Publications, Policies and Procedures
Adult Safeguarding Leaflets and Posters
Adult Safeguarding Posters - See it, Report it!
Adult Safeguarding Leaflet:
Infographic - It all Points to Prevention
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit
A toolkit for professionals working with fathers and male carers.
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit Checklist
A checklist that focusses professionals work when working with fathers and male carer's.
Working with Fathers and Male Carer's Toolkit Resources
A collection of resources for professionals working with fathers and male carer's in Lewisham.
LSAB Scams Easy Read Booklet
This booklet was made by Lewisham Speaking Up on behalf of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board.
Read and download the Scams Easy Read Booklet
New! LSAB Cuckooing A Brief Guide for Professionals
A brief guide for professionals including information on
- What is Cuckooing
- Common Indicators of Cuckooing
- What can I do to help make the adult safe?
- Relationship-Based Practices
- Person-Centred Interventions
- Partnership Working
- Advice for Submitting an Adult Safeguarding
Concern
- Support for Lewisham Professionals
Annual Reports
The Care Act 2014 requires each Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) to publish an annual report.
The Care Act (Schedule 2.4 (1) a–g) defines the minimum content of an annual report.
As soon as is feasible after the end of each financial year, a SAB must publish a report on:
- What it has done during that year to achieve its objective,
- What it has done during that year to implement its strategy,
- What each member has done during that year to implement the strategy,
- The findings of the reviews arranged by it under section 44 (safeguarding adults reviews) which have concluded in that year (whether or not they began in that year),
- The reviews arranged by it under that section which are ongoing at the end of that year (whether or not they began in that year),
- What it has done during that year to implement the findings of reviews arranged by it under that section, and
- Where it decides during that year not to implement a finding of a review arranged by it under that section, the reasons for its decision.
- The performance of member agencies and how effectively, or otherwise, they are working together should be included in the report.
The annual report must be sent to:
- The Chief Executive and leader of the local authority which established the SAB.
- Any local Policing body that is required to sit on the SAB.
- The local Health Watch organisation.
- The Chair of the local Health and Wellbeing Board.
Annual reports should form the basis for the consultation on the strategic plan for the coming year.
A SAB should seek assurance from its members that the annual report has been considered within their internal governance processes.
LSAB Annual Report 2024-25
Message from the Independent Chair 
“It is against this background of increasing understanding and demand for
safeguarding activity that this report demonstrates creativity, activity and
persistence to reduce the safeguarding risk to adults”.
I am delighted to present this Annual Report from the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board for 2024-2025. It represents the continuing hard work and dedication of so many professionals, volunteers and members of our community in their endeavours to ensure neighbourhoods are as safe as they can be, and that adults are protected as much as possible from all forms of abuse and exploitation.
We are, though, living at a time when we are still developing our understanding of adult safeguarding in terms of its scope, impact and effect. Hence, as this report shows, the number of safeguarding enquiries and the differing types of issues they cover is growing significantly every year, and this past year was no exception.
It is against this background of increasing understanding and demand for safeguarding activity that this report demonstrates creativity, activity and persistence to reduce the safeguarding risk to adults, and also to respond appropriately when some of the most vulnerable members of our community are victims of abuse and or exploitation.
The safeguarding board has a membership representing all the statutory welfare services, plus the voluntary sectors, ensuring the voices of the community are heard.
The significant achievements represented in this report are due to board members' commitment and dedication, and I therefore want to thank them all on behalf of the citizens in Lewisham.
The report is packed with insights and information which I trust will help you gain a good understanding of the activities of the board in the past year and its plans for the future.
The fact that we as a society need Safeguarding Adults Boards is a reflection of some of the problems and issues that we face in society, and the Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) we have undertaken are a reminder that care services and support are not always of the standard or quality we would rightly expect.
The board is committed to doing all it possibly can to drive up standards and to ensure services are safe and appropriate.
Finally, I would like to thank the board staff members. They are a very small team, yet their commitment and dedication is clear for all to see in this report; we all owe them so much. It has been my privilege to have chaired this board over this past year, but this will be my final report as I need to find more time to care for my own family.
I will be leaving the board in a very healthy state and I look forward to hearing how its work develops in the future.
Professor Keith Brown
Summary of Delivery in 2024-25
The Board continued to oversee the delivery of its strategic aims and objectives.
Key areas of work included:
Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)
The Board continues to be busy with several notifications being submitted throughout the year. Details of the two published SARs from
the reporting period and further information can be found on pages 13 & 14.
Learning and Development
The Board delivered another record number of learning activities during the last 12 months reaching increasing numbers of participants. The collated evaluation feedback from these events produced an overall score of 9:10 from the delegates who were asked to rate how their knowledge, skills and confidence had improved as a result of their attendance.
Audit and Scrutiny
The Safeguarding Adults Partnership Audit (SAPAT) is our annual quality assurance process. A Heatmap is outlined for the key public sector agencies. There is a continuous focus on audit and scrutiny which is delivered through the work of the Board’s Sub-Groups and other forums.
Community Engagement
A number of events were delivered to engage members of the public and those who have lived experience of abuse. This included involvement with the Board’s development session. Their feedback is used to help ensure strategic priorities are relevant and improve the focus on prevention. 3,000 information leaflets were also circulated across Lewisham.
Self-Neglect High Risk Panel
Important work continued throughout the year to develop new policy and procedures.
Safeguarding Adults Partnership Audit (SAPAT)
The Board conducts an annual audit to ensure partners understand what is working well and what challenges exist within their own organisations and at a partnership level. It also provides an opportunity to identify strategic priorities for the next year.
Metropolitan Police Service
Achievements:
- Focused training on domestic abuse to enhance investigations.
