TSAB Newsletter – February 2026

New guidance from Alcohol Change

The The Blue Light Approach: Guidance for practitioners, second edition guidance is a practical, system-focused guide for practitioners and managers across health, social care, housing, policing, probation and community safety, and is grounded in evidence and frontline experience.

Government 2026 Consultation on the proposed Liberty Protection Safeguards

The government has announced plans to launch a consultation in 2026 on the proposed Liberty Protection Safeguards, aimed at strengthening protections for people who lack mental capacity. The consultation will seek views from families, carers and practitioners on reforms designed to reduce intrusive processes, address system backlogs and improve safeguarding for society’s most vulnerable people.

Read the full announcement here: Improved safeguarding and protections for vulnerable people – GOV.UK

New updates: Modern Slavery: statutory guidance for England and Wales

The National Referral Mechanism is a system in the UK that helps children and adults who might be victims of exploitation, human trafficking or modern slavery.

Work has concluded to improve the transition from child to adult support structures for victims in the National Referral Mechanism (NRM).

These changes have implications for First Responders and professionals supporting young people.

Policy Change

• A decision has been taken to allow any potential victim who was referred into the NRM as a child, but has not had their Conclusive Grounds (CG) decision upon turning 18, to provide their consent to remain in the NRM verbally or in writing.
• Similarly, all adults in the NRM (including those who were referred into the NRM as a child), may withdraw from the NRM verbally or in writing.
• These changes have been introduced to standardise consent policy for all potential victims, and is designed to support victims who are unable or hesitant to complete and sign a written form. 
• For a potential victim to provide their decision verbally, they must do so through a professional in a First Responder Organisation.
  • Professionals will need to have a conversation with the potential victim (only once they have turned 18 if transitioning to adulthood), ensuring that they understand the impact of their decision and it is informed.
  • The professional should then sign and return the relevant consent/withdrawal form to the appropriate Competent Authority.
  • These forms contain support for professionals on having these informed conversations with potential victims

A potential victim may still complete the relevant form themselves to consent to the NRM / to withdraw from the NRM in writing and return this to the relevant Competent Authority. Allowing potential victims to provide decisions verbally aims to make consent and withdrawal processes smoother by creating an alternative avenue for providing decisions.

More information on the ‘Child to Adult Transition Pathway’ can be found on page 81 in the Modern Slavery: statutory guidance for England and Wales (under s49 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015) and non-statutory guidance for Scotland and Northern Ireland (accessible version) – GOV.UK.

Information Leaflets

Information pack for you people in the NRM turning 18

Understanding the NRM a guide for Primary School Aged Children

Understanding the NRM: A guide for Secondary School Aged Children