A report presenting the Committee with the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2020/21.

The Executive Director of Social Care and Health submitted a report which would form the Council’s submission to the Berkshire West Annual Report 2020/21 and would be incorporated with partners contributions with the approved action plan.  The Council’s Safeguarding Performance Data was attached to the report in Appendix A and the Council’s Safeguarding Achievements were set out in Appendix B.

The report explained that the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) had to lead adult safeguarding arrangements across its authority and oversee and coordinate the effectiveness of the safeguarding work of its member and partner agencies.  The overarching purpose of a SAB was to safeguard adults with health and social care needs and it did this by assuring itself that local safeguarding arrangements were in place, as defined by the Care Act 2014 and statutory guidance.  The Berkshire West Annual Report 2020/21, when it was approved by the SAB, would detail what it aimed to achieve on behalf of the residents of Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham during 2020/21.  This was both as a partnership and through the work of its participating partners.  It provided a picture of who was safeguarded across the area, in what circumstances and why and outlined the role and values of the SAB, it ongoing work and future priorities.

A summary of the Council’s Safeguarding Performance Data was set out in the report and included the following:

·         In 2020/21 31% of safeguarding concerns (493) had led to a section 42 enquiry, a reduction compared to 2019/20 and comparable with authorities across West Berkshire;

·         In 2020/21 56% (244) of section 42 enquiries that had been reported had related to older people over 65 years old;

·         More women were subject to a safeguarding enquiry than men, as in previous years, but the gap had narrowed to only 4%;

·         80% of section 42 enquiries were for individual whose ethnicity was White.  There had been an increase to 20% in section 42 enquiries for individuals whose ethnicity was Mixed, Asian. Black or other.  This continued to be the focus of work for all partners in view of the demographic profile of Reading;

·         As in previous years the most common type of abuse for concluded section 42 enquiries were for Neglect and Acts of Omission.  This was followed by Financial or Material abuse, Physical abuse and Psychological abuse;

·         As in previous years the most common locations where the alleged abuse took place were a person’s own home and a care home.

The report stated that a major achievement for Adult Social care had been to secure funding of £58,030 from the Social Impact Voluntary and Community Grant to develop a hoarding pathway.  The grant would be used to develop a multi-agency hoarding and self-neglect procedure and pathway.  The reason for applying for the grant had been based on activity data that had been collected during the Covid-19 pandemic that had identified individuals who needed help to address their hoarding and self-neglect were reported when their situation had often become acute.  It was expected that the funding for the project would be targeted at:

·         Promoting independence and support of a group of people who had often refused support and were hard to engage;

·         Increase access to services to support mental wellbeing, reduce social isolation and stigma;

·         Increase access to community and health services;

·         Prevent crisis and hospital admissions through preventative work;

·         Enabling people to stay healthy and active in their community and at home.

Finally, the report set out the aspirations for 2021/22 which would be as follows:

·         To continue to seek assurance that all agencies were clear about their obligations to deliver adult safeguarding activity which prevented abuse, crime, neglect, self-neglect and exploitation;

·         To continue wot seek assurance that agency obligations were supported by clear processes which directly supported the West Berkshire Multi-Agency Safeguarding Policy and Procedures as a model of good practice;

·         Work would be carried out with each other and collaboratively to maximise multi-agency practice to reduce risk and improve lives;

·         Public awareness would be raised about and for adults at risk, what could be done to help, how communities could raise concerns and how the work of the Board was vital for planning, assurance, oversight, transparency and accountability;

·         Ensure that the voices of adults at risk were sought, heard. Listened to and acted upon and that engagement took place with local communities ensuring the service was transparent about what it was saying it was going to do and how it would be measured.

The Committee discussed the report and asked that an update report on the work that had been carried out in respect of hoarding be submitted to the summer 2022 meeting.

With regard to providing support for individuals whose ethnicity was Mixed, Asian. Black or other Seona Douglas, Executive Director of Social Care and Health, explained that a new member of staff had been employed recently and was carrying out a review of safeguarding and this issue including, the issue around language and what was available on the Council’s website.  Work had also been carried out with the voluntary sector to reach these communities.

Resolved –

(1)     That the report be noted as the Council’s contribution to the Berkshire West Safeguarding Board Annual Report

(2)     That an update report on the work that had been carried out in respect of hoarding be submitted to the summer 2022 meeting.