Resources and guidance
Below you will find a wide range of resources and guidance for professionals from national and local services.
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Safeguarding
Open or CloseEngagement
Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board endorse the 8 Principles of Engagement set out in this fantastic video from Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board:
AutismWhat is the Autism Spectrum? Who can help with Autism? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions about autism here: OSAB Frequently Asked Questions - Autism
Safeguarding Signs to look for during the Covid-19 Pandemic
A HM Government leaflet detailing what kind of signs to look out for to protect both children and adults at risk of harm and abuse can be viewed here.
Elder Abuse Awareness
Elder abuse is a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person. Elder abuse can take various forms such as financial, physical, psychological and sexual. Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board is pleased to share the video and leaflet below to raise awareness of Elder Abuse.
Elder Abuse Awareness Day Leaflet v3.pdf
Elder Abuse Awareness and OSAB Frequently Asked Questions
What is Elder Abuse? And, who can help? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions about Elder Abuse here: OSAB Elder Abuse Frequently Asked QuestionsPressure Ulcers and the interface with a Safeguarding Enquiry Safeguarding Adults Protocol
This protocol f rom the Department of Health and Social Care helps practitioners and managers across health and care organisations to provide caring and quick responses to people at risk of developing pressure ulcers. It also offers a process for the clinical management of harm removal and reduction where ulcers occur, considering if an adult safeguarding response is necessary.
Making Decisions on the Duty to Carry Out Safeguarding Adults Enquiries
The Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) have produced a framework to offer support in making decisions about whether or not a reported safeguarding adults concern requires an enquiry under the Section 42 duty of the Care Act (2014).
Bereavement
Bereavement Support: A Short Guide from OSAB
OSAB have compiled a short guide containing links and telephone numbers to both local and national services offering support with grief and bereavement: OSAB National and Local Bereavement Support.pdf. Thank you to Healthwatch Oldham for their support with this.Suicide Bereavement UK
Suicide Bereavement UK provide resources for anyone bereaved or affected by suicide, for professionals supporting them and for anyone with a personal or professional interest in suicide bereavement support here.
The National Suicide Bereavement Report 2020: From Grief to Hope
One of the government priorities ‘to provide better information and support to those bereaved or affected by suicide’. However, knowledge and understanding of effective postvention support is limited in the UK. The University of Manchester, in collaboration with Support After Suicide Partnership have completed a study aimed at addressing this knowledge gap, to help inform and guide policy and practice in this newly developing field. Read the full report here and view BBC News item on the report here.National Competency Framework for Safeguarding Adults
This framework sets out minimum standards a professional should seek to demonstrate in practice when safeguarding adults.
National Competency Framework for Safeguarding Adults – comprehensive version
National Competency Framework for Safeguarding Adults – concise versionProfessional Curiosity and Disguised Compliance
Research in Practice have produced a Stratefic Briefing in relation to Professional Curiousity: Professional Curiosity in Safeguarding Adults - Research in Practice Strategic Briefing.pdf
Find further information about Disguised Compliance here: Disguised Compliance Information.pdf
Hidden Harms
HM Government released a report following the Prime Minister's Virtual Summit on Hidden Harms in June 2020. The report can be found here.
