Complete the OSAB workforce confidence survey 2026
OSAB want to hear from YOU!

Twelve months after an initial survey, Oldham Safeguarding Adults Board (OSAB) are keen to hear from frontline staff and operational managers across statutory and wider partners who work with adults at risk. This is an opportunity for you to have your say on adult safeguarding in Oldham.

OSAB would really like to hear your views. The survey is anonymous so please try to be honest about how you feel, rather than how you think you should feel. OSAB want to hear from you whether you completed the 2025 survey or not.

The anonymous results will be shared with the OSAB membership and used to inform its priorities and work, particularly when developing multi-agency practitioner resources and training.

There are only a handful of multiple-choice questions. Completing the survey should therefore only take a couple of minutes.

OSAB encourage each member of staff to respond for themselves however if you would like to discuss and/or complete the survey with your team then please feel free.

Complete the OSAB Workforce Confidence Survey

New Oldham sexual health outreach team

The ORBISH service provides confidential support for vulnerable young people aged 13–19. Examples of this include but are not limited to cared for children, SEN young people (flexible up to 25yrs), concerns around CSE vulnerability.

What ORBISH offers

  • Clinical support: contraception advice, sexual health screening, outreach appointments and targeted drop ins.
  • 1:1 education sessions: tailored sessions on consent, healthy relationships, contraception, STIs, online safety and risk taking behaviour.
  • Flexible locations: sessions can take place in schools, colleges, clinics, at home or any suitable private venue.

Accessing the service

  • Referrals: complete the referral form and email vcl.orbishyp@nhs.net
  • Self referral: young people can contact the service directly.
  • Telephone: 01706 202 444 (voicemail available)

A new step by step booklet is available to help professionals start conversations around relationships and sexual health. It is designed for lower level concerns and does not replace formal referral processes. Further details and referral form are available to download from the OSCP website

OSAB partner agency safeguarding roles and responsibilities profiles

Agency profiles have been written by representatives from each OSAB partner agency with the aim of improving multi-agency understanding of each other’s safeguarding roles and responsibilities, and avoiding any delays in delivering person-centred safeguarding responses. Each profile also includes some common misconceptions about what each agency can provide support with as well as basic information about how to access their service(s). Take a look via the OSAB website

Oldham’s refreshed private fostering pathway
What is private fostering?
Private fostering is when a child under 16 (or under 18 if disabled) lives with someone who is not a parent or close relative for 28 days or more. These days do not need to be consecutive.


Children may be privately fostered for many reasons, including staying with another family while parents are abroad or unable to care, being sent from overseas for education, living with friends or non relatives, or staying with host families for education, language, sports, or cultural programmes.


What do you need to do
Parents and private foster carers must notify the local authority six weeks before an arrangement begins, or immediately in an emergency. Professionals must notify the local authority as soon as they become aware, and where they are not satisfied that parents or carers have notified or will notify.

Oldham’s refreshed private fostering pathway is now live, providing clear steps for identifying, assessing, and responding to private fostering. Please familiarise yourself with it and use it whenever an arrangement is suspected or identified. The updated pathway and guide to private fostering are available on the OSCP website

Ann Craft Trust safeguarding bulletin

Ann Craft Trust have published their quarterly Safeguarding Bulletin for Winter 2026 bringing us the latest research and news on safeguarding adults and young people at risk. Take a look via the Ann Craft Trust website

Staff wellbeing support 

Oldham Safeguarding want to remind all practitioners of the support available through the Greater Manchester Resilience Hub, especially after distressing or traumatic work related incidents. The Critical Incident and Trauma Service provides specialist psychological support for anyone working in health or social care across Greater Manchester. The service is open to:

  • Primary and secondary health care staff
  • North West Ambulance Service staff in Greater Manchester
  • Social care and care home staff
  • Local authority staff
  • Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise sector organisations

Support includes one to one sessions, team support, and manager consultations. You can self refer or be referred by your line manager, HR, or Occupational health:

Further information is also available on the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust website 

Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) launches new webinar series
The OPG is holding a new webinar series this spring designed to support professionals in the health and social care sector to better understand:

  • OPG’s role and responsibilities
  • attorneys, deputies and decision-making under the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005
  • managing concerns about attorneys and deputies.

The webinars will take place 12.30-13:30 on 5 March, 15 April and 20 May.

Further details about the webinars and how to register can be found via Eventbrite

Safer sleep week 2026: baby necessities
This national awareness campaign runs from 9-15 March and is aimed at anyone who cares for a young baby. Throughout the week, the Lullaby Trust will share key information about safer sleep and raise awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

The campaign’s aim is to support parents and carers to understand the simple, evidence based steps they can take to reduce the risk and help keep babies safe during sleep.

Getting ready for a new baby can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with aisles of products and lots of conflicting advice. This Safer Sleep Week focuses on the "baby necessities" – the simple essentials that help keep baby safe during sleep, along with guidance on choosing products that meet safer sleep standards. The key message is to keep it simple to keep it safe.

For more information and trusted advice, please visit The Lullaby Trust.  Share this information with any families you work with. The more people who understand safer sleep guidance, the more babies we can help keep safe.

A new OSAB training course has been developed to equip practitioners with knowledge and awareness of homelessness legislation and the process a customer would experience should they approach the Council’s Homelessness Services. It will be delivered by members of Oldham Council’s Housing Options team on 27 February 2026.


By the end of the session, participants will understand:

  • The statutory duties the Local Authority have to a person experiencing homelessness
  • The needs and risks considered within Homelessness assessments, determining priority need
  • Details about working in partnership and when to refer to adult safeguarding.

Take a look at the OSAB website for more information including how to book your place.