ICYMI: OSAB 7-minute briefing: making safeguarding personal

In case you missed it!.........Did you find seven minutes to take a look at the 7-Minute Briefing all about Making Safeguarding Personal?

Partner agencies fed back to Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB) that 'Making Safeguarding Personal' is seen as 'social work language' and therefore this briefing was written with all agencies in mind because Making Safeguarding Personal should not simply be seen in the context of formal safeguarding activity, but in the whole spectrum of partner agency activity working with adults.

Please discuss this briefing within your teams, complete the OSAB 7-Minute Briefing Team Discussion Feedback Form

Prevent in education virtual sessions from the DfE

Over the forthcoming year (2025), the Department for Education (DfE) Regional Prevent Education Coordinators (RPECs) will be delivering training sessions aimed at designated safeguarding leads and school governors to support them in understanding the Prevent duty and their safeguarding responsibilities in protecting young people from radicalisation and extremism. To see all available dates and further details please visit the gov.uk website

OSAB training opportunity: lads like us - a million pieces

“Being Trauma informed isn't a tick box exercise, it's a way of being. Used with professional curiosity, you will save lives. It saved ours" - Lads Like Us

Lads Like Us are two lads from Manchester. Through the lens of their own lived experiences, Mike and Danny will cover a range of issues including Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, Adverse Childhood Experiences, substance misuse, mental health, suicide prevention, attachment theory, County Lines, parenting from a trauma perspective, toxic masculinity, and vicarious trauma. These issues are linked to trauma attuned practice and professional curiosity, and the life changing difference that they can make.

Lads Like Us will be hosting a session for OSAB at 10:30-12:00 on 8 July 2025, via Microsoft Teams. To book a place, please send your name, role, and email address to OldhamSafeguardingAdultsBoard@oldham.gov.uk

Drowning prevention week 14-21 June 2025

Drowning prevention week is one of the largest summer water safety campaigns across the UK. The week is deliberately timed ahead of the school summer holidays when children spend more time outdoors. 49% of UK accidental drownings occur between May and August. We also see a heightened risk of drowning when air temperatures are higher. When UK average maximum temperatures reach or exceed 25°c:

  • There is a fivefold increase in accidental drowning risk, when compared to days with an average temperature of 10°c
  • Over half of those who drowned were swimming, reflecting more people actively entering the water.
  • Teenagers aged 13-17 years and young adults are proportionately more likely to lose their lives.

Vital water safety skills can help keep children safe. Get children and young people talking about summer water safety and download the summer water safety poster. For further information and resources access the Royal Life Saving Society UK website

Abuse of older people - free webinars

Hourglass are a charity who's mission is to end the harm, abuse and exploitation of older people in the UK. They regularly run free webinars on a wide range of topics. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is 15 June and in the run up to the day they are delivering a webinar exploring the issues and movements around the abuse of older people in 2025. The webinar takes place on Thursday 12 June.

Previous webinars from Hourglass are available to watch, including:

  • Personal Assistants and the risks to abuse
  • What can we do to prevent predatory marriage
  • Domestic Abuse and Housing
  • Creating Safe Care Homes

Register for the free webinar on 12 June and watch previous webinars via the Hourglass website

Decluttering the homes of people with hoarding behaviours research

New research delves into professional decluttering as a key intervention for individuals with hoarding behaviours, who make up an estimated 2.5% of the population. These individuals often face severe challenges due to the accumulation of possessions, impacting daily life and safety.

The study explores how decluttering, distinct from deep cleans or clearances, offers a less invasive support approach. It highlights the variability in service commissioning and management, providing insights into practices and standards. By clarifying the role of Professional Declutterers (PDs) and offering practical recommendations, this research aims to enhance social care practices and inform PwHB, families, and practitioners.

Did you know that local agencies Positive Steps and TOG Mind have set up an Oldham Hoarding Peer Support Group? Take a look at the flyer

Making a child protection referral – places still available

This training will take place at 9.30–12.30am on Wednesday 18 June 2025.
Aligned with getting the right help at the right time priority of OSCP, this course will consolidate and reinforce knowledge of the meaning of child protection and abuse. It will provide up to date information and underline existing knowledge as to what to do if they are concerned a child is at risk. This training will focus on taking participants through the role of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and what would constitute as a good referral into MASH. It will look at safeguarding child protection, processes and what to do if you are worried about a child.

To register for a place on this course, please email OSCPtraining@oldham.gov.uk

It is estimated that 8,000 to 10,000 forced marriages of British citizens take place every year, often resulting in devastating long term consequences for the victims. Virtual college has developed an online course with the Forced Marriage Unit of the Foreign Office and aims to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and inform you of the correct actions to take should you suspect someone is at risk.

Register for the free forced marriage awareness course via the Virtual College website

New mental capacity act guidance notes from 39 essex chambers

Alex Ruck Keene KC and colleagues from 39 Essex Chambers, a leading set of barristers’ chambers, have published two new Mental Capacity Act (MCA) guidance notes:

These documents provide an overview of the law and principles relating to the assessment of capacity for social workers and those working in front-line clinical settings. The focus is on how to apply the MCA 2005 principles when assessing capacity; and how to record your assessment, primarily in the context of health and welfare decisions.