- Despite financial challenges there has been investment in public protection teams.
- Specialist mental health team, which also advises and supports other staff.
- Training on self-neglect and professional curiosity (learning from SARs).
- Work on race action plan and leadership culture to improve community cohesion.
Challenges and Future Developments:
- Ensuring there is consistency and legal compliance in relation to safeguarding.
- Poor data recording and sharing in relation to safeguarding via CONNECT system.
- Need for more collaboration on inter-agency training.
“We aspire to be the most trusted police service in the world”.
NHS South East London (SEL) Integrated Care System (ICS)
(Achievements:
- Reducing the number of care home acquired pressure ulcers - enhanced training.
- Community Pressure Ulcer Panel’s preventative work in improving quality of care.
- Recruitment of an Independent Gender Violence Advocate into primary care.
- Reviewing accommodation for homeless asylum seekers - safeguarding focus.
Challenges and Future Developments
- Workforce pressures in primary care can inhibit attendance at learning events.
- Creating more co-ordination between children’s and adult services.
- Expanding perpetrator programmes for domestic abuse.
“Adopting a Think Family approach that involves an open door into
a system of joined up support”.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (LGT)
Achievements:
- Review of the Trust wide mental capacity assessment form.
- Routine inquiry into domestic abuse now embedded into ED triage at *UHL.
- Prioritising safeguarding at all major trust events and patient safety incidents.
- Planning for a dedicated safeguarding conference.
Challenges and Future Developments:
- Over reliance on e-learning which limits effectiveness of personal development.
- Professional curiosity can only improve if unprecedented workload is addressed.
- Shortage of mental health beds translates into pressure on acute services.
“We talk about self-neglect at training, and acknowledge the reality and
difficulty of implementing best practice”.
Lewisham Council - Adult Social Care (ASC)
Achievements:
- Rollout of updated self-neglect policy ensuring practitioners have clear guidance.
- Review of the internal safeguarding systems to improve responsiveness.
- Mental Capacity Act assurance: audits, training, and incident reviews.
- Learning & development culture: staff forums, briefings, performance monitoring.
Challenges and Future Developments:
- Continue to improve the local safeguarding case management database.
- Significant increase in safeguarding activity and flow of intelligence into ASC.
- Changes to the ASC structure to help manage the safeguarding workflow.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM)
Achievements:
- Improving the status of safeguarding on the corporate risk register.
- Implementation of the trust wide sexual safety policy and linked training.
- Introduction of quarterly safeguarding supervision sessions.
- Improved focus and oversight of Mental Capacity Act assessments.
- Appointment of a Think Family lead and steering group.
- Partnership working with black led organisations to develop anti-racist practice.
- Significant increase in safeguarding training and achieving related targets.
Challenges and Future Developments:
- Continue to improve the focus on domestic abuse.
- Further strengthen the use of advocacy services.
- Staffing problems leads to teams being over stretched and exhausted.
“Improved safeguarding knowledge across the trust is evidenced by the
number of referrals being raised and informed curiosity during supervision”.
LSAB Partnership Achievements: (Based on combined feedback from partners)
- Ongoing commitment of partner agencies.
- Communication and engagement continues to be an excellent standard.
- Volume and quality of outcomes delivered by the Sub-Groups.
- Delivery of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) and learning this generates.
- The number and standard of resources created for professionals.
LSAB Partnership Challenges:
- Addressing the complex problems linked to hoarding and self-neglect. Managing the increasing volume of Safeguarding Concerns. (3,376 in 2024-25).
- Ensuring professionals maintain their focus on prevention.
- Maintaining “the passion and compassion”.
Examples of Engagement with Partners
Homelessness and Safeguarding Workshop - 999 Club: 21 May 2024
The Board jointly hosted this Workshop at the 999 Club in Deptford. This was a significant and powerful event bringing 30+ people from 15 separate agencies together to build relationships and a shared understanding of the issues.
The signature presentation at the event was given by Tasia a service user and now peer support worker who talked about her experiences which are outlined on the following page.
The event coincided with a letter being published by the government announcing that every Safeguarding Adults Board must consider how the homelessness sector is represented within this statutory partnership.
“SABs should ensure their governance structure has the necessary mechanisms to hold partners working with people rough sleeping accountable”.
This has been agreed and a specific action plan was developed based on the discussions at this event which will be repeated in October 2025.
Missing Adults Workshop - Metropolitan Police: 25 July 2024
The aim of this event was to bring professionals from a range of sectors and backgrounds together to discuss how we can create a best practice safeguarding response for missing adults, and in doing so, help prevent future incidents and improve the aftercare that is offered to this group of people.
Overview of good practice:
- Identify trends, hotspots, emerging issues, and build the local picture.
- Set up a local multi-agency strategic group to oversee the approach and protocols.
- Conduct safe & well or prevention interviews and practices.
- Conduct return interviews.
- Ensure necessary staff have appropriate training.
- Make practical changes to locations (built environment).
- Ensure everyone knows how and when to report someone as missing.
Carers Rights Day - Imago: 21 November 2024
19,957 informal and unpaid carers were identified in the census in 2021 in Lewisham, but Carers U.K. estimates this it is likely to be double that number in each area.
Only c.2,000 of these individuals (5-10%) are currently registered with Imago the commissioned carers support service in the borough, so Carers Rights Day is important in helping to raise awareness across local communities and ensure support is being offered to those who may need it. The Board supported the activities held by Imago and delivered two safeguarding workshops at the Glass Mill Leisure Centre.
