Wolverhampton Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub will be responding to adult safeguarding referrals from Tuesday 30 August 2016. Read more ....

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The Safeguarding Service has changed the way Initial and Review Child Protection Conferences are conducted. 

The revised approach aims to make sure conferences are more focussed on establishing effective plans and increase participation of parents and children.

The main difference for partner agencies is that the Conference Chair requires all information ahead of the meeting and that reports should be shared with parents in advance. Reports should be provided to the chair 24 working hours before an Initial Conference and 3 working days before a Review Conference.

There is a new Child Protection Form Report which asks professionals to identify what they are worried about and what is going well.

Safeguarding Adult Reviews

When an adult with care and support needs dies or is seriously injured, and abuse or neglect is known or suspected to be a factor in the death, local organisations will consider immediately whether there are other adults in the same situation who are at risk of harm and need to be kept safe.

Once this has been done, Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board Board will gather initial evidence to see if it is likely that lessons could be learned from the ways that organisations,services and professionals supported the adult who has died.

If there is sufficient evidence, a Safeguarding Adult Review (SAR) will be commissioned by Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board to:

• Establish whether there are lessons to be learned from the case about the way professionals and agencies work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults with care and support needs 
• Identify clearly what those lessons are, how they will be acted upon, and what is expected to change as a result
• Improve inter-agency working to better safeguard and promote the welfare of adults with care and support needs in the future

Click here to download the West Midlands Regional Guidance on Safeguarding Adult Reviews

Don’t suffer in silence plea: Report incidents of hate crime

People in Wolverhampton are being reminded how to report incidents of hate crime as this year’s National Hate Crime Awareness Week continues. Read more...

 Welcome to the Annual Report of Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) for 2015/16. Read More ..

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Residents, businesses and other organisations across Wolverhampton are being encouraged to "Go Orange" and support an international campaign to end violence against women and girls. Read more ....

[pb_row][pb_column span="span12"][pb_text]Launched at the beginning of the school holidays, this campaign aims to speak to people who may have worries about a child but may not want to report them for fear of interfering or becoming involved in someone else’s business. Read more ...

A summary of the June 2016 meeting of the Safeguarding Children Board is given below, but I would like to start with a few observations. Read more ...

The latest Safeguarding Children training calendar is now available. Click here to see and book all training courses. Read more .....

Wolverhampton Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub will be responding to adult safeguarding referrals from 30th August 2016. Read more..

A new safety planning leaflet is now available for anyone who is thinking of leaving an abusive relationship. Read more ...

Terms and Conditions of booking training

Attending training is an essential part of continuing development in your role in safeguarding children and young people and adults. The safeguarding boards value the participation of everyone in a range of training opportunities and the contribution this makes to multi-agency working. In order to get the most out of a training event we ask that you consider your responsibility with regard to attending and assisting in evaluating the training. Our training events are and opportunity to learn,develop and share good practice, it is not the place to raise professional frustrations. Please refer to the WSCB Escalation Policy (Resolution of Professional Disagreements in Safeguarding Work) if you have concerns you need to raise

Your role/responsibilities must fit the description given in the target audience for you to be approved for a place on this course. We may ask for evidence of attendance on other levels of training.

In placing a booking for this course, you are confirming that your attendance on the course at the date and time that you have selected has been authorised by your line manager and they are aware of the cancellation policy.

You are required to complete any pre-course work, this will be confirmed by email when you place on the course is confirmed. Failure to complete pre-course work may mean you are not able to attend and complete the course.

Occasionally situations arise when workers within one agency feel that the actions, inaction or decisions of another agency do not adequately safeguard a child or an adult with care and support needs. The purpose of this protocol is to ensure that in such situations issues between agencies are resolved in a timely manner. 

Click here for the WSB Escalation Policy.

 Examples of some of these situations are as follows (please remember this list is not exhaustive)

 • Where one professional disagrees with the action of another in relation to a particular course of action, such as closing involvement with a child, or adult with care and support needs or family. 
 
• Where one worker or agency considers that another worker or agency has not completed an agreed action for no understandable or acceptable reason. 
 
• Where one agency considers that the threshold for action is inappropriate to support the needs of a child or adult with care and support needs and /or places an individual at further risk.  
 
• A disagreement as to whether a particular agency needs to be involved in the safeguarding process. 
 