Child Exploitation
Child exploitation disruption toolkit
HM Government have produced a toolkit primarily aimed at frontline staff working to safeguard children and young people under the age of 18 from sexual and criminal exploitation. It is intended to help all safeguarding partners to understand and access existing legislative opportunities at their disposal and to target specific risks, ranging from warning notices to offence charges and care orders.Carers
Supporting Adult Carers: A Quick Guide
Social Care Institute of Excellence (SCIE) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have produced a quick guide to supporting people who provide unpaid care for adults with health or social care needs. This quick guide is for social care practitioners. Take a look here.Carers and Safeguarding: a Briefing for People who Work with Carers
The Local Government Association (LGA) have produced a new briefing as an update of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) Advice note 'Carers and Safeguarding Adults' produced in 2011 for frontline workers and brings it in line with the Care Act 2014. The briefing will support the improvement in practice regarding safeguarding adults as well as safeguarding their carers. Take a look here.OSAB 7-Minute Briefing: The Importance of Identifying and Valuing Carers
Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB) are pleased to share an essential 7-Minute Briefing about the importance of identifying and valuing carers with all partner organisations in Oldham. This briefing has been produced following two statutory safeguarding reviews undertaken by OSAB which identified the needed for greater awareness and recognition of unpaid carers and subsequently a need to ensure appropriate support is in place for them. Take a look here. -
Legislation
Open or CloseCare Act
Care Act 2014 Statutory Guidance
The legal framework for the Care Act 2014 is supported by this statutory guidance. It provides information and guidance about how the Care Act works in practice. The guidance has statutory status which means there is a legal duty to have regard to it when working with adults (with care and support needs) and carers.Mental Capacity Act
Mental Capacity Toolkit
Bournemouth University and Burdett Trust for Nursing have been created materials to help support health and social care professionals working with individuals whose decision-making capacity is limited, fluctuating, absent or compromised. This toolkit brings together information from a range of professionals working in the field of mental capacity to provide a comprehensive guide to practice.Mental Capacity Act 2005 Code of Practice
The legal framework provided by the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is supported by this Code of Practice, which provides guidance and information about how the Act works in practice. The Code has statutory force, which means that certain categories of people have a legal duty to have a regard to it when working with or caring for adults who may lack capacity to make decision for themselves.Promoting Less Restrictive Practice: Reducing Restrictions Tool
This Local Government Association (LGA) and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) tool aims to help practitioners identify restrictions in a person’s care, in order to examine whether the care is the ‘least restrictive’ possible, as required by the Mental Capacity Act. It can also be used as part of care planning to ‘promote liberty and autonomy’ in care plans.National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice Guidance
The National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice have produced the following guidance related to the Mental Capacity Act:
Guidance on the use of the Mental Capacity Act for decisions regarding clinical treatment and care: An introduction
Mental Capacity Act requirements for clinical decisions regarding treatment and care
Mental Capacity Act requirements when an individual lacks the mental capacity to consent to treatment and care
National Mental Capacity Act Competency FrameworkAdvocacy
Independent Mental Capacity Advocates (IMCAs) are a safeguard for people who lack capacity to make some important decisions. The IMCA role is to support and represent the person in the decision-making process. Essentially they make sure that the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is being followed.Information about the IMCA service provided by NCompass: IMCA Hub Professionals Leaflet.pdf
Liberty Protection Safeguards (Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act)
Liberty Protection Safeguards Guidance
The Department of Health and Social Care have produced guidance in relation to the key changes introduced by the Liberty Protection Safeguards planned to come into force in April 2022.Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS): Looking forwards
As part of their work to support the social care sector to prepare and embed LPS within everyday practice, SCIE has produced a short video to encourage the sector to consider how LPS will seek to promote practice which aligns with human rights and the core principles and duties of the Care Act 2014:Human Rights Act
OSAB Adult Safeguarding & Human Rights One-Page Guide
The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to. It incorporates the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into domestic British law. This One-Page Summary highlights the four articles that you need to be aware of in relation to safeguarding adults at risk: OSAB Adult Safeguarding & Human Rights One-Page Guide.pdfModern Slavery Act
Modern Slavery Act 2015 Statutory Guidance
The legal framework provided by the Modern Slavery Act 2015 is supported by this statutory guidance. The guidance describes the signs that someone may be a victim of modern slavery, the support available to victims, and the process for determining whether someone is a victim and how to support them. -
Physical Abuse
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Domestic Abuse
Open or CloseDomestic Abuse Prevention Programme
TLC: Talk, Listen, Change deliver a wide range of services designed to help people have safe, healthy and happy relationships. They have a Domestic Abuse Prevention Programme in Oldham. The programme helps men who have been violent or abusive in their intimate relationships to change their behaviour. Take a look at this leaflet containing more information for professionals: TLC Domestic Abuse Service - Information for Professionals.pdf
TLC also offer support to partners or ex-partners of men on the programme. Take a look at this leaflet for more information: TLC Domestic Abuse Service - Partner Support Programme.pdf
The referral form for both Adults and Young People is on their website here: Make an appointment or referral.
