SVPP Newsletter

SVPP Newsletter Issue 16

Welcome to Issue 16 of Wiltshire SVPP’s e-newsletter (summer edition), bringing you the latest news and updates from the SVPP, including the Wiltshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP).    

SVPP Executive - key messages

Going forward we will add key messages from the SVPP Executive, who meet bimonthly.

• We are progressing ensuring we have strategic education representation at the SVPP Executive and hope to have a Headteacher join the Executive from the next meeting in November
• There has been work over the last few months to transform the Community Safety Partnership to ensure it is meeting its statutory duties. There are likely to be changes to its structure and we will bring more details on this at a later date
• The Executive is regularly updated on the quality improvement plans in place to support AWP following its CQC Inspection outcome
• We are monitoring any impact from the recent early prison releases and national Probation reset

B&NES, Swindon and Wiltshire are hosting a self-neglect virtual conference

The conference will be taking place on Tuesday 26^th November 09:30-16:45 online via MS Teams. The conference will provide an opportunity to find out more about:

• Learning themes from local Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs)
• Practical skills to assist when working with people with hoarding behaviour
• Resources to assess and evidence self-neglect concerns
• Self-neglect in the context of the Mental Capacity Act and more.

To book a place please click here or visit our website for further information.

Second national analysis of Safeguarding Reviews: April 2019 – March 2023

The purpose of this analysis was to identify priorities for sector-led improvement as a result of learning from SARs completed between 2019 and 2023, a period of time that included the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis is split into three stages. All are available to download together with the executive summary and a range of briefings.

Second national analysis of Safeguarding Adult Reviews: April 2019 - March 2023 | Local Government Association

Learning from case reviews – serious youth violence

Following a local learning review into serious youth violence we are holding a virtual briefing on October 23^rd at 3:15 – 4:45pm. This free session will look at the key findings of a Local Learning Review, following an incident of serious youth violence and update on what is being done to address the issues raised in the report through the Serious Violence Duty. This session is relevant to all partner agencies and for practitioners working with children, young people and their families.

To attend this virtual briefing, please either log in or register an account on Virtual College with one of the links below and then use the “Events” tile, followed by “Available Events” to apply:

To register click here

To log in click here

Supporting you to make good referrals into Adult MASH

The Wiltshire Threshold for Access to Adult Safeguarding Services Matrix was developed by the Wiltshire Adult Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) in partnership with our safeguarding partners. It provides guidance for professionals to clarify circumstances where reporting to the Adult Safeguarding Team is the appropriate course of action. Although not exhaustive, it clearly sets out guidance for which circumstances are reportable to Adult Safeguarding and those which are not.

You can access the Threshold Matrix on the SVPP website. A video briefing, giving an overview of the matrix and how it can be used, can be found here.

ICON Week is taking place from 23-27^th September and is dedicated to:

• raising awareness about infant crying and how to manage it
• supporting parents and carers around the difficulties associated with infant crying
• preventing serious injuries, illnesses, and even fatalities caused by Abusive Head Trauma, often resulting from shaking a baby

For more information and resources please visit https://iconcope.org/resources/

Changes to service provision for children at risk of domestic abuse

FearFree are adapting the services they provide for children aged 11-15 years who are deemed to be at ‘standard risk’ of domestic abuse. All children to whom this applies will now be offered the Guiding and Educating Teens (GET) group course.

• E.T is a 6-week course for children that have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse, and is designed to empower teens to build healthy, respectful relationships.
• It explores key topics like consent, communication, emotions and recognising red flags in relationships, all in a safe and supportive environment. 
• If this service is declined, these children will be provided with safety advice, onward signposting or resources and the referral will be closed.
• All children that fall outside of the group work age range and are deemed standard risk will be given safety advice, onward signposting/resources, but will not remain open to support through FearFree.

Support for children and young people who have witnessed or experienced domestic abuse who are deemed as ‘medium risk’ or ‘high risk’ will remain in line with existing provision. These children and young people will be offered 1:1 support either face to face or virtually. Queries and questions on changes to provision can be sent to: jessica.severn@fearfree.org.uk

News in Brief

September is World Alzheimer’s month and 21^st September is World Alzheimer’s Day. It's a global opportunity to raise dementia awareness and support people affected by the disease. This year, the Alzheimer’s Society, are asking people affected by dementia to share their story. Make sure your voice is heard and share your experience of dementia here.

