Safeguarding Champions Bulletin October 2025

Welcome to October’s edition of the Safeguarding Champions Bulletin

Please circulate the information in this bulletin within your organisation to help us to continue to raise awareness of Safeguarding Adults across Tees.

What is the role of a TSAB Safeguarding Champion

Help us improve the TSAB Safeguarding Champions Scheme

We’re currently exploring ways to enhance the TSAB Safeguarding Champions Scheme and would greatly appreciate your feedback.

Please take a moment to fill in the below online feedback form, it will only take a couple of minutes and your feedback is extremely valuable.

Feedback Form Link

The role of a Safeguarding Champion:

Want to learn more about your role as a champion? Visit our dedicated Safeguarding Champions Area for further information.

Champions will receive our quarterly champion’s e-bulletins and TSAB Newsletters which include training opportunities and resources to read and share to help you to fulfil your role.

Safeguarding Champion Pledge:

As a new Safeguarding Champion, we recommend that you complete the following:

  1. I have registered for e-learning and completed the Safeguarding Adults Level 1 course
  2. I have shared the links to e-learning with colleagues
  3. I have printed, displayed and emailed the Safeguarding Adults Leaflets and Posters so that colleagues, service users and families know how to report abuse or neglect
  4. I have informed my colleagues that I am a Safeguarding Champion so that they know to contact me for advice regarding safeguarding matters
  5. I have followed @TeeswideSAB on social media to keep up to date with the latest safeguarding news.

Safeguarding Adult Reviews

As a Safeguarding Champion we ask that you please review the below Learning Briefings and where appropriate:

  • Share this learning briefing across your networks.
  • Incorporate the findings into team meeting discussions.
  • Highlight instances where the learning has been applied in updates to the Board.
  • Managers and supervisees to incorporate the learning into their supervision discussions.

Evie was 19 when she sadly died following an overdose. There had been long-standing concerns regarding suicidal thoughts and Evie had attempted suicide on a number of occasions in her childhood. The most significant incident had taken place a month after the death of her mother which caused a deterioration in Evie’s mental health. By the time of Evie‘s mum’s death her mum had been in a coma for 6 months. Evie was managing her course work and also managing her mother’s bank accounts/probate, tenancy and overwhelming grief.

This Safeguarding Adult Review looks at how services worked together to support Evie and highlighted the following themes:

  • Transitional Safeguarding
  • Suicide risk management
  • Bereavement support
  • Information Sharing /Multi-Agency Working
  • Safeguarding Concerns
  • Escalation and Professional Challenge

Organisations are encouraged to review the Evie Learning Briefing to consider and apply the learning to their own practice.

Printable Version link: https://www.tsab.org.uk/professionals/safeguarding-adult-review-sar-reports/

Alex is a 39 year old man, who has a long history of presenting with behaviours of
concern which have been documented from an early age. He has a diagnosis of
moderate learning disability, autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy, pica, anxiety and
emotionally unstable personality disorder.

This is a Sunderland case that has links across Tees. The SAR is hosted by Sunderland SAB’s website and looks at how services worked together to support Alex. The following themes have been highlighted:

  • Transitions
  • Trauma informed practice
  • Multi-agency working
  • Deprivation of Liberty
  • Advocacy
  • Safeguarding
  • Working with complex and challenging needs

Organisations are encouraged to review the Alex 7 Minute Learning Briefing to consider and apply the learning to their own practice.

Printable Version link: https://www.tsab.org.uk/professionals/safeguarding-adult-review-sar-reports/

James was a 50 year-old man with a learning disability and autism, who died in 2021 as the
result of a pulmonary embolism. The Coroner stated that James’ death was due to natural
causes, which may have been hastened by the effect of confusion around his prescribed
medication due to a lack of collective communication between all those involved in his
medication.

This is a Sunderland case that has links across Tees. The SAR is hosted by Sunderland SAB’s website and looks at how services worked together to support James. The following themes have been highlighted:

  • Transitions
  • Transfer of medical records for complex/vulnerable patients
  • Seeking clarification on prescribed medication
  • Verifying medication changes
  • Understanding the purpose of medications & side effects

Organisations are encouraged to review the James 7 Minute Learning Briefing to consider and apply the learning to their own practice.

Printable Version link: https://www.tsab.org.uk/professionals/safeguarding-adult-review-sar-reports/

As a Safeguarding Champion please review the newly published TSAB Annual Report 2024–2025.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the Board’s key achievements, safeguarding activity and partnership working across Tees over the past year.

You can access the full report here: https://www.tsab.org.uk/the-board/annual-reports/

We encourage all Champions to share this report widely within their networks.

As a Safeguarding Champion please review the Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board Inter-Agency Adult Safeguarding Procedure

Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with this procedure, especially Stage 1, and share this procedure with colleagues who may be involved in raising Safeguarding Concerns. Accurate and timely Safeguarding Concerns are vital to safeguarding adults effectively.

Local Policies, Procedures and Guidance | Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board

NEW: 

As a Safeguarding Champion please familiarise yourself with The Harm Outside The Home Procedure (HOTH)

Following the HOTH Transitions Workshop which took place in February 2025, the Tees HOTH Transitions Standard Operating Procedure has now been approved and is available to access on the Tees Procedures website. The document is hosted on the webpage below –

Harm Outside The Home (HOTH) – Tees Safeguarding Children Partnerships’ Procedures

Please take a moment to review our new & refreshed documents which are available on the TSAB website. Click the link to stay informed about the latest guidance, learning briefings, and reports.

