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Croydon Adults' Safeguarding Board Annual Report 2017/18

Officer: Guy Van Dichele

Key decision: no

Please note: Appendix to follow

Decision:

The Leader of the Council delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below.

 

RESOLVED to note the Annual Report of the Croydon Safeguarding Adults’ Board.

Minutes:

The Independent Chair of the Croydon Adult’s Safeguarding Board gave a presentation informing Members that it was a statutory requirement to write an annual report under the Care Act 2014. The report sought to detail the activities and effectiveness of the Board, and identify future areas of work.

 

Work continued on prevention and early identification of vulnerable adults as it was recognised as an important area to ensure residents were supported.

 

The hoarding project was noted as having been successful and the Board had received a number of requests from other authorities for information on this project as it was recognised that hoarding can stop people from functioning in their lives, and was also a health & safety issue. Hoarding was not only a safeguarding concern, but also one of health and had an impact on the community.

 

Members were informed that there was an intelligence sharing committee which was attended by professionals across the partnership. It was noted that all partners contributed and were engaged in the process and were committed to making safeguarding personal which was a national approach which sought to put each person at the heart of the work and ensured they were engaged in the process.

 

The Independent Chair noted that communication was very important as often those in receipt of services did not know what support the safeguarding service could provide. As such, a new website had been commissioned, and the leaflets had been refreshed and distributed. All partners, Members were informed, partners were actively engaged in disseminating the information.

 

Going forward, the Independent Chair stated that priorities including assessing feedback from service users, increasing the engagement of Lay Members, building a strong Chair’s sub-group, increasing engagement with the Children’s Board and working more effectively across  the sector. The Independent Chair confirmed the 2018/19 annual report would further evidence the effectiveness and strength of the partnership.

 

The Cabinet Member for Families, Health & Social Care stated that her experience of the Board was that all partners were engaged and looked to make safeguarding a priority area. The ambition for increased engagement with the Children’s Board was commended as partnership work would ensure better outcomes, particularly for those young people transitioning.

 

Members noted the successful work on hoarding as it was recognised to be a complex issue which often included mental health issues, and had previously led to some residents losing their homes. It was further noted that hoarding also had a serious impact on young people and could lead to neglect; as such the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning requested that both Independent Chairs looked at neglect of children as a consequence of hoarding. The refreshed leaflet and new website were welcomed, as was making use of social media, as it was recognised that a number of residents were not aware of the service and the support available.

 

In response to Member concerns, the Independent Chair stated that the number of referrals may rise if there is a greater understanding and knowledge of safeguarding as it was believed that there was high level of hidden abuse nationally as well as cases of self-neglect that were not known about. As such it was felt that as the level of understanding and recognition of neglect increased the level of reporting would also.

 

Members thanked the Independent Chair for her work with the Board and the annual report.

 

The Leader of the Council delegated to the Cabinet the power to make the decisions set out below.

 

RESOLVED to note the Annual Report of the Croydon Safeguarding Adults’ Board.

Supporting documents: