Safeguarding Adults Week 2020

#safeguardingadultsweek

The Newcastle Safeguarding Adults Board  are supporting Safeguarding Adults Week 2020. The week of action from 16-22 November 2020 aims to raise awareness of safeguarding adults. The Board is calling on everyone to do their bit to keep the vulnerable people in their community safe, reaching out to family and understanding the impact of lockdown on mental health.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and agencies across Newcastle have prioritised protective work throughout the pandemic, keeping adults safe from abuse and neglect and providing education to partner agencies who are supporting individuals.

Since the initial lockdown, referrals to Newcastle City Council have increased, with spikes in reports related to self-neglect, mental health and domestic violence. Many of these increasing risk factors and mental health pressures are a result of the negative impact of lockdown measures, social-isolation and pressures on families and communities. The video below covers the types of concerns that are being reported during Covid-19 and what happens when a concern is reported.

Newcastle Adult Safeguarding Board has created three pledges to help residents understand their own role in protecting vulnerable people and  is asking everyone ‘What can you do to help keep someone safe?’

The pledges include –

• Give a vulnerable family member or friend a ring to have a chat and check they are ok – social isolation and loneliness are increasing risk factors for people, not only in domestic violence cases and neglect but overall mental health and wellbeing.
• Complete some online training – Newcastle Safeguarding Adults board has free, accessible courses on its  website.
• Share safeguarding messages on social media, at work and in your community – especially how and when people should report any concerns.

Newcastle Safeguarding Adult’s Board is supporting the Ann Craft Trust campaign ‘We all have a responsibility to be there for each other, and to look after each other’. The Ann Craft Trust campaign will focus on individual themes throughout the week.

If you are concerned about a safeguarding adults issue, or feel that someone needs protection you should report it.

Support is available for anyone who is self-isolating or is socially or clinically vulnerable via the Council’s CityLife Line service. Visit www.newcastle.gov.uk/citylifeline or call 0800 170 7001, lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 8pm and Saturday 8am to 3pm.