Report of the Safeguarding Adult and Children Boards Joint Conference
March 19th 2014
The event was attended by over 120 people from Adults
and Children’s Services across Voluntary, Statutory and
Private sectors, of which 68 were from Children and
Young People’s Services.
Children’s Services were represented by the following
agencies:
CHFT Named Nurse
Children and YP services
Children’s Centre
Children’s Social Care
Children’s Society
Commissioning
Communities
CSCB
Early Intervention
Early Years (QISO)
Elected Member
Eureka
2
3
2
7
1
4
1
2
1
2
2
2
Family Support
FIT
Fostering
Home Start
Housing
NHS England
Police
Primary School
Secondary School
SWYFT
Voluntary Sector (other)
YOT
1
3
1
5
1
1
1
12
5
2
5
2
The focus of the conference arose out of discussion in the planning group about the
common areas for learning from local serious case reviews in both Adults and
Children’s Services. Themes that emerged included:

The importance of early identification/help

Sharing examples of good practice

Using intelligence

Applying professional curiosity/cynical curiosity

Demonstrating professional challenge (of families and professionals)

Avoiding over familiarity and acceptance of cultural norms

Demonstrating dignity and respect/challenging stigma

Empowering people

Using ‘gut instinct’
It was also considered important to celebrate examples of good practice via
Safeguarding Awards.
The agenda for the conference emerged from a multi-agency planning group which
included representatives from Adults and Children’s Services.
9:00
Registration
9:30
Welcome/Housekeeping (Drama group)
9:50
Order of the day – (Chair - Richard Burrows – CSCB Independent
Chair)
9:55
Opening Speech – (Angela Williams – Chief Superintendent,
Calderdale)
10:05
Keynote Speech – (Suzanne Triggs - Social Work Practice
Improvement Project Officer, Kirklees MBC)
10:45
Break
11:05
Workshops
Joining the pieces
Tensions in Legislation
Safe Places Scheme
Hoarding: What’s behind your door?
Using professional authority without statutory powers
OFSTED changes and implications for Voluntary and Community
Services
12:05
Drama
12:30
Lunch
13:30
Workshops
14:30
Drama
15:00
Break
15:15
Presentation of Safeguarding Awards (Eamon Lynch, Managing
Director, Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group)
15:45
16:00
Plenary - (Chair)
Evaluation and End
Drama
The drama production was intended to take participants by surprise at the start of
the conference and to reveal various clues throughout the day. This provided a
creative way of conveying the key messages and purpose of the conference
which the actors translated as:
•
Question and be brave (demonstrate professional challenge)
•
Collect all the information (using intelligence)
•
Don’t normalise (avoid overfamiliarity and be prepared to challenge cultural
norms)
•
Use the information given (using intelligence)
•
Trust your gut instinct
Chair
Richard Burrows (Independent Chair CSCB) provided an outline of the day and
welcomed participants to the first Adult and Children’s Safeguarding Boards joint
conference.
Opening Speech
Angela Williams used her humorous and motivating opening speech to emphasise
the importance of communication and connecting with each other within our own
agencies and with colleagues across the partnership. She remarked on the need to
avoid overreliance on technology, “to chat more” and be willing to act on information
that comes to our attention. Her phrase “You Can’t Not Know, What You Do Know”
made the point clearly.
Key Note Speech
Using the analogy of Spider Man’s spidey sense and drawing from a publication by
Daniel Kahneman “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, Suzannah Triggs clearly illustrated:
how the mind operates in two competing ways – fast, intuitive and emotional - or
slower, more deliberative and logical; and how fast thinking and cognitive biases
impact on our analysis and decision-making processes. She urged us to consider
how we can make better use of our understanding of these two different systems to
properly frame risks, reduce judgemental thinking, and how we can use our gut
instinct in a more informed, thoughtful way to help us to make sense of some
situations.
Workshops
“Joining the Pieces” - Darren Minton (DCI, West Yorkshire Police)
This workshop looked at the concept of Intelligence led policing which underpins all
aspects of policing, from Neighbourhood Policing and partnership working, to the
investigation of serious and organised crime. The workshop focused on how the
smallest piece of information can lead onto a significant and successful
investigations in the Safeguarding world.
Tensions in Legislation – Ami Dennison (Solicitor, Calderdale MBC)
