Agenda item

Sam Newton, Service Manager Safeguarding Adults, reported on proposals to case manage vulnerable adults, improve outcomes and develop cross agency working in the support and protection of vulnerable adults in our communities. 

A Vulnerable Adults Risk Management (VARM) Framework enabled, on a case by case basis, the assessment, case management and better co-ordination of an effective response to vulnerable adults.  It provided a structured escalation process set within the context of the Safer Rotherham Partner and Rotherham Safeguarding Adults Board.  It had been developed in partnership with South Yorkshire Police, the Vulnerable Person’s Unit and the Safeguarding Adults Team.

VARM was a bespoke cross-agency meeting to develop and co-ordinate activity to address the needs of identified vulnerable adults and provide a multi-agency response where interventions had tried and failed or had not been available.  The meetings would be answerable to their own organisations and would be scrutinised by the Vulnerable Adults Panel.  The VARM meeting would be convened by the Vulnerable Persons Unit (VPU).

The work had been commenced by the VPU drawing together information, managing the multi-agency risk and arranging for case specific multi-agency reviews.  The activity of each Service, current local multi-agency working and the assessment and case management by the VPU needed to be supplemented and embedded into a risk assessment framework which would:-

-          Reduce risk and increase a co-ordinated and effective service to the individual

-          Identify key agencies to work with vulnerable adult

-          Identify needs to improve outcomes

-          Reduce inappropriate use of Services e.g. high frequency callers to Emergency Services

-          Achieve this through the use of effective case management, multi-agency working including appropriate information sharing, action plans and continued monitoring to reduce risk and improve outcomes

The meetings would be held within 3 weeks of a new case being identified, the urgency of the meeting dependent upon the vulnerability of the individual and the availability of the professional required.  This would be decided by the case workers/co-ordinators within the VPU following appropriate screening and risk assessments.  The meeting would be chaired by a Chief Inspector and minutes taken by the VPU.

Discussion ensued on the proposal with the following issues raised/clarified:-

·           The VPU was Police led

·           2 Social Workers from Safeguarding sat within the VPU and were screening some of the cases that went through the VARM

·           Need for a governance framework

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Vulnerable Adult Risk Management Framework be supported and progressed for formal adoption across the Safer Rotherham Partnership and Safeguarding Adults Board.

(2)  That urgent consideration be given to the resourcing of the Service which, as a result of the recent child sexual exploitation, would be invaluable in identifying adult of CSE providing effective case management and risk reduction.  It also provided a means to meet key national Government priorities as outlined in the Care Act 2015 including recognition, assessment and signposting to relevant Services.

(3)  That, once the work on the governance arrangements was completed, they be submitted to the Cabinet Member.