Adult safeguarding procedure

In the late 1980's, as a social worker, I became involved in working with an older woman who was being systematically abused by her son. At this time abuse of vulnerable adults was not understood in the way that it is now and my colleagues and I searched for advice about what to do and found nothing to help us help this older woman.

In the intervening 20 years a lot has changed. No Secrets has ensured that safeguarding vulnerable adults is high on the agenda and almost every authority in the country now has procedures in place to respond to such abuse. Twenty years ago, as a social worker, I needed procedures to help me work with that very difficult situation.

These procedures have been written to help and support you to respond to the abuse of vulnerable adults. They are a place to guide you through stressful and complex situations which are inevitably fraught with difficult decisions and dilemmas.

Salford is very much at the forefront of safeguarding vulnerable adults and is forging a path that others are following. This is evidenced by the extent of partnership working that is taking place in Salford which is remarkable and in many respects is unprecedented. Each agency in Salford is investing time and resources in protecting vulnerable adults and are working together with this single objective.

These investigating procedures are the product of this partnership working and they should offer you the help and support that you need to effectively protect some of the most vulnerable people in our city.

Steve Pugh
Chair
Salford Adult Safeguarding Executive Committee