Safeguarding Adults Week
Information about and resources from previous Safeguarding Adults Weeks.
On this page:
2025
In November 2025, partner organisations across the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board joined forces to champion the Ann Craft Trust's theme: 'Prevention - Act Before Abuse'.
Together, we focused on raising awareness of vital safeguarding issues and promoting early action to keep adults safe from harm.
Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making Safeguarding Adults Week 2025 a success.
Thank you to the knowledgeable speakers and practitioners, who led each session, providing valuable insights and practical guidance.
Let's continue to work together to make safeguarding everyone's responsibility.
Explore the resources below:
Domestic Abuse - how to get the most out of speaking to domestic abuse victims
As part of Safeguarding Adults Week, Karen Evans Domestic Abuse Coordinator Community Safety Team, Wokingham Borough Council and Vickie Robertson - Kaleidoscopic UK spoke to us about their personal and professional experiences.
Vickie has endured a life of domestic violence, being removed as a child and then full circle into her adult experiences. Vickie's story was published as part of the #braveme campaign, reported as heart wrenching yet empowering.
This webinar covered:
- identifying their risk factors and situation (including coercive control)
- being trauma informed
- using the right language
- lived experience
- Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA)
Click here to watch the domestic abuse webinar.
Click here to download the domestic abuse presentation [4MB] .
Visit the Kaleidoscopic UK website.
Read the domestic abuse practice guidance.
Mental Capacity Act 2005
Presented by Lisa Pearson who is a registered social worker with over 25 years' experience across health and social care settings, including adult mental health, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and hospital and community-based teams. She is a Qualified Best Interests Assessor (BIA) and currently serves as the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) Lead for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.
Lisa is passionate about promoting person-centred care, social justice, and empowering staff through education and training. Drawing on her extensive frontline and leadership experience, she works to strengthen understanding and application of the MCA across the ambulance service and wider health and social care systems.
The webinar includes information on:
- consent
- five principles of the MCA
- two-stage test
- Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA)
- Advance Decision to Refuse Treatment (ADRT)
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
Watch the Mental Capacity Act webinar here.
Download the Mental Capacity Act presentation [1MB] .
Mental Capacity Act and DOLS practice guidance.
Human Rights Inquiry case study - The 'Bournewood' ruling.
PC Paul Briggs Best Interest Decision.
Scams: no blame no shame
A presentation by Jessica Ryall-Spoor from the Public Protection Partnership (PPP).
The presentation covers how the PPP provide support to vulnerable residents in relation to various scams including:
- romance scams
- scam emails, texts, calls
- postal scams
- buying online scams
- social media scams
- investment scams
- rogue traders
The PPP is a shared service hosted by West Berkshire that provides Environmental Health and Licensing functions to Bracknell Forrest and Trading Standards Services to Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire and Wokingham.
View the Fraud and Scams presentation here [1MB]
Financial Exploitation practice guidance
If you've been scammed
- talk to your bank or card company immediately if you've handed over any financial and sensitive information or made a payment
- report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 204
- contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service helpline on 0808 223 1133 or visit the Citizens Advice website
Trauma and Resilience Informed Practice - what it is, what it isn't, and how it can change the world
This is a solid introduction to the evidence and case for change. This session gives attendees the fundamentals and Warren's argument for a Trauma and Resilience informed approach alongside an argument for a cross sector long-term commitment, early intervention and prevention.
Warren Larkin Associates was founded in 2017. Warren spent 25 years in the NHS, working predominantly with individuals and families experiencing serious mental health difficulties. Warren then spent 5 years as Network Clinical Director, responsible for Children and Families Services across Lancashire. Warren was responsible for the quality and safety of care and for research and innovation. This experience led to Warren's passion for public health and prevention work.
Warren is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, a lecturer and researcher holding many honorary academic positions, including 6 years as Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland.
He has a long-standing interest in the relationships between childhood adversity and outcomes later in life and has published numerous research articles on the topics of adverse childhood experiences and trauma and psychosis and published an edited book in 2006 exploring this theme.
Watch the trauma and resilience informed practice webinar here.
Resources - Warren Larkin Associates.
Trauma-informed practice - practice guidance.
