Learning Briefings

This Best Interests Learning Briefing summarises the findings and learning outcomes of a SAB multi-agency audit of Mental Capacity Act (MCA) best interest’s decision making.

It includes information on the Office of the Public Guardian and the Court of Protection.

East Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board have produced a Learning Briefing with guidance on the ‘Court of Protection’ following on from recommendation 13 in SAR Ben . This recommendation identified:

A lack of knowledge regarding referrals to the Court of Protection. ESSAB should consider how to raise awareness of the role of the Court of Protection across health and social care services, and also of pathways to obtain legal advice regarding complex cases. Where different services seek legal advice independently on the same case, ESSAB should seek assurance that services coordinate subsequent decision-making through multi-agency risk management or complex case meetings.

Court of Protection Learning Briefing

The Complex Cases Learning Briefing summarises the findings and learning outcomes of a SAB multi-agency audit and covers the importance of professional curiosity and effective communication and information sharing in managing complex cases.

It also covers information about resolving disputes in decision making.

The Domestic Abuse Learning Briefing contains important learning about how agencies should engage in a collaborative response to domestic abuse.  This draws upon the learning from this Safeguarding Adults Review and provides practical guidance to support practitioners when working with those experiencing domestic abuse and coercion and control.  It also provides an overview of the key provisions under the Domestic Abuse Act, which came into effect in April 2021.

Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews (DARDRs) are a way to improve a local coordinated community response. Looking at the death of a person aged 16+ as a result of domestic violence and abuse, they aim to understand what happened; identify where agency responses could be improved; learn lessons including how agencies work together; identify how to improve responses; and to prevent something similar happening to others in the future. DARDRs Learning Briefings identify key areas of learning for agencies.

SAR Anna published in May 2022 and SAR Hannah published in December 2023 both highlighted the importance of multi- agency meetings when undertaking safeguarding work.

Multi-agency meetings help to ensure co-ordination of distinct aspects of an enquiry that relate directly to the adult or a decision that will affect them.  Information and intelligence can be shared to determine what the appropriate actions should be to “sufficiently reduce, or remove the risk to the adult”.

Multi-Agency Meetings Learning Briefing 2024  summarises the key learning outcomes from SAR Anna and SAR Hannah, particularly in relation to the importance of multi-agency meetings to manage risk. The briefing also outlines the different types of multi-agency meetings, when a meeting should be called and information sharing between agencies.

The University of Sussex commenced a research project in 2018 to explore how existing research and findings from Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) involving self-neglect can be embedded into practice and how organisational change from this learning can be best facilitated. The project, led by Dr David Orr, brought together researchers and members from a number of SABs, including the East Sussex SAB to form a learning set which undertook an exploratory study of organisational learning on self-neglect and safeguarding.

The Organisational Learning from SARs Learning Briefing summarises the main findings and learning from the project report. Partner agencies are encouraged to share these findings with staff in their organisations.

Nurturing professional curiosity and challenge are a fundamental aspect of keeping children, young people and adults safe from harm.

This Professional Curiosity Learning Briefing has been developed to raise awareness of the need for respectful uncertainty and to support good practice in this area.

A Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) is a process for all partner agencies to identify the lessons that can be learned from particularly complex safeguarding adults cases, in which an adult who has experienced abuse or neglect (including death by suicide) has died or come to serious harm.  SARs lead to recommendations to make changes and improvements to services. Our dedicated SAR page contains more detailed information including the Sussex SAR Protocol, referral form and our published SARs.

A Sussex SAR Referral Learning Briefing has been produced to support practitioners to understand the criteria and outline the process for raising a SAR referral.

This Self-Neglect Audit Learning Briefing was developed following the publication of the Adult A SAR , and provides an overview of self-neglect, how to raise concerns and how to manage complex cases and ensure effective multi-agency responses.

In November 2020 the East Sussex SAB conducted an audit of cases involving multi-agency responses to self-neglect.  A summary of the findings and learning outcomes is covered within this Self-Neglect Audit Learning Briefing .  It includes information on the interface between self-neglect and safeguarding and good practice in working with individuals who may find it difficult to engage with services.

The Child T Serious Case Review Learning Briefing relates to a Serious Case Review which was published by the East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (ESSCP) in June 2019. It was produced jointly by the East Sussex SAB and the ESSCP and focuses on areas relevant to those working with young adults in transition between Children’s and Adult Services. It also includes issues relating to mental capacity for those aged 16 – 18 and inherent jurisdiction.

The Young People at Risk of Exploitation Learning Briefing  was produced to summarise the findings of a multi-agency audit carried out in August 2019.

It includes guidance and resources for staff who work with children and young adults who are at risk of exploitation.

The attached Transitional Safeguarding briefing produced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) focuses on this important, but often challenging area of practice, providing key information to support practitioners in working with young people transitioning into adulthood.