The Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss the safeguarding of adults at risk, and to review their work programme for the year. The meeting is scheduled to include a discussion of the impact of the Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Policy, and a review of the committee's work programme for 2025/26.

Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Policy

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of the 'Multi-Agency Operational Policy and Procedures for Safeguarding Adults at Risk'. The report in the Public Reports Pack will focus on the council's statutory responsibilities regarding the abuse or neglect of adults, as defined in sections 42 to 47 of the Care Act 2014¹. The policy outlines a six-stage process:

1. Adult Safeguarding Referral
2. Adult Safeguarding Concern
3. Strategy Discussion or Meeting
4. Adult Safeguarding Enquiry
5. Case Conference and Review
6. Ending the Safeguarding Procedure

The report pack states that the Safeguarding Adults Team receives concerns from various routes, including an online portal, email, and telephone. It also notes that internal staff can input safeguarding referrals directly onto a safeguarding concern via Mosaic². According to the report, the number of safeguarding adult concerns received has increased significantly since February 2024, with a monthly average of 220 concerns between April and August 2025. The report also indicates that younger adults, aged 18-64, account for the largest proportion of concerns raised, at 58% in quarter one of 2025. In addition, the report states that the majority of concerns raised in quarter one – 76% - involved individuals from White ethnic backgrounds, followed by those from Asian backgrounds, who accounted for 14%. The report recognises that this does not reflect the ethnic demographic of the population in Blackburn with Darwen.

The report pack states that the team have noted a significant number of concerns being referred via safeguarding which are not allegations of abuse, but the pathway is being used as a means to access wider Adult Social care.

The report also provides data on the timeliness of strategy discussions and Section 42 safeguarding enquiries, measured against policy targets. The multi agency policy states that strategy discussions should be started within 5 working days, and the report states that this was achieved in 90% of cases in quarter one. The multi agency policy states that safeguarding enquiries should be concluded within 28 working days, and the report states that this was achieved in 60% of cases in quarter one. The report identifies several reasons why a Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiry can remain active beyond 28 days, including ongoing police investigations, awaiting the outcome of an internal investigation, and ensuring Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP) is captured.

The report also provides information on the types of abuse reported, with neglect and acts of omission representing the most frequently reported category of abuse for section 42 enquiries, with most incidents involving registered providers.

The report includes data on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)³, noting a significant waiting list for DoLS applications. According to the report, as of 27 March 2025, there were 261 DoLS applications waiting to be approved, with 182 of these assessments not yet started. The median waiting time for people was 156 days, with the maximum wait 503 days. The report outlines actions taken to address the backlog, including streamlined documentation processes, increased resources within internal Best Interest Assessors (BIAs), and the development of a permanent Best Interest Assessor role.

The report also discusses the Adults and Health corporate Key Performance Indicator (KPI), which measures the percentage of safeguarding adult enquires triaged within 24 hours from the concern being completed to the strategy discussion starting. The target for this KPI is set at 90%, but the report states that this was only achieved in 79% of cases in quarter 1 2025/26.

Finally, the report outlines the assurance and oversight arrangements in place to monitor the effectiveness of the multi-agency policy and operational safeguarding processes, including the Blackburn with Darwen Safeguarding Adults Board⁴ and its subgroups, the Safeguarding Accountability Panel, and the Adults and Health Assurance and Improvement Board.

Work Programme 2025/26

The committee is scheduled to discuss its work programme for 2025/26, as detailed in the Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2025/26. The programme includes the following topics:

• Housing and Homeless Strategy – impact of implementation, responsibilities of portfolio and alignment with other portfolio responsibilities to achieve outcomes
• Written report on numbers accessing occupational therapy and outcomes against KPIs
• Safeguarding Adults Multi-Agency Policy – its impact and related KPIs
• Strength based approaches
• Prevention Services
• CQC Improvement Plan in response to the inspection