Raising awareness of the risks associated with nappy sacks: Nappy sacks have been identified as causing suffocation and choking of babies under one-years-old. Authorities in the UK have become aware of at least 18 deaths associated with individual nappy sacks. Please see the link to new guidance on risks surrounding this issue: https://www.rospa.com/policy/home-safety/advice/product/nappy-sacks

Wiltshire Police have launched a Stalking Campaign designed to help people identify stalking behaviours. They advise that any behaviour which follows a pattern of FOUR should be reported:

• Fixated
• Obsessed
• Unwanted
• Repeated

For more information, please watch and share ‘Stalking: life isn’t like the movies’, a new stalking awareness video detailing the warning signs of stalking behaviour.

For information on how to support someone being stalked, or to report an incident of stalking or harassment, please click here.

Wiltshire Police Community Partners Information Sharing Form - Wiltshire Police are seeking the support of partners in sharing information relating to crimes, through a partnership intelligence sharing tool on their website. The sharing of information is crucial in creating a better picture of local issues, which then informs the actions police need to take to reduce threat, harm and risk.

Completing this Community Partners Information Sharing Form provides professionals with a safe and direct way to share non-urgent information with police relating to children/adults at risk. The form can be used for any information you feel the need to share with police, providing it is not in relation to a crime or a safeguarding issue. Where this is the case, you need to follow your existing procedures or go to the Report a Crime facility on the Wiltshire Police website.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) have shared a video clip promoting their Safe and Well Visits. You can refer someone for a Safe and Well Visit if they are deemed to be at risk of fire. Any referrals should be made via the DWFRS website where a series of questions will be asked to determine the extent of the individual’s fire risk, their behaviours, and any relevant lifestyle factors. If your client qualifies, they will automatically be referred for a Safe and Well visit.

Connect are running various training courses for those working with people who use drugs and alcohol, with course dates in 2024 and 2025. These courses are particularly suitable for education colleagues, health and social care staff, the police, charity workers and volunteers. A list of courses times and dates can be found here.

Do you know about the South-West Child Protection Procedures? These provide multiagency  guidance in relation to a wide range of safeguarding and child protection topics as well as links to relevant local policies and procedures. 

We have recently supported World Suicide Prevention Day on 10^th September. The theme for this year was ‘Changing the narrative on suicide’. This theme aimed to raise awareness of suicide and reduce the perceived stigma associated with asking for help by promoting open conversations to prevent suicides. Find out how to support someone you’re worried about here.

The SVPP Case Review Protocol has been updated.  This sets out the arrangements by which we carry out Case Reviews, both statutory and non-statutory.

A briefing around Modern Day Slavery is available for practitioners to support you to better identify modern day slavery and where to raise concerns within Wiltshire. This was presented by Adult MASH, Wiltshire Police and Wiltshire Commissioning Team. The slide deck for this presentation is available together with the recorded briefing on the SVPP website.

Save the Date!

SVPP will be hosting their annual Safeguarding Week on 18-22 November. This week will be packed full of a wide range of bite-sized virtual safeguarding webinars and workshops, covering both adults and children’s safeguarding topics. Further details will be available soon on the SVPP Website.             

SVPP Poster

We have made a poster all about who we are, what we do and how you can connect with us. Please Download your copy here and display in your staff spaces

Upcoming Campaigns

World Mental Health Day is taking place on 10^th October. Please help raise awareness and share on social media. Campaign resources for you to use, including posters, social media posts and banners, can be found here.

Hate Crime Awareness Week is taking place on 12^th - 19^th October. This annual campaign aims to bring people together to stand in solidarity with those affected by hate crime. For more information on how your organisation can get involved in promoting this, please visit the National HCAW page here.

Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week is taking place on 18^th - 24^th November with the overarching theme and hashtag for the week being #MakingCommunitiesSafer. Please share and help raise awareness on social media. For further information please visit the Wiltshire Council website here

Please visit our social media platform here, follow, like and share to help safeguard and protect the most vulnerable in our community together.

SVPP Training and Learning Events

Did you know the SVPP offers a range of free e-learning courses? Modules include Child and Adult Exploitation, Self-Neglect, Learning from Case Reviews, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and E- Safety. To book any SVPP training courses including e-learning, click here 

The Safeguarding Vulnerable People Partnership (SVPP) have some courses coming up which still have places available:

1.10.2024 – Ways of Writing Workshop

1.10.2024 – Early Support Assessment (ESA) Process Course

2.10.2024 – Working Together: A Shared Responsibility

7.10.2024 – GCP2 Licenced Practitioner Training

8.10.2024 – Specialist Advanced Practitioner Training

15.10.2024 – Contextual Safeguarding Course

7.11.2024 – Working Together: A Shared Responsibility

12.11.2024 – Sexualised Behaviour Training

13.11.2024 – Specialist Advanced Practitioner Training

All courses are available to book via your Virtual College account.  For further booking information, please visit the SVPP website, Learning Hub.