This document sets out the Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (TSAB) Communication and Engagement Strategy for the period April 2022- March 2025. The aim of the strategy is to assist the Board in achieving its strategic Aims and Objectives as set out in the TSAB Strategic Business Plan and to provide a Communication and Engagement (CE) framework to:
- Raise general awareness of all forms of abuse and neglect
- Engage the principles of Safeguarding is Everyone’s Business and the whole community approach by inspiring people to take action to prevent abuse and neglect
- Provide consultation mechanisms for engaging with stakeholders.
National Context
The Care Act 2014, implemented in April 2015 put adult safeguarding on a statutory footing for the first time and placed responsibility onto Local Authorities to create Safeguarding Adult Boards (SAB).
It is recognised within the Department of Health Care Act guidance, published October 2014, and revised in October 2018, that anyone can witness or become aware of information suggesting that abuse or neglect is occurring. Regardless of how a safeguarding concern is identified, everyone should understand what to do and where to go locally to get help and advice, and it is vital that professionals, other staff and members of the public are vigilant on behalf of those people who are unable to protect themselves. This strategy, the Communication and Engagement Plan (separate document) and the Learning, Training and Development Strategy set out how this is to be achieved.
Local Context
The TSAB covers four local authority areas, namely: Hartlepool Borough Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Members of the TSAB include representation from the four Local Authorities, the Integrated Care Board, Cleveland Police, NHS Foundation Trusts, North East Ambulance Service, Public Health, Cleveland Fire Brigade, the National Probation Service, Prison Service, Thirteen Group, the Voluntary sector and Healthwatch.
The Communication and Engagement Sub-Group was established to lead the development, implementation and evaluation of a Teeswide Communication and Engagement Strategy and is responsible for overseeing the delivery of this strategy.
The Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Inter-agency Policy, Procedures and Practice Guidance outline the framework for agencies across Tees to work in partnership to safeguard adults who may be at risk of, or, are experiencing abuse. On signing up to this CE strategy, all partner organisations agree to support the work of the CE Sub-Group and to actively engage with all safeguarding CE activity.
Successful engagement is based on simple, practical principles that represent a mix of common sense, good business practice and ethical considerations. Everything the Board does in relation to communication and engagement will influence the Teeswide safeguarding adults agenda, therefore all activity must be delivered professionally to build trust in the work of the Board. The following principles will be adopted:
- All CE activity must be provided in a way that is understandable by the target audience
- Communications must take into account considerations such as disability and diversity
- The messages being communicated must be relevant to the target audience
- All CE activity must be realistic, achievable and cost effective
- All CE work will maximise opportunities to engage with key national campaigns as well as local campaigns led by partner agencies and other strategic boards
- TSAB branding as set out in the TSAB Corporate Identity Guidelines (May 2015), must be used for all CE activity
4.1 Annual Communication and Engagement Plan
The CE Sub-group will set out an Annual CE Plan which will be aligned with the TSAB Annual Strategic Business Plan and will address the Board’s CE priorities for the year. This plan will incorporate the Communication, Engagement and Consultation activities to be delivered and will remain flexible and responsive by considering new opportunities as they arise.
Stakeholder Groups
This CE Strategy underpins the principle of ‘Safeguarding is Everyone’s Business’ and as such applies to a wide audience including:
- Service Users and potential service users
- Carers / Advocates / Family members
- TSAB Partner organisations and their staff
- Voluntary / community sector
- Service providers
- General Public
- Partnership Boards, including Community Safety Boards, Health and Wellbeing Boards, Safeguarding Children Partnerships
Key Messages
TSAB Vision Statement:
‘Our safeguarding arrangements will effectively prevent and respond to adult abuse’
The TSAB Annual Strategic Business Plan will prioritise the key messages to support the development of the Annual CE Plan; these messages will include a focus on the different types of abuse as outlined in the Care Act 2014, the prevention of abuse and neglect, and also targeted work in line with the Board’s current aims.
4.2 Annual Consultation Programme
Safeguarding Adult Boards are required to undertake consultation to determine how well they are achieving their aims and objectives and to assist with setting future priorities. TSAB are committed to delivering an annual consultation programme and, if required, will set up a Task and Finish Group to set out their consultation plans on an annual basis.
4.3 Methodologies
The CE Sub-Group may utilise a range of methodologies to undertake specific aspects of CE work; consideration must to be given to using the most effective methods dependent on the activity and the stakeholder group. When planning CE activity it is vital that the methods used are accessible to the identified stakeholders, that none are excluded and may require more creativity in the approach.
Events
The CE Sub-group will determine if a specific Task and Finish group is needed to deliver large scale CE activity, for example, an annual awareness campaign. Any Task and Finish groups will comprise of the relevant professionals who can fully contribute to the operational delivery of the activity and they will be responsible for developing a comprehensive plan of work. It is recommended that the following framework is applied:
- Overview: this should be an overview of the activity to be undertaken and include aims and aspirations, this will include a reference to the current TSAB Annual Strategic Business Plan.