Domestic Abuse Helpline
The Greater Manchester Domestic Abuse Helpline is launching a brand new freephone telephone number. This will allow more victims of Domestic Abuse and violence to contact them for free and in confidence. Victims of Domestic Abuse, professionals, and worried friends and family can call for free Monday–Friday 10:00-16:00 on 0800 254 0909.
The Greater Manchester Domestic Abuse Helpline is ran by Independent Choices Greater Manchester (ICGM); a Greater Manchester-based professional organisation, with over 40 years experience supporting, advising and working with victims and survivors of Domestic Abuse. Their helpline is a vital service and is often the first port of call for many people. Find out more here: Independent Choices Greater Manchester (domesticabusehelpline.co.uk).Domestic Abuse Guidance
Research in Practice Coercive Control Website
Research in Practice have worked with partners to develop a website for social workers and other health and social care practitioners to develop their knowledge and skills in working with situations of coercive control.
Oldham Community Safety and Cohesion Partnership Domestic Homicide Reviews
Oldham Community Safety and Cohesion Partnership undertake statutory Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. A DHR is a locally conducted multi-agency review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by:- a person to whom he or she was related, or with whom he or she was or had been in an intimate personal relationship; or,
- a member of the same household as himself or herself.
See more detail on the government website: Domestic Homicide Review - GOV.UK
The 7-Minute Briefing below has been produced following completion of a DHR in relation to 'James'.
Oldham DHR 'James' 7-Minute Briefing.pdfLGA and ADASS Guide
The Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) have produced a guide to support practitioners and managers.Community Care Inform guide for social workers on working with domestic abuse, substance use and mental ill health
This resource may also be beneficial for healthcare practitioners. The guide explores the prevalence of co-existing domestic abuse, substance use and mental ill health, and the impact of multiple parental difficulties; provides a list of indicators that a child is living with these three issues; and gives examples of conversations, case studies and practice tips. The guide can be downloaded here.Community Care Inform guide for social workers to identify coercive and controlling behaviour
The guide briefly explores what coercive and controlling behaviour looks like, and when it occurs, with specific sections on threats and humiliation, financial abuse, surveillance and deprivation. It also discusses the specifics of abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships and the effects of coercive control on children. It contains a number of practice tips that may help you and your practice. The guide can be downloaded here.Message from the Northern Care Alliance's Safeguarding Team
Members of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Group's Safeguarding Team have prepared the short Domestic Abuse video below. Clare Kelly, Assistant Director of Nursing for Safeguarding Children, and Jane McKenzie, Specialist Nurse for Domestic Abuse, discuss what Domestic Abuse is and who to contact for help.Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Guidance
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office has published guidance for professionals concerning how to protect, advise and support victims of forced marriage. The guidance includes a leaflet: What Is Forced Marriage.pdfPractical Guide to obtaining a Female Genital Mutilation or Forced Marriage Protection Order
HM Courts and Tribunals Service and West Midlands Police have produced a Practical Guide to obtaining a Female Genital Mutilation or Forced Marriage Protection Order.Multi-agency practice guidelines: Handling cases of Forced Marriage
HM Government have produced multi-agency practice guidelines: for handling cases of Forced Marriage.People with Learning Disabilities experiencing Domestic Abuse
Carmarthenshire County Council, with funding from Lloyds Bank Foundation, have produced a toolkit to support people with learning disabilities experiencing domestic abuse which features accessible information to help people with a learning disability identify and escape domestic abuse. The toolkit uses a traffic light system to denote different types of information. Red denotes vital information, amber important information, and green more personal “holistic” information. This system should make it possible for some people with learning disabilities to understand the information intuitively.
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Sexual Abuse
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Psychological Abuse
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Financial and Material Abuse
Open or CloseFraud and Scams Awareness and Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fraud? What is Phishing? What should you do if you receive a suspicious email? Take a look at and share our Frequently Asked Questions about Fraud and Scams: OSAB Fraud and Scams Frequently Asked Questions.
