Page 10 - Teeswide Inter Agency Safeguarding Adults Policy V4

The Local Authority has a duty to involve an appropriate person to facilitate an adult’s involvement in the
safeguarding adult’s process if it is deemed that they would have substantial difficulty in participating
themselves.

Advocacy
As part of the safeguarding adults procedure consideration must be given as to whether the adult may
benefit from the support of an independent advocate.
Where the adult has substantial difficulty in participating in the safeguarding adults process, and there is
no other appropriate person to assist them, under the Care Act 2014 independent advocacy must be
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arranged by the Local Authority. The details of local arrangements for advocacy are held by each Local
Authority.

13. Inter-Agency Arrangements

Each partner agency may have its own internal safeguarding adult’s policy and procedural guidance,
which describes their interconnection with the Teeswide Inter-Agency Safeguarding Adults Policy and
Procedures. The roles and responsibilities of each partner organisation and their staff are described and
contained within these documents.

Where the adult is placed out of the area for their care and support and a safeguarding concern is
raised, the hosting authority will take responsibility for leading on the Section 42 enquiry. Out of Area
Arrangements

14. Related Policies, Procedures and Safeguarding Offences

Safeguarding Children
Local Child Protection Procedures apply to people who are under the age of 18. More information can
be found at:
 Hartlepool Safeguarding Children Board
 Middlesbrough Safeguarding Children Board
 Redcar & Cleveland Safeguarding Children Board
 Stockton-on-Tees Safeguarding Children Board

A Teeswide protocol is in place to outline the working arrangements between adults and children
workforce in relation to safeguarding issues. Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and
adults at risk of abuse
Domestic Abuse (MARAC)
The role of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) is to provide a consistent approach
to the risk assessment of those individuals that have been identified at the highest risk of serious harm
from domestic abuse in order to safeguard them and to enable appropriate actions to be taken to
increase public safety.

The MARAC facilitates, monitors and evaluates effective information sharing between representatives of
the local police, probation, health, child protection, housing practitioners, Independent Domestic Violence
Advisors (IDVAs) and other specialists from the statutory and voluntary sectors and works on the
assumption that no single agency or individual is able to see the complete picture of the life of a potential
victim, but all may have insights that are crucial to their safety. The MARAC arrangements on Tees
follow national guidance.

The offence of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate and familial relationships was introduced
into the Serious Crime Act 2015. The offence imposes a maximum 5 years imprisonment, a fine or both.
The offence closes a gap in the law around patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour during a
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relationship between intimate partners, former partners who still live together, or family members.

4 Care Act 2014, Section 68
8 Care Act 2014, Section 14.12

Ensuring our safeguarding arrangements act to help and protect adults
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