Tuesday 21 November 2023
Let’s start talking – taking the lead on safeguarding in your organisation
This week is Safeguarding Adults Week. During this week, we'll be sharing daily bulletins with you, related to the Ann Craft Trust themes.
Yesterday we looked at your role in safeguarding adults, and how we can collectively raise awareness of adult safeguarding. Today, we're thinking about how we can ensure that we have good safeguarding processes in place, and that people within your organisation feel confident to express, and act upon, their concerns. The topic for today is 'Let's start talking - taking the lead on safeguarding in your organisation'.
For you, and your organisation, today's theme might mean focussing on:
- how you can enable people to feel confident to raise their concerns around adult safeguarding.
- what you can do if there is a difference of opinion about how to progress with an adult safeguarding matter.
- creating a safer organisational culture to promote the wellbeing of staff, volunteers, and the people they support.
- how you can engage in continuous learning and reflection.
To support your practice in these areas, we have a range of procedures, protocols, and guidance available.
Safeguarding Thresholds: Guidance for Professionals
To give practitioners confidence in their decision-making ability around adult safeguarding concerns, we have published a pan-Sussex Safeguarding Thresholds document. This document provides professionals with examples of the different categories of issues, and the best course of action for non-reportable, requires consultation, and reportable issues:
Sussex Safeguarding Escalation and Resolution Protocol
If, having followed the Safeguarding Thresholds, or reporting a safeguarding concern, you experience disagreements or issues arising between professionals and agencies in relation to adult safeguarding, we have the Sussex Safeguarding Escalation and Resolution Protocol. The protocol includes guidance in relation to Mental Capacity issues and safeguarding, and has a streamlined escalation process that explicitly ensures relevant safeguarding leads are consulted at an appropriate point:
Whistleblowing
For all professionals and staff working across our partnership, it’s important that safeguarding concerns are raised via the formal adult safeguarding referral pathway. However, in some instances, in order to create a safer organisational working culture, both for staff and the people they support, issues will be raised through a whistleblowing process. On our 'Whistleblowing' webpage, you will find information about whistleblowing, including information about whistleblowing policies, and where to access more information about whistleblowing.
Continual professional development
As professionals, we understand the importance of continual professional development, including reflecting on what we've learned, how it will impact our practice, and ultimately, how it will contribute to improved outcomes for the people we work with. Take the lead in your organisation by promoting our learning resources, as well as our Continual Professional Development Reflective Log:
For more information about the topics mentioned in this bulletin, visit the following websites:
- For more information on whistleblowing visit 'Whistleblowing for employees' on the .Gov.uk website.
- To access safeguarding training via the West Sussex County Council's Learning Pool, visit the
For more information on today's theme, or any of the themes from this week, visit the Ann Craft Trust website.
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