Trauma informed practice V.1.0 [311KB] .
Attachment and trauma presentation [887KB] .
Predatory Marriage with Daphne Franks
Daphne Franks is a prominent advocate against predatory marriage, driven by her mother's tragic experience of being married without her consent due to severe dementia.
Daphne's' mother, Joan Blass, was a vulnerable elderly woman suffering from advanced vascular dementia and terminal cancer. In 2015, she was secretly married to a man who isolated her from her family and took advantage of her condition. It had significant legal implications, including the annulment of her previous will. Following her mother's experience, Daphne has been actively campaigning to raise awareness about predatory marriages and the lack of legal protections for vulnerable individuals.
She highlights issues relating to:
- Lasting Power of Attorney
- Mental Capacity Assessment
- Coercive Control
Daphne has given over 300 talks on the subject and has been instrumental in advocating for legislative changes to protect vulnerable individuals from similar situations in the future. Her campaign aims to fill the existing gaps in the law and ensure that such predatory practices are addressed.
Watch the predatory marriage webinar here.
Download the predatory marriage presentation [2MB] .
Predatory Marriage UK - Reforming marriage laws and procedures to protect people with dementia.
Hoarding Awareness and Practice Reading Borough Council Hoarding Team
Carole Lee, Principal Occupational Therapist presents the facts.
- an introduction to Hoarding Disorder and legal duties
- the Hoarding Team at Reading Borough Council
- what we have to learn from Serious Case Reviews
- tools, including the Hoarding Protocol
Gina gives us a real-life example of working with someone who has a Hoarding Disorder and how, as part of Reading Borough Council's dedicated Hoarding Team she has used the Hoarding Protocol and the principles of working with people who hoard, to get the best outcomes for the person she's supporting.
Sarah Martin from Hoarding Disorders UK gives us a comprehensive overview of Working Directly with Individuals who have Hoarding Behaviour, including what has been learnt and what we are still learning, as well as Do's and Don'ts
Watch the hoarding webinar here.
Download the hoarding presentation [3MB]
Visit the Hoarding Disorders UK website.
Self-Neglect and Hoarding: A Guide to Safeguarding and Support - Emerald Publishing.
Find the Ursula SAR on our Safeguarding Adults Reviews page.
Self-neglect and hoarding practice guidance.
Self-neglect and Mental Capacity; the evidence-base from safeguarding reviews Delegate pack slides.
Working with people who self-neglect: Practice Tool (2020) on the Research in Practice website.
Second national analysis of safeguarding adult reviews, Final report: Stage 2 analysis.
Safeguarding adult reviews: informing and enriching policy and practice on self-neglect.
Police: Understanding Consent in Safeguarding Contexts
The Consent Conversations campaign was developed in response to low conviction rates, under-reporting, and persistent myths and misunderstandings around sexual consent.
It focuses on education and prevention, helping people, particularly young people; understand what consent really means and encouraging healthy, respectful relationships. The campaign has since been launched nationally, promoting open conversations about consent and challenging the culture of silence that often surrounds it.
Preventing harm is always better than responding after the fact, and everyone can play a part, especially by starting conversations with young people about respect, boundaries, and understanding consent. Education and awareness are key tools in preventing future offences and supporting a safer community for all.
- Consent Conversations campaign
- understanding and obtaining consent
- when consent can be withdrawn
- preventing harm is always better than responding after the fact, and everyone can play a part
- multi-agency responsibilities
- good practice
Watch the consent webinar on YouTube.
Consent Conversations: We Need to Talk full video (on YouTube).
Short-length YouTube videos:
- Consent Conversations: Flirting
- Consent Conversations: Relationships
- Consent Conversations: Withdrawing Consent
- Consent Conversations: Intoxication
Connecting with Romani and Traveller communities and families
Speaker: Doreen Dove, Co-founder of the Romani and Traveller Social Work Association.
The Romani and Traveller Social Work Association was set up in June 2020 by three Romani social workers who initially needed a safe and peer led space to share experiences of being one of the very few social workers who are from Romani Gypsy, Irish Traveller, Roma or Showman families.
Their work honours the journey of their ancestors, and they carry with them, their stories and experiences of state intervention in their family lives.