This workshop examined the legal obligations and powers to safeguard children and
adults and aimed to spread awareness of what power each individual has to help
safeguard vulnerable groups.
Safe Places Scheme - Sarah Mitchell, Michael Mitchell (Calderdale Learning
Disability Partnership Board), Sail Suleman (Hate Crime Reduction Officer, CMBC),
David Grundy (Independent Chair, Calderdale Learning Disability Partnership Board)
The workshop explained how the Safe Place scheme has been developed to ensure
that people with a learning disability feel safe in their communities, especially when
travelling independently. The workshop looked at the need for a Safe Place
Scheme, how the scheme works, where the safe places are and considered the
possibilities of extending the scheme to other client groups. People with a learning
disability were active participants in the delivery of the workshop.
Hoarding: What’s behind your door? – Darren Burton (ASB & Interventions
Manager, Together Housing Group), Jemma Thacker (Prevention Officer, West
Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service)
This workshop focused on how Pennine Housing, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue
Service, Your Housing Group and DWF Solicitors have delivered a partnership
project to address the increasingly prominent issue of hoarding in Calderdale. This
includes the of co-ordination resources and centralised reporting to ensure that
hoarding issues are identified at the earliest possible stage so that our most
vulnerable residents and protected and supported.
Using professional authority without statutory powers – Linda Glew (Scheme
Manager, Home-Start Calderdale)
A common theme in many Serious Case Reviews is a lack of robust challenge and
respectful uncertaintly is leading to children remaining at risk. This workshop
encourged professionals to look at how we can apply authoritative and challenging
intervention that keep the focus the child , whilst sustaining a working relationship
with superficially compliant or ambivalent parents
OFSTED changes and implications for VCS - Tammy Banks (Regional Manager,
North East, Yorkshire & Humber, Safe Network)
The aim of this workshop was to highlight the role of the new Ofsted Inspection
Framework and implications for the VCS.
To equip participants with information about the work carried out by Ofsted – with an
emphasis on inspection - so that, if required, they can participate effectively in Ofsted
inspections in their area, and can understand how to prepare their organisation for
the possibility of being the subject of an inspection.
Presentation of Safeguarding Awards
The trophies for the Safeguarding Awards were sponsored by Together Housing and
presented by the Managing Director of the Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance
Group, Eamon Lynch. The awards provided an opportunity for practitioners who had
excelled in Safeguarding practice with Adults and Children in Calderdale during 2013
to be acknowledged for their work. Individuals and teams were nominated for:
Contribution to Keeping Children, Young People and Adults Safe in Calderdale
This award was presented to the team and individual who have made a clear
difference to adults, children and families; or who have excelled in an area of
Safeguarding.
Individual Award
Hugh Boyden (CMBC Workforce Development)
Katie Hamilton (FIT, Key Worker)
Roselyn Dyer (Scheme Coordinator, Willow Court) - winner
Team Award
Linden Brook - winner
Excellent Partnership Working
This award was presented for demonstrating clear ways of an individual or team
communicating and/or who are embracing the principles of Working Together 2013
in terms of clarity and purpose of partnership working.
Individual Award
Ceri Bakes (Social Worker, West and Central Locality Team)
Kirstie Smith (FIT, Pennine Housing) - winner
Team Award
Multi-Agency Team - Calderdale Safeguarding Adults Police Team / Adult Health
and Social Care / The PCT as it was but now Calderdale Clinical Commissioning
Group / Care Quality Commission - winner
Linden Brook
Multi-disciplinary team (Home Start, FIT, Children’s Social Care);
Health Connections Team;
MARAC team members;
Crossley Heath School
Innovation in Safeguarding
This award is presented for implementation of an initiative that has led to the
improvement of a system or practice; that shows originality; or has advanced
thinking on a Safeguarding matter.
Team award
Crossley Heath School - winner
Voluntary Action Calderdale.
Individual Award
Katie Hamilton (FIT);
Gwen Clyde Evans (Mental Health Practitioner, Calderdale Intermediate Care
Support and Independence team) - nominated
