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Introduction
This paper is based on a presentation to the Economic and Social Research Council Seminar on "Safeguarding Adults: A New legal Framework" held on 22 September 2016 at the University of Bedfordshire. The seminar explored differing UK perspectives from the four nations. We looked at how the Care Act (2014) was working in England 18 months on from its implementation. We asked: "What is the impact and what are the strengths and weaknesses in the way the Care Act (2014) is being implemented; and what else is there still to do regarding adult safeguarding and Safeguarding Adults Boards?" This paper covers the areas of: wellbeing and safety; activity and process; changing criteria and definitions; Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP); Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs); statutory safeguarding adult reviews (SARs); and advocacy in safeguarding. We have looked at the impact of the Care Act (2014) on adult safeguarding from our perspectives as an independent chair of two SABs and a senior manager in a local authority. Our perspectives are also informed by access to a range of networks at local, regional and national levels, including the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS) and National Network of Chairs of SABs. We are aware that this is limited and does not consider a broader range of perspectives such as service user, carer, provider or frontline practitioner, which were beyond our remit.
Wellbeing and safety - impact on practice
When first discussing the changes that the Care Act (2014) heralded, it would have been easy to minimise the impact on safeguarding practice because local authorities had been addressing the issues of how to safeguard adults for some years. Many local authorities argued that their work was person centred (see below). However, on closer examination, the Care Act (2014) introduced some fundamental differences, and these included: a focus on the overall wellbeing of the person, including the outcomes they wish to achieve through any interventions undertaken in response to safeguarding concerns; how the person might want the process to be handled; and their experience of the whole safeguarding process. The statutory guidance for the Care Act (2014) helpfully provided a framework for practice to implement the required changes by translating the six principles of safeguarding (empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection,...