Professional Judgement

We have provided a Thresholds Guidance Tool to assist multiagency partners when raising safeguarding concerns to the Adults Safeguarding Team (AST).

The tool contains the following statement:

"Guidance is often criticised for over standardising practice and undervaluing the skills required when applying safeguarding policy/procedures in diverse circumstances. The focus is on using professional skills to gain a real understanding of what the adult wants to achieve and what action is required to help them to achieve it rather than a prescriptive process that must be followed. This guide is an aid to the promotion of good safeguarding practice."

Opportunities for prevention or early intervention should not be missed due to application of these thresholds – safeguarding practice needs to support a flow of information and activity and is not a linear or hierarchical process. This is the same for enquiries – that these can be engendered through conversations with people, through to a range of more formalised interventions. The Adult Safeguarding Team (AST) may require others to carry out a range of ongoing or further 'enquiries'when indicated as necessary.

Important to remember that safeguarding is everyone’s business, we all have a duty of care to protect vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect and its only by working together, appropriately sharing information and keeping the services wishes and desired outcome at the centre of enquires, can we promote the wider safeguarding agenda to protect those most vulnerable in our society.