Introduction

This document is the revised Pan Berkshire Adult Safeguarding Multi-Agency Policy and has been produced with contributions from partner agencies of the four Local Safeguarding Adults Boards/Partnerships: West of Berkshire, Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, Bracknell Forest and Slough.

As set out in the Care & Support Statutory guidance: Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect and it is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action.

The Care Act 2014 defines ‘care and support needs’ as the requirements that individuals have to maintain their wellbeing and live independently, with needs arising from or related to physical or mental impairment, illness or substance misuse.

The abuse of adults in need of care and support is an issue of national concern. As a society we need to commit to challenging any acceptance that being abused is part of the experience of being an adult in need of care and support. To achieve this, the Care Act 2014, and the Care and Support statutory guidance has given a clear national framework for adult safeguarding.

Developing multiagency policies and procedures to safeguard adults with care and support needs is a requirement of all Safeguarding Adults Boards, which have the strategic responsibility to ensure a robust, proportionate, timely and professional approach is taken to safeguarding interventions. Safeguarding Adults Boards provided leadership across organisations throughout the county to keep people safe from abuse or neglect.

This policy sets out Pan Berkshire multiagency policies and procedures for safeguarding adults in accordance with the Care Act (2014) and associated statutory guidance.

The Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Boards have adopted this policy so that there is consistency across Berkshire in the way in which adults are safeguarded from abuse and neglect. They are built on strong multiagency partnerships working together and with adults at risk.

Safeguarding is Everyone’s Business. All organisations involved with adults with care and support needs in Berkshire have a responsibility to:

The policy described in this resource should be used in conjunction with adult safeguarding procedures within individuals organisations’ and any associated procedures concerning related issues, including disciplinary procedures, health & safety etc.  When working in the arena of Adult Safeguarding, consideration also has to be given to other frameworks for working with matters such as Domestic Abuse and Prevent to ensure a robust approach.