REFRESHED:

These documents on our website have recently been refreshed and updated:

The Department of Health and Social Care updated the statutory guidance under the Care Act 2014, reinforcing the wellbeing principle and the importance of preventing, reducing, or delaying needs.
It also includes refreshed chapters on market shaping, provider failure, and universal services.

Review the Guidance here: Care and support statutory guidance – GOV.UK

**Please note that certain parts of the guidance are still in the process of being updated to reflect the relevant statutory changes**

Campaigns

National Safeguarding Adults Week 2025 theme is: Prevention

National Safeguarding Adults Week is an annual campaign, coordinated by the Ann Craft Trust, to raise awareness about safeguarding issues for adults who may be vulnerable to abuse or neglect. It takes place each year, typically in November, and encourages organisations and individuals to work together to promote safer environments and practices. 

National Safeguarding Adults Week is an ideal opportunity for Safeguarding Champions to get involved in raising awareness of safeguarding through their networks and within the communities they work in. Working together allows us to share our knowledge of safeguarding, learn from others and ultimately create safer cultures. 

Each day will focus on a different theme linked to prevention, have a look at the weeks schedule below and have a think about how you can get involved and raise awareness.

Monday – Change the Conversation

Tuesday – Prevention in Practice

Wednesday – Creating Empowering Environments

Thursday – Trust Your Instincts

Friday – Celebrate the Safer Cultures

For a more detailed overview of National Safeguarding Adults week including resources and online sessions please visit TSAB’s Webpage

Let us know how you plan to get involved by emailing us at [email protected].
Don’t forget to follow us on social media @TeeswideSAB to stay up to date with the latest resources, updates, and key safeguarding campaigns.

Further Resources Information and Training

We are pleased to share with you TSAB’s Annual Consultation Survey for 2025/26. The results will be used to inform the Board’s future priorities for adult safeguarding across Tees. We want to hear from YOU to help us plan our priorities for the next year.

Below you will find the links to our survey. If you could please share widely amongst your networks and where possible include in any internal/external publications. Please encourage colleagues, service users and carers to complete it, it only takes minutes! This survey closes on Friday 23rd January 2026.

Survey Link

Are you aware of the Safe Place Scheme?
We encourage all Safeguarding Champions to familiarise themselves with the scheme and identify where Safe Places are located in their area (see link below).

Promoting the scheme is key, so we ask Champions to actively share information within their networks and with the wider public.
Awareness-raising resources are available in both digital and printed formats please email [email protected] if you would like to request any.

What is a Safe Place?

  • A place people can go if they don’t feel safe or need some help
  • A place in the community that people know is there in case they need it 
  • This can help them to be more confident to go out independently

Who is a Safe Place for?

Anyone who might be/feel vulnerable, this can include people with:

  • A learning disability
  • Autism
  • A physical disability
  • Dementia                                                                                                    
  • Or someone who is suffering from abuse or neglect.

How can Safe Place help?

Safe Place Scheme venues can provide:

  • A point of contact for anyone who needs it
  • A safe, friendly and welcoming environment where people feel able to ask for help
  • A place where someone can rest if they feel unwell, anxious, upset, afraid or lost
  • A place where people feel listened to
  • Staff who can offer help and advice or help the person call someone they know

Where can you find a Safe Place? There are many locations across Tees. Click on the Webpage link below to see a full Teeswide list and to access more information regarding the scheme: Safe Place Scheme | Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board

Are you up to date with your Safeguarding training? As a Safeguarding Champion, staying current is essential for your own practice and ensures you can provide accurate advice, share relevant information, and signpost effectively, keeping safeguarding at the heart of everything you do.

Training Courses

New dates have been released for the remainder of 2025 into 2026
To view and request a place on any of our upcoming training courses please visit our Training Courses and Events page.

E-Learning

The Adults & Children Safeguarding Partner Organisations across Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees actively support the ‘Think Family’ approach and are committed to the continuous learning and development of all staff and volunteers working with vulnerable people: adults, children, young people and families.

Through our E-Leaning site you will be able to view, select and be given immediate access to a range of e-learning opportunities.

A red label with white textNEW Me Learning Course’s recently added!

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC): This course is aimed at professionals who come into contact with victims and survivors, including children experiencing domestic abuse and perpetrators of domestic abuse. (Duration 30 mins)

Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) Single Point of Contact: This course is aimed at professionals who undertake the role of MARAC come into contact with victims and survivors, including children experiencing domestic abuse and perpetrators of domestic abuse. At the end of course you will have learnt the more about the role of a MARAC Representative, what is expected and how your involvement will ensure MARAC operates effectively.(Duration 30 mins)

Both courses can be found on the E-Leaning site

Further Information

Don’t forget that TSAB has a dedicated webpage hosting details of local and national services.

Can’t see your service/ another service on there and think it should be added? Please send the details to [email protected].

Do you have concerns that an adult is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect?

Visit https://www.tsab.org.uk/report-abuse/ to find out how to report your concerns. The page hosts the TSAB Concern Form which should be completed and submitted to the relevant local adult social care service or alternatively you can contact them by using the contact numbers listed on the page.

As a reminder you should report abuse when:

  • The adult has needs for care and support (whether or not the authority is meeting any of those needs)
  • And is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect