News + Events
Date: 22-12-2009
Published by: Wesley Jarvis
Posters & Leaflets
The new version of the posters and leaflets have now arrived. Only very minor changes have been made, however should you require fresh Ask SAL material for displays, contact Wesley Jarvis on wesley.jarvis@essex.gov.uk.
Date: 09-06-2009
Published by: Wesley Jarvis
Ask SAL Launch - 0808 80 10 345
Monday 8th June 2009 saw the official launch of Ask SAL (the adult safeguarding helpline for Essex) at the Weston Community Homes stadium in Colchester. The launch was part of the SET safeguarding conference, a whole day event with in excess of 300 people present.
The helpline is the result of a unique partnership between Southend, Essex and Thurrock Safeguarding Adults Boards and two leading national voluntary sector organisations: Action on Elder Abuse and Voice UK. The helpline provides a service for anyone concerned about an adult at risk of abuse, equivalent to that provided for children through Childline.
Aidan Thomas Chair of the Essex Safeguarding Adults Board and Chief Executive of NHS West Essex, said:
"The statutory agencies have a duty to protect vulnerable adults; those who are in need of care services and are unable to protect themselves against harm or exploitation. We know that adult abuse is a very real and serious problem and hope that the helpline will mean that people at risk will more swiftly receive the help they need to prevent them coming to further harm."
Gary Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Action on Elder Abuse, added:
"Many people do not report the abuse they suffer due to fear, shame and embarrassment. We hope that this unique partnership will cut through some of these barriers and enable people to access the support they desperately need. People calling the helpline will access skilled operators who will handle their calls with sensitivity. If a referral to another agency is required this will be done without the caller having to either re-dial or re-tell their story. We commend all of the partners in this initiative for the positive steps they are taking to tackle often quite appalling abuse and hardship."
For access to hard copies of leaflets and posters or other material in alternative formats email ESAB@essex.gov.uk or call (01245) 506642.
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Date: 09-06-2009
Published by: Wesley Jarvis
SET Safeguarding Conference - Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester
The launch of Ask SAL was just one of the many highlights of this years SET Safeguarding Conference at the Weston Homes Community Stadium in Colchester. Speakers from various areas of safeguarding were in attendance, all of whom are outlined below with some background along with their presentation subject on the day:
Anna Morgan—Department of Health - No Secrets Update
Anna is currently on secondment from her post as Service Director with South West Essex PCT to the Department of Health to manage the programme of activities for the consultation on the review of No Secrets.
Anna is a qualified nurse by profession and has spent the last 16 years working in Adults and Older Peoples Services. In her nursing career Anna has held many roles from a community nurse, a Manager in a Private Nursing Home, a Ward manager to a Nurse Consultant.
Kathryn Stone OBE—Voice UK - Ask SAL / Safeguarding and Risk
Kathryn is Chief Executive of VOICE UK, a national charity that supports people with learning disabilities who have been abused. VOICE UK also supports their parents and carers.
Before joining VOICE UK, Kathryn was Principal Inspector for Milton Keynes Council and Head of Inspection for the London Boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham and Barking & Dagenham, responsible for the regulation of residential, nursing and day care. She also worked as an independent inspector for 8 local authorities across the UK.
Kathryn has experience of child protection, training, counselling and supporting people with mental health needs. Kathryn is involved with the development of the Intermediary scheme with the Home Office. She is a member of the Home Office Victims Advisory Panel; her particular interests in this context are violent crimes against women and children.
Kathryn was awarded an OBE in 2007 for her services to people with learning disabilities and was made a Chartered Director by the Institute of Directors in 2008.
Daniel Blake—Action on Elder Abuse - Ask SAL / Choosing Protection
Daniel has worked for Action on Elder Abuse since 2004. He is currently the Policy Development Manager. Within this role, Daniel has strategic responsibility for the elder abuse response helpline, as well as leading for the organisation on criminal justice work, older people and domestic violence and working with care providers.
Daniel also has overall management responsibility for five strategic projects funded by Comic Relief, carried out in partnership with other voluntary organisations.
SI Paul Giannasi – Race Confidence and Justice Unit - Hate Crime
Paul is a police superintendent working within the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, he is the project-lead for ‘Race for Justice’, the cross-governmental hate crime programme, owned by the Attorney General. The programme will improve the way we respond to hate crime from the call-taker through to the courts. It also has influence over hate crime prevention and offender management policy.
Paul is also a member of the ACPO Hate Crime Group and is co-ordinating the refresh of the ACPO hate crime manual due for publication in 2009.
Ralph Jones - Foreign and Commonwealth Office - Forced Marriages
Ralph Jones is a career diplomat at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. His background has included working in a number of countries overseas dealing with the welfare of British nationals, often in distressed and difficult circumstances. Some of these have been high profile including dealing with safeguarding children and young people issues on the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and in 2004 a six week stint on Pitcairn Island in the South Pacific working with the Government on the trials surrounding six defendants over child sex abuse charges. He travels widely working with practioners, professionals NGOs and foreign governments to explain UK policy and practises on forced marriage.
Sir Roger Singleton MBE – Chief Executive Independent Safeguarding Authority - Vetting and Barring
Sir Roger Singleton is the first and current chairman of the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA), a new Non Departmental Public Body created to help protect children and vulnerable adults.
A Government adviser; a consultant in charity governance and management; a non‑executive director; and a chair and trustees of several charities Sir Roger has a background in education, children’s services, policy and management and is the former chief executive of Barnardo’s. Whilst there he expanded the organisation significantly and led its change from an association running residential homes to one principally supporting children and young people within their own homes and communities.
For electronic copies of presentations given on the day please visit www.essexsab.org. If you require a certificate of attendance please email ESAB@essex.gov.uk with your postal address.
