Stage 3: Devising and Implementing the Safeguarding Plan

On completion of an adult safeguarding enquiry, s42(2) Care Act 2014 requires the local authority to decide whether any actions should be taken and, if so, what they are, and who should take those actions. These actions form the basis of the Safeguarding Plan.

An adult Safeguarding Plan is not a care and support plan, and it will focus on care provision only in relation to the aspects that safeguard against abuse or neglect, or which offer a therapeutic or recovery-based resolution. In many cases the provision of care and support may be important in addressing the risk of abuse or neglect, but where this is the intention, the adult Safeguarding Plan must be specific as to how this intervention will achieve this outcome. 

See pages 76-78: London Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Policy, Practice Guidance and Procedures November 2025

The Safeguarding Plan should set out:

• Steps to be taken to assure the future safety of the adult at risk.
• The provision of any support, treatment or therapy, including on-going advocacy.
• Any modifications needed in the way services are provided (e.g. same gender care or placement; appointment of an OPG deputy).
• How best to support the adult through any action they may want to take to seek justice or redress.
• What will be done to meet needs of the adult for protection, support and redress, in line with their wishes is any on-going risk management strategy appropriate?
• What will be done to protect them from the abuse and neglect, in accordance with their wishes.
• What follow-up action should be taken regarding the person or organisation responsible for the abuse or neglect.
• What will be done to enable the adult to achieve resolution and recovery.

The plan should outline the roles and responsibilities of all individuals and agencies involved and should identify the lead professional who will monitor and review the plan, and when this will happen. Plans should be person-centred, and outcome focused.

Safeguarding Plans should be made with the full participation of the adult and/or their representative.

In some circumstances it may be appropriate for Safeguarding Plans to be monitored through ongoing processes for one or more organisations. These will usually be “business as usual” processes for one or more of the organisations involved, such as ongoing care management, or provision of health or social care services, or support from a voluntary sector service.

Some actions might be for the adult and their family, friends or other support network to take forward. i.e. health or social care provisions; support from the voluntary sector; what the adult needs, their family, friends or support network will do.  

What is the purpose of a Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting?

The overarching purpose of a Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting is to bring together all of the relevant stakeholders, so that information and intelligence can be shared to determine what the appropriate actions should be to “sufficiently reduce, or remove the risk to the adult” (although it may also be appropriate for this to 'remain' in some circumstances).

Old terminology such as 'substantiate' should not be used which can become combative between professionals and agencies, detracting from the efforts to improve the adult's wellbeing and safety.  

Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting Form (Word) 

Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting Form Word Template

When might a Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting be needed?

A Planning Meeting may not always be necessary in relation to all Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries, but the following points should be used to help determine if one is required:

1. Where the health and safety of the adult is, or maybe compromised, and a detailed (or initial) safeguarding plan is required.
2. Where there have been previous Safeguarding Concerns and the issues have been repeated, and or, the risks are more acute than previously thought.
3. Where multiple agencies (including providers) are needed in providing support and or protection, and there is a need to co-ordinate actions.
4. In organisational or institutional cases where other adults are at risk of abuse or neglect. This may include where issues have affected residents of other Local Authorities.
5. Where the abuse involved a member of staff/volunteer (position of trust), and this brings into question the safety of other adults, and or the service.
6. Where there is the potential for parallel or overlapping criminal investigations by Police. In some instances a Planning Meeting may be required at short notice (1 day) following on from the initial Safeguarding Enquiries, if the issues identified place the adult at significant risk of harm, otherwise this should be arranged within 5 working days of a decision being made that one is necessary. With this in mind the following points made under each of the six Safeguarding Principles should be followed to ensure that Planning Meetings are utilised effectively and consistently.

 Who should attend a Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting?

There are a wide range of people who may be required to attend a Planning Meeting, including, but not limited to:

1. The adult and or their representative.
2. The Safeguarding Adults Manager or their equivalent.
3. The Safeguarding Enquiry Officer.
4. The person who raised the Safeguarding Concern (if they are a professional).
5. Police manager.
6. Other criminal justice agencies.
7. NHS Trust manager and or relevant specialist.
8. GP
9. Care Quality Commission.
10. Care Provider agency manager.
11. Relevant LBL and or South East London (SEL) Integrated Care Board (ICB) Commissioner.
12. Quality Assurance or Contracts Officer from LBL and or SEL ICB.
13. The person/agency alleged to have caused the harm should have been given the opportunity to submit their representations. If this an agency, then a manager not directly involved in providing care in the case may be invited to attend.
14. Any other relevant agency/service representative as deemed appropriate by the person chairing the meeting.

Whoever attends a Planning Meeting should be of sufficient seniority to make decisions within the meeting concerning the organisation’s role and the resources they may contribute to the agreed Safeguarding Plan.

Planning Meetings should be formally recorded and minutes taken, which should be shared with those attending. This should be completed within 5 working days of the Meeting.

The practitioner who is setting up and chairing a Planning Meeting must ensure that the adult’s views, wishes and opinions are effectively represented, and conduct the meeting in an appropriate manner, using appropriate adaptations if required, allowing for the full participation of the adult and or their representative(s).    

If the adult does wish to attend the following points must be born in mind:

• The adult can bring someone to support them at the meeting. This might be a family member, friend or an Advocate and or a legal representative.
• The meeting is about the adult and their views and wishes. The Chair of the meeting must ensure these are heard and listened to by everyone else.
• The meeting may need to decide what actions need to be taken, and by who, to make the adult safer and improve their wellbeing. This will be a group decision and the adult’s views will form part of this decision.
• A Safeguarding Plan may be agreed - this is about how the adult wants to be supported to be safe. Decisions about the adult’s welfare or care will need to be agreed with them.
• If the adult has been assessed as not having mental capacity to make a particular decision at that time, then it will need to be made in their ‘best interests’, and their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs must still be taken into account.

 If the adult does not wish to attend they may:

• Give their views in writing, or
• Ask someone to attend on their behalf, for example an advocate, friend or family member, or
• Ask the Safeguarding worker or Safeguarding Adults Manager to pass on their views.

 Local Government Association - Making Safeguarding Personal Toolkit

Practical arrangements. 

Whilst there is a need to formally record the minutes from Planning Meetings, these should be set up as informally and flexibly as possible to meet the requirements of the adult and or their representative(s), whilst also helping ensure that professionals can contribute when these meetings are being set up at relatively short-notice. 

It may be suitable and appropriate to set these meetings up online using video methods, or via telephone, or by being flexible in utilising meeting rooms that are accessible for those involved. Otherwise the chair of the Planning Meeting should consider:   

1. How to create a comfortable and welcoming environment.
2. Whether the adult wishes to have a representative(s) with them and whether they will or should have an active or silent role (legal representative). This should be agreed with the adult, their legal representative and the chair ahead of the Planning Meeting.
3. Any communication requirements or other accessibility issues.
4. Location of facilities such as refreshments and toilets.
5. How breaks will be agreed, if needed.
6. Arrangements should the adult require a break or wish to clarify any points covered in the meeting.
7. The adult and their representative(s) should not be required to join a room where other attendees have previously gathered, and where possible they should be in the room before other attendees join, having met and had a chance to talk with the chair ahead of the meeting.
8. Meetings can also be in multiple parts to make them less intimidating (smaller groups) and more manageable for the adult, and include a separate and wider ‘professionals’ meeting.
9. Where the venue is the adult’s own home, consideration should be given to how their home will be treated with respect, and how to maintain confidentiality if others not attending the meeting may also be present in the home.

Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting Form (Word) 

Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Planning Meeting Form Word Template