Professional Judgement and the Use of 'Thresholds'

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

The tool is for guidance only – and is not to be viewed as a replacement for professional judgement or professional curiosity.

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 SAT will require others to carry out a range of ongoing or further 'enquiries' when indicated as necessary.