GwASB Partnership Agreement 2016 – ratified 28.04.16

GWENT WIDE ADULT SAFEGUARDING BOARD
Partnership Agreement

Contents

Context

Vision

Objectives of the Board

Strategic functions/Principles:

Operation of the Board

Roles and responsibilities of the Chair

Roles and responsibilities of the Vice Chair

Roles and responsibilities – Board Member

Roles and responsibilities of the Lead Partner

Governance and accountability

Review of arrangements

Sub Group Terms of Reference

Safeguarding Structure

Role Profile and Person Specification ……………………………………………………. …..23

1. Context

1.1In the last ten years there have been significant changes to the way vulnerable people are safeguarded with practice evolving rapidly since In Safe Hands was issued in 2000. This guidance requires Local Authorities under Section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 to take the lead in adult protection and safeguarding arrangements. The new Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 will continue to drive this improvement with measures to ensure public services such as Social Services, the NHS, Police and their partners share the adult safeguarding responsibility. Since 6th April 2016, the Gwent-wide Adult Safeguarding Board is a statutory Adult Safeguarding Board as set out in Part 7 of the Social Services and Well Being (Wales) Act 2014.

1.2The role of the Gwent Wide Adult Safeguarding Board (GwASB) is twofold, to protect adults at risk and to proactively work to prevent adults becoming adults at risk on a multi agency basis.

1.3This Partnership Agreement sets out the Board procedures, priorities, aspirations, commitments and standards of the Gwent-wide Adult Safeguarding Board Taking account of the Act and associated regulations setting the agenda for Regional Safeguarding Boards. The Board area will cover the local authority areas of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen. This encompasses the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Gwent Police and national and local partners set out later in this document. The agreement sets out how the organisations across the Gwent region will meet their statutory duty to co-operate in protecting and preventing abuse and neglect of adults at risk across Gwent. It is a working document and will be formally reviewed three yearly and updated annually as necessaryby the Board in line with other policy documents relating to adults at risk.The Partnership Agreement is an essential part of all planning, management,commissioning and provision of services for adults at risk and is endorsed by all the Partners below:

ORGANISATION / REPRESENTATIVE
Blaenau Gwent Adult Social Services Directorate / Head of Adult Social Services
POVA Co-ordinator (as chair of a Sub Group)
Service Manager
Community Safety Manager
Caerphilly Adult Social Services Directorate / Corporate Director Social Services(Chair)
Assistant Director of Social Services
Service Manager
POVA Co-ordinator (as vice chair of Sub Group)
Monmouthshire Adult Social Services Directorate / Head of Adult Services
Integrated Services Manager
Adult Protection Manager (as chair of Sub Group)
POVA Co-ordinator (as vice chair of a Sub Group)
Newport Adult Social Services Directorate / Director of Social Services
Head of Service
Service Manager for Safeguarding
Torfaen Adult Social Services Directorate / Head of Adult Services
Safeguarding Manager
Assistant Safeguarding Manager (as chair ofSub Group)
Business Support- Adult Safeguarding
South East Wales Emergency Duty Team / Interim Team Manager
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board / Assistant Director of Nursing (Vice chair)
Adult Safeguarding Lead (as vice chair of Sub Group)
Gwent Police / Detective Superintendent (also chair of Sub Group)
National Probation Service / Assistant Chief Executive
Deputy Head
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service / Safeguarding lead
Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations / Assistant Director
Health Social Care Facilitator
Representative of the Gwent Local Authority Housing and/or Housing Associations within the region / Charter Housing
Wales Ambulance Services NHS Trust / Head of Safeguarding
Representative of the Regional Domestic Abuse Board / Regional Advisor
Heath Inspectorate Wales / Inspection Manager
Community Rehabilitation Company / Assistant Chief Executive
BAWSO / Director
HMP Usk+Prescoed / Deputy Governor

1.4Membership of the Board consists of Directors, Assistant Directors/Heads of Service and senior managers within statutory and third sector organisations across the local authority areas.

1.5Each member will nominate a named deputy who is of significant level that they can act in a full organisational decision making capacity at the Board meeting. All agencies are required to be represented at each planned meeting.

1.6The Board is chaired by Dave Street – Corporate Director of Social Services County Borough Council with the vice chair post being occupied byLin Slater, Director of Nursing, of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. The “lead partner” for the Safeguarding Board is Caerphilly County Borough Council,also Dave Street.

2. Vision

2.1All adults in Gwent are safeguarded effectively through partnership working and community engagement.

