Safeguarding programme

Child safeguarding will always be a priority for everyone coming into contact with families facing substance misuse problems. This one-day event explores ways to improve multi-agency working, and combines practical advice and examples of best practice alongside policy updates.

The programme

9.00 – 10.00am: Registration, tea and coffee

Welcome: Vivienne Evans, Adfam

10.00 – 11.00am: Rosanna O’Connor, Health and Wellbeing Director, PHE: update on national policy. Emphasising that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and the importance of multi-agency working.

Joy Barlow, former head of STRADA: ‘healthy scepticism’, what signs to look out for – aimed at general drugs workers and recovery workers. Defensible decision making, looking at how to keep both clients and their families safe.

11.00 – 11.20am: tea and coffee

11.20 – 1.00pm: Workshops of 45 mins, to be run twice, allowing everyone the opportunity to attend two of the four.

Opioid substitute medications in drug treatment: tackling the risks to children – Adfam and Martin Smith, Derbyshire Safeguarding Team. Alongside Martin Smith, Adfam will update the data from their April report, Medications in drug treatment: tackling the risks to children, as part of a workshop offering advice on training, strategy development and practice improvement for local authorities.

Home visits/assessments – Sue Smith, National Safeguarding Lead, CRI. Working with families dynamically: tools for assessments and improving outcomes for both clients and their children.

Workforce development – Carole Sharma, Chief Executive, FDAP. The need for a well trained workforce, and ongoing assessment.

Multi-agency working: the challenges and opportunities – Howard Woolfenden, Assistant Director, Integrated Services Birmingham, and Micky Brown, Safeguarding Lead, Birmingham CRI. Provider and local authority giving their perspectives on partnership working, and looking at developing protocols and building pathways.

1.00 – 2.00pm: Lunch

2.00 – 3.30pm: Panel and closing session

A real-life perspective – A personal story, highlighting why safeguarding is important and emphasising that, with the correct support, an individual can turn their life around.

The panel – Using a ‘question time’ format the panel will address key issues from questions submitted through DDN magazine. There will also be the opportunity for comment and supplementary questions from delegates.

Panel participants: Sue Smith, CRI; Judith Yates, GP; Max Vaughan, Birmingham Commissioner; Martin Smith, Derbyshire Safeguarding Team; Joy Barlow, formerly STRADA.

Close and thanks: Vivienne Evans, Adfam