Not sure where to start with our learning resources? Want to expand your adult safeguarding knowledge, but just have the feeling that you 'don't know what you don't know'? We've designed a learning pathway to take you on a journey through our key adult safeguarding learning resources.
On this page you will find a summary of the learning resources, reports, and other materials published by the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board in the last three months. Please refer to this page for anything that you may have missed.
This year, we have once again worked with Easy Read Online and Burnside Day Opportunities Hub Digital Community Group on our Easy Read Annual Report 2024/25.
The Easy Read version uses easier words and supporting pictures. You might find it easier to understand than the main version.
Key documents:
Colin was a 77-year-old man who lived in his own home with his wife, Doreen, their son, and Doreen’s mother. In October 2022 Colin was admitted to hospital. He died 18 days later, with a recorded cause of death of sepsis and multiple infected pressure sores.
At the time Colin was admitted to hospital, he was physically disabled following a stroke, with limited mobility. He was diabetic and had an increased risk for pressure ulcers. The primary issue recorded in the Safeguarding Adults Review referral was the deterioration of Colin’s physical health in relation to pressure ulcers, in the wider context of self-neglect.
Key documents:
Organisational abuse, also sometimes referred to as institutional abuse, is one of the ten types of abuse and neglect defined in the Care Act (2014). It refers to poor care or safeguarding risks, including neglect, because of the arrangements, processes, and practices within an institution or care setting.
Read our factsheet for information about what organisational abuse looks like in practice; how it may occur; how we can mitigate against the risks of organisational abuse; and what you should do if you are concerned about organisational abuse.
Key documents:
Have you ever had a conversation with somebody, but felt like they weren’t really listening to you? Perhaps they appeared distracted, or their responses just seemed to ‘miss the mark’? It’s likely that they weren’t engaging in ‘active listening’.
Active listening is especially important as part of safeguarding work. When we’re working with adults experiencing abuse and neglect, we need to practice active listening to ensure that we are hearing and understanding what is being said, as well as what might not be being said.
Key documents:
We are pleased to share a new training video developed in partnership between the Safeguarding Adults Board and West Sussex Community Safety and Wellbeing Service which brings to life the key learning from the Safeguarding Adults Review in respect of Tom (PDF, 545KB).
This new resource features Tom talking through his story and highlighting key themes. Tom is keen to help staff understand the crucial role you play in identifying and responding to safeguarding for those experiencing exploitation and abuse.
We encourage all staff across statutory, private and voluntary sectors, including partners in health, education, housing, policing and community services, to watch the video and reflect on how the learning can shape your work.
Watch the video:
When working with adults with care and support needs, including those with multiple and compound needs, engaging in multi-agency working is essential.
This means working closely and well together with staff from involved agencies. This ensures that all involved in an adult’s care are aware of, and understand, each other’s work and views so that the adult experiences a fully coordinated approach.
Our new Multi-agency meeting guide takes you through the benefits of multi-agency working; top tips for participation; the challenges you might face; and where to go to find out more.
Key documents:
Our sector learning briefing series has been produced to share learning from our reviews, including learning reviews and Safeguarding Adults Reviews.
Each sector learning briefing is aimed at a different area of the adult safeguarding sector and draws out particularly relevant learning from our published reviews. This is not to say that there isn’t wider learning to be taken from our reviews, but that the learning contained in these briefings is particularly pertinent to the sector. These sector learning briefings are intended to be a concise exploration of key themes identified in our reviews. They will be updated with any new identified learning or themes, as needed.
We are pleased to share that we have now published our 2024/25 annual report, following a good reception at the recent Health and Wellbeing Board.
We will now be moving forward to develop an easy read version of this report, which will be published alongside this report on our website.
Read the report:
West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board Response to Provider Learning Review (May 2025)
This review explores the system response and learning following an investigation into reports of organisational abuse and neglect across a large provider of residential and nursing care in West Sussex, during 2016 to 2019. The provider is no longer in operation and the report explores the changes that have occurred as a result of this learning and identifies priorities for further change locally, regionally and nationally for preventing and responding to organisational abuse.
The findings and learning from this review have been shared with and agreed by all Safeguarding Adult Board agencies and as a partnership we offer our sincere condolences to the families, carers, and friends of the adults involved.
The West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board extends its thanks to everyone who contributed to this review, especially the relatives and staff who generously shared their time and experiences.
This report provides crucial insights into the learning from the investigation, guiding our ongoing work to build on the significant improvements already made.
We acknowledge the progress achieved across all services since these events, reducing the risk of recurrence, and will continue to monitor the improvement work taking place.
As the recommendations require, we will work both regionally and nationally to share our experience to influence change, improvement and support when working with the provider market.
Key documents:
In October 2024 the West Sussex Safeguarding Adults Board published a Safeguarding Adults Review in respect of Tom. Following his involvement in his Safeguarding Adults Review, Tom attended our conference in October 2024. At the conference, Tom shared his experience of abuse and neglect at the hands of his then-wife and paid carer, as well as his experience of the safeguarding process.
A message from our Board Support Officer:
“I am pleased to share with you an article featuring Tom Somerset-How, which has been developed from an interview held at our Safeguarding Adults Board conference in October 2024. Tom shared his story with courage and clarity, and made a real impact on all of us. The opportunity to read Tom’s story in his own words, within this interview, is extremely powerful.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Tom as part of the Safeguarding Adults Review process, and I can honestly say his openness, transparency, and commitment to change have been admirable. To Tom, I’d like to say a huge thank you for your invaluable contribution to this process, and for always welcoming me with a cup of tea and a friendly smile! Your kindness and warmth throughout this journey has not gone unnoticed.”
Read the article:
