This year, National Safeguarding Week takes place on 15-19 November 2021. Safeguarding Week is an annual, national campaign focusing on a wide range of safeguarding issues affecting our communities in Wales.
Each of the Regional Safeguarding Boards co-ordinate a programme of educational and awareness raising activities and events, aimed at the public and professionals.
Each region decides on a different theme, giving that Safeguarding Board and its partners and agencies within the region the flexibility to arrange events and activities on safeguarding issues pertinent to the services they provide, their service users and their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.
You can find out more on the theme for each Safeguarding Board, along with a list of the events and activities that will be taking place in the different regions here.
National Independent Safeguarding Board Wales
To mark National Safeguarding Week 2021, the National Independent Safeguarding Board, in partnership with The Violence Prevention Unit, are pleased to announce an online conference: Adult Safeguarding.
Wednesday 17th November 2021, 10:00 – 16.00
The webinar will be hosted on Microsoft Teams.
View the agenda and read about the speakers here:
This event will be recorded and available to view at a later date. Further information on how to view the recording will be posted after the event.
North Wales Safeguarding Board (NWSB)
During safeguarding Week, the North Wales Safeguarding Board will be celebrating good practice in the region and also learning from Adult and Child Practice reviews. They have a number of practice areas they are looking at:
- Safeguarding in Schools
- Mental Capacity Act
- Engaging Fathers in Child Protection
- Learning for Foster carers from practice reviews
The NWSB will also be delivering on national developments with presentations on Domestic Abuse / Ending physical punishment.
Further information on all the events can be found here.
Gwent Safeguarding Board (GSB)
The Gwent Safeguarding Board have chosen the theme of ‘Lessons Learned’ for National Safeguarding Week 2021. Research demonstrates that a culture of habitual learning is critical to improving outcomes for the people they work with. As a Board, they have chosen this theme as they believe that by adopting an ethos of continuous organisational and individual learning they will help to foster a culture in which safeguarding practices and processes are regularly reviewed and improved upon, thus ensuring Gwent is committed to delivering safe, effective, and compassionate services for its citizens.
Further information on all the events can be found here:
Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board (CTMSB)
The Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board’s theme for Safeguarding Week 2021 is ‘Safeguarding Our Communities’.
This will include an events programme looking at a range of safeguarding issues affecting children, young people and adults in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend. Such issues include domestic abuse, mental health, suicide prevention, child sexual abuse and exploitation.
This theme provides the Safeguarding Board, its partners and agencies within the region with the flexibility to arrange events and activities on safeguarding issues pertinent to the services they provide, their service users and their experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Further information on all the events can be found here.
Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Regional Safeguarding Board (CVRSB)
The Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Regional Safeguarding Board’s theme for this year’s National Safeguarding Week is ‘Mental Health and the Population’.
The theme will focus on the continuing challenges and impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to a dramatic and significant rise in mental health issues amongst the population. The necessary measures and restrictions that were implemented at the start of the pandemic has contributed to the negative effects on mental health and wellbeing and has amplified links to social isolation, depression, anxiety, domestic abuse, suicidal ideation and substance misuse etc.
This year’s National Safeguarding Week will consider the effects the pandemic has had on the population’s Mental Health and will ensure essential signposting is in place for individuals to obtain the required help and support. As part of the week’s events there will also be a reflection on ‘what things look like one year on’.
Due to the continuing uncertainty and restrictions that Covid-19 brings, the majority of this year’s events will be held virtually. Arrangements have also been made to ensure that awareness raising and key safeguarding messages reach the most vulnerable within the community.
Further information on all the events can be found here.
West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board (WGSB)
The West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board’s theme for Safeguarding Week 2021 is ‘Community Safeguarding, reset, renew, recover’.
This will include an events programme looking at a range of community safeguarding issues like county lines, Exploitation, domestic abuse to name just a few.
Further information on all the events can be found here.
Mid & West Wales Regional Safeguarding Board
The Mid & West Wales regional safeguarding board’s theme this year is ‘Safeguarding Practice Through A Pandemic’.
Safeguarding children and adults who may be at risk of harm is challenging and complex work for those professionals, families and carers who work together to keep the most vulnerable in our communities safe and protected. The impact of the Covid 19 global pandemic and the ensuing national lock down presented challenges to individuals and those providing support and services to those most at risk and in need, not experienced before in our life time or in a generation. During National Safeguarding Week 2021, The Mid and West Wales Safeguarding Board will be exploring themes that have been particularly pertinent in the region throughout the pandemic. Through a series of on line seminars , workshops and social media promotion they will be highlighting both the challenges and successes of multi-agency and partnership working and exploring a number of themes that include, Domestic Abuse, Exploitation, Suicide and Self-harm and Self Neglect.
Further information on all the events can be found here.
Welsh Government
The Welsh Government is presenting a remote digital conference and learning event on the afternoon of 18 November as part of National Safeguarding Week 2021.
The Right to be Safe- preventing and responding to child sexual abuse and exploitation in Wales
18 November 2021, 12.30-16.05
The conference will include presentations from:
- Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Social Services
- May Baxter-Thornton and Emma Lewis, Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP)
- Adam Richard Kaps, Youth Worker and Survivor
- Anna Glinski, Deputy Director (Knowledge and Practice Development) Centre of Expertise on child sexual abuse
- Karen Bamford, Independent Safeguarding & Reviewing Officer, Safeguarding Team
- Deborah Job, Section Manager, Family Support South & East Conwy, Family Centre
- Dr Sophie Hallett, Cardiff University
- Sharron Wareham, Better Futures, Service Manager, Barnardo’s Cymru
- Claire Short , Stop it Now Wales, Wales National Manager
- Tessa Hodgson, National Independent Safeguarding Board
- Albert Heaney, Chief Social Care Officer for Wales
Follow link to register for event – deadline to register 28 October
www.smartsurvey.co.uk/18 Tachwedd/18 November