What People with Lived Experience Said
Homelessness
Tasia shared her personal story with Board member in July 2024 and spoke highly of the event at the 999 Club in May that year. She talked about her life experiences and her initial contact with services, expressing that she would have sought help earlier if she had known about the 999 Club sooner. Tasia emphasised the need for strict no-drugs policies within accommodation settings and highlighted the need for staff to always be empathetic and supportive to those that are homeless as this really makes a big difference.
“Empathy costs nothing”.
Tasia also discussed issues related to unsafe housing, noting that disrepairs and anti-social behaviour are not always acted upon appropriately, and that Safeguarding Concerns that had been submitted regarding her circumstances had also been
disregarded. Tasia reinforced the need to receive acknowledgement from the local authority to outline why this was the case and what other avenues of support were available to her.
“Just putting a roof over someone’s head is not enough”.
Learning Disability
Aisha and Tom who are peer advocates from Lewisham Speaking Up (LSU) attended the Board meeting in July 2024 to talk about housing and home environment, which is often impacted due the current crisis which can have an impact on mental health.
“Adults living with a learning disability have high aspirations too. ”
The single biggest issue (50% of the total) that the advocates within LSU come across is housing, but councils and housing associations do not communicate very well with LSU about this, which is frustrating. This can often cross-over with and connect to Safeguarding Concerns linked to anti-social behaviour, or self-neglect, disrepair, and hoarding.
“Agencies do not take LSU seriously, or listen to us, and we are left out of the loop” .
Transitional Safeguarding - Care Leaver
Jade shared her experiences with the Board in January 2025 as a care leaver who moved frequently and relocated from London to Birmingham and then to Blackpool after growing up in Lewisham. Jade faced various risks and outlined that there was no clear plan and therapy was not provided which led to her frequently running away often due to not feeling safe. Jade emphasised that she should have received better support and that there were no discussions about potential risks when she eventually moved back to London.
“Corporate parents should treat care leavers the same way they would treat their own children”.
Learning, Training and Development
Key Highlights
The Foundation Level Introduction to Safeguarding Training continues to be delivered every 6-8 weeks which is open to anyone to attend, including carers and members of the public. This was accessed by 164 people throughout the year.
A more detailed course is also offered for Leaders and Managers which is delivered quarterly and was attended by 41 people during 2024-25.
A new Professional Curiosity training course was trialled initially after extensive research and then launched during the year, and will be delivered every 3 months. The 2nd National SAR Analysis identified practice shortcomings in 44% of SARs and only 3% identified good practice. See page 16 for more detail.
We held a joint learning event for SARs Maria and Maureen in March 2025 which was attended by 199 delegates, providing an important opportunity to share and discuss the key aspects of these two high profile cases.
In addition the LSAB Business Unit played a leading role in the planning of the London SAB Conference which was held to coincide with the National Adult Safeguarding Awareness Week 18-22 November 2024. 675 delegates attended this event and Lewisham had the second highest level of attendance of any of the London boroughs with 98 people participating.
All of the development activities provided by the Board are free of charge.
Communication and Engagement Activities
LSAB Communication & Engagement (CE) Strategy 2024-25
This was updated in July 2024 but the overriding principles remain the same:
Below are some examples of the CE work delivered in the last 12 months:
3rd Annual Housing Summit December 2024
Hosted in person this year to provide an opportunity for providers to meet, network and discuss some of the key issues in relation to their work linked to safeguarding.
Community Drop in - Catford Library
Providing an opportunity to listen to people’s experiences, hand out leaflets, and answer any questions members of the public may have throughout the year.
Networking and Learning Events
Bespoke sessions were delivered for Age UK, Community Connections; Lewisham Speaking Up Advocates and Trustees; as well as generic sessions in the community.
Learning Culture Survey Autumn 2024
There is regular communication with frontline practitioners to collect their feedback and use this to inform the local approach,
policies and resources.
e-Bulletins
Circulated to an increasingly large number of individual email addresses (c.1,000) every 6-8 weeks with important updates regarding legislation, research and policy.
7 Minute Briefings
These briefings are published on varied topics throughout the year making it easier for professionals to read and digest important information in a bitesize format:
Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs)
Maria SAR Published 11 December 2024
Maria was aged 54, a White British female, heterosexual, who had a home provided by a local housing association which was a temporary solution to her homeless situation. Maria was also supported by the tenancy sustainment team from a local homeless charity commissioned to offer such support. Maria was known to sleep on the streets and could often be found bedded down in the town centre. The reason for this is recorded as problems with neighbours.
Maria had a long history of treatment with substance misuse services for alcohol dependency. Maria had successfully completed alcohol treatment two months before the scoping period for this review and moved to the commissioned substance misuse service for continued support for alcohol use within the community. Following the loss of a family member at the end of the year before she died, Maria’s own health deteriorated, and professionals found it increasingly hard to engage with her. Following admission to hospital with a head injury, her family raised concerns regarding domestic abuse by her partner. Maria’s physical health then deteriorated, and she died on 2 June 2023, seven days after admission. The inquest is not concluded and therefore an official cause of death is not yet known.
Maureen SAR Published 10 February 2025
Maureen was a 66-year-old woman from a Black Caribbean ethnic background. She lived alone in a social tenancy provided by the local authority since 2011. Maureen’s friend since childhood and her goddaughter explained that Maureen had been a very intelligent, resourceful woman, who was excellent with money and had cared for her parents, her brother and other family members. Her friends felt Maureen had always experienced some challenges with her mental health and were aware that she had become increasingly withdrawn, isolating herself from others over the past decade.
Maureen had experienced a number of losses of her friends and family in a short period of time, perhaps due to these losses Maureen took to feeding local pigeons and would also bring them into her home. This affected the cleanliness and condition of her property and impacted on people living in the same block of flats. When asked by professionals about feeding and keeping birds, she either denied the behaviour or appeared to have no insight into the condition of her living environment.
