Strategic priorities 2021-24
This year we undertook a review of our governance and scrutiny procedures, resulting in the publication of revised Governance Arrangements. This work was done to ensure the Board is equipped to deliver its statutory and local commitments and to add value to partnership working in safeguarding adults through effective oversight and scrutiny. Additionally, the Covid 19 crisis means that the Board needs to demonstrate support and guidance, in addition to good governance, to members at this critical time in our history, as all partners face considerable challenges and will continue to do so as we move through 2022 and beyond.
It is important to add that, in setting revised Strategic Priorities & Annual Objectives, the key aspects of the previous year’s work have (where relevant) been incorporated into the new priorities and objectives, so that good practice, learning and ongoing work is not ‘lost’ going forward.
It is proposed that the high-level Strategic Priorities for 2020/23 remain unchanged to continue to the progress we have made over the last 12 months. These priorities remain relevant to the activity of the Board and also represent a clear framework on which to assess progress, particularly in the context of the upheaval caused by the Covid 19 crisis. They form a comprehensive framework that captures all the key functions of the Board, focusing on three areas of equal importance; effective operational delivery; good governance; and active communication & community engagement.
Whilst the Strategic Priorities effectively remain the same, it is important to demonstrate that each has been properly reviewed in the context of the current operating environment. Each priority is set out below together with the rationale for its selections.
Ensuring safeguarding services are delivered effectively and professionally, with Making Safeguarding Personal at the heart of how those services are delivered. This priority continues to be relevant, particularly during the Covid 19 crisis so that the Board’s focus on adult safeguarding remains firmly on the needs and expectations of the individual at risk.
Ensuring that there are effective governance, scrutiny and business processes in place to ensure that the safety and well-being of adults who are subject to, or at risk of, abuse and neglect is at the heart of board members organisational priorities. This includes ensuring that the findings from Safeguarding Adult Reviews published during 2021-22 and other key areas of practice improvement are implemented. The Board will continue to develop and strengthen its governance arrangements. Additionally, in the context of the Covid 19 crisis, particularly the changes in relation to social distancing, client interactions, remote working and online meetings, it is important to maintain the focus on systems and processes.
We will promote safeguarding adults in the community by listening to their concerns and raising awareness to prevent neglect and abuse before it happens, with a focus on diverse, isolated and under-represented communities. Additionally, in the context of the Covid 19 crisis, it is critical that effective communication and engagement with the community is maintained and that the concerns of adults at risk of abuse and neglect are listened to. We will also work with other key Groups, Committees and Partners, including the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, to build effective partnerships. We will continue to deliver training and development in areas where awareness and understanding needs to be improved, using innovative approaches to maintain delivery in the current operating environment.
Plans for our objectives for 2022-23
To deliver those priorities, several annual objectives are proposed that will ensure we move towards delivering our Strategic Priorities, which are:-
- Objective 1: ensure the delivery of effective safeguarding services, with a focus on Making Safeguarding Personal, informed by the voice of adults who are at risk of neglect and abuse
- Objective 2: to develop, in collaboration with the Safeguarding Children’s Partnership, a cross-cutting approach to safeguarding adults, children and families at risk of neglect and abuse
- Objective 3: to continue to raise awareness of adult safeguarding through effective communication and community engagement and improve our learning by means of training & development
- Objective 4: to continuously improve the effectiveness and culture of the Board, through a range of development tools, including self-assessment, peer review and benchmarking
Actions, performance measures, audits and scrutiny measures will be developed to monitor delivery of the annual objectives and allow the board to be assured that partners are committed to delivering effective adult safeguarding.