About Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding Adults in Wiltshire
The SVPP is made up of professionals from the local authority, the police, health services and other local organisations. Members work together to prevent abuse and neglect where possible and safeguard vulnerable adults across our county. The partnership brings together the work of the Safeguarding Adult Board, Community Safety Partnership and partnership arrangements to safeguard adults.
The SVPP Executive functions as the Safeguarding Adults Board and provides scrutiny of the systems to safeguard children and adults.
Under legislation outlined in the Care Act 2014 the SVPP aims to:
- assure itself that local safeguarding arrangements are in place as defined by the Care Act 2014 and statutory guidance
- assure itself that safeguarding practice is person-centred and outcome-focused
- work collaboratively to prevent abuse and neglect where possible
- ensure agencies and individuals give timely and proportionate responses when abuse or neglect have occurred
- assure itself that safeguarding practice is continuously improving and enhancing the quality of life of adults in its area
This section provides information about how to stay safe and well and how to protect people with care and support needs from abuse and neglect.
What is safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It applies when an adult:
- has needs for care and support
- is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and
- as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it
Effective safeguarding involves organisations working together to prevent the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while ensuring that the views and wishes of an individual are at the heart of decisions that affect them wherever it’s possible.
Government guidance for safeguarding adults: Revisiting Safeguarding Practice 2022
You can read our local policies and procedures here
Making Safeguarding Referrals
Each agency will have their own guidance and protocol for making safeguarding referrals, these will be legally compliant.
Where there is uncertainty in terms of the criteria, always speak to your Management Team / Senior Workers in the first instance and if still unsure any professionals can call the Wiltshire Adult Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) to discuss the issue directly. You should not be discouraged from making a referral, ‘if in doubt refer’.
The Wiltshire Adult Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) has developed a threshold matrix which is designed as a tool to provide additional guidance to professionals and will provide clarity for where reporting to Adult Safeguarding is the most appropriate course of action.
The Threshold Matrix can be found under Thresholds for Adults Safeguarding here. It should be noted that this is a working document and will be updated where policies change.
Guidance and information about making a ‘good’ adult safeguarding referral can be found here.
A brief guide for referring into Adult MASH that has been developed by the partnership can be accessed here.
Safeguarding Adults Leaflet
To help raise awareness and understanding of safeguarding adults a leaflet has been produced by the partnership.