There was a history of agencies failing to engage Maureen; she declined offers of care and support, and only appeared to participate in assessments when ordered or requested by the Court, although there was considerable multi-agency activity during the last year of her life. Having been reported as a missing person the police attended the property and found Maureen deceased in her home; she appeared to have been dead for some time.
All of the published SARs in Lewisham can be read here:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Example: What Have we Learned from Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs)
We analysed all of the Lewisham SARs and linked intelligence since 2019 with the two following aspects of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice in mind:
In all but two of the cases there were recorded ‘doubts’ and concerns highlighted that may have led people to ‘question’ the person’s ability to make a specific and relevant decision, but despite this no MCA assessments were completed. In the Adult Z case this was the actual reason behind the SAR notification and ‘The Adult’ was being supervised under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) but no record of assessment could be found despite this being a legal requirement.
Examples: What Has Changed Because of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SAR)
1. The two NHS Trusts in the borough have improved their systems and processes in relation to how they conduct and record mental capacity assessments, and the local authority is also in the process of overhauling their approach to this subject.
2. The ‘Was not Brought’ policies have been reviewed across primary health services, which follows on from the work to update their adult safeguarding and domestic abuse policies.
3. It is the now the default position that the council’s relevant housing teams do not close the cases for rough sleepers and/or those with a history of rough sleeping without a specific and dedicated support plan in place.
4. The whole of the Metropolitan Police has changed its terminology and training in relation to Acute Behaviour Disturbance, which is a significant shift in approach in line with the recommendations from the Lewisham Joshua SAR.
5. A new protocol has been developed between the local Brain Injury Unit and other relevant services that outlines the responsibilities and procedures for complex hospital discharges.
Strategic Business Plan 2024-25
In line with the five priority areas there are a total of 23 actions that are planned for 2025-26 which is the most ambitious work programme the Board has ever had.
This will include: a continuation of the comprehensive training programme including a new course to improve the focus on SCAMS and financial abuse; a review of the internal audit processes used by partner agencies in relation to mental capacity; a continuing focus on Think Family and homelessness; and new tri-borough guidance to be published on Missing Adults to help improve the local response to this subject in an area with one of the highest rates of missing people in London.
Full details can be read here:
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board - Partnership Compact and Strategic Business Plan 2024-2025
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2024-2025
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2023-2024
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2022-2023
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2021-2022
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2020-2021
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2019-2020
Download a copy of the LSAB Annual Report 2018-2019
Safeguarding Adults Reviews
Read and download all of the published Safeguarding Adult Reviews Commissioned by Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board.
SAR Learning Event Maria and Maureen
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board held this important online event on Monday 24 March 2025 12pm – 2pm.
This joint SAR learning event was hosted by our Independent Chair, Professor Keith Brown MBE and included presentations from the independent reviewers involved in these two cases (Imogen Blood and Karen Rees) providing information on the SAR themes, findings and recommendations and a Q&A session. This heavily subscribed national event provided a significant learning experience for all those who attended.
Recording, and presentations from the event are available below.
Lewisham SAR Learning Event Maria Presentation
Lewisham SAR Learning Event Maureen Presentation
Safeguarding Adults Review - Maureen - 10 February 2025
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review - Maureen
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Maureen - for Professionals.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The key learning points from this Safeguarding Adults Review were, self-nelgect, the complexities of mental capacity assessment, refusal of services and using the Lewisham Adult Safeguarding Pathway.
Safeguarding Adults Review - Maria - 11 December 2024
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review - Maria
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Maria - for Professionals.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The key learning points from this Safeguarding Adults Review were, the need for trauma informed care and support to offer evidence-based services and protection, rough sleeping with a tenancy, the complexities of mental capacity assessment, refusal of services, multi-agency working and using the Lewisham Adult Safeguarding Pathway.
Safeguarding Adults Review - Arthur - 10 November 2023
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Arthur.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Arthur.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Arthur - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review Joshua 7 June 2023
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Joshua.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Joshua - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) Learning Event Amanda and Eileen Dean
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board held this important online event on Wednesday 22 February 2023 2pm - 4pm.
The event was hosted by our Independent Chair, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and included presentations from the independent reviewers involved in these cases (Susan Harrison and Patrick Hopkinson) as well information on wider SAR themes, including a Q&A session. This high-profile and heavily subscribed event provided a significant learning experience for those who attended.
Recordings, Q&A and presentations from the event are available below.
Amanda
Eileen Dean
Questions and Answers from the Amanda and Eileen Dean SAR Learning Event
Questions and Answers from the Amanda and Eileen Dean SAR Learning Event 22-02-23
Safeguarding Adults Review for Eileen Dean 11 November 2022
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Eileen Dean.
Accompanying this report is a statement from Eileen's family.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also published a statement in relation to this review.
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Eileen Dean - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review for Amanda 2 November 2022
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Amanda.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Amanda.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Amanda - for Professionals.
Safeguarding Adults Review for Mia 29 September 2021
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mia.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a LSAB 7 Minute Briefing - Mia - for Professionals.
19 July 2021 Safeguarding Adults Review – Adult Z
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Adult Z.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Adult Z - for Professionals.
The key learning points from this Safeguarding Adults Review were mental ill health, the complexities of mental capacity assessment and providing emergency care in the community for adults with complex needs.
Friday 26 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review – Mrs A & Miss G
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mrs A & Miss G.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a LSAB 7 Minute Briefing - Mrs A & Miss G - for Professionals.
Friday 12 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review – Mr Tyrone Goodyear
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review for Mr Tyrone Goodyear.
Accompanying this report is a statement from the family of Tyrone.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing - Tyrone Goodyear - for Professionals.