- Objectives: these must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) and include targets, where relevant.
- Strategy: this will include who the target audience is and what methods or media will be used.
- Resources: an outline of the resources to be used, i.e. people, venues, media tools and materials.
- Actions: details of who, when, where and how each activity or action will be completed.
- Evaluation: an outline of how the CE activity will be evaluated and what success will look like. This should also include information about whether the evaluation will be reported back to the CE Sub-Group and the Board.
Involving Lived Experience
The Board will utilise existing focus groups and forums within partner agencies to engage with the general public and people who use services to gain feedback on their experiences, provide them with opportunities to be involved in the work of the board and also to promote the work of the Board and to raise awareness of adult abuse and neglect.
The Board will consider The Ladder of Co-Production produced by Think Local Act Personal and the National Co-production Advisory Group when creating opportunities for people with lived experience to be involved in the work of the Board.
The Annual CE plan will set out any specific sessions to be facilitated by the Board. Where possible, these bespoke sessions will be supported by Board partners, utilising the skills, expertise and available networks across Tees, particularly those within the voluntary/ community sector and in partnership with the 3 Healthwatch organisations across Tees.
Leaflets
The Board has developed a number of leaflets, some of which have been translated into languages other than English and will support work with some of the stakeholder groups identified above. These leaflets will be reviewed at least annually to ensure the content remains current and up-to-date. The portfolio of leaflets will continue to be developed in response to key pieces of work as outlined in the TSAB Annual Strategic Business Plan.
Local Press and Radio
The Annual CE Plan will set out any promotional work to be carried out in conjunction with local press and radio; this includes, local authority resident magazines and community based radio stations.
Newsletters
The Board will publish a newsletter each quarter and distribute this via the Board’s website. Links to Newsletters are included in TSAB training delegate information and emailed out to targeted groups/individuals. The TSAB Business Unit is responsible for maintaining an up to date contact list which is held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) to assist with this. The newsletter will include up to date information for professionals, a summary of TSAB activity and articles that are relevant for all stakeholder groups.
Partner Contributions
Board partners will share details of the Board’s work and ongoing projects within their newsletters, social media and websites where appropriate.
Safeguarding Champions
The Board will actively support the further development of the Safeguarding Champions initiative and aims to increase the number of Champions each year. A dedicated Safeguarding Champions webpage has been set up to provide up to date information for new and existing Champions. The role of a Safeguarding Champions includes;
- Actively seeking feedback from service users to ensure their voice is heard and used to help shape practice
- Raising awareness by helping design, connect to, and support TSAB campaigns
- Improving awareness and networks with harder to reach and marginalised groups.
Safeguarding Champions may do this by:
- Providing a briefing in their organisational Bulletin about the Safeguarding Champions role and include a link to the TSAB Newsletter.
- Handing out the safeguarding leaflets to members of the public they come into contact with
- Displaying the TSAB poster for professionals in their office, and on public facing notice boards, if appropriate
- Setting up a professional X account linked to @TeeswideSAB
Social Media
The Board has active /X and Facebook accounts and these will be used to support key campaigns, to promote local initiatives and events, and to further promote the work of the Board.
Surveys
Specific surveys will be developed to support the annual consultation activity to seek views on the work of the Board and to determine future priorities. The surveys will be shared via the website and in paper copies at events, forums and meetings to engage with a wide audience. In addition, specific surveys may be developed to support other key pieces of work as outlined in the CE Annual Plan.
Training
The Annual TSAB Training programme will further support CE work by engaging more closely with professionals in a learning and development environment. All delegates will be provided with a digital pack which will include links to posters, leaflets and newsletters promoting the work of the Board to be shared within their own service areas.
Website
The website is the central hub hosting the Board’s documents and training resources, this will be maintained to ensure information remains current and accessible. The website is key to measuring the success of the Board’s CE activity through its analytical tools and can provide information on the volume, type and location of website users.
The CE Sub-group will monitor, review and evaluate the effectiveness of all CE activity and an Annual CE report will summarise the activity undertaken and the outcomes achieved at the end of each financial year
The impact of CE activity may be measured by the following mechanisms (not exhaustive):
- Volume of website hits
- Number of read receipts for newsletters
- Number of completed surveys, both online and in paper copy
- Number of focus groups and partner events attended
- Number of Safeguarding Champions
- Number of leaflets distributed
- Estimate of number of people to read local press articles
- Estimate of number of people who have heard radio adverts
- Survey findings
- Training evaluations
- Number of press releases / media statements
- Newsletter feedback
- Number of followers on Facebook/ X
- Number of impressions through social media
Version Number: 8.0
Date Approved: September 2024