Welcome to the May online edition of the TSAB Newsletter.
Welcome to all of our new subscribers, and thank you for your interest in being part of our Teeswide safeguarding community.
We always welcome any suggestions for improvement, requests for future content or any contributions you would like to make. Our contact details can be found in the last section of this newsletter.
Please circulate the information in this bulletin within your organisation to help us to continue to raise awareness of Safeguarding Adults in Tees
What’s New from TSAB
Since our last newsletter, TSAB has met virtually on the 12 March and 9th April 2025 for scheduled Board meetings.
Agenda highlights included:
- Update from Cleveland Police on the Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) Pilot.
- Overview from the Board’s Performance and Quality Sub-Group on the Quarter 3 Performance Dashboard 2024-25.
- Presentation and further consultation on the new TSAB Strategic Business Plan for 2025-28 and the Operational Sub-Group Workplans for 25-26. The Strategic Business Plan is due for final sign off at the June Board Meeting.
- Sign off and presentation from the Independent Author of a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) Report highlighting the learning across Tees as well as best practice.
- Update from the Board’s Sub-Groups.
TSAB Annual Survey
The Board’s Annual Survey 2024-25 was completed by 697 members of the general public and professionals. Thank you to those who completed it.
The feedback from each survey has been collated to provide an overall view, illustrated below. The results will help the Board to develop the new TSAB Strategic Business Plan for 2025-28. Further detailed analysis will be published as part of the Annual Communication and Engagement Report in June via the TSAB Website .
Policies, Procedures and Guidance
We have recently published Collaborative Working and Information Sharing between Professionals to Protect Adults Guidance.
This guide is aimed at supporting staff who may be required to make case-by-case decisions about sharing information, by offering clarity on when and how information can be shared legally and professionally, in order to achieve improved outcomes for adults at risk of abuse and/or neglect.
Formerly known as the Team Around the Individual (TATI) a number of the High Risk Adults Panel (HRAP) Documents have been recently refreshed and updated as stated below:
Did you know we also have a Referral Flowchart to assist with your decision making, and a checklist for managers to ensure HRAP is the most suitable forum for the case to be discussed?
We have also refreshed a number of of Safeguarding Leaflets including our easy read leaflet, these can be found on our Poster’s and Leaflets webpage.
A Spotlight on….
Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as carers and access much-needed support. Carers Week is led by Carers UK with the support of a number of other charities. The theme for Carers Week 2025 is ‘Caring About Equality‘, calling for an equal society where carers are truly valued, recognised and supported.
A carer is anyone who looks after a family member or friend who has a disability, mental or physical illness, addiction, or who needs extra help as they grow older. It isn’t someone who volunteers or is employed to provide support.
The impact of caring on all aspects of life from relationships and health to finances and work can be significant. Whilst many feel that caring is one of the most important things they do, its challenges should not be underestimated. Caring without the right information and support can be tough. It is vitally important that we recognise the contribution carers make to their families and local communities, workplaces and society, and that they get the support they need.
TSAB have a dedicated Carers webpage which provides more information on carers and local carers services.
Carers Assessments
A carer’s assessment is a free assessment for carers over 18 years old who provides regular unpaid care to another adult over 18 years old. Any carer who appears to have needs for support can have an assessment which will be carried out by the local adult social care team. This process is not an assessment of a person’s capabilities as a carer, it is an opportunity to record the impact of caring and what support or services are required to help make life easier as a carer. Sometimes the support can be as simple as having a chat to understand from the carer how they are feeling and the support they require.
Carers and Safeguarding
Carers have a range of roles regarding safeguarding – they can be the person who raises the concern, be vulnerable to harm and abuse themselves, or they can be abusers.
Further information regarding Carers week can be found on Carers UK
One in six older people are victims of abuse. Elder abuse doesn’t only happen to very frail or sick people, it can happen to any older person in any environment.
Hourglass are a charity who’s mission is to end the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people in the UK. They regularly run free webinars and in the run up to WEAAD Hourglass are delivering a free webinar exploring the issues and movements around the abuse of older people in 2025.
TSAB have produced a animation named “Hidden Harms” that highlights the unique challenges that older adults face when domestic abuse occurs, to help support practitioners and families start a conversation with an older adult.
