Declaration on Safeguarding Children and Adults

October 2022 to October 2025

All organisations are required to meet statutory responsibilities for safeguarding, which include making sure there is clear leadership and lines of accountability, having appropriate policies and procedures, providing safeguarding training and working in partnership with relevant agencies to protect children and adults at risk of harm.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides high quality community and specialist services in:

  • Halton
  • St Helens
  • Warrington
  • Community Dental Network (this covers the above areas plus Bolton, Tameside, Trafford, Glossop, Stockport, Oldham, Bury and Rochdale and western Cheshire)​

Bridgewater’s safeguarding team is fully committed to make certain that there are good outcomes for adults at risk, children, and young people by ensuring that their needs remain paramount and that their wishes and feelings are heard and considered by health professionals.

The safeguarding team ensure that employees are equipped with knowledge and skills and are supported through safeguarding supervision and training to enable the organisation to fulfil its statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of the adult at risk, children, young people and unborn children in all areas of service provision, under;

  • Section 11 of the Children’s Act (2004)
  • The Care Act (2014)
  • Regulation 13 (CQC)

Systems and processes are in place to enable all staff to know what to do if they suspect or identify abuse or neglect of an adult,  child or young person. The team seek to promote positive outcomes for adults at risk, children and young people by early identification of safeguarding issues and timely intervention when appropriate.


The Safeguarding Business Continuity Plans provide contingency plans in the event of any disruptions to service.

Our Our Safeguarding Strategy sets out the overarching values and direction of adult and children’s safeguarding and the expectations around our approach and commitment to keeping children, young people and adults at risk, safe.

Pre-employment checks including checks with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) are completed before staff commence working for our Organisation; this process is carried out and monitored by Human Resources (HR).

Safeguarding Children and Safeguarding Adults and Looked after Children  Policies and Guidelines are up to date, robust and easily accessible for all staff on the Trust Hub. Policies and Guidelines are reviewed regularly and updated to reflect national legislation and national and local guidance including those from the Safeguarding Children Partnerships and Local Safeguarding Adult Boards. The voice of the child / adult at risk is at the centre of our policies, guidelines  and processes.


There is a combined comprehensive Training Strategy and a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) in place, reflecting the Intercollegiate Documents for Adults, 2018, and Children, 2019 and Looked after Children 2020.

All staff are required to undertake mandatory training for safeguarding children and safeguarding adults and compliance against safeguarding children and adults training is reported monthly and monitored by the Safeguarding Named Professionals and Operational  Managers to ensure and promote compliance.

All Named Professionals are clear about their role and there are specific job descriptions in place.

Safeguarding supervision is provided to Bridgewater staff by the safeguarding team and the Designated Nurses for children and adults safeguarding in the  Integrated Care System provide safeguarding supervision to the Named Nurses.


Governance

The Chief Nurse is the Board Executive Lead for Safeguarding and there is an identified NED (Non-Executive Director) for Safeguarding. The Safeguarding Service and team are led by the Director for Safeguarding and supported by the Heads of Safeguarding, and the  Named Nurses for Safeguarding  and Children in Care.

The Safeguarding Trust Assurance Group (STAG) oversee the implementation of assurance processes and provides strategic and operational direction in relation to safeguarding in line with national, regional, and local guidance and legislation.

STAG has membership from each borough and services within Bridgewater so that information can be relayed by means of  a two-way process to ensure there is a safeguarding thread throughout our organisation.

The Trust Board receives assurance via the Quality + Safety Committee, Quality Council, and the Risk Management Council, where safeguarding risks, monthly and annual reports and escalated concerns are received.

Working closely with our partner agencies is essential in the safeguarding arena. The safeguarding team play an active role with reviews such as Safeguarding Practice Reviews and Domestic Homicide Reviews which have been commissioned by the Safeguarding Children Partnerships and Local Safeguarding Adult Boards

The Trust Board is assured that:

  • The Trust has met its safeguarding responsibilities, specified under Section 11 of The Children Act (2004)
  • Regular safeguarding audits are carried out which provides the Board with assurance that safeguarding systems and processes are effective
  • The TNA and Training Strategy is in place to ensure those working with adults and children complete mandated training and access safeguarding supervision relevant to their roles on safeguarding children and adults at risk
  • Named Professionals for safeguarding are clear about their roles and responsibilities
  • The Safeguarding Team is actively involved in Partnership working with each boroughs Local Authorities and partner agencies to safeguard and protect adults and children

Based on this work, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirms it has considered its position regarding safeguarding children and adults and has assurance that it is meeting requirements and is following good practice.