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Gateshead Council

  

The list below gives a comperehensive list of what the SAPB is Responsible for:

Objectives

1. Develop effective inter-agency policies and procedures for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk
2. Provide support and guidance to communities and organisations to ensure that in Gateshead we are actively identifying and preventing the circumstances in which neglect and abuse occur and promoting the welfare and interests of adults at risk.
3. Raise awareness, knowledge and understanding of abuse and neglect in order that communities and organisations know how to respond effectively and coherently.
4. Engage and encourage dialogue with other partnerships with responsibilities for the safety and welfare of all adults, so that we are all able to respond effectively to safeguarding risks.
5. Ensure that adults at risk who use services we provide or commission are safe and their care and treatment is appropriate to their needs.
6. Ensure that each organisation has systems in place that evidence that they discharge their functions in ways that safeguard adults at risk.
7. Become a Board that together learns and shares lessons from national and local experience and research.
8. Develop systems to audit and evaluate the impact and quality of safeguarding work.
9. Develop and maintain a strong and evolving network of stakeholders including adults at risk, their carers and advocates and service providers.
10. Promote best practice in prevention and investigation by learning from and contributing to national research and policy development.  Ensure that this is acted upon.
11. Undertake joint serious case reviews when it is confirmed or there is strong evidence to suggest that an adult at risk has died, been significantly harmed or put at serious risk as a result of abuse or neglect.

Statement of Purpose

To establish agreed policies and strategies which underpin partnership working in order to increase our individual and joint capacity to:

• Prevent abuse and neglect happening within the community and in service settings.
• Promote the safeguarding interests of adults at risk  to enable their wellbeing and safety.
• Respond effectively and consistently to instances of abuse and neglect.

Principles

The SAPB is committed to:

• Ensuring that all safeguarding initiatives and services are available to all adults covered by the policy regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age disability or illness.
• Promoting the human rights principles of Fairness, Respect, Equality and Dignity especially in relation to adults at risk who need support or services to enable their well being, independence and choice.
• Empowering adults at risk to make choices regarding their own independence well being and safety, even when this may involve a degree of risk.
• Evaluating our policies and practices to guard against disadvantaging any group and to ensure that all adults have fair access to services and support.
• Taking timely and effective action to safeguard individuals including use of the criminal and civil law