Service Spotlight
The Glowsticks Project is a newly launched charity founded by Rebecca Ibbotson. It’s dedicated to supporting children and young people from the ages 2-25 living with autism and ADHD offering a range of activities and groups. As a mother, carer, and person with both autism and ADHD, Rebecca understands the daily challenges this can bring – especially without the right support and opportunities. Her personal journey inspired her to create a space where young people can thrive, be seen and understood, without feeling lost or broken. Read more about Rebecca’s story at We Care You Care.
The café aims to provide meaningful volunteering and employment opportunities for young people affected by Autism, ADHD, and other co-existing conditions like a learning disability. Volunteers and paid staff will be trained in skills such as Barista work, First Aid, Food Hygiene and Health & Safety.
Unit 13 – 16 Dundas Shopping Centre (first floor) TS1 1HT Middlesbrough
Follow The Glowsticks Project on Facebook.
View TSAB’s webpage for more information to consider when working with Autistic Adults
Training, Workbooks and Further Resources
Training Courses
New dates have been released and we are now taking booking requests for courses up to the end of December 2025.
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.
Workbooks
Please note that the Workbooks are no longer in use.
All topics covered by the Workbooks are now available in either e-learning or taught course format. Please see our e-learning and Training Courses & Events webpages for details.
Safeguarding all e-learning webpage
Training Courses and Events Webpage
We will continue to accept marked Workbooks up until the 31st May 2025 to allow learners to receive certificates for any Workbooks that may still be in progress. If you or any member of your team have copies of the workbooks saved to your desktop please can you ensure that these are deleted.
The Health and Care Passport was developed by The North East and Cumbria Learning Disability Network for people with Learning Disabilities and may also be helpful for many other adults including those with dementia, cognitive impairments, communication needs and autistic people. It can be completed by the individual and the people that know them best.
It gives the person an opportunity to communicate the things that are important to them to help them get good care. This can then be shared with health and care staff to help them give better care to the person.
An easy read pack “What to do when you are coming in to hospital” is also available to support people with a learning disability, their families and or carers with practical information to support
Dates for the Diary
Listed below are details of upcoming local and national awareness campaigns. Follow us on Social Media @TeeswideSAB to keep up to date with resources and information we share as part of key campaigns. Email us at [email protected] to let us know how you get involved.
- LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Awareness Day -28th May 2025
- Learning Disability Week -16th – 20th June 2025
- Day of Memory, Honour Based Abuse – 14th July 2025
- A ‘Spotlight On’ Safeguarding – TSAB Campaign – September 2025
Further Information
Safeguarding Adults Week 2025 takes place from Monday 17th – Friday 21st November 2025
Safeguarding Adults Week is a time for organisations to come together to raise awareness of important safeguarding issues.
We believe that working in partnerships allows us to share our knowledge of safeguarding, learn from others and ultimately create safer cultures.
Prevention: Act Before Abuse
Safeguarding Adults Week 2025 is all about Prevention.
During Safeguarding Adults Week 2025, we’ll be collaborating with our partners to explore a different safeguarding theme each day.
It’s important to learn the right lessons when things go wrong. But it is much better to prevent abuse from occurring in the first place than it is to respond to instances of harm, neglect, and isolation.
Throughout the week, we’re encouraging people to take a closer look at their approach to prevention. We want individuals and organisations to ensure that prevention is embedded in their policies and procedures.
We need the courage and the confidence to act on our instincts, and to speak up when something feels wrong. And we need to build resilient communities in which people know their rights and responsibilities, and understand what to do the moment they have concerns.
TSAB are starting to plan our activities and events for the week in conjunction with our partners. If you would like to be involved or have any ideas for activity or promotion please get in touch
Did you know about the Safe Place Scheme?
Any venue in Tees who displays this logo is part of the scheme. It is a place people can go if they don’t feel safe and need some help.
A Safe Place can help you to call someone you trust, provide a place to rest if you feel unwell or upset or help signpost you to support.
Find out more: https://www.tsab.org.uk/…/find…/safe-place-scheme/
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
- Hartlepool & Stockton-On-Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership Newsletter
- South Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership Website
The latest safeguarding children training programmes for 2025-2026 are now available via the following webpages
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].
If you have any suggestions for future Newsletters, or any comments, get in touch with us using one of the communication methods below.
Email: [email protected]
Or visit our Website Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (tsab.org.uk)