The Safeguarding and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 9 January 2025 to review the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board's Annual Report and to discuss updates to their work programme. Key discussions included the effectiveness of safeguarding practices, the analysis of safeguarding data, and the ongoing work to improve responses to self-neglect and transitions between services.

Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adults Safeguarding Partnership Board – Annual Report

The committee reviewed the Annual Report of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Adult Safeguarding Partnership Board (SSASPB) for the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. Adrian Green, the current Chairman of the SSASPB, presented the report, highlighting the Board's work in various areas.

Key points from the report included:

• Police Work: The report detailed the Police's Pit Stop pilot, the restructure of their public protection unit, and the introduction of the Right Care, Right Person initiative.
• Safer Custody: Assurances were sought regarding adherence to the Care Act principles within prisons.
• Out of Area Placements: The report noted an increase in out-of-area placements.
• Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS): While a backlog remains, performance has significantly improved with increased training and capacity.
• Audits and Reviews: The report detailed the number and range of audits undertaken, including the inclusion of mental health capacity questions in future audits. Audits identified issues such as the need for lead professionals, lack of follow-up on referrals, concerns about line of sight in remote interactions, and disparate IT systems across agencies.
• Serious Case Reviews (SARs): Seven SAR referrals were received, with one meeting the threshold for an independent inquiry. Three others led to single-agency learning. The report also summarised published SARs, including Gillian (self-neglect and bereavement), Frank and Elsie (sexual activity in care homes), and Treacey (spanning 1991-2023).
• Sub-group Work: The engagement sub-group's work on raising awareness and understanding of self-neglect was highlighted.
• Training: The range and uptake of training were discussed.
• Strategic Priorities: Making Safeguarding Personal was identified as a core priority.
• Self-Neglect: Work around self-neglect and the challenges faced when individuals refuse services were discussed.
• Risks: The report acknowledged risks related to out-of-area placements, discharge, and transitions between services.
• Data Quality: Improvements in data quality regarding hidden harms were noted, with Staffordshire participating in the Dynamic Support Register for complex and co-occurring issues.
• Referral Data: Staffordshire received 15,810 concerns, a high figure compared to national averages. 17% of these were repeat concerns, with approximately 19% converted to Section 42 enquiries, below the national average of 29%. The committee was reassured that concerns were not being missed, but acknowledged potential capacity impacts.
• Referrals from Other Agencies: Concerns raised by the Police and Ambulance services, even if not meeting referral thresholds, were noted as contributing to a broader understanding of risk.
• Demographics: The age range, environment, and reasons for concerns raised were discussed.
• Financial Assessments: Improvements were needed in the timeliness of financial assessments.

The committee raised concerns about the proportion of referrals not meeting the Section 42 threshold, questioning whether these individuals still received adequate support. They were informed that conversion rates vary by local authority procedures, and while Staffordshire's high number of concerns indicated thoroughness, it could impact capacity. The committee also queried repeat referral figures, understanding they related to the same incident or circumstances, and that different incidents were also monitored.

Concerns were raised again regarding the inability to protect individuals who refuse services, a complex area where the Care Act defines protection as directly linked to care and support needs. The balance between risk and an individual's right to make decisions and have control over their lives was discussed. The Mental Capacity Act was mentioned as a mechanism for court requests when mental capacity is a concern.

The committee expressed concern about the 4% of referrals where ethnicity was unknown, fearing this could mask issues within smaller ethnic minority groups. Changes to ethnicity recording were hoped to address this. Assurances were given that improvements would be seen within a year, and that equality and understanding communities were key strategic priorities for the SSASPB.

The committee noted that transitions between services were a new strategic priority for the Board. Details of the DoLS backlog were presented, with assurances that the situation was improving, and Staffordshire's performance was strong compared to national comparators.

Regarding training expenditure, the committee learned that the SSASPB does not deliver its own training but monitors the content and quality of training provided by agencies. A new training academy had been developed for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, with a similar approach for care sector providers.

The committee noted that most referrals not meeting the Section 42 threshold originated from care providers, and training aimed to improve referral appropriateness. Referrals from the Police, even if initially below the threshold, could contribute to a more comprehensive risk assessment. The SSASPB Chairman confirmed that referring a concern to another service should not be considered a final outcome, and some oversight should be maintained by the referring agency.

Resolved: The committee welcomed the SSASPB Annual Report, agreed that their feedback would inform the SSASPB's future work, and thanked the SSASPB Chairman for his presentation.

Work Programme

The committee considered proposed amendments to their work programme for 2024/25.

• The meeting scheduled for 28 November 2024 was cancelled due to delays in Department for Education attainment figures and challenges accessing data from Capita. A new meeting was scheduled for 21 March 2025.
• A written update on ILACs had been requested as a substitute for a report due in November, with a further report to be included on the February agenda.
• An additional meeting was scheduled for 12 February as a joint session with the Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider proposals for a new social care management system.
• The proposed joint working group on SEND Preparation for Adulthood was to be delayed until after the anticipated SEND inspection, allowing for a more targeted approach once inspection findings were available.
• The Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report would be published and shared in the New Year.

Resolved: The changes to the work programme were agreed.