Zero Suicide Alliance provide a range of awareness training options, which provide a better understanding of the signs to look out for and the skills required to approach someone who is struggling, whether that be through social isolation or suicidal thoughts.
Friday 5 June 2020 - Safeguarding Adults Review - Executive Summary - Lee
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has today published the Safeguarding Adults Review Executive Summary - Lee.
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has also produced a 7 Minute Briefing – Lee - for Professionals.
During 2018 Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board published two safeguarding adult reviews. The full reports and accompanying documents are available to read and download below.
Mr Michael Thompson - Safeguarding Adults Review - Full Report
Statement of the board in relation to the Safeguarding Adults Review - Mr Michael Thompson
Safeguarding Adult Review, Reflection and Development Briefing - Personalising Care and Improving Outcomes
Mr CS - Safeguarding Adults Review - Full Report (Includes board statement)
Mr CS - Safeguarding Adults Review - Practice Briefing
Guidelines On Risk Assessment for Smoking in Care Homes
Find out more about Safeguarding Adult Reviews and How to Make a Referral to the LSAB.
National Network for Chairs of Adult Safeguarding Boards
You can find all of the Safeguarding Adults Reviews published nationally in the National Network for Chairs of Adult Safeguarding Boards - SAR Library.
Partnership Compact and Strategic Business Plan 2025-2026
Introduction
This document describes how organisations and their representatives on the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) will work together in partnership to safeguard the residents of Lewisham in 2025-26. It is based on the statutory functions of Safeguarding Adults Boards as set out in the Care Act 2014, Care and Support Statutory Guidance.
Safeguarding means protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It is about people and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect, while at the same time making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action.
1.1 The aims of adult safeguarding:
• stop abuse or neglect wherever possible;
• prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs;
• safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control about how they want to live;
• promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned;
• raise public awareness so that communities as a whole, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing, identifying and responding to abuse and neglect;
• provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what to do to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult; and
• then address what has caused the abuse or neglect.
1.2 Six key principles underpin all adult safeguarding work:
• Empowerment – people being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and informed consent.
• Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs.
• Proportionality – the least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
• Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need.
• Partnership – local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse.
• Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.
1.3 Safeguarding duty: (this applies to an adult who)
• has needs for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.
2. What is abuse and / or neglect?
The criteria set out in section 1.3 above need to be met before the issue is considered as a concern under the statutory safeguarding duty. Exploitation is a common theme in the following list of the types of abuse and neglect.
• Physical abuse: including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint, or inappropriate physical sanctions.
• Domestic abuse: including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour’ based violence. A new definition is outlined in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 including a description of ‘personally connected’.
• Sexual abuse: including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.
• Sexual exploitation: This is when a sexual act takes place in exchange for things like food, shelter, protection, or to pay bills, and the victim may have been coerced or manipulated into this sexual act.
• Psychological abuse: including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.
• Financial or material abuse: including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
• Modern slavery: encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.
• Discriminatory abuse: including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion (including Hate Crimes).
• Organisational abuse: including neglect and poor care practice within an institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.
• Neglect and acts of omission: including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.
• Self-neglect: this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding.
3. The statutory functions of Safeguarding Adults Boards
As set out in Care and Support Statutory Guidance, each Safeguarding Adults Board should:
• identify the role, responsibility, authority, and accountability with regard to the action each agency and professional group should take to ensure the protection of adults;
• establish ways of analysing and interrogating data on safeguarding notifications that increase the SAB’s understanding of prevalence of abuse and neglect locally that builds up a picture over time;
• establish how it will hold partners to account and gain assurance of the effectiveness of its arrangements;
• determine its arrangements for peer review and self-audit;
• establish mechanisms for developing policies and strategies for protecting adults which should be formulated, not only in collaboration and consultation with all relevant agencies but also take account of the views of adults who have needs for care and support, their families, advocates and carer representatives;
• develop preventative strategies that aim to reduce instances of abuse and neglect in its area;
• identify types of circumstances giving grounds for concern and when they should be considered as a referral to the local authority as an enquiry;
• formulate guidance about the arrangements for managing adult safeguarding, and dealing with complaints, grievances and professional and administrative malpractice in relation to safeguarding adults (which includes whistleblowing: see 5.4.3 to 5.4.7 of the London Multi-Agency Adult Safeguarding Policy and Procedures);
• develop strategies to deal with the impact of issues of race, ethnicity, religion, gender and gender orientation, sexual orientation, age, disadvantage and disability on abuse and neglect;
• balance the requirements of confidentiality with the consideration that, to protect adults, it may be necessary to share information on a ‘need-to-know basis’;
• identify mechanisms for monitoring and reviewing the implementation and impact of policy and training;
• carry out Safeguarding Adults Reviews;
• produce a Strategic Plan and an Annual Report;
• evidence how SAB members have challenged one another and held other boards to account; and,
• promote multi-agency training and consider any specialist training that may be required; including considering any scope to jointly commission some training with other partnerships, such as the Lewisham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Board.
The Strategic Business Plan for 2025-26 sets out how the LSAB partner agencies will collectively prioritise and deliver these functions over the next 12 months.
4. Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) Terms of Reference
The LSAB works to prevent harm or neglect and to help those harmed by leading on and facilitating the following safeguarding adult activities for the borough:
• Strategic planning: activities such as consultation, setting goals and objectives, action planning and prioritisation, securing resources, tracking and review of implementation and goal achievement for safeguarding strategy. In addition, the LSAB will influence and link to strategic planning and commissioning across the partnership to advise and scrutinise in relation to safeguarding adults.