Watch the Connecting with Romani and Traveller communities and families webinar here.
Gypsy Romani Traveller presentation (November 2025) [2MB]
Visit the Friends, families and travellers website.
Watch the Roads from the Past - Travellers Times YouTube video.
Watch the 'What Does Freedom Mean to Me' video on YouTube.
Cyber Crime and Safeguarding with Hiro Taylor Cyber Protect Officer, Thames Valley Police
Understand how to stay safe with your online personality. This session will give you the ability to comprehend and visualize what type of crime activities online can affect the day to day life of the people you support.
Thames Valley Police has a dedicated Cyber Crime team who support victims from all communities when a cyber crime occurs.
They work proactively and reactively on significant cyber crime investigations and aim to defend against evolving cyber threats, deter and disrupt hostile action, and identify and utilise expertise to overcome future threats and challenges.
Cyber Protect Officers are your local point of contact to receive tailored support and guidance. They can be easily accessed your local police force, or the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit website, with priority given to those who are most vulnerable.
Watch the cyber crime webinar here.
Child Exploitation and Missing Process (EMRAC) and Transitional Safeguarding with Rebecca Berry
Transitional Safeguarding is an 'approach to safeguarding adolescents and young adults fluidly across developmental stages which builds on the best available evidence, learns from both children's and adult safeguarding practice and which prepares young people for their adult lives'.
It focuses on safeguarding young people from adolescence into adulthood, recognising transition is a journey not an event, and every young person will experience this journey differently.
Watch the EMRAC and transitional safeguarding webinar here.
Download the EMRAC and transitional safeguarding presentation here [2MB]
Transitional safeguarding practice guidance.
2024
In November 2024, the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board supported the Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Adults Week. Each day of the week our partners hosted a wide variety of free webinars to cover the themes on: 'Working in partnership'.
These were are open to all health and social care practitioners and volunteers within the West of Berkshire.
Explore the available resources below:
Prevent - Online safety for Vulnerable Adults
Delivered by Zoe Hanim, Prevent and Channel Lead, Wokingham Borough Council and Hiro Taylor - Cyber Monday 18th November 2024. The session covered understanding and identifying the on-line risks for vulnerable adults and what steps you can take to respond to these risks and support a vulnerable person to keep safe online.
View the prevent - online safety presentation here [2MB] .
Watch the prevent - online safety webinar here.
Stop Think Fraud Leaflet [199KB] .
Social engineering checklist [151KB] .
An approach to applying reasonable adjustments for autism into practice
On Tuesday 19th November 2024, Simon Tarrant, Autism and Crisis Care Pathway Development Manager, BOB ICB, presented a model that has been developed and used within BOB Integrated Care system for applying reasonable adjustments for autism. This is a practical model that can be applied into your approach for undertaking Mental Capacity Assessments.
Watch Simon Tarrant's webinar here.
View Simon Tarrant's presentation here [1MB] .
Resources:
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Preferred Communication Method Checklist [105KB]
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Phone Calls Checklist [108KB]
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Microsoft Teams Meeting Checklist [109KB]
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Appointment at Oxford Health Venue Checklist [110KB]
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Home Visit Checklist [109KB]
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Face to Face Appointments [184KB]
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One Page Profile (plain with Comic Sans) - blank [47KB]
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BH322 BOB 1.2 Neurodiversity Passport [837KB]
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Neuro-Inclusion Passport [303KB]
Domestic Abuse Risk Assessment and the MARAC Process
On Wednesday 20th November 2024, Laura McKie (Named Professional Adult Safeguarding Berkshire Healthcare), Louise Pegg (Deputy Designate Nurse for Safeguarding Adults) and Karen Evans (Domestic Abuse Coordinator Wokingham Borough Council) delivered a webinar to share guidance for practitioners on domestic abuse to support them to:
- understand how to approach domestic abuse cases in terms of assessing risk
- have an overview of the DASH risk assessment form
- understand where DASH and MARAC fit within a multi-agency response to high-risk victim-survivors
- understand how to make a MARAC referral
- learn more about support services for domestic abuse victim-survivors
Watch the domestic abuse risk assessment webinar here.
