The Children and Young Persons Service at The Haven is still accessible during this time. Available for download is the updated CYP referral form for external agencies to use. Please note that the form should be as complete as possible to enable us to assign to the most appropriate service area. Please note that some services are chargeable, a...

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Mental Health Awareness Week

Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together is supporting the city’s participation in Mental Health Awareness Week (organised by the Mental Health Foundation) which is taking place this week until Sunday 24 May. This year's theme is kindness and the positive impact all acts of kindness can have on people's mental health and wellbeing – particularly during lockdown.

Kindess includes

Being kind to others: someone there to listen when you’ve needed to talk, volunteering to help those who need support

Being kind to yourself: taking time to do something for yourself to help your wellbeing e.g. taking some ‘me time’ to do something you enjoy.

Transforming Communities Together have arranged some free online Modern Slavery awareness training sessions: Monday 1st June 2020 – 13:00pm to 14:30pm Thursday 11th June 2020 – 19:00pm to 20:30pm Monday 15th June 2020 – 19:00pm to 20:30pm Thursday 25th June – 13:00pm to 14:30pm Booking is via https://tctogether.org.uk/events

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What to look out for...

Below are some examples of safeguarding concerns to look out for to best protect vulnerable adults, children and families during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Always THINK FAMILY! Whether your safeguarding concern be for a child or an adult – who else is in the household that could be affected?

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• Increased stress levels in the household due to self-isolation and those at risk not being able to flee or leave
• Children not seeing trusted adults regularly
• Living with perpetrators who may have more control over a family
• Children of separated parents not being able to move between households

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• Financial abuse from people you don't know offering to do the shopping for you
• Vulnerability to loan sharks because of reduction or loss of income
• Overcharging for goods and services or selling things at a premium
• Zero-hour contracts or reduced or no work and the take up of loan sharks
• An increase in potential scammers targeting those self-isolating

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• People being targeted for support by people they don't know who don't belong to an organised group

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• Individuals not going out for essentials for fear of catching the virus.

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• A carer needing to self-isolate or even becoming ill that could lead to unintended abuse because of stress and reduced access to support and respite

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• A decision not to provide care to someone due to real or perceived Covoid-19 symptoms
• Lack of access to safe places and resources such as school and free school meals
• Increased risk of poverty to a household

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• Lack of knowledge and clarity of the virus risks, symptoms and actions to be taken
• Access to handwashing facilities

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• An increase in episodes of mental health or relapses of parents due to reduced direct support
• Isolation from friends and support network
• Anxiety about friends and family’s health
• Uncertainty about the pandemic

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• Increased vulnerability due to being out of school and usually ‘safe’ routines.

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Click the link below to download a copy of our WST Covid-19 Safeguarding Poster to display within your agency

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Below is a list of useful resources for safeguarding children and adults in Wolverhampton which we will be adding on over the coming weeks.

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Children's

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Wolverhampton Safeguarding Week 2020 is taking place from Monday 15th - Sunday 21st June. It provides the opportunity to raise the profile of safeguarding with members of the public, community groups and everyone who works in the city.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved in spreading the messages below.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to order hard copies of the A3 posters, and speech bubbles which you can use to make displays by engaging with the public / service users or to tell us what you will be doing to contribute to Safeguarding Week.

Please share any photos of your activity on Twitter #WVstandupdpeakout @wvsafeguarding or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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RESOURCES FOR SAFEGUARDING WEEK 2020

this is live

 

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National Child Exploitation Awareness Day (sponsored by NWG see https://www.nwgnetwork.org/events/national-child-exploitation-awareness-day-2020) is on 18th March each year.

In Wolverhampton, the Safer Wolverhampton Partnership and Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together partnership have planned a range of joint activities to raise awareness of exploiation among both children and adults.

Please use the resources below to:

• create a display
• get your staff and service users involved in conversations
• spread the message onsocial media and other platforms

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POSTERS

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Safeguarding REMAINS everyone's duty during the Coronavirus outbreak

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Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together is a multi-agency partnership made up of many organisations all with one aim in mind, to protect the welfare of vulnerable children, adults and families in Wolverhampton.

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Domestic Abuse

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Local Support

We know that this is a difficult and challenging time for everyone – but particularly so for adults and children living with domestic abuse. It can also negatively affect survivors.

A local and national campaign  #No excuse for Abuse is being run to get the message across that if you or someone you know are experiencing domestic abuse during the coronavirus outbreak, local and national organisations want you to know: You are not alone, and help is still available.

Details of organisations that can help anyone experiencing domestic abuse can be found to the right (just click on the image to download the details).

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Children and Families:

Children are at home more often now that schools are closed. Trying to work from home with young children may result in an unintended lack of supervision – an accident waiting to happen. Stay safe at home during lockdown, prevent accidents, protect your family and help the NHS with avoidable injuries.

Vulnerable adults:

There is an obvious concern at the moment that social isolation might lead to an increase in falls and severe health implications amongst older people.