Have a look at this fantastic guide from Think Jessica, National Trading Standards, Action Fraud and West Midlands Police. It contains information about identity fraud, phone spoofing scams, courier scams, investment scams, rogue trader scams and many more. The guide also includes some essential information about who to contact for advice and support (click on the image):
Greater Manchester Police have produced a ‘Little Book of Big Scams’ full of information to increase awareness of the vast array of scams that are being used (click on the image)
National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice Guidance
The National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice have produced the following guidance related to Financial and Material Abuse:
Safeguarding practice for those at risk of financial abuse from scamming
Cyber Fraud and Scamming
Scams: the power of persuasive language
Financial Scamming Defining Terms
Financial Scamming and Fraud
Scam Prevention and Support toolkitLoan Sharks
Stop Loan Sharks England Illegal Money Lending Team investigate and prosecute illegal lenders. They are actively trying to contact those who are at risk to let them know there is help available and to prevent people who have financial difficulties from borrowing cash from a loan shark. They want to work with partner agencies who support those in financial difficulties and gather intelligence that will put loan sharks away. They are always looking for partners to with to support those borrowing cash from loan sharks.
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Modern Slavery
Open or CloseThe Passage Modern Slavery Handbook
The Passage is an organisation with the central goal of ending street homelessness. This handbook, updated in December 2020, explains what slavery looks like in the homeless community, what to watch out for and what you can do about it. The Passage believe that everyone should read the handbook, however, it was specifically created for staff who work in the homelessness sector, particularly frontline workers, managers and volunteers. People who are engaged in support services for homeless people can be vital eyes and ears in detecting this crime.
NHS Rapid Read: Covid-19: Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
This rapid read guide describes how health professionals can raise modern slavery and human trafficking concerns whilst staying safe during the coronavirus outbreak: Covid-19 - Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking.pdf
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Neglect and Acts of Omission
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Discriminatory Abuse
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Organisational Abuse
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Self-Neglect
Open or CloseSelf-Neglect and Hoarding
Practitioner Toolkit and Multi-Agency Strategy for Self-Neglect
All partner agencies of the Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board have signed up to work together to put a recently developed Multi-Agency Strategy for self-neglect and hoarding into operation. The strategy, therefore, applies to all professionals and agencies working with adults at risk in the borough. View the strategy here.
Board members have also endorsed guidance for practitoners who are supporting people who may be neglecting themselves. The guidance is based on the experience of practitioners from a wide range of related disciplines in Merseyside as well as lessons learnt by teams across Oldham. The OSAB Self-Neglect Toolkit -The Short Guide to Working with People in Circumstances of Complex Self-Neglect is available here.Hoarding Awareness and OSAB Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hoarding? And, who can help? Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions about Hoarding here: OSAB Hoarding Frequently Asked Questions.pdf
Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board have produced a great video to help raise awareness about hoarding. View the personal and touching film below.Helping someone you know who hoards
Hoarding Disorders UK help and support people who are affected not only by hoarding and clutter but also chronic disorganisation. They have produced some useful information for people who hoard including the top ten tips for helping someone you know who hoards. Take a look here.Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Guidance
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health have produced guidance for environmental health officers and others about Hoarding and how to approach it. Take a look here.British Psychological Society Good Practice Guidelines
Psychological Perspective on Hoarding: DCP Good Practice Guidelines have been compiled by clinical psychologists from the British Psychological Society, including contributions from those living with hoarding issues, as well as their carers.Help for Hoarders
Help For Hoarders provides information, support and advice for people who hoard and their loved ones. The site includes a message board for people to contribute their own experiences.Clouds End
Clouds End is a Community Interest Company offering services to anyone looking to tackle a hoarding situation that is causing a problem.Self Harm
OSAB Self Harm Awareness and Frequently Asked Questions
There is a stigma around self harm that can stop people who are worried about self harm from looking for help. Part of this stigma comes from the misconceptions that surround it, such as the idea that it is attention-seeking. It is not easy to just stop self-harming. Raising awareness about self harm is incredibly important to make it easier for people to get help and get through it. Awareness leads to understanding and empathy, banishing judgment and fear, and reducing the number of people who feel alone and suffer in silence. Raising awareness is about educating people who do not self harm and reaching out to people who do.
Take a look at some Frequently Asked Questions about Self Harm: OSAB Frequently Asked Questions - Self Harm.pdf
Contact
Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
T: 0161 770 7777
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