View the domestic abuse risk assessment presentation here [543KB] .
The journey into criminality of women of how they are treated in the Criminal Justice System
Delivered by Helen Morris from the National Probation Delivery Unit South on Thursday 21st November 2024. The webinar explored:
- women in the criminal justice system
- exploitation
- the picture in the West of Berkshire
- a live case study
- trauma informed approach
Watch Helen Morris's webinar here.
View Helen Morris's presentation here [1MB] .
Mental Capacity Act - the Inherent Jurisdiction and undue influence
Delivered by Edward Bartlett, Mental Capacity Act Lead Professional, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on Thursday 21st November 2024. The webinar explored the assessment of mental capacity where there is undue influence and when getting advice about use of the inherent jurisdiction of the high court might need to be considered.
Watch the 2024 Mental Capacity Act webinar here.
View the 2024 Mental Capacity Act presentation here [1MB] .
Links to useful resources:
- Capacity guide website
- Mental Capacity Guidance Note: Assessment and Recording of Capacity - 39 Essex Chambers
- Mental Capacity Guidance Note: Best Interests - 39 Essex Chambers
- Mental Capacity Guidance Note - Relevant Information for Different Categories of Decision March 2024 - 39 Essex Chambers
- Mental Capacity Law and Policy posts
- Court of Protection Guide PDF online
- Wards of Court and the Inherent Jurisdiction on the Bloomsbury Collections website
Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews 2nd National Analysis
On Friday 22nd November 2024, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot, Emeritus Professor of Social Work at the University of Bedfordshire, Convenor National Network for SAB Chairs, Independent Chair for Greenwich Safeguarding Adults Board, Independent Chair for Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board and Independent Adult Safeguarding Consultant presented the learning from the Second national analysis of Safeguarding Adult Reviews: April 2019 - March 2023.
View the the Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews presentation here [2MB] .
Watch the Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews webinar here.
2023
In November 2023, the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board supported the Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Adults Week. Each day of the week our partners hosted a wide variety of free webinars to cover the themes on: 'Safeguarding Yourself and Others'.
These were are open to all health and social care practitioners and volunteers within the West of Berkshire.
Explore the available resources below:
Safeguarding vs safeguarding
Rebecca Berry, Adult Safeguarding Quality and Development Manager at Wokingham Borough Council delivered a webinar on Monday 20th November. It explored the word 'safeguarding' and how different interpretations of it can create some confusion for professionals when deciding what course of action to take when they have encountered a person who needs support.
'Safeguarding' can mean two things; a formal safeguarding response under s42 of the Care Act, or a general response to keep someone safe and to ensure their needs are met.
Watch the Safeguarding vs safeguarding webinar.
View the Safeguarding vs safeguarding presentation here [788KB] .
Executive function: understanding fluctuating mental capacity and how best to care with these issues
Professor Keith Brown, Independent Chair, West Berkshire SAB delivered a webinar to show a new animated podcast which is a free to download learning tool for those working with or caring for people who executive function is deteriorating or fluctuating, a huge issue for those in the early stages of dementia .
Listen to the executive function podcast on YouTube.
Trauma informed approach to Safeguarding
On Tuesday 21st and Thursday 23rd November, Mike from Lads Like Us delivered a webinar.
Being Trauma informed isn't a tick box exercise, it's a way of being. Used with professional curiosity, you will save lives. It saved ours #AskWhy.
Visit the Lads Like Us website.
The partnership created the following practice notes:
Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews
Jane Hitching, Principal Social Worker at Reading Borough Council, on Friday 24th November 23 summarised learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews.
The webinar focused on the Mental Capacity Act, professional curiosity, multi-agency working, risk assessments, powers of Section 11 of the care act and how this overrides consent, emerging themes.
Watch the 'learning from safeguarding adults reviews' webinar.
View the 'learning from safeguarding adults reviews' presentation here [408KB] .
