About the Safeguarding Adult Board (RBSAB)
Safeguarding Boards are required in every local area in the country, as legislated by the Care Act 2014.
The Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Adults Board (RBSAB) is a partnership of statutory and non-statutory organisations. There are three statutory partners – the Local Authority, the Police and the Clinical Commissioning Group. Other agencies and individuals have been invited to join to strengthen the partnership and provide a more comprehensive oversight of adult safeguarding in the borough.
The RBSAB is committed to Safeguarding Adults and will continue to work towards establishing a society where there is zero tolerance to adult abuse.
Safeguarding Adults Boards have three core duties. They must:
• Develop and publish a strategic plan setting out how they will meet their objectives and how their member and partner agencies will contribute
• Publish an annual report detailing how effective their work has been
• Commission safeguarding adults reviews (SARs) for any cases which meet the criteria for these.
The RBSAB Constitution can be read here.
The RBSAB Strategic Business Plan 2024 - 26 is available here.
The overarching purpose of a Safeguarding Adults Board is to help and safeguard adults with care and support needs. The Safeguarding Adults Board must lead adult safeguarding arrangements across its locality and oversee and coordinate the effectiveness of the safeguarding work of its member and partner agencies.
It does this by:
• assuring itself that local safeguarding arrangements are in place as defined by the Care Act 2014 and statutory guidance
• assuring itself that safeguarding practice is person-centred and outcome-focused
• working collaboratively to prevent abuse and neglect where possible
• ensuring agencies and individuals give timely and proportionate responses when abuse or neglect have occurred
• assuring itself that safeguarding practice is continuously improving and enhancing the quality of life of adults in its area.
It should also concern itself with a range of issues which can contribute to the wellbeing of its community and the prevention of abuse and neglect, such as:
• the safety of people who use services in local health settings, including mental health
• the safety of adults with care and support needs living in social housing
• effective interventions with adults who self-neglect, for whatever reason
• the quality of local care and support services
• the effectiveness of prisons in safeguarding offenders
• making connections between adult safeguarding and domestic abuse.
The vision of the Board is that agencies who support people at risk of harm have a culture that promotes good practice within services, raises public awareness to prevent abuse happening, act swiftly when it does and puts the person at the centre of planning to help them achieve good outcomes to ensure that people feel safe in their homes and communities.
The overarching principles of safeguarding are:
• Empowerment - Presumption of person led decisions and informed consent
• Protection - Support and representation for those in greatest need
• Prevention - It is better to take action before harm occurs
• Proportionality - Proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to risk presented
• Partnership - Local solutions through services working with communities. Communities have a part to play in preventing and reporting neglect and abuse.
• Accountability - Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding
The Rochdale Borough Safeguarding Adults Board has representatives from a wide variety of organisations.
Independent Chair - Amanda Clarke and Brad Howe
The Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board is accountable to residents in the area covered by the Board through: the statutory annual report and strategic plan, which is presented to Council Members and relevant partnership Boards; through reporting to the Chief Executive of the Local Authority for that area; and to the partners of the Safeguarding Adults Board. More details.
Membership
RBSAB Data Sharing Agreement