for this category twice – winner
A Champion Award was also presented to the
individual who was considered to have
demonstrated excellent practice across the
Safeguarding areas and this went to Gwen
Clyde Evans (Mental Health Practitioner,
Calderdale Intermediate Care Support and
Independence team) who was nominated for
several categories.
Delegates were asked to provide feedback
about their experience of the day. This is
captured in the following table:
Sample Delegate Feedback
Something that made me
think differently
Something that I didn’t
like about the course
The best thing about the
course
Something I have learned
and will take back to
practice
Score
out of 5
The conference was very
different in terms of
presentation and I really
liked the drama running
through the day
The presentation on spider
man
Nothing – it was well
managed and well planned
Both the drama and the
key note speaker this am.
Although both workshops
were thought provoking
too, especially the hoarding
A lot of the presentation on
the intuitive practice: will be
buying the book for us to
use at work
5
Interesting and interactive
Keynote speaker –
Suzanne Triggs
n/a
Keynote speaker and
ongoing role play through
the day
How I think! Plan to source
a copy of “Thinking Fast
and Slow”. Remember
those 5 main aims when
discussing cases with
colleagues
4
Stimulating and thought
provoking
Talk on ‘gut instinct’
Not knowing beforehand
what the workshops would
be. (I went to one which
was the same as a
presentation I’d heard at a
previous event recently)
The format, with drama
interspersed was engaging
and kept the pace and
interest going all day. The
key speakers were
excellent and well prepared
In our school setting we
need to be more aware of
potential vulnerabilities in
adults (parents/carers) as
well as pupils
5
I thought the play thing was
annoying, it took up too
much time. Like a bad
radio 4 play - tedious
The talk by the solicitor
about safeguarding
adults/children – a lot was
clearly explaine
Not to be fearful of
disclosing information
2
Speaker Angela Williams –
powerful slide show
Information and leaflets
given to us to be able to
look back on, to keep our
minds up to date on
3
Delivery of the training
OK
Really useful and
informative
Training from Suzanne
Triggs (how we first see
things)
guidelines around
Safeguarding. Continue
the multi-agency working
we are doing.
Good, varied and kept my
interest
Learning about the
different ways of thinking
and taking more time to
reflect, analyse and
discuss
Lunch time – would have
been better staggered
Making connection with
West Yorkshire Fire
Keep communicating
5
Fantastic, it was different
and engaging
The drama about the keys
and how things escalated
and the assumptions made
Nothing
The drama. The
discussion
Using professional
authority without statutory
powers.
5
Safe Places card.
Generally good
Suzanne Triggs
presentation
Afternoon workshops could
have been more interactive
All the strong informed
good women speakers
To remember to think twice
4
Well organised and
provided a thought
provoking day
Keynote speech on
decision making
Play – I appreciated the
idea, however, it would
have been better if more
structured/detailed
Workshops – opportunity to
discuss detail and
application
Making decisions in a more
thoughtful organised way.
Awareness of hate/mate
crime
4
Interesting, it was different
to what I expected
The spidey sense
presentation – your ‘gut’
brain
The lack of interaction in
nd
the 2 workshop –
tensions of legislation
The drama (partly) but also
the different natural
approach of the speakers
‘spidey sense’ and Police –
both very engaging
To think about my
responses much more –
question what is gut
instinct and what may be a
bias and discuss these in
supervision
4
Interesting. Better than
usual!
Keynote speaker
Poor coffee!! Otherwise
nothing
Real to attempt to keep
things lively
Will be more reflective in
CP practice
5
Very good. The drama
was an excellent vehicle to
get the points across
The talk by Suzanne Triggs
The workshops were not
as interactive as I hoped –
we had little opportunity to
contribute. It was just
listening to a speaker
Meeting people who are
dedicated to safeguarding
Not to make judgements
quickly but to consider all
the angles
4
Interesting and well
organised
Suzanne Trigg
I thought the drama went
on a bit – too big a group to
really discuss afterwards
Variety of subject areas
Thinking twice –
questioning self- balanced
with gut
5
Very good
How we make judgements
Seating – too close
Role play
Listen to my gut instinct.
Not to doubt myself
5
Overall scores (57 evaluation sheets completed)
2
3
3.5
4
No answer
1
Unsatisfactory
5
Very good
3
0
2
4
1
23
24