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Residents are being warned to watch out for doorstep scammers asking for cash, personal details or bank details in exchange for food parcel deliveries or other goods and services during the Coronavirus outbreak. Here are some useful things to be aware of when avoiding scams:

• Food parcels are free for people who have been identified as vulnerable and no one will be asked to pay for them
• Your bank or the police will NEVER – repeat NEVER – ask for your bank details over the phone.
• Remember, your doctor’s surgery will NEVER call or text you to ask you to verify your NHS number and date of birth.
• If you receive an unexpected call offering help and assistance, DO NOT give any personal details as it might be a scam. Offer to return the call after carrying out checks.
• If you receive an unexpected doorstep call from a stranger offering to do your shopping, DO NOT hand over cash or your bank card. It’s far better to ask someone you know and trust for help.
• If you receive unexpected doorstep callers offering coronavirus home testing kits, decline, close the door and call trading standards. They are likely to be scammers.
• Be cautious and listen to your instincts. Don’t be afraid to hang up, bin it, delete it or shut the door.
• If someone claims to represent a charity, ask them for identification. Be suspicious of requests for money up front.
• If you are online, be aware of fake news and use trusted sources of information such as gov.uk or NHS.uk websites. Make sure you type the address in and DON’T click on links in emails.
• Always protect your financial information, especially from people you don’t know. NEVER give your bank card or PIN to a stranger.
• With any UNEXPECTED communication, trust your instincts. Can you be sure they are who they say they are? If in doubt, always say NO.

Report scams or suspected criminal activity to: Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or if you need advice, call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 11133.

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Wolverhampton Safeguarding Week 2019 is taking place from Monday 17th - Sunday 23rd June. It provides the opportunity to raise the profile of safeguarding with members of the public, community groups and everyone who works in the city.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved in spreading the messages below.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to order hard copies of the A3 posters, and speech bubbles which you can use to make displays by engaging with the public / service users or to tell us what you will be doing to contribute to Safeguarding Week.

Please share any photos of your activity on Twitter #WVstandupdpeakout @wvsafeguarding or email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together partnership expects anyone undertaking the role of safeguarding lead for their organisation to have undertaken the following courses.

Shared Responsibility - one day course (children's safeguarding leads)

Core Working Together - one day course (children's safeguarding leads)

Thresholds Briefing - two hour briefing (children's safeguarding leads)

Managing Allegations - half day training (adults and children's safeguarding leads)

Wolverhampton Safeguarding Together  Learning and Development Committee

The Learning and Development Committee is made up of members from both Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Together   and Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Together . It is responsible for:

1. producing and monitoring the impact of the Wolverhampton Safeguarding Boards Learning and Improvement Framework
2. assuring WST that each organisation or sector delivers relevant 'single agency' training to its staff (employees and volunteers) proportionate to the role they have in meeting the needs of children, young people and their families.
3. making provision for and overseeing a relevant programme of high quality multi-agency training in response to identified need for all Wolverhampton Safeguarding partner agencies / sectors that makes a difference to the safety of children and young people, and adults with care and support needs in the city. 
4. Joint Learning and Development Committee Training Strategy

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Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB) produces an Annual Report to enable the people of Wolverhampton to see what it has been doing to keep children and young people safe from abuse and neglect and promoting their wellbeing.

Click here or on the image to the right to view and /or download the joint Annual Report 2018-19 of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board and Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board.

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Each year Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) produces an Annual Report to enable the people of Wolverhampton to see what it has been doing to keep adults with care and support needs safe from abuse and neglect and promoting their wellbeing.

Click here, or on the image on the right to view and /or download a copy of the joint Annual Report 2018-19 of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board and Wolverhampton Safeguarding Children Board.

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Domestic violence and abuse is:

"Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. The abuse can encompass, but is not limited to:

• psychological
• physical
• sexual
• financial
• emotional

Controlling behaviour - Controlling behaviour is a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.

Coercive behaviour - Coercive behaviour is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim".

The definition of domestic violence and abuse, which is not  a legal definition, includes so called 'honour' based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and Forced Marriage and is clear that victims are not confined to one gender or ethnic group.

1.     What is the Joint Targeted Area Inspection?

In January 2016, the government published guidance on a new multi-agency inspection framework called the Joint Targeted Area Inspection (JTAI). The guidance is regularly updated to reflect the learning from the JTAIs that have been conducted to date.   

The JTAIs are joint inspections carried out by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of the Constabulary (HMIC) and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and Probation (HMIP).

This multi-agency inspection seeks to establish the quality and impact of assessment, planning and decision making in response to notifications and referrals; the partnership response to all forms of child abuse at the point of identification and the leadership and management of this work. Each inspection also includes a ‘deep dive’ analysis on a specific theme. To date these have covered Children living with Domestic Abuse, Child Sexual Exploitation and Children living with Neglect.

The theme of the JTAI between February and July 2018 is revisiting ‘Children living with Domestic Abuse’ and ‘Child Sexual Exploitation’. The specific Domestic Abuse thematic guidance is available here. The specific Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) thematic guidance is available here. Notably the framework for CSE now includes children associated with Gangs.

In addition to self-assessment, peer review, monitoring our performance, case file audit and other quality assurance processes, inspections are an important way in which Safeguarding Boards can find out about their strengths and about what still needs to be done to improve how we work together.

Details of past inspections as well as frameworks for inspections we are anticipating in Wolverhampton can be found in this section.