• Setting standards and guidance: activities such as setting standards to be achieved, developing policies and procedural guidance to guide practice towards those standards. Monitoring and auditing the implementation of these policies and procedures.
• Quality assurance: lead and ensure activities such as monitoring, audit and review of practice, review of serious cases, incorporation of research and national guidance are undertaken as required. Conducting audits to ensure the effectiveness of what is done by agencies individually and collectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults at risk. Commissioning Safeguarding Adults Reviews and / or other reviews of incidents or organisations when an adult dies or is seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is suspected or proven.
• Promoting participation: by people who use services and carers in safeguarding practice. Promoting awareness and action in the wider community.
• Awareness raising & publicity: activities such as public awareness campaigns, targeted publicity and educational strategies, raising awareness within services.
• Capacity building and training: activities such as training and workforce development.
• Relationship management: activities such as the negotiation and clarification of interagency roles and contributions, member agency compliance, troubleshooting and resolution of difficulties, liaison with wider partnerships and related areas of practice. In addition, undertake work as appropriate with the Lewisham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Board, Safer Lewisham Partnership and Lewisham Health and Wellbeing Board to ensure that policy and procedures, training and all other activities are co-ordinated and coherent.
4.1 Care and Support Statutory Guidance
Members of a SAB are expected to consider what assistance they can provide in supporting the Board in its work. This might be through payment to the local authority or to a joint fund established by the local authority to provide, for example, secretariat functions for the Board.
Members might also support the work of the SAB by providing administrative help, premises for meetings or holding training sessions. It is in all core partners’ interests to have an effective SAB that is resourced adequately to carry out its functions.
Members who attend in a professional and managerial capacity should be:
• able to present issues clearly in writing and in person;
• experienced in the work of their organisation;
• knowledgeable about the local area and population;
• have a thorough understanding of abuse and neglect and its impact;
• understand the pressures facing front line practitioners;
• able to explain their organisation’s priorities;
• able to promote the aims of the SAB; and,
• able to commit their organisation to agreed actions*.
While board members representing their organisations are expected to have the authority to commit their organisation to agreed actions, those board members representing Sub-Groups or non-service provider organisations may not have the relevant authority. In their case their role is to liaise between the Board and the Sub-Group and take back to their own organisations any proposals or recommendations for action.
Each member of SAB must co-operate and contribute to the carrying out of a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) with a view to:
a) identifying lessons to be learnt from the adult’s case, and
b) applying those lessons to future cases.
4.2 The responsibilities of members of the LSAB
The Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board has an Independent Chair and Deputy Chair from one of the Board’s partner agencies.
The LSAB expects board members to:
• develop and maintain effective working arrangements based on trust and mutual understanding;
• be an active partner in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk of harm or neglect;
• contribute to the LSAB financially or by providing staff for particular tasks;
• collate and provide management information as required by the LSAB and contribute to quality assurance arrangements;
• share information to safeguard adults in line with agreed information sharing arrangements;
• commit to the work of the Board by undertaking allocated tasks or sourcing the appropriate support from within their agency to undertake the work and contributing to discussions;
• identify and support staff to participate in the interagency activities of the LSAB through their active membership of the Sub-Groups and / or Task & Finish Groups, and to progress of the work of the Board between meetings;
• ensure that the policies, procedures, guidance, tools and resources in the Lewisham Adult Safeguarding Pathway are disseminated and acted upon in an effective way within their own organisations;
• ensure that communications are cascaded through organisations, services and to front-line staff as appropriate;
• represent the LSAB and its activities within their own organisation and within any groups they represent on the Board;
• report difficulties with own organisation and between organisations to the LSAB and work with partners to find effective solutions.
4.3 Organisations represented on the LSAB
- Age UK Lewisham and Southwark
- Change Grow Live (CGL)
- Department for Work and Pensions – South London District
- Healthwatch Lewisham
- Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
- Lewisham Adult Social Care
- Lewisham Speaking Up
- Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network (LRMN)
- Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP)
- Lewisham Housing Directorate
- Lewisham Adult Integrated Commissioning
- Lewisham Safer Communities
- London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- London Fire Brigade
- Metropolitan Police Service, Lewisham (South East BCU)
- National Probation Service, Lewisham and Bromley
- NHS South East London Integrated Care Service and Board
- South East London MIND
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
There will also be representatives from partner agencies on Sub-Groups
4.4 Governance and accountability
• The LSAB is responsible for ensuring organisations are meeting their safeguarding obligations effectively and will hold them to account if they are not.
• As individuals, Board members are accountable to their own agencies but the Board as a whole will be accountable to the Department of Health and Social Care, and provides reports locally to the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Healthier Communities Select Committee. Its work may be scrutinised periodically by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and is liable to be inspected at any time by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
• The Board, through the independent chair, is accountable to the Chief Executive of the Local Authority, the Chief Executive of the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Borough Commander of Police.
• These Executive Group of agencies may periodically meet to discuss the strategic direction of the Board, and additionally invite the London Fire Brigade Borough Commander, Chief Executive of Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust, and Chief Executive of the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to join this group.
4.5 Equality and fairness
• The LSAB operates and supports the principles that actively value the benefits of
diversity, fair treatment, and equal access to, and outcomes from local service delivery.
• The LSAB will seek, so far as it is practicable, to ensure equality of representation and participation in the local democratic process of which it is a part.
• The LSAB will, through its composition and ways of working, seek to inform, support, involve and give a voice to all sections of the local communities it serves, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of black, Asian and minority ethnic groups, faith communities and those living with a disability. It will seek to ensure an appropriate gender balance in its membership, so far as this is practicable.
