Abuse is mistreatment by any other person that violates your human and civil rights.
If you are being abused or suspect that someone you know may be the victim of abuse contact our Safeguarding Team on 01234 276222.
Your concerns will be taken seriously and will receive prompt attention.
Report abuse to Bedford Borough Council
Safeguarding Adults Team
Tel: 01234 276222
Email: adult.protection@bedford.gov.uk
For after hours emergencies only contact Tel: 0300 300 8123
Report abuse to Bedfordshire Police
Non-emergency out of hours: 101
In an emergency: 999
The Safeguarding Partnership Board raises awareness and promotes the welfare of adults.
The Board is committed to having an effective protection system for safeguarding adults. Membership comes from a wide range of public and voluntary services and other organisations.
The Bedford Borough Safeguarding Adults Team is based at: Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford, MK42 9AP.
For more information, enquiries and advice contact the Bedford Safeguarding Adults Team:
Tel: 01234 276222
Email: adult.protection@bedford.gov.uk
For after hours emergencies only telephone: 0300 300 8123.
Each local authority has established a multi-agency partnership to lead 'Safeguarding Adults' work.
Accountability
The Safeguarding Adults Partnership leads the development of Safeguarding Work.
The partnership is accountable to:
- the Bedford and Central Bedfordshire Strategic Partnerships through their Adult Health and Wellbeing thematic partnership boards, which are responsible for providing vision and strategic leadership to ensure that high quality outcomes are secured for the population
- elected members of the two councils through the appropriate scrutiny committee whose role is to hold the Executive to account and carry out policy review and development.
Accountability for leading the creation and maintenance of the Partnership is located with the Local Authority and designated to the Directors of Adult Social services.
Purpose of Board
To provide strategic multi agency leadership to ensure that adults in Bedfordshire are appropriately safeguarded by
- preventing abuse and neglect from happening
- promoting wellbeing and safety and
- responding effectively to instances of abuse and neglect
Objectives of Board
- To develop, implement and review effective interagency policies and procedures for safeguarding adults aged 18 and over who are or may be eligible for community care services, who because of age, disability or illness may not be able to effectively protect themselves from abuse or neglect or seek support.
- To raise awareness, knowledge and understanding of abuse and neglect in order that communities and organisations know how to respond effectively and coherently.
- To ensure that vulnerable adults who use services we provide or commission or that operate in the Board’s area are safe and their care and treatment is appropriate to their needs.
- To ensure that each organisation has systems in place that evidence they discharge their functions in ways that safeguard vulnerable adults.
- To develop and maintain a strong and evolving network of stakeholders including vulnerable adults, their carers and advocates.
- To become a Board that together learns and shares lessons from national and local experience and research.
- To oversee local safeguarding activity and information sharing and evaluate the impact and quality of safeguarding work. To monitor data on the incidence of abuse and the outcomes of investigation.
- To establish a training programme for staff, volunteers, service users and carers and monitor its implementation and effectiveness.
- To develop and implement an annual business plan, ensuring that all agencies and organisations involved make an appropriate contribution to the achievement of Board objectives.
- To ensure that effective links exist between the Safeguarding Adults Board and other Boards with related agendas including Children’s Safeguarding, Supporting People, Community Safety, and Local Strategic Partnerships.
- To undertake serious case reviews where an adult has died, been significantly harmed or put at serious risk as a result of confirmed or suspected abuse or neglect.
Membership
Elected representatives of Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils
Senior representatives of:
- Bedford Borough Council
- Bedfordshire Victim Support
- Central Bedfordshire Council
- VoiceAbility
- Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG)
- Voluntary Sector
- South Essex Partnership Trust (SEPT)
- The Home Owners Federation
- Bedford Hospital Acute Trust
- Bedfordshire Domiciliary Care Association
- Luton and Dunstable Acute Trust
- Healthwatch
- Bedfordshire Police
- Domestic Abuse Team
- Bedfordshire Probation Service
- Supporting People
- Bedfordshire Community Health Services
- Community Safety
- Service users (with support)
- Children’s Safeguarding Board
- Care Quality Commission
Sub-groups
An Operational Sub-group exists to support the work of the Safeguarding Board, by realising and informing the strategic direction set by the Board and considering key safeguarding themes for vulnerable adults. The operational sub-group will meet at least 6 times per year to prepare material for the Safeguarding Board and ensure that actions arising from the Board are put into practice.
Task and Finish Groups will be convened on an ad hoc basis to undertake specific projects for the Board or undertaken serious case reviews.
Safeguarding Adults Operational Sub-group
Role and function
To support the work of the Safeguarding Board, by realising and informing the strategic direction set by the Board and considering key safeguarding themes for vulnerable adults:
- Preventing abuse and neglect by commissioning and providing safe and high quality services
- Responding to abuse and neglect by monitoring and reviewing incidents of abuse
- Informing and implementing safeguarding activity within all organisations to embed safeguarding awareness into mainstream activity
- Ensure the voice of vulnerable adults is heard
- Ensure that working groups and individuals are delegated activity to deliver the objectives of the Safeguarding Board and that these tasks are competed on time and to the appropriate standard for consideration by the safeguarding Board
- Develop and monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures for agreement by the Safeguarding Board within the framework of evolving national policy, guidance and legislation and make recommendations to the Board
To convene and oversee working groups to develop good practice and carry forward the key tasks set by the operational board.
Such groups to include:
- A training and professional development working group – to operate and review a multi agency cross sector training programme. This group will meet at least once per year and more frequently where required, to review the outcomes and effectiveness of training provided, establish a programme for the year and implement the training elements of the improvement plan
- A policy and procedure working group – to review and update the multi-agency safeguarding procedures. This group will meet at least once per year and more frequently where required, to review the outcomes and effectiveness of safeguarding procedures in Bedford and Central Bedfordshire and implement the policy and procedure elements of the improvement plan
- A practice and performance working group – to manage Safeguarding performance and quality. This group will meet at least once per year and more frequently where required to implement the practice and performance elements of the improvement plan
- Task and finish groups to undertake specific projects on behalf of the Safeguarding Board or operational sub-group
- Serious Care Review groups to undertake serious case reviews where an adult has died, been significantly harmed or put at serious risk as a result of confirmed or suspected abuse or neglect
Membership
Second or third tier officers representing the membership of the Safeguarding Board SOVA leads for Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council. Chaired by an Assistant Director of Bedford Borough Council or Central Bedfordshire Council.