Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board

Safeguarding adults in Camden

Everyone has the right to live a life that is free from abuse, harm and neglect. Watch this animation to find out Camden's approach to Safeguarding in the borough.

If you are worried about an adult please call 020 7974 4000 and select option 1, or email us on adultsocialcare@camden.gov.uk.

If you think an adult is in immediate danger you should call the police on 999 (urgent) or dial 101 (non-urgent).

Deaf or Hard of Hearing people who use British Sign Language (BSL) can contact Camden Council using our Sign Video Web Access, an online sign language interpreting service. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will require a webcam. https://www.camden.gov.uk/accessibility#lvcz

An adult with care and support needs may be more at risk of, or already experiencing, abuse or neglect because they:

are unable to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm,
depend on others for their care,
lack the mental capacity to take a particular decision.

If you are concerned about an adult please email adultsocialcare@camden.gov.uk.

Safeguarding Adults Training

Introduction to Safeguarding

Introduction to domestic violence and abuse

Camden Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board (Camden SAPB)

What is the Camden Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board?

The Camden Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board is a statutory multi-agency board that is committed to protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect. It has overall responsibility for co-coordinating safeguarding adult matters and ensuring that partner agencies carry out safeguarding adults work.

What the Board does

The board meets quarterly and their work includes:

co-ordinating activity between agencies
facilitating joint training
monitoring and reviewing progress in safeguarding practice
developing ways of working which will improve our ability to support Camden residents across the community to live a life free from abuse
learning from lessons where people have not been adequately protected

How does the Camden Safeguarding Adults Partnership Board aim to meet this?

By fostering strong relationships with all its partner agencies and other strategic boards, to demonstrate a real commitment to ensuring that adults in Camden live a life free of abuse and neglect.

This includes partners and members feeling able to challenge each other and other organisations where it believes actions or inactions are increasing the risk of abuse or neglect. It is also about identifying arrangements for monitoring and reviewing the implementation and impact of policy and training.

At the same time, it’s about making sure that the adult’s wellbeing is being promoted including, having regard to their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action. It must be recognised that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic about their personal circumstances.

The Care Act

The Care Act 2014 provided a formal statutory base for safeguarding adult boards. This has enabled the Board to deliver a more robust challenge and ensure greater consistency in safeguarding arrangements throughout Camden.

Camden SAPB has three core duties which the Care Act 2014 sets out. These include developing and publishing an annual strategic plan, publishing an annual report which sets out what we have achieved, and commissioning a Safeguarding Adults Review where serious abuse or death has occurred and to ensure lessons learnt.

Definition of Adult Safeguarding

The statutory framework introduced under the Care Act applies to any person aged 18 or above who:

has needs for care and support (regardless of the level of need and whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs)
is experiencing, or is at risk of abuse or neglect, and
as a result of those needs, is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

Who sits on Camden SAPB?

Camden Council (Adult Social Care, Integrated Commissioning, Housing, Community Safety
NHS North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group
Met Police (Camden)
Camden Council Cabinet Member for Tackling Health Inequality & Promoting Independence)
London Fire Brigade (Camden)
National Probation Service
Community Rehabilitation Company
Representation from Camden Council’s Adult Social Care, Integrated Commissioning, Housing, Community Safety, Cabinet Member for Tackling Health Inequality & Promoting Independence
Camden and Islington Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Central North West London NHS Trust
Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust
University College London Hospitals
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Representation from Service Users
Representation from Voluntary Sector
Public Health Camden & Islington
Healthwatch Camden

What should I do if I suspect abuse?

If you are worried about an adult please call 020 7974 4000 and select option 1, or email adultsocialcare@camden.gov.uk. If you think an adult is in immediate danger you should call the police on 999 (urgent) or dial 101 (non-urgent).

This form may be used for non-members of the public to report abuse:

Camden SAPB Multi Agency Safeguarding Adults Referral Form

Sub-Groups

At present, Camden SAPB has two sub-groups which support the development of specific areas in preventing and responding to the abuse of adults at risk. In addition there may be occasions the SAPB will establish specific, time-limited task and finish groups to report on particular topics according to the work required.