The TSAB Safeguarding Champions initiative builds on the skills and knowledge of professionals who work with or have contact with adults who have care and support needs. Safeguarding Champions can use their unique position to communicate important safeguarding messages across their organisations and local communities, especially to those who are isolated, marginalised in society or those who can’t easily access technology or the internet (digitally excluded). Safeguarding Champions can signpost individuals to access health, wellbeing and social care services, and help to share accurate information about adult safeguarding within their local communities.
Champions will receive quarterly e-bulletins which includes training opportunities to help them fulfil their role.
What is a Safeguarding Champion?
A person who works within the Tees area who:
- Understands what adult safeguarding is
- Understands the different types of abuse and neglect and knows how to spot the signs of abuse and neglect
- Knows how to report any Safeguarding Concerns and offers safeguarding advice to colleagues, service users/customers, families and carers
- Raises awareness with others on recognising and reporting adult abuse or neglect
- Helps connect local people to a range of health and wellbeing services including signposting to safeguarding teams where appropriate
- Shares TSAB e-bulletins, newsletters and social media posts amongst their networks and acts upon any relevant information which applies to them or their organisation
- Reads and shares learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs), Learning Lessons Reviews (LLRs) and considers the learning from their organisation’s perspective to prevent similar instances occurring
- Shares and learns from good practice as well as learning from ‘near misses’ or single agency instances/concerns linked to abuse or neglect
- Ensures that their organisation has robust adult safeguarding policies, procedures and guidance in place and is aware of TSAB’s Inter-Agency Safeguarding Adults Policy, Procedure and Decision Support Guidance
- Listens to the people they support and provides relevant feedback to TSAB that can help inform future safeguarding priorities and practice.
A Safeguarding Champion will also apply the principles of Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) within their daily practice.
Who can be a Safeguarding Champion?
The intention of the Safeguarding Champions initiative is to broaden TSAB’s reach in order to share key safeguarding messages far and wide; to improve general awareness of safeguarding and how people can access support. Anyone who works with or comes into contact with adults who may have care and support needs can be a Safeguarding Champion. Some examples are listed below (this list is not exhaustive):
- Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations / Faith Group Leaders
- Housing
- GPs / Pharmacies / Dentists
- Care Providers / Supported Living Services / Day Services / Carer Support Services
- Domiciliary Care / District Nurses
- Emergency Services
- Advocacy Services
- Probation
- DWP
- Health Trusts
- Banks
- Education
- Local Authority
- Supermarkets / Libraries / Leisure Centres / Community Centres
Safeguarding Champions Bulletins
Safeguarding Champions Bulletins are issued every quarter and provide information on the work of the Board, links to new and updated guidance/SARs/policies/procedures across Tees, training dates and ways in which you can fulfil your pledges as a Champion.
Safeguarding Champions Bulletin – April 2024 *NEW*
Safeguarding Champions Bulletin – January 2024
Safeguarding Champions Bulletin October 2023
The Safeguarding Champions Challenge 2023
Please try to complete as many of these tasks as you can:
- I have registered for e-learning and completed the Safeguarding Adults Level 1 course (or completed the Safeguarding Adults Awareness training workbook)
- I have shared the links to e-learning and workbooks with colleagues
- 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
- I have informed my colleagues that I am a Safeguarding Champion so that they know to contact me for advice regarding safeguarding matters
- I have followed @TeeswideSAB on social media to keep up to date with the latest safeguarding news.
Do you know someone who would like to be a Safeguarding Champion?
Share this poster with those who might be interested in signing up.
Safeguarding Champions Recruitment Poster
To sign up to be a Safeguarding Champion email: [email protected]
Resources
Safeguarding Champions – Induction Pack (for new champions)
Safeguarding Champions – Presentation – Template
National Guidance
The Government’s website is a useful central point, which signposts people to a wide range of resources linked to subjects such as the Prevent Strategy, Office of the Public Guardian, Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme etc. Visit the Government’s website.
Local Government Association (LGA) – Making Safeguarding Personal Toolkit
A range of helpful tools and case examples is provided in toolkit handbooks to guide you through best practice approaches and effective application of safeguarding. Visit the Local Government Association’s website.
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE)
SCIE provide a range of resources including newsletters, training courses (some free) and other related materials, conferences and networking events, videos,
reports and a Prevention Catalogue, which provides examples of what agencies have done to prevent adult abuse. Visit SCIE website.
Research in Practice for Adults (RiPfA)
RiPfA provide a similar set of resources to SCIE, but are more academically based, as well as a very wide range of guidance documents (some free). This
includes some excellent resources linked to the subject of Coercive Control. Visit RiPfA website.
NHS Safeguarding Guide ‘App’
This guide is available as an ‘App’ which will be useful for all professionals as it provides a summary of all the relevant information in relation to adult and child safeguarding. Visit the NHS Safeguarding Guide App.