Joining up to safeguard Kent’s vulnerable children and adults

30 May 2012

Health, police and social care teams are coming together to help protect Kent’s most vulnerable people.

A new Central Referral Unit has been set-up with professionals from Kent County Council, Kent Police and the NHS in Kent and Medway. Based in one office, this will give greater consistency and more opportunities to work together on cases which concern one or more agencies.

Nationally, many serious case reviews about the safeguarding of children and adults have highlighted issues in communication between agencies. The unit will make sure that consistent record keeping and good information sharing among the different professionals involved so that they have the whole picture of what is going on.

A number of other authorities have developed similar arrangements but it is understood that Kent’s Central Referral Unit is the only multi-agency initiative to take on both adult and child protection.

KCC Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, Jenny Whittle, said: “Protecting the county’s most vulnerable children depends on the county council, health service, police and others working together. It will never be possible to eliminate risk, such is human frailty, but by bringing together the three key agencies in one place, we are taking the right approach and showing that lessons have been learned from previous tragedies.”

The unit will look at all new referrals and referrals where fresh concerns are raised about the safety of children or adults whose cases had previously been closed. It will help to reduce duplication, promote more effective information sharing, and make sure that the planning and management of adult and child protection referrals is consistent. This will help promote timely and targeted interventions for adults, children and their families.

KCC Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Graham Gibbens, said: “Safeguarding vulnerable adults is the highest priority and anything that can be done to support this work is very welcome. It is very good news that all the relevant organisations are working together to make sure we provide the right adult protection support for those who need it most."

Following national research by the Association of Chief Police Officers, Kent Police identified that an integrated referral and assessment service was needed in the county.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Pritchard from Kent Police's Public Protection Unit said: “Professionals working together under the same roof sharing information and discussing cases brings consistency and expertise to decision making. It helps us more quickly identify and reduce risk to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. That has to be a good thing.”

During October 2010, an Ofsted inspection of Safeguarding and Looked After Children Services in Kent, identified concerns about referrals and partnership arrangements. The development of a central, multi agency referral unit, as part of the improvement plan, is a positive step to address this.

Director of Nursing and Quality for NHS Kent and Medway, Sarah Andrews, said: “It is of paramount importance that those people – children or adults – who may be in danger of harm are protected effectively. The NHS already plays a major role in identifying people who are being harmed: indeed, health professionals are on the alert for signs of harm every day. By enabling health, social services and the police to work more closely together in assessing referrals of children and adults and setting strategies for safeguarding them, the Central Referral Unit will enhance the service for the most vulnerable in Kent and Medway.”

All referrals will still go through to Kent County Council in the first instance. KCC will maintain its responsibilities and its ability to make decisions about eligibility and thresholds.