A Board priority for 2025/26 was to understand how families are involved in safeguarding processes and enquiries, and what more we can do to promote a ‘Think Family’ approach. To support this, the Board’s Quality and Performance subgroup undertook a case file audit, focusing on family involvement during the safeguarding enquiry process.
In safeguarding enquiries, it is critical to consider the involvement, views and support available to families, as well as any of the family members’ care and support needs and/or conditions, and the impact of these. Taking a ‘Think Family’ approach in this way ensures a holistic and comprehensive understanding of risk and how it can be best responded to.
The audit tool was completed for ten adults who had a safeguarding enquiry closed or completed within the previous 12 months. The ten cases were of adults aged 18+, who had family involved in the enquiry process, and had the involvement of West Sussex County Council and at least two other agencies at the time of the enquiry. The audit was be completed by agencies involved in the ten selected audit cases.
In April 2026 the audit responses were considered. The Quality and Performance subgroup noted that findings indicated that families are often involved with safeguarding enquiries, with their views considered. Overall, agencies shared that staff are generally confident and competent in working with families.
However, it was identified involvement of families can be impacted or limited by a number of factors, including:
- The adult’s capacity status, and whether they consent to family involvement
- Appropriateness of involvement is impacted if family are the cause of risk
- The care and support needs of family members
- Complex family dynamics
In safeguarding enquiries where families are involved with adults we work with, the audit identified learning and improvements required in the following areas:
- More thorough documentation is required to detail family involvement
- Considering, responding to, and recording the family’s protected characteristics
- More thorough use of professional curiosity
- Seeking formal feedback from family members after the enquiry
To take forward improvements based on the findings of this audit, the subgroup felt that it would be beneficial to create resources to support practitioners with working with complex family dynamics or those who may be difficult to engage with during safeguarding processes. These will be published and promoted later this year. We will also be taking forward discussions on possible improvements to the safeguarding feedback process to encourage a higher number of adults and families involved in safeguarding processes to share their experience.
Below are links to some helpful resources to support your work in context of the audit findings.