2.2The Board will provide strong leadership, governance and accountability and promote the rights of adults at risk to live in safety and actively works to prevent, identify and investigate alleged abuse. This will be achieved by:

  • Adhering to relevant guidance and legislation including the Wales Interim Policy and procedures for the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse (revised January 2013) and the Social Services and Well being (Wales) Act 2014.
  • Working to positively promote good standards of practice amongst individuals working with adults at risk.
  • Undertaking steps to foster and maintain a relationship of mutual trust and understanding amongst the persons or bodies represented on the Board in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk.

3. Objectives of the Board

3.1The Board is the forum responsible through its robust interagency partnership for the strategic leadership, monitoring and reviewing of adult safeguarding practice. It is responsible for the implementation of national policy and guidance and the development of local procedural guidance and associated documentation where necessary.

3.2The fundamental objectives of the Safeguarding Adults Board are:

a) To protect adults within its area who have needs for care and support (whether or not a local authority is meeting any of those needs), and are experiencing, or are at risk of, abuse or neglect, and

b)To prevent those adults within its area from becoming at risk of abuse or neglect.

3.3The Board will set out its priorities in its Annual Plan which will be produced by 31st March each year.

4. Strategic functions/Principles:

4.1In order to achieve its objectives the Board will focus on the following strategic functions/principles, which in turn will inform the Board action plan and the resulting subgroup work programme:

4.2Communities are engaged in prevention - Promoting awareness in, and engaging with, the community

a)The Board will engage with service users, carers, services and the public to inform the work of the Board and the development of services. The Board will consider how users can participate in the work of the Board at each meeting.

b)The Board will agree and implement mechanisms (including multi agency forums and annual events) by which awareness of the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults at risk within the general public, agency and agency members will be raised.

c)The Board will ensure the availability of literature and information in respect of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults at risk in a variety of formats to the general public, agencies and agency members.

d)The Board will disseminate research, legislative and best practice information amongst the representative bodies and others as identified.

4.3Services for adults safeguard their rights – setting consistent standards for staff.

a)The Board will ensure that member agencies have access to up-to-daterobust interagency training and education programmes. This will include that all staff receive a level of adult safeguarding training relevant to their role which is refreshed at least within 3 years.

b)The Board will ensure that adult safeguarding training is standardised across the region and is consistent in giving the same key messages.

c)The Board will ensure its members reviews and analyses the training needs of practitioners in the area to inform the Board of those needs so that it can monitor the training provided.

d)A training strategy will be provided taking account of themes and learning from reviews and audits and promoting the key priorities of the Board. .

4.4Justice is achieved – ensuring the quality of safeguarding practice

a)The Board will ensure that all members are aware of the adult practice review criteria so that referrals are made when criteria is met.

b)The Board will commission adult practice review (extended or concise) in respect of cases where the agreed threshold for such a review has been met.

c)The Board will be responsible for monitoring compliance against any recommendations made across all relevant agencies.

d)The Board will be responsible for disseminating findings regarding lessons learned and best practice recommendations to all appropriate agencies and partners. This will include findings from adult practice reviews, domestic homicide reviews (involving vulnerable people) and other relevant reviews.

4.5Safeguarding enables, empowers and improves quality of life – learning from and improving practice

a)The Board will examine performance, monitoring the effectiveness of practice in relation to improving outcomes for service users.

b)The Board will agree and ensure the development and implementation of any procedures that are required in order to reduce risk or enhance safeguarding working practices.

4.6Partnership working is effective – ensuring governance improves safeguarding

a)The Board will ensure it has organisational commitment at the right level, ownership, engagement and contribution with clear lines of accountability.

b)The Board will use inter organisational challenge, holding each other to account.

c)The Board will develop and agree an Annual Plan and use the Annual Report to review the efficiency of joint and single agency working practices in respect of meeting safeguarding adult at risk responsibilities.

Other functions

The Board will:

  • Ensure policies are monitored and fit for purpose and to contribute to developing National Policies with the National Independent Safeguarding Board around these issues.
  • Review the efficacy of measures taken by the Safeguarding Board partners, either individually or collectively to implement the objectives of the Board and to make whatever recommendations it sees fit to those bodies in light of such a review;
  • Undertake audits, reviews and investigations in pursuance of its objectives;
  • Monitor the extent to which any recommendations are being or have been met;
  • Disseminate information about best practice with Board members, other Safeguarding Boards, the National Independent Safeguarding Board
  • Facilitate research into protection and prevention of abuse and neglect of adults at risk of harm;
  • Co-operate or act jointly with another one or more Boards
  • Seek specialist advice and/or request information if required
  • Respond to any notification to the Board in relation to any of its functions;

