- Eight referrals for domestic abuse (a decrease of 33.3%)
- 19 referrals for financial abuse (an increase of 58.3%)
- 21 referrals for self-neglect for RWP supported living tenants (an increase of 320%)
- Our Progress Lifeline Team made 23 referrals
- 81 cases were closed
- 151 safeguarding concerns were raised overall by Key Unlocking Futures
- 28 safeguarding concerns raised in Key’s Schools Counselling Service
- 51 referrals for self-neglect (a decrease of 15%)
- 62 referrals were for self-neglect
- Our customer support officers made 31 referrals
- 21 referrals were made by our RWP supported living team
- 42 cases are awaiting updates from social services/employees
- 62 safeguarding incident reports completed by Key’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service
We are committed to providing outstanding safeguarding support, supervision and training.
Our Safeguarding Annual Report provides an opportunity to reflect on where we need to focus our efforts in the year ahead and recognise our achievements from the previous year in preventing harm and safeguarding our employees, tenants, their families and communities.
Progress Housing Group Safeguarding Annual Report 2022 - 2023
This year we received 123 referrals for review that included self-neglect, domestic abuse and financial abuse, to name but a few. The local authority safeguarding teams took over 34% of the referrals to liaise directly with our tenants.
|
|
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
2022/23 |
|
Safeguarding adults level 1 |
97.8% |
98.2% |
96.1% |
97.5% |
|
Safeguarding adults level 2 |
97.1% |
98.1% |
95.3% |
96.2% |
|
Safeguarding children level 1 |
95.9% |
97.5% |
95.7% |
97.1% |
|
Safeguarding children level 2 |
95.7% |
97.2% |
94.3% |
96.2% |
Safeguarding referral information
There has been a reduction in domestic abuse referrals, with eight this year compared to 12 last year (33.3%) against the same period in 2021/22. There has been a decrease in the number of self-neglect referrals recorded, with 51 compared to 60 last year (15%).
The number of financial abuse referrals has increased, with 19 referrals this year compared to 12 the previous year (58.3%).
As with previous years, neglect, including referrals for self-neglect, accounts for the most significant number of referrals made in April 2022– March 2023, with 76 (61.8%) out of the 123 referrals made. Further details can be found in Appendix 1.
Of the 123 referrals, 21 (17.1%) were for RWP customers. This highlights an increase of 16 (320%) compared to the five referrals made for RWP customers in the same period last year.
Our customer support officers made the majority of referrals, with 31 (25.2%). Followed by Progress Lifeline, who submitted 23 (18.7%) of the referrals, then RWP with 21(17.07%).
81 cases were closed. The remaining 42 cases are awaiting updates from social services/employee members. The outcomes of the cases for the year can be found in Appendix 1.
There are four categories of mandatory safeguarding training that all employees are expected to complete (safeguarding adults level 1 and 2, safeguarding children 1 and 2). The table below shows employee compliance for each category (as of 09/05/2023).
To try to mitigate non-compliance, My Learning Online (MYLO) sends reminders to colleagues six months, three months, and one week before their refresher date. Colleagues are also sent a reminder when they are one day overdue, and this reminder also goes to their line manager.
15 referrals whereby the local authority safeguarding team confirmed that they were satisfied with the actions being undertaken internally by the Group.
28 referrals accepted by the local authority safeguarding team working with the subject directly.
38 referrals where further action taken by local authority safeguarding team due to information supplied by a third party (usually another tenant contacting Progress Connect) or no consent gained for the referral or did not meet referral criteria
There is a risk to the Group if we do not maintain employee awareness around safeguarding. The high uptake of mandatory training mitigates this risk.
There is a risk to customer well-being and safety through a lack of awareness around reporting.
Reputational damage could be caused due to those mentioned above through negative media coverage and regulatory intervention.
Attached to this report is the Key Unlocking Futures Annual Report. It is recognised that how Key Unlocking Futures collates its Safeguarding information and reporting periods differs from the rest of the Group.
- We will continue to enhance our training offer to colleagues across the Group.
- We will develop bespoke procedures for each business stream
- We will implement a communications plan to raise awareness
- We will continue to support Safeguarding Adults Week
- We will deliver four categories of mandatory safeguarding training that all employees are expected to complete (safeguarding adults level 1 and 2, safeguarding children 1 and 2).
- We will support Key’s team in undertaking/refreshing suicide awareness training.
Safeguarding Initiatives 2022 - 2023
White Ribbon campaign against domestic abuse
In support of White Ribbon Day campaign, teams from South Ribble and Chorley women’s refuges ran a stall at a local market to raise awareness of the campaign and the support available locally.
Our charity Key Unlocking Futures, provided our Safe at Homes programme, where we support both men and women who want to stay in their homes or cannot access refuge or alternative accommodation. We also run a 24-hour domestic abuse helpline and two women’s refuges. We also run a free healthy relationships school’s programme to teach children about healthy relationships.
We have a dedicated webpage to Modern Slavery on our website with resources, support guidance and links to training on our colleague intranet. We also support the Anti-Slavery Day, which takes place every year on 18 October. Anti-Slavery Day is part of Anti-Slavery Week, a UK and European awareness week, which runs from 14 – 20 October 2024 this year.
Policies and procedures review
During the year, we started a review of safeguarding across the Group. We have reviewed and updated our adult and children safeguarding policies.
Mandatory safeguarding training for employees
We provide mandatory safeguarding training that all employees must complete depending on their role.
As of May 2023, over 96% of colleagues had completed their training. Training will remain a key focus in the future, and we will trial hourly sessions for front-line teams as and when required during the coming year.
We worked with our supported living provider RWP and charity Key Unlocking Futures to raise awareness of a range of important issues relating to the abuse or neglect of adults. The campaign included social media, media, internal communications and producing a video explainer and Easy Read information about safeguarding.