Oxford,
05
October
2018
|
13:20
Europe/London

New housing network to aid protection of adults and children from abuse

A new housing network launched this week to help Oxfordshire’s adult and children’s safeguarding boards and housing providers across the county to share concerns, advice and best practice with each other.

The Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board and Adult Board Housing Network held its first meeting yesterday (Wednesday, October 3) with a session that combined the expertise of Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB), Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB), Sovereign Housing Association and Response mental health charity with around 40 other providers.

Tan Lea, Strategic Safeguarding Partnerships Manager for OSCB, said: “Safeguarding work covers a wide range of concerns ranging from emotional and physical abuse to neglect, exploitation, controlling behaviour, forced marriage or human trafficking. Ultimately, our job is to protect those who might be at risk of abuse or neglect, and offer care and support to adults and children who are affected.

“As such, it’s hugely important that those ‘out on the ground’ are aware of the times when they can and should share information to make sure that Oxfordshire’s residents are kept safe. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve formed this new network.”

Vice Chair of the network, Marian Hart, a regional housing manager for Sovereign, said: “At Sovereign we try to ensure that all staff are aware of the fact they can help and support our residents. Often, as housing providers, we see and hear about situations that might otherwise be missed. From our contact centre staff who are trained to pick up on signs of distress during phone calls, to our trades staff who might spot signs of domestic abuse or illegal activity when visiting to complete a repair, we are in a privileged position to be able to help and support our residents.

“This network will give us a reliable way to share valuable information and insight with colleagues in social care and other teams.”

John McLaughlan from Response, OSCB housing representative and Chair of the network, said: “The establishment of this housing network recognises the increasing importance that housing providers play in local communities and will allow us to share best practice regarding safeguarding of adults and children. It will give housing providers a chance to identify any system concerns they may have. It is essential that we ensure ease of communication between housing providers and statutory organisations responsible for safeguarding.”

The network will also learn from serious case reviews, pick up on training opportunities and ask for input on the best way to work together to support and protect local residents.

What is the OSCB?

The OSCB membership is drawn from each of the following agencies and organisations:

  • Oxfordshire County Council services for education, early intervention, social care, youth offending, adult services, legal services and public health
  • The District Councils of Cherwell, Oxford City, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse
  •  Thames Valley Police
  • Thames Valley Community Rehabilitation Company
  • The National Probation Service
  • Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
  •  NHS England - Area Team
  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Children and Families Court Advisory and Support Service
  • Voluntary sector representation
  • Education representation – including schools’ representation
  • Military representation

Worried about a child?

Abuse is always wrong, no matter how many times it happens. There can be lots of different types of abuse.

Being abused can affect young people in lots of different ways, but it’s never their fault.

It’s not unusual for young people to find it hard to talk about abuse, even with their closest friends.

 If you’re worried about a child or young person, please see the Reporting Concerns page for a list of those who can help you.

What is the OSAB?

The role of the OSAB is to bring together  organisations in Oxfordshire to agree how best to work together to safeguard adults with care and support needs.

The OSAB membership is drawn from each of the following agencies and organisations:

  • Oxfordshire County Council services for adult social care, public health and community safety
  • The District Councils of Cherwell, Oxford City, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse
  • Thames Valley Police
  • Thames Valley Community Rehabilitation Company
  • The National Probation Service
  • Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
  • Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
  • Care Quality Commission
  • Healthwatch
  • Voluntary sector representation
  • Care Provider representation

The Board is also supported by two lay members whose role is to bring the voice of service users, their families and carers as well as the voice of community groups to the meetings.

Concerned about an adult?

If your concerns are about someone not receiving care when you think they should, you should request a Care Needs Assessment. If you are a member of the public requesting care for yourself or for someone else you should use this form: Assessment Form for the Public.

Unsure if it’s a safeguarding issue? If you’ve encountered an issue and are unsure if it is a safeguarding issue or not you can call and request a consultation with the Safeguarding Triage Team. They can be reached on 01865 328232.

Concerns can be raised online via a form found on this page: http://osab.co.uk/public/reporting-concerns/