4.6 Dispute resolution between LSAB Members – Inter Agency Escalation Policy
Having different professional perspectives within safeguarding practice is a sign of a healthy and well-functioning partnership. This is also an indicator of effective professional curiosity, which we know from evidence and research, is a crucial factor in being able to prevent adult abuse and neglect. These differences of opinion are usually resolved by discussion and negotiation between the practitioners concerned. It is essential that where differences of opinion arise, they do not adversely affect outcomes for ‘adults at risk’ and are resolved in a constructive manner.
Pro-active and assertive professional challenge and resolution is an integral part of Inter-agency co-operation and joint working to safeguard adults at risk; and it is important to:
- Ensure professional disputes do not increase the risk to the person or obscure the focus on the adult.
- Ensure professional disputes between agencies are resolved in a timely, open, and constructive manner.
- Identify problem areas in working together where there is a lack of clarity and to promote resolution via amendment to protocols, procedures, and practice.
Professionals should follow the guidelines outlined in the LSAB Inter-Agency Escalation Policy
4.7 Conflicts of interest
Whenever a representative has a conflict of interest in a matter to be decided upon, the representative concerned shall declare such interest at or before discussions begin on the matter. The Chair shall record the interest in the minutes of the meeting and that representative shall take no part in the decision-making process.
5. The operational structure of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board
5.1 The frequency of LSAB meetings
The Board meets four times a year. Board meeting dates will be set as far in advance as possible (normally 12 months) to ensure availability of all board members.
5.2 LSAB Sub-Groups
LSAB work activities are designed to achieve results in the most effective and efficient ways. This may include formal Sub-Groups meeting on a planned regular basis or through smaller specific Task and Finish Groups, workshops, or other consultative events.
Each Sub-Group have their own Terms of Reference (Appendices 3-4), are responsible for delivering specific LSAB Strategic Objectives, and may commission Task and Finish Groups to deliver specific pieces of work linked to these objectives. Members of these groups must understand the remit of the LSAB; that they are assisting the LSAB to meet its objectives; and have the capacity to undertake work for the Board.
Membership of these groups will reflect a range of agencies across Lewisham. They may also include individuals with specialist knowledge or the ability to add value to achieving and implementing planned objectives.
Members are expected to attend meetings; contribute to discussions and activities of the Sub-Group. They may be required to undertake agreed specific tasks, delivering these in a timely way, alerting the Sub-Group Chair or other identified lead officer in advance of any deadlines being missed.
Strategic Learning will be shared along with the Lewisham Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) and Safer Lewisham Partnership (SLP) to share the learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews, Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews, enabling higher level strategic objectives to be developed and shared.
5.3 Attendance
Individuals identified as Board, Sub-Group and / or Task and Finish Group members are expected to regularly attend meetings. Where there is unavoidable absence, all organisations should ensure that there is a suitable substitute representative from their agency.
5.4 Administrative arrangements for the LSAB
The agenda and associated papers for each Board meeting are issued no later than five working days before the meeting by the LSAB Administrator.
Minutes of LSAB Board meetings are taken by the LSAB Administrator and circulated within 15 working days of the meeting.
6. Review
These terms of reference will be reviewed as required in response to significant change in guidance, legislation, or member organisations.
Strategic Business Plan 2025-26
LSAB Strategic Business Plan 2025 - 2026
Board Meeting Minutes
On this page, you can find the minutes of the Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board meetings for the last 12 months, which have currently been approved.
Information Sharing
Adult Safeguarding: Sharing Information
Sharing the right information, at the right time, with the right people, is fundamental to good practice in safeguarding adults.
Frontline professionals and volunteers should always report safeguarding concerns in line with their organisation’s policy. Policies should be clear about how confidential information should be shared between departments in the same organisation.
For Safeguarding purposes sensitive or personal information sometimes needs to be shared between the Local Authority and its safeguarding partners (including GP’s, health, the police, service providers, housing, regulators and the Office of the Public Guardian). This may include information about individuals who are at risk, service providers or those who may pose a risk to others. It aims to enable partners to share information appropriately and lawfully in order to improve the speed and quality of safeguarding responses.
The Care Act emphasises the need to empower people, to balance choice and control for individuals against preventing harm and reducing risk, and to respond proportionately to safeguarding concerns. The Act deals with the role of the safeguarding adults board’s (SAB’s) in sharing strategic information to improve local safeguarding practice. Section 45 ‘the supply of information’ covers the responsibilities of others to comply with requests for information from the safeguarding adults board.
Sharing information between organisations as part of day-to-day safeguarding practice is already covered in the common law duty of confidentiality, The *EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the Data Protection Act, the Human Rights Act and the Crime and Disorder Act. The Mental Capacity Act is also relevant as all those coming into contact with adults with care and support needs should be able to assess whether someone has the mental capacity to make a decision concerning risk, safety or sharing information.
*Also see The UK GDPR | ICO for further information.
LSAB Information Sharing Agreement Jan 2024
Lewisham Safeguarding Adults Board (LSAB) has an information sharing agreement that includes the whole partnership.
LSAB Information Sharing Agreement Jan 2024
Appendix A: Template ‘information sharing request’ form
Appendix B: Template ‘information sharing decision and update’ form
It remains the responsibility of organisations and the professionals they employ to ensure that they have a basis for processing that meets common law requirements and the requirements of the GDPR; and for public bodies that they are acting within their powers.
Why do we need to share adult safeguarding information?
Organisations need to share safeguarding information with the right people at the right time to:
- Prevent death or serious harm,
- Co-ordinate effective and efficient responses,
- Enable early interventions to prevent the escalation of risk,
- Prevent abuse and harm that may increase the need for care and support,
- Maintain and improve good practice in safeguarding adults,
- Reveal patterns of abuse that were previously undetected and that could identify others at risk of abuse,
- Identify low-level concerns that may reveal people at risk of abuse,
- Help people to access the right kind of support to reduce risk and promote wellbeing,
- Help identify people who may pose a risk to others and, where possible, work to reduce offending behaviour,
- Reduce organisational risk and protect reputation.
