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Safeguarding Adults Week - 21 to 27 November 2022

Swindon Safeguarding Partnership is supporting Safeguarding Adults Week!

21 to 27 November 2022

Theme: ‘Responding to Contemporary Safeguarding Challenges

#SafeguardingAdultsWeek

Safeguarding Adults Week is a time for practitioners and organisations to develop their safeguarding knowledge. We hope the themes for 2022 will raise awareness of new forms of abuse and different ways of recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns in contemporary society.

We have signposted to some local resources and events below for the themed days.

Further information and additional resources on the Ann Craft Trust website

Information and resources from last year's event

Monday, 21 November - Exploitation and County Lines

Context

Research indicates that lockdown has increased the number of people at risk of exploitation. This is largely due to economic concerns and increased isolation.

This day is to raise awareness about:

  • How adults at risk could be exploited through *county lines activity.
  • Learn how to spot the signs that someone is at risk of exploitation, and how to respond effectively.

The terms 'County Lines' and 'Local Lines'.

The National Crime Agency refers to:

County Lines is where illegal drugs are transported from one area to another, often across police and local authority boundaries (although not exclusively), usually by children or vulnerable people who are coerced into it by gangs. The ‘County Line’ is the mobile phone line used to take the orders of drugs. Importing areas (areas where the drugs are taken to) are reporting increased levels of violence and weapons-related crimes as a result of this trend.

Local lines replicate the ‘County Lines’ model, but operate at a local level, within a community. This means it will be local adults or young people grooming and coercing other local children and young people, and vulnerable adults, into criminal activity. The operating model itself would be very similar in terms of chain of command, drug supply and associated criminal activity and behaviour.

Resources

Useful SSP resources:

Free eLearning (although relating to children some information will also be relevant to adults):

Further information:

Tuesday, 22 November - Self-neglect

Context

The term “self-neglect” covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings.

This has also been a theme in some of our local Safeguarding Adult Reviews.

Do you know how to spot the signs someone is at risk of self-neglect?

Resources

Useful SSP resources:

SSP training courses:

Wednesday, 23 November - Creating safer organisational cultures

Context

Promoting safer cultures is all about how organisations and individuals can take steps to minimise harm occurring in the first instance. It’s also about embedding appropriate policies and procedures. In this way, people will know what to do if they have a concern to report. In addition, the organisation will have a plan in place for acting on concerns.

Resources

SSP training courses:

Other useful web resources:

Thursday, 24 November - Elder abuse

Context

Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.

We will be using this day to raise awareness of elder abuse in community and residential settings.

Resources

Thursday, 24 November - Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Context

FGM is a procedure where the female genitalia are deliberately cut, injured or changed and there is no medical reason for this. It is frequently a very traumatic and violent act and can cause harm in many ways.

Resources

Friday, 25 November - Domestic abuse in tech-society

Context

Technology can help to keep people safe. But abusers can also use technology to cause harm.

We will be exploring how you can spot the signs someone is at risk through technology. We’ll also explore how people can minimise the extent to which technology can be used against them in abuse cases. Refuge has published resources to support people at risk of tech-abuse.

Resources

Training:

Other useful resources:

Saturday, 26 and Sunday, 27 November - Safeguarding in everyday life

Context

Raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding in the community.

We often explore the importance of safeguarding in relation to organisations and workplaces. Yet safeguarding is just as important in our communities and everyday life.

Many people are continuing to work from home and spending an increasing amount of time in their local area. We want to raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding in the community.

We will be focusing on bystander action. We’ll explore the actions you can take if you witness incidents of discrimination or bullying in everyday life. We will also be sharing resources on how to tackle loneliness and isolation in communities.

Resources

Tuesday, 29 November - Can you hear me? (SSP virtual conference)

The theme this year is exploitation of children and adults. The topics covered will be: 

  • the lived experience of those who have been exploited/carers of those who have been exploited
  • child exploitation/risk outside the home – Swindon approach
  • use of language and its impact on the professional response
  • learning from a local exploitation related safeguarding adult review 

This event is relevant to all professionals working in Swindon and provides an opportunity to receive information and reflect on how this knowledge will impact your practice.

Find out more or book a place: Can you hear me? (SSP virtual conference)