• Where a member of staff or an agency considers that the safeguarding needs of the child or adult with care and support needs are better met by a Child Protection Plan/adult safeguarding plan and have requested that a Child Protection Conference/safeguarding meeting be called and feel that this has been refused. 
 
• Where a range of professionals have concerns about an agency’s response to safeguarding concerns relating to a specific child or adult with care and support needs.
 
• There is disagreement over the sharing of information and/or provision of services.

The WSB Escalation Policy aims to assist workers and organisations to resolve disputes as close to the individuals involved in the dispute as possible without causing any unnecessary delay, or in anyway compromising the safety and wellbeing of the child(ren) or adult with care and support needs concerned

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West Midlands Forced Marriage & Honour Based Abuse 24hr Multi Lingual Helpline 0800 953 9777       

Click to download -   HBV Leaflet 1   HBV Leaflet 2

A 'forced' marriage (as distinct from a consensual "arranged" one) is defined as one, which is conducted without the valid consent of at least one of the parties and where duress is a factor. Duress cannot be justified on religious or cultural grounds.

Forced marriage is primarily, but not exclusively, an offence of violence against women. Most cases involve young women between 13 and 30, although evidence suggests as many as 15% of victims are male.

Wolverhampton Safeguarding Adults Board (WSAB) is a statutory partnership (one required by law) that consists of representatives from a range of organisations that work with adults. This includes those working with, on behalf of, and for adults with care and support needs.

WSAB partner agencies are:

• Black Country Partnership Foundation Trust
• Black Country Region Reducing Reoffending Partnership
• Care Quality Commission
• City of Wolverhampton Council
• Healthwatch Wolverhampton
• Local Medical Council
• National Probation Service
• Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
• Safer Wolverhampton Partnership
• Staffordshire and West Midlands Probation Service
• Voluntary and Community Sector
• West Midlands Ambulance Service
• West Midlands Fire Service
• West Midlands Care Association
• West Midlands Police
• Wolverhampton Care Homes
• Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group
• Wolverhampton Domestic Violence Forum
• Wolverhampton Homes
• Wolverhampton Public Health

The following elected representative is an official observer

• Cllr. Sandra Samuels (Cabinet Member for Adults)

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Rape and Sexual Assault

What is rape and sexual assault?

Rape is defined as:
"Penetration by a penis of somebody's vagina, anus or mouth without their consent. It can be committed against men or women but since it involves penile penetration can only be committed by men".

Sexual Assault is defined as:
Sexual assault can be perpetrated by both men and women. Sexual assaults refer to sexual touching rather than a physical assault. This includes touching:
    •    With any part of the body
    •    With anything else
    •    Through anything (clothing) and in particular includes touching amounting to penetration

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.

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Domestic abuse is when an adult threatens, bullies or hurts another adult in the family. It can even happen after a relationship has ended, or after a family member has left the home. It’s sometimes called ‘domestic violence’.

If you  are worried you might be living with domestic abuse please keep reading – you’re not alone. Domestic abuse happens in many families. If it’s happening in your family it’s important to remember it’s not your fault and there are people that can help.  

 You can TALK TO  a trusted adult , a teacher, nurse, youth worker or you can call:

Childline - on 0800 1111. This is a free, 24 hour confidential helpline for children and young people who need to talk. Trained counsellors are there to provide support and advice about any problem that’s on your mind. You can contact Childline 24 hours a day, every day, by phone or online using the Childline website.

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West Midlands Forced Marriage & Honour Based Abuse 24hr Multi Lingual Helpline 0800 953 9777      

 Click to download -   HBV Leaflet 1   HBV Leaflet 2

Honour crimes' include forced marriage, abduction and homicide. These crimes now come under the definition of domestic violence as a result of the government's definition  of domestic violence being extended to include acts perpetrated by extended family members as well as intimate partners.

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Honour crimes' include forced marriage, abduction and homicide. These crimes now come under the definition of domestic violence as a result of the government's definition  of domestic violence being extended to include acts perpetrated by extended family members as well as intimate partners.

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Professionals involved with cases of forced marriage should bear in mind that the response of mediation can be extremely dangerous. Refusal to go through with a forced marriage has been linked in the past to murder of the non-consenting, usually female, person and young people have been murdered while mediation is ongoing.

The victim should always be interviewed on their own and consideration given to the need for immediate protection and placement away from the family. Never allow the young person to have unsupervised contact with their family even if they request it.