Safeguarding Adults Week events planned for West Cheshire

Cheshire West and Chester Council is supporting Safeguarding Adults Week 2021, with a number of activities planned.

Adult safeguarding involves protecting adults who are at risk of abuse and unable to protect themselves due to age or disability, enabling them to live a life free from abuse and neglect.

The week-long event from 15-21 November aims to raise awareness of safeguarding issues so that people can spot the signs of adult abuse and are able to then report any incidents of this.

The theme of Safeguarding Adults Week 2021, running from 15-21 November, is ‘creating safer cultures’, to ensure that measures are in place for organisations and individuals to report any concerns, while minimising any harm occurring in the first instance.

The Care Act 2014 lists 10 forms of adult abuse. These are physical, domestic, sexual, psychological, financial and material, modern slavery, neglect, discriminatory, organisational and self-neglect.

It is hoped that the event will enable more people to recognise the signs of abuse and neglect and to know how to record and report any concerns they may have.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is a member of the Cheshire West and Chester Local Safeguarding Adults Board, alongside West Cheshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Vale Royal Clinical Commissioning Group and Cheshire Police. The partner bodies are working together to put on a range of activities and to flag up useful sources of information and support.

The Disability Positive Service User Group that works with the board will also be releasing a sign song as part of the week, called Take 2. This is about stopping adult abuse and is to be used to promote safeguarding and the message ‘don’t just talk about it, report it’. It will be available shortly on the Cheshire West and Chester Local Safeguarding Board’s website:

Training (cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk)

Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Val Armstrong said: “It’s heartbreaking to think that some adults are experiencing abuse and we are determined to work with our partners and the community to stop this.

“We will be supporting Safeguarding Adults Week with a range of activities and guidance as to how people can spot and report any potential abuse. It’s incredibly important that we work together to stop any such abuse from happening.”

Ian Cardwell, chair of Cheshire West and Chester Local Safeguarding Adults Board, said: “The Cheshire West and Chester Local Safeguarding Adults Board is committed to supporting Safeguarding Adults Week.

“Together with our Board members and partners, the Board coordinates and supports multi-agency working to safeguard and protect adults at risk of abuse and neglect in west Cheshire, ensuring that agencies respond to concerns quickly and efficiently. Safeguarding Adults Week is critical to raising awareness of safeguarding in both organisations and our communities.”

More information about Safeguarding Adults Week can be found here:

National Safeguarding Adults Week 15 – 21 November 2021 (contensis.com).

There will be a different topic for each day of the week, as follows:

Monday, 15 November: Emotional abuse and safeguarding mental health

Tuesday, 16 November: The power of language

Wednesday, 17 November: Digital safeguarding

Thursday, 18 November: Adult grooming and the Ann Craft Trust Grooming and Exploitation Conference

Friday, 19 November: Creating safer organisational cultures

Saturday and Sunday, 20-21 November: Safeguarding and you

Events planned in west Cheshire over the course of #SafeguardingAdultsWeek include a domestic abuse live web chat with Cheshire Police from 11am-12pm on 17 November and a talk on cyber security with Cheshire Police from 11am-12pm on Thursday, 18 November.

Are you clear how to refer adult safeguarding concerns in Cheshire West and Chester?

Anyone who needs to report adult safeguarding concerns in west Cheshire can do so in the following ways.

• Complete the online formCheshire West and Chester Council Adult Social Care Online
• Call 0300 1237034, out of hours phone: 01244 977277 or
• Email: accesswest@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
• Alternatively, call Cheshire Police: 101 for non-emergencies or 999 in an emergency