5. Operation of the Board

5.1Membership

5.2GwASB Sub-Groups

5.2.1In order to effectively achieve the Board’s objectives the following sub groups have been established with specifically agreed functions and remits.

a)Engagement and Communication

The sub group will support the Board by engaging with adults at risk, carers, the general public and professionals. It will co-ordinate and facilitate engagement opportunities for people which may include a wide variety methods and mechanisms. The group will also consider opportunities for citizens to participate in the work of the Board.

b)Training

The sub group supports the work of the Board by influencing the training provision available for staff who work with vulnerable people. The focus is to improve the consistency of training in the region, ensure the effective implementation of the All Wales policy and to disseminate information in respect of other relevant training, changes in law, guidance, and regional procedures to frontline staff.

c)Quality Assurance

The sub group supports the Board through monitoring compliance with All Wales Policy. The group will undertake relevant reviews, audits, research and investigations as directed by the Board. The group makes recommendations in light of any reviews, audits and investigations and monitors the extent to which those recommendations are carried out.

d)Adult Practice Review

The Sub Group supports the Board by making recommendations on whether an incident meets the criteria for conducting an Adult Practice Review. The Group act as a point of contact for advice and guidance to agencies involved in conducting Adult Practice Reviews and analyses and interprets thematic learning for the Board, agencies and practitioners and supports them in implementing recommendations.

5.2.2These Sub groups will be chaired by nominated members of the Board who will be held accountable for delivering and reporting on the Board’s objectives.

5.2.3The membership of the subgroups and any subsidiary task and finish group identified will comprise of personnel within organisations that have the skills and/or expert knowledge to support the overall objective and outcomes of the Board.

5.2.4Each sub group will have its own Terms of Reference approved by the Board see Appendix 1. The Board structure diagram is provided in Appendix 2.

5.3Roles and responsibilities of the Chair

5.4The Board will, by majority decision appoint one of its members to be its chair. The chair may be a Board partner or from a body represented on the Board. The appointment may be for a period of up to three years at the end of which, subject to majority decision, it may be renewed for a further period of up to three years. A role profile and person specification is provided in Appendix 3

  • The Chair will be responsible to the Board
  • The Chair will work with the Vice-Chair and key partner agencies to ensure the Board delivers its statutory functions.
  • The Chair will be at a senior management level i.e assistant director, director etc.
  • The Chair and the Vice-Chair will be from different agencies.
  • The Chair will ensure the Board fulfils its objectives to safeguard adults at risk within Gwent as stated in this Partnership agreement and annual plan.
  • The chair will effectively chair and provide leadership to the Board
  • The Chair will ensure the Board meets the standards and requirements as laid out in Welsh Government regulations and guidance.
  • The Chair will ensure that the Board considers the good practice guidance set out in the Wales Interim Policy and Procedures for the Protection of Vulnerable Adults from Abuse (revised Jan 2013).
  • The Chair will act as the formal link between theBoard, Welsh Government, the National independent Safeguarding Board and other regional Safeguarding Boards (adults and children).
  • The Chair will liaise with the media on behalf of the Board eg following the publication of anAdult Practice Review.
  • The Chair will ensure the Board communicates effectively its function to safeguard and promote the welfare of adults at risk to professionals, users of services and the wider community throughout Gwent.
  • The Chair will prepare for the Board meeting including setting the agenda and reviewing progress and effectiveness.
  • The Chair will work with the Vice-Chair between Board meetings to ensure that the Board business is managed effectively.
  • The Chair will ensure Adult Practice Reviews and Management Reviews are undertaken when appropriate in line with Welsh Government guidance.
  • If a conflict of interest arises between the role of the Chair and the role held within their organisation, the Chair will pass the matter over to the Vice-Chair.
  • The Chair will ensure the voice of the adults at risk and their families are heard and included in the work of the Board.
  • The Chair will facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Board partners in relation to their meeting safeguarding duties.
  • The Chair will ensure the Board Annual Plan influences and is consistent with the identified need.

5.5Roles and responsibilities of the Vice Chair

5.6The Board will by majority decision appoint one of its members to be its vice-chair. The appointment of a vice-chair will also be for up to three years, with the option for renewal for a period of up to three years.

  • The Vice-Chair will be appointed from a statutory agency and will be a Senior Manager.
  • In the absence of the chair, the vice chair will assume all responsibilities of the chair.
  • The Vice Chair will work with the Chair between Board meetings to ensure that the Board business is managed effectively.
  • If a conflict of interest arises between the role of the Chair and the role held within their organisation, the Vice-Chair will deal with the matter in place of the Chair.

5.7Roles and responsibilities – Board Member