Context

1. This document is the revised Pan Berkshire Adult Safeguarding Multi-Agency Procedures 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.
2. The procedure focuses on ensuring that adult safeguarding in Berkshire aligns with the Making Safeguarding Personal approach: empowering every voice, guiding every step, and recognising that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
3. These procedures set out multi-agency responsibilities for Adult Safeguarding across Berkshire but do not detail how individual organisations involved with adults with care and support needs apply them in practice. Organisations should look to their own Safeguarding policies and procedures where this is required.
4. These procedures document should be read in conjunction with the following:
   • Care Act 2014
   • Care and Support Statutory Guidance
   • Pan Berkshire Adult Safeguarding Multi-Agency Policy
   • Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Boards Information Sharing Protocol
   • Quick guide to understanding what constitutes a safeguarding concern | Local Government Association
   • Making decisions on the duty to carry out Safeguarding Adults enquiries: resources | Local Government Association

5. These procedures are applicable across six Local Authority areas: Bracknell Forest Council, Reading Borough Council, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough Borough Council, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Council. It is acknowledged that variations in local context and operational practice may result in nuanced differences in their application within each area.
6. Accessing Additional Guidance, where the Pan Berkshire Multi-Agency Policy and Procedure Group identifies a requirement for further guidance on specific safeguarding matters, supplementary guidance will be made available here. It is important to be aware that this guidance is in the process of development. Professionals and organisations are therefore encouraged to revisit this link regularly to access the most up-to-date published guidance as it becomes available.
7. The Berkshire Safeguarding Adults’ Policy and Procedure Group are responsible for monitoring legislation, national policy and guidance and case law to ensure Berkshire Multiagency Adult Safeguarding Policies & Procedures are dynamically reviewed and updated in a considered and effective way.