Domestic Abuse and Adult Safeguarding
Rebecca Berry, Adult Safeguarding Quality and Development Manager at Wokingham Borough Council, delivered a webinar on Friday 24th November on Domestic Abuse and Adult Safeguarding. It examined links between the Care Act 2014 statutory duties and domestic abuse; both within intimate partner and family relationships. Challenging unconscious bias about the characteristics of survivors of domestic abuse. Exploring how "care and support needs" impact upon survivors' experience of domestic abuse. How to recognise, record and respond to domestic abuse when working with adults at risk.
This session includes examples of domestic abuse in case study form, discussion of Domestic Homicide Reviews and voices of survivors.
Watch the domestic abuse and adult safeguarding webinar.
View the domestic abuse and adult safeguarding presentation [1MB] .
Keeping ourselves safe and how safeguarding is everyone's responsibility
The Learning Disabilities Partnership Board delivered a presentation on keeping ourselves safe and how safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
View the Learning Disability Partnership Board's presentation here [486KB] .
2022
In November 2022, the West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board supported the Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Adults Week. Each day of the week our partners hosted a wide variety of free webinars to cover the themes on: 'Responding to Contemporary Safeguarding Challenges'.
These were open to all health and social care practitioners and volunteers within the West of Berkshire.
Explore the available resources below:
Exploitation and County Lines
Research indicates that lockdown has increased the number of people at risk of exploitation. This is largely due to economic concerns and increased isolation.
The learning brief below raises awareness about how adults at risk could be exploited through county lines activity, an explains how to spot the signs that someone is at risk of exploitation, and how to respond effectively.
View the Exploitation and County Lines learning brief [304KB] .
Self-neglect
The term self-neglect covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one's personal hygiene, health or surroundings. There has been rise in self-neglect cases over the last two years, particularly for older people. The learning brief below explains how you can spot the signs someone is at risk of self-neglect.
View the self-neglect learning brief [193KB] .
Watch the 'Why do people self-neglect?' webinar on YouTube, presented by Suzy Braye. The webinar provides information and guidance regarding the psychology of self-neglect and how to work with this.
Watch the hoarding webinar on YouTube, presented by Jo Cooke from Hoarding Disorders UK. The webinar provides guidance in order to work effectively with individuals who exhibit hoarding behaviours.
Watch the 'Self-Neglect and Fire Risk' webinar on YouTube, presented by Neil Whitemann from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The webinar provides information and guidance of how to manage fire risk when working with individuals who may be at risk of fire at their homes due to hoarding behaviours.
Creating Safer Organisational Cultures
Promoting safer cultures is all about how organisations and individuals can take steps to minimise harm occurring in the first instance. It's also about embedding appropriate policies and procedures. In this way, people will know what to do if they have a concern to report. In addition, the organisation will have a plan in place for acting on concerns.
View the Creating Safer Organisational Cultures learning brief [272KB] .
Elder abuse
Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.
The World Health Organisation has found that rates of elder abuse have increased since the pandemic. Around one in six people aged 60 years and older experience some form of abuse in a community setting. Also, rates of elder abuse are high in institutions such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
View the Elder Abuse learning brief [539KB] .
Watch the 'Coercive Control and Links with Fraud in Families' webinar on YouTube, presented by Professor Keith Brown, Independent Chair West of Berkshire Safeguarding Adults Board.
Watch the Dewis Choice webinar on YouTube, presented by Rebecca Zerk. Dewis Choice is the first longitudinal prospective study globally to examine the decision-making processes of older victim-survivors as they seek help and access to justice. Dewis Choice has highlighted the diverse 'lived experiences' of 131 women and men aged 60 years and over who have experienced abuse from intimate partners and/or adult family members.
Watch the Elder Abuse webinar on YouTube, presented by Isobel from Hourglass. The webinar informs the work which Hourglass are doing in working with older adults who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Watch the Predatory Marriage presentation on YouTube, a powerful session from the personal experience of a daughter whose mother was the victim of predatory marriage.
Domestic Abuse in a Tech Society
Technology can help to keep people safe. But abusers can also use technology to cause harm.
View the Domestic Abuse in a Tech Society learning brief [625KB] .
Watch the Arson Awareness webinar on YouTube, from the Royal Berkshire Fire Rescue Service. Cases of arson linked to domestic abuse are on the increase, this session will improve the knowledge of staff regarding this issue.