False perceptions about needing consent to share safeguarding information
Some frontline professionals and their managers can be over-cautious about sharing personal information, particularly if it is against the wishes of the individual concerned. They may also be mistaken about needing consent to share safeguarding information. The risk of sharing information is often perceived as higher than it actually is. It is important that professionals consider the risks of not sharing safeguarding information when making decisions and that these decisions are recorded.
How to address false perceptions
- Raise awareness about responsibilities to share information (profession or work role-specific guidance may help),
- Encourage consideration of the risks of not sharing information,
- Brief staff and volunteers on the basic principles of confidentiality the *EU General Data Protection Regulation and data protection,
- Improve understanding of the Mental Capacity Act,
- Provide a contact number for staff and volunteers to raise concerns,
- Be clear in procedures about when to raise a safeguarding concern,
- Assure staff and volunteers that they do not necessarily need to have evidence to raise a concern.
*Also see The UK GDPR | ICO for further information.
Complex networks between safeguarding partner agencies
The local authority has the lead responsibility for safeguarding adults with care and support needs, and the police and the NHS also have clear safeguarding duties under the Care Act 2014. Clinical commissioning groups and the police will often have different geographical boundaries and different IT systems. Housing and social care providers will also provide services across boundaries.
The Care Act 2014 (Section 6 [7]) places duties on the local authority and its partners to cooperate in the exercise of their functions relevant to care and support including those to protect adults. The safeguarding adults board should ensure that it ‘has the involvement of all partners necessary to effectively carry out its duties’.
Below is a simple flowchart of the key principles for information sharing. You can also download this flowchart.
Sharing information to prevent abuse and neglect
Sharing information between organisations about known or suspected risks may help to prevent abuse taking place. The safeguarding adults board has a key role to play in sharing information and intelligence on both local and national threats and risks. The board’s annual report must provide information about any safeguarding adults reviews. This can include learning to inform future prevention strategies. Designated adult safeguarding managers ‘should also have a role in highlighting the extent to which their own organisation prevents abuse and neglect taking place’.
What if a person does not want you to share their information?
Frontline workers and volunteers should always share safeguarding concerns in line with their organisation’s policy, usually with their line manager or safeguarding lead in the first instance, except in emergency situations. As long as it does not increase the risk to the individual, the member of staff should explain to them that it is their duty to share their concern with their manager. The safeguarding principle of proportionality should underpin decisions about sharing information without consent, and decisions should be on a case-by-case basis.
Individuals may not give their consent to the sharing of safeguarding information for a number of reasons. For example, they may be frightened of reprisals, they may fear losing control, they may not trust social services or other partners or they may fear that their relationship with the abuser will be damaged.
If a person refuses intervention to support them with a safeguarding concern, or requests that information about them is not shared with other safeguarding partners, their wishes should be respected. However, there are a number of circumstances where the practitioner can reasonably override such a decision, including:
- You have a lawful basis for sharing without consent under the GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018,
- The individual lacks the mental capacity to make that decision – this must be properly explored and recorded in line with the Mental Capacity Act,
- Other people are, or may be, at risk, including children sharing the information could prevent a crime,
- The alleged abuser has care and support needs and may also be at risk,
- A serious crime has been committed staff are implicated,
- The person has the mental capacity to make that decision but they may be under duress or being coerced,
- The risk is unreasonably high and meets the criteria for a multi-agency risk assessment conference referral,
- You have a legal obligation.
If none of the above apply and the decision is not to share safeguarding information with other safeguarding partners, or not to intervene to safeguard the person:
- Support the person to weigh up the risks and benefits of different options,
- Ensure they are aware of the level of risk and possible outcomes,
- Agree on and record the level of risk the person is taking,
- Offer to arrange for them to have an advocate or peer supporter,
- Offer support for them to build confidence and self-esteem if necessary,
- Record the reasons for not intervening or sharing information,
- Regularly review the situation,
- Try to build trust and use gentle persuasion to enable the person to better protect themselves.
If it is necessary to share information outside the organisation:
- Explore the reasons for the person’s objections – what are they worried about?
- Explain the concern and why you think it is important to share the information,
- Tell the person who you would like to share the information with and why,
- Explain the benefits, to them or others, of sharing information – could they access better help and support?
- Discuss the consequences of not sharing the information – could someone come to harm?
- Reassure them that the information will not be shared with anyone who does not need to know,
- Reassure them that they are not alone and that support is available to them.
If the person cannot be persuaded to give their consent then, unless it is considered dangerous to do so, it should be explained to them that the information will be shared without consent. The reasons should be given and recorded.
It is very important that the risk of sharing information is also considered. In some cases, such as domestic violence or hate crime, it is possible that sharing information could increase the risk to the individual. Safeguarding partners need to work jointly to provide advice, support and protection to the individual in order to minimise the possibility of worsening the relationship or triggering retribution from the abuser.
What if a safeguarding partner is reluctant to share information?
There are only a limited number of circumstances where it would be acceptable not to share information pertinent to safeguarding with relevant safeguarding partners. Safeguarding adults boards set clear policies for dealing with conflict on information sharing. If there is continued reluctance from one partner to share information on a safeguarding concern the matter would be referred to the board. It can then consider whether the concern warrants a request, under Clause 45 of the Care Act, for the ‘supply of information’. Then the reluctant party would only have grounds for refusal if it would be ‘incompatible with their own duties or have an adverse effect on the exercise of their functions’.