Safeguarding adults: A renewed national focus
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Adult safeguarding is some of the most complex and important work in social care, yet it often goes unseen. Melanie Williams, Executive Director of Adults and Wellbeing at West Northamptonshire Council and former ADASS President, explores how new national reforms could strengthen safeguarding practice, improve accountability and ensure people with lived experience remain at the centre of decision-making.
Adult safeguarding sits at the heart of social justice and is when, I believe, social work is at its best. For most of us, experiencing harm at the hands of another person is difficult to comprehend. When that harm is experienced by someone who is already facing significant challenges, disadvantage, or exclusion, the impact can be devastating, often resulting in lifelong trauma and profound effects on wellbeing. Our work to prevent harm and to address harm when it happens is therefore central to enabling many of those we work with to enjoy that vision that we share – to live in the place we call home, with the people and things that we love, in communities where we look out for one another.
Yet safeguarding is often reduced to a simple term that fails to capture the complexity of the work involved. In reality, safeguarding is frequently an intensive, relationship-based process that supports people to navigate difficult situations, making choices about their lives balancing different demands and trade offs. It involves balancing rights, risks, professional responsibilities, legal frameworks, and often competing perspectives. For practitioners, there is rarely a straightforward path. Difficult decisions, conflicting views, and complex circumstances are commonplace. Too often, despite our best intentions, the voice of the person at the centre of safeguarding can be lost.
As fundamental as safeguarding is to social justice, it is rarely the story of social care that receives public attention or national recognition. The extraordinary work undertaken every day by social care workers, safeguarding practitioners, and partner agencies often goes unseen.
That is why it was encouraging to hear Baroness Casey raise these issues so clearly. In her speech at the Nuffield Trust on 5 March 2026, she highlighted concerns about the lack of national oversight and accountability for safeguarding. She questioned whether we truly understand how effectively we safeguard adults, what success looks like, and how we can collectively improve outcomes for those most at risk.
These themes were also reflected in discussions at our recent Spring Seminar. One of the ongoing challenges for the sector is how we describe, define, and measure safeguarding activity. Without a shared understanding, it becomes difficult to compare practice, learn from one another, and drive meaningful sector-led improvement. National reviews of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) continue to show inconsistencies in how statutory guidance is applied and reveal recurring learning, particularly around partnership working and supporting people living in the most complex or restrictive circumstances.
In response to these concerns and Baroness Casey’s recommendations, the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, announced the launch of the National Safeguarding Board. The Board met last week and Stephen Kinnock opened the first meeting. Chaired by Sarah McClinton, Chief Social Worker for Adults, the Board represents an important part of the Government’s response to strengthening safeguarding nationally.
The Board will also play a key role in considering Baroness Casey’s recommendation for an urgent review of safeguarding statutory duties and powers. The Government has committed to exploring whether additional statutory powers are required to ensure the Board can operate as effectively as possible. The personal involvement of the Minister in launching the Board was significant. It demonstrated a clear commitment to raising the profile of safeguarding and prioritising this work within the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Board’s programme for the coming year focuses on three key areas.
Updating the care and support statutory guidance
This review is particularly welcome. Practitioners have consistently highlighted areas where the current guidance lacks clarity or does not adequately reflect emerging challenges. The safeguarding chapter has not been substantially updated since 2016 and this presents a great opportunity for ADASS to consider how we close those gaps that we grapple with.
Proposed changes include clearer definitions of roles and responsibilities, improved distinctions between different forms of abuse and neglect, strengthened guidance for supporting adults experiencing substance misuse, alignment with more recent legislation such as the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and enhanced guidance on transitions and homelessness.
Strengthening oversight of Safeguarding Adults Boards
There is also a focus on improving oversight and accountability across local Safeguarding Adults Boards (SABs). Proposals include enhancing national data collection, introducing more consistent reporting arrangements, exploring the role of regulation through the Care Quality Commission, and strengthening the ability of SABs to hold key partners to account for their safeguarding responsibilities.
Reviewing legislation and guidance
The proposed review of legislation and guidance will consider two broad areas: strengthening national accountability and providing practitioners with greater clarity when working in high-risk and complex situations. Both are essential if we are to create a safeguarding system that is both effective and person-centred.
These three priorities present a significant opportunity for the safeguarding network to shape and influence the future direction of adult safeguarding.
As I take on the role of Chair of the Network, my hope is that the voices of people with lived experience are strengthened and placed firmly at the centre of this work. I also hope we can move closer to achieving parity with our children’s safeguarding colleagues in terms of recognition, visibility, and understanding of the vital role social care plays in protecting adults from harm. Most importantly, I want practitioners to have the tools, guidance, and support they need to undertake this challenging work with confidence and compassion.
The Minister of State for Care has set out both the ambition and the framework for change. It is now for us, as a sector, to help shape that change. An opportunity to improve the visibility of safeguarding practice and outcomes, strengthen accountability, and ensure that the impact of our work is recognised. Above all, we must continue to tell the stories of the people whose lives have been touched by safeguarding and whose experiences should remain at the heart of everything we do.
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