safeguarding referrals and ensure quality assurance is undertaken

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

This has been covered in previous answers (above) - more details can be provided on request.

Salford Probation Service

Probation has the Greater Manchester Integrated Rehabilitation Services (GMIRS) service at hand which provides intervention for criminogenic needs via contracting our partners. We have a commissioning team who completes this for the region. 

Their commissioning process is fully compliant with safeguarding.

Salford have improved their audit quality results significantly in the last 12-months which indicates that, despite resource issues, practitioners are delivering a quality service.

Integrated Probation Officer to TTL team and IOM (Integrated Offender Management).

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

We have 2 Designated Safeguarding Leads who take the lead on reviewing and updating our safeguarding policies and procedures.

The DSLs meet quarterly with the Services Manager who attends the Workforce Development subgroup and the Safeguarding Development Worker to review our internal policies and practices, including safeguarding training needs and any issues from the sector that we are aware of.

We follow Safer Recruitment principles: all roles have a job description and are applied for using an application form. Positions are only offered on receipt of 2 references and photo ID checks.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

Case of ‘J’.

The current Care Co-ordinator completed an excellent piece of work in relation to financial exploitation and theft, which was recently concluded. ‘

'J' was physically frail, living alone in a bungalow with a package of support. There had been multiple safeguarding concerns over the years which had primarily been in response to her vulnerability due to perceived living standards. The CMHT (Community Mental Health Team) worked to establish sufficient trust to implement an effective and reliable package of support to promote and maintain her independence, rather than consider 24-hour care. ‘J’ then shared a suspicion about some of her money going missing. The Care Co-ordinator was able to support to check bank statements and identified some unusual transactions. This led to police involvement and identified two alleged perpetrators .
Protection Plan: Care Co-ordinator was able to support ‘J’ to contact the bank and arrange a new card and PIN. She added a limit to how much money could be withdrawn at any one time. Information was added to J’s account to alert staff to any unusual spending activity. Extra security was added to the account to guard against someone using J’s voice as her password. The key safe number was changed. There is a book that is used now to ensure greater transparency and accountability to protect ‘J’ and the staff who are supporting with aspects of a financial nature.
‘J’ was very happy with the outcome.
This was a Proportionate response where ‘J’ was Empowered to make a complaint to police and liaise with the bank. Her views were taken seriously, and police were able to identify the alleged perpetrators, which will be pursued by them. Her money was refunded in full by the bank. CMHT worked in Partnership with the bank, the care agency and the police to Protect J’s assets, mitigate and prevent future exploitation.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

Good work by adult social care staff has been demonstrated in a number of multi-agency audits. Staff have found the audit process useful and have appreciated the opportunity to meet with the Board’s Performance and Quality Assurance officer.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Recently safeguarded a high-risk DA victim who has suffered years of abuse at the hands of perp.

Collaborative work to safeguard adults across numerous types of abuse

MARAC / Problem Solving / Perp management

Please give details of positive changes made/outcomes as a result of SARs (Safeguarding Adult Reviews).

Healthwatch in Salford

Reviewing approach taken with domestic abuse and ensuring its covered in policy and process.

MIND in Salford

All staff attend the SAR training and if they can't attend, they read/watch the information that is sent around to agencies. We are always looking to see how the best way we can support the clients we work with. We find the SARs to be very good learning opportunities and we often discuss them at our team meetings.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

All SARs across the service are discussed in the Safeguarding Policy Group if there are any fire related issues that can be improved. One example of a change that has occurred as a result of a SAR  is that our contact centre has now included communications about safeguarding, so all staff/callers/members of the public are advised of the safeguarding pathways in each area of GM. Also, we have updated internal Borough service directories to reflect current pathways

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

Sent impact of learning from SARs via email March 2024
Outputs from work outlined above can be shared on request i.e. annual training evaluation reports

Salford Probation Service

Probation tends to be subject to DHRs (Domestic Homicide Reviews) and SFOs (Serious Further Offences) rather than SARs. As noted above, the learning identified in these is cascaded through our Continuing Professional Development days held on a monthly basis. Outcomes are measured through thematic audits.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

Self-neglect - section strengthened in training.
Information-sharing and risk guidance issued.
Section 42 -training to all Community Mental Health Teams.
Care leaver information and guidance issued to raise awareness in relation to vulnerabilities, support networks and information-sharing.
Awareness of male victims of domestic abuse strengthened in training.
Focus on professional curiosity in relation to same sex relationships and domestic abuse.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

The Safeguarding Adults Review / Children’s Safeguarding Practice Review highlighted the need for adults’ and children’s services to work better together, particularly in complex safeguarding cases. Work has begun to improve connections between information systems and to ensure cross-representation during staff induction and other training. This will be continued in the coming year.

What Safeguarding Training have you provided to your staff in the last 12 months and how many staff have completed this training?

Healthwatch in Salford

Salford CVS training - 2 so far, new members of staff. All staff can access training whenever they feel the need.

MIND in Salford

All staff complete regular certified safeguard training, this is done as a minimum of every 12 months. Training is carried out through various different agencies.

Our Designated Safeguard Lead and Assistant Safeguard lead also attend specialist certified training.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS)

Regular Training sessions as above are held with different groups of staff. Mandatory Safeguarding training has been completed and passed by over 96% of the workforce. Please note this is a pan GMFRS figure but staff are detached and move from area to area. Added to this as mentioned above senior Designated Safeguarding Officers are currently being trained up to Level 5 in Safeguarding.

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (Salford)

Total session held - 26 Totals number of staff trained 701
Total training compliance rates for 2023-24
Level 2 safeguarding children - GP - 97% All Primary Care staff - 94%
Level 2 Safeguarding Adult - GP-97% All Primary Care staff - 93%
Level 3 Safeguarding Children - GP - 92% All Primary Care staff - 91%
Level 3 Safeguarding Adults - GP 91% All Primary care staff 91%
Mental Capacity Act/Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Training - GP- 93% All Primary Care staff -92% 
Prevent - GP 93% All Primary Care staff - 93%
Looked after Children - GP 93 All Primary Care Staff - 92%

Salford Probation Service

100% completion of mandatory training. Failure to complete this by 31st March 2024 would have resulted in staff not progressing through the salary spine. This did not occur for Salford and 100% completion rate was achieved. Mandatory learning includes:

• Child Safeguarding (3-yearly)
• Domestic Abuse - annual
• Adult Safeguarding (3 yearly) 
• Prevent 
• Health and Safety 
• Civil Service Expectations 
• Security and Data Protection
• Counter Fraud, Bribery and Corruption. 

This is applied to all staff. 

There is also grade specific training for example risk of serious harm, assessments and management.

Salford Community and Voluntary Service (Salford CVS)

All staff that work directly with the public, through our volunteering offer or through direct support to VCSE organisations, can access our Adult Safeguarding Basic Awareness sessions; Mental Health First Aid delivered by MIND as well as courses delivered by SSCP and SSAB.

Our internal training figures for 2023-24 are still being collated.

Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust (GMMH)

Level 3 Child Safeguarding -84%
Level 3 Adult Training - 85%
MCA Training
Section 42 Training
S42 Chairs Training.
Historical Disclosures of Abuse Training
Legal training commissioned- self-neglect and MCA.
Parental Mental Health training delivered across the multi-agency safeguarding partnerships``.

Adult Social Care (Northern Care Alliance)

Adult social care staff attend the mandatory Safeguarding training provided by the Northern Care Alliance.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

Regular training around DASH/Operation Encompass for frontline staff
Triage training for ASU staff
Domestic Abuse/Vulnerable Adult training for district officers
One to one support provided by Subject Matter Experts
Continual CPD as per GMP training plan

Over the next 12 months, we will focus on the following areas:

• Continue to prepare for the forthcoming CQC Assurance visit

• Implementing the strategic priorities for 2023/2026

• Ensure the forward plan for 2024/2025 is implemented to enable the SSAB to strengthen the Assurance Framework

• The 2nd National Analysis of SARs is due to be completed and published in the next reporting year (2024/2025) so there will be work being planned to ensure all the recommendations are reviewed and considered